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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Monday 29 November 2004
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 29 November 2004
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Monday 29 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 29 November of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Monday 29 November see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to the Advocate General 1
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Advocate General, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to her Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of those invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of those invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if she will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to the Department. | | (201007) | Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office 2
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will list the refurbishment projects in her Department that (a) are in progress and (b) will start in the next six months; what action is being taken to ensure that timber for these projects will be procured from legal and sustainable sources; and whether guidance will be issued to contractors on each of these projects to ensure that the timber used on site during refurbishment comes from legal and sustainable sources. | | (201072) | 3
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans her Department has to fund the (a) establishment and (b) maintenance of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber. | | (201073) | 4
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many video conferencing units are installed in (a) her Department and (b) each agency of her Department; what percentage of offices have these facilities in each case; and what plans there are to increase the number. | | (201074) | 5
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what target her Department sets for the maximum time to respond in full to a parliamentary answer; and what percentage of its parliamentary answers have failed to meet this target in each parliamentary session from 1997-98 to 2003-04. | | (200524) | 6
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to her Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of those invoices was paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of those invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if she will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. | | (200612) | 7
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of the Department with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. | | (200183) | 8
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the estimated number of staff days in all departments, agencies and other Civil Service organisations involved in conducting pay negotiations across the Civil Service was in the period April 2003 to March 2004. | | (200963) | 9
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will make a statement on the anti-war demonstration held inside the Cabinet Office on 23rd November; how many demonstrators entered the building; at what time they (a) entered and (b) were removed; and what security status was in force at the time. | | (200265) | 10
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what period of time elapsed before the intruders in the Cabinet Office on 23rd November were challenged. | | (200266) | 11
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether identity passes are required to be worn within the Cabinet Office building. | | (200267) | 12
| John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) proportion and (b) number of departments, agencies and other civil service organisations carried out an equal pay audit or review in 2004; what steps are being taken in response to the reviews; and what plans she has for further periodic equality reviews. | | (200585) | 13
| John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the difference was between average (a) men's and (b) women's salaries at each grade, band or salary range, broken down by (i) national and (ii) London rates, in each Department at the latest date for which figures are available. | | (200586) | 14
| John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the most recent equal pay review included comparisons of (a) ethnic groups, (b) disabled and able-bodied and (c) part-time and full-time employees; and what differences of pay at each grade, band or salary range, broken down by (i) London and (ii) national rates were found. | | (200587) | 15
| John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the difference was between average (a) men's and (b) women's performance assessment at each grade, band or salary range, broken down by (i) national and (ii) London rates in each department at the latest date for which figures are available. | | (200588) | 16
| John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the difference was between performance assessment by (a) ethnic group, (b) disabled and able-bodied and (c) part-time and full-time employees at each grade, band or salary range, broken down by (i) national and (ii) London rates in each Department at the latest date for which figures are available. | | (200589) | 17
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many Regulatory Reform Orders have been approved by the House in each year since 2001; and what target has been set by the Government for the number of Regulatory Reform Orders to be approved by 2005. | | (200683) | 18
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what role the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster plays in the development of housing policy. | | (200139) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 19
| Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how the calculations of the (a) RPI and (b) CPI made by the Office of National Statistics take into account changes in the standard quantities of the representative commodities contained in the indices. | | (200591) | 20
| John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects the analysis of the household survey data for 2003-04 to provide an estimate of families eligible for but not claiming child tax credit will be concluded. | | (200233) | 21
| Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what duty of care his Department has to ensure that the UK contribution to the EU budget is used for appropriate purposes. | | (200302) | 22
| Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects the European Commission to undertake a treasury audit. | | (200303) | 23
| Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what action he proposes to take if the EU Court of Auditors refuses to approve the EU accounts in its next annual report. | | (200304) | 24
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many civil servants have (a) been relocated and (b) been agreed for relocation in the last 12 months; and to which areas of the United Kingdom. | | (200521) | 25
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many of the Civil Service job cuts recommended by the Gershon Review were outside Greater London. | | (200522) | 26
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many jobs recommended for relocation by the Lyons Review were also recommended to be cut by the Gershon Review. | | (200523) | 27
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue his Department has received from the duty paid on petrol and diesel oils in each of the last three years. | | (200314) | 28
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which countries in Africa have had their debts cancelled in each of the last three years. | | (200943) | 29
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his estimate is of the number of pensioners living in (a) the London Borough of Wandsworth and (b) Greater London who pay income tax on their income. | | (200945) | 30
N | Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland & Melton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what visits he has made to the African continent (a) as Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) as part of his work as a member of the Commission for Africa; and what visits he plans to make to the African continent as part of his work as a member of the Commission for Africa. | | (199720) | 31
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. | | (200628) | 32
| Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the processing of completed application forms for (a) working tax credit and (b) child tax credit takes place in the UK. | | (200900) | 33
| David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how the introduction of the working and disabled pension tax credits has changed support to low income families in (a) Scotland and (b) Midlothian. | | (200078) | 34
| David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money has been allocated for future engagements in Iraq; and how much has been spent on the operation in Iraq to date. | | (200226) | 35
| David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been spent on operations in Afghanistan; and how much has been allocated for future operations. | | (200230) | 36
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much in (a) direct and (b) indirect subsidies was received by each industrial sector of the UK in each of the last three years; how much will be given in the next three years; and if he will make a statement. | | (200296) | 37
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of his Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. | | (200184) | 38
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff there were in his Department in each year since 1997. | | (200185) | 39
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997-98. | | (200395) | 40
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997-98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request. | | (200415) | 41
| Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the Inland Revenue's handling of tax credits claimed by Ms Emma Bowers of Glazebury, Warrington. | | (200193) | 42
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the refurbishment projects that (a) are in progress and (b) will start in the next six months; what action is being taken to ensure that these will procure timber from legal and sustainable sources; whether guidance will be issued to contractors on each of these projects to ensure that the timber used on site during refurbishment also comes from legal and sustainable sources. | | (200724) | 43
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans his Department has to fund the establishment and maintenance of the central point of expertise on timber. | | (200725) | 44
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many video conferencing units are installed in (a) the Department and (b) each agency of the Department; what percentage of offices have these facilities in each case; and what plans there are to increase the number. | | (200726) | 45
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the extent to which (a) the public and (b) banks and building societies have been made aware of the recent agreement negotiated by him for the release of sufficient assets of deceased individuals to pay inheritance tax on their estates in order to permit probate to be granted; and if he will make a statement on the steps taken to publicise that agreement. | | (200272) | 46
N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to regulate shared appreciation mortgages. | | (200214) | 47
| Mr James Plaskitt (Warwick & Leamington):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he is discussing with the Office for National Statistics changes to the 2011 Census forms which would recognise Sikhs as an ethnic group. | | (200041) | 48
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether all debt owed by Ethiopia to the UK has been extinguished; and if he will make a statement. | | (200145) | 49
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will commission research on the advantages and disadvantages of giving tax relief to cover the cost of private dental insurance for patients of dentists who have opted out of the NHS and where there is no alternative NHS dentist with an open list in the local primary care trust area. | | (200146) | 50
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many higher rate taxpayers there have been in each county in England in each year since 2000; and what percentage of the total they represent in each case. | | (200969) | 51
N | Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received on taxation issues affecting the proposed International Cricket Conference Headquarters in London. | | (200363) | 52
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Government abolished mortgage income tax relief; and what the estimated change in taxation for a typical household with a mortgage over £30,000 in 2004-05 is due to its abolition. | | (200138) | 53
| Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Economic Secretary will reply to the letter from the honourable Member for West Worcestershire of 25th October (PO Ref: 5/10798/2004). | | (200324) | 54
| Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will reply to the letter from the honourable Member for West Worcestershire of 5th October (PO Ref: A/01567/2004). | | (200326) | 55
N | Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many 16 and 17 year olds are not in employment, full-time education or training. | | (200159) | Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 56
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many Royal Charters there are. | | (200698) | 57
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will list Royal Charters which have been amended in the last 10 years. | | (200699) | 58
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many Royal Charters have been (a) awarded and (b) cancelled in each of the last 30 years. | | (200700) | 59
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what steps are taken to enforce conditions attached to Royal Charters; and who is responsible for such enforcement. | | (200701) | 60
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the Government's policy is on the future award of Royal Charters. | | (200702) | 61
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what process is followed in order to alter the terms of Royal Charters. | | (200703) | 62
| Mrs Anne Campbell (Cambridge):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, when he expects to announce the review of electoral systems. | | (200279) | 63
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. | | (200614) | 64
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many people were working on fines enforcement for each magistrates courts committee on (a) 1st April of each year since 2001 and (b) the latest date for which figures are available. | | (201018) | 65
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will list the (a) magistrates' courts and (b) county courts which have been closed since May 1997. | | (201019) | 66
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of his Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. | | (200180) | 67
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997-98. | | (200329) | 68
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997-98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request. | | (200401) | 69
| Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, pursuant to the 44th report from the Committee of Public Accounts, Session 2002-03, whether the Libra Project is being delivered on (a) time and (b) budget; and what steps the Department has taken to ensure that outcome. | | (200053) | 70
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many properties in (a) Nelson and (b) Colne have sold for less that £20,000 in each year since 1997. | | (201012) | 71
N | Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what meetings were held between 1997 and 2003 between representatives of Claims Direct and (a) the Lord Chancellor's Department and (b) the Department for Constitutional Affairs; and what was discussed at each such meeting. | | (199747) | 72
N | Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, when the Independent Appellate Authority will set a date for a hearing for Floreliza Moody, the wife of a constituent of the honorable Member for Sittingbourne and Sheppey. | | (199528) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 73
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make representations to Ofcom to prevent the exposure of children to graphic pictures of bullfighting in late afternoon transmissions. | | (200705) | 74
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what controls there are on the content of satellite transmissions by Sky television. | | (200706) | 75
N | Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what controls are in place to ensure foreign satellite TV channels available in the UK are not broadcasting material which breaches UK laws on incitement to (a) racial hatred and (b) violence. | | (199744) | 76
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to her Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if she will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. | | (200615) | 77
| Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has held with (a) the European Commission and (b) other European Union member states regarding the parameters permitted by European State Aid laws for the funding arrangements of the Government's intended switch to digital television transmission; and if she will make a statement. | | (200567) | 78
| Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what advice she has sought regarding the parameters permitted by European State Aid laws for the funding arrangements of plans to switch to digital television transmission. | | (200568) | 79
| Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what advice SwitchCo has sought regarding the parameters permitted by European State Aid laws for (a) its structure, (b) its funding and (c) the funding arrangements for the switch to digital television transmission. | | (200569) | 80
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of her Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. | | (200166) | 81
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many staff there were in her Department in each year since 1997. | | (200189) | 82
N | Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list each programme and initiative launched by her Department to help young people since 1997; and which of those programme initiatives remain in operation. | | (200263) | 83
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by her Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997-98. | | (200331) | 84
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she expects the Public Service Agreement (PSA) to increase the percentage of school children in England who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality physical education and school sport within and beyond the curriculum to 75 per cent. by 2006 to be met; what percentage has been reached to date; and what travel provisions have been made in connection with the PSA. | | (200358) | 85
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a statement on the Physical Education, School Sport and Club Links initiative. | | (200365) | 86
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997-98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request. | | (200403) | 87
| Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she will reply to the letter to her dated 6th October from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to John Paton. | | (200315) | 88
| Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will place in the Library (a) the report she commissioned from English Heritage on the de-listing of the Commonwealth Institute building in Kensington and (b) related correspondence between ministers and officials of her Department and English Heritage. | | (200225) | 89
N | Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has made to the Spanish authorities over (a) the remarks of the Spanish coach and (b) the actions of the crowd at the recent international football matches in Spain. | | (199595) | 90
N | Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assistance she has given to (a) the Football Association and (b) the Kick It Out campaign over the issue of racism in football. | | (199597) | 91
N | Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Football Association on the sanctions available to (a) international referees, (b) participating teams and (c) international coaches or managers when faced with racism at international matches. | | (199601) | 92
N | Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the England and Wales Cricket Board on the England cricket tour to Zimbabwe. | | (200361) | 93
N | Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with (a) UK Sport and (b) the England and Wales Cricket Board on the proposed International Cricket Conference Headquarters in London. | | (200364) | 94
| Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the refurbishment projects within her Department that (a) are in progress and (b) will start in the next six months; what action is being taken to ensure that these will procure timber from legal and sustainable sources; and whether guidance will be issued to contractors on each of these projects to ensure that the timber used on site during refurbishment comes from legal and sustainable sources. | | (200438) | 95
| Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans her Department has to fund the establishment and maintenance of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber. | | (200439) | 96
| Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many video conferencing units are installed in (a) the Department and (b) each agency of the Department; what percentage of offices have these facilities in each case; and what plans there are to increase the number. | | (200440) | 97
| Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her policy is on the use of telephones by members of staff in her Department for personal use relating to (a) domestic calls and (b) international calls; and if she will make a statement. | | (200886) | 98
| Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what measures she has taken to ensure that telephones in her Department are not used by staff making unauthorised personal calls to international numbers. | | (200887) | 99
| Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimates she has made of the cost to her Department of unauthorised personal calls made by members of staff to (a) domestic numbers and (b) international numbers in the last year for which figures are available. | | (200888) | 100
| Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she will reply to the letter from the honourable Member for West Worcestershire of 27th September. | | (200322) | 101
| Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she will reply to the letter from the honourable Member for West Worcestershire of 21st October. | | (200323) | 102
| Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding the Arts Council has given to theatre in each of the last three years; and what proportion of total Arts Council funding this constituted in each year. | | (200630) | 103
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what pieces of legislation passed in the last 30 years that the Department is responsible for remain to be brought into force, broken down by year of enactment. | | (200444) | 104
N | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether Gideon Hoffman is an employee of her Department; and if she will make a statement. | | (199726) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 105
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many files held by the Department have been destroyed in each year since 1997. | | (200695) | 106
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in each of the last two years. | | (200796) | 107
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) new builds, (b) demolition rebuilds and (c) PFI projects in his Department for each of the last two years. | | (200797) | 108
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost has been of criminal damage to his Department's buildings in each of the last two years. | | (200798) | 109
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on energy costs incurred by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200799) | 110
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) his department, (ii) his agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which he has had responsibility in each of the last two years. | | (200800) | 111
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his estimate is of the cost of building refurbishment carried out by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200801) | 112
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost of refurbishing each Ministerial Private Office was in the last two years. | | (200802) | 113
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost was of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200803) | 114
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200804) | 115
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by his Department and which took place on non-Departmental premises in each of the last two years giving the (i) title, (ii) purpose, (iii) date and (iv) cost of each. | | (200805) | 116
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his target time is in 2004-05 (a) to reply to letters from honourable Members and (b) for the officials in his Office to reply to letters received directly from members of the public. | | (200806) | 117
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what creche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost. | | (200807) | 118
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's policy is towards age discrimination. | | (200808) | 119
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the gender pay gap amongst staff in his Department. | | (200809) | 120
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the equipment leasing arrangements entered into by his Department in each of the last two years; and what the cost is to public funds in each case. | | (200810) | 121
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the European Union directives and regulations relating to his Department that have been implemented in each of the last two years, specifying (a) the title and purpose of each, (b) the cost to public funds of each and (c) the cost to businesses of each. | | (200811) | 122
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many cases have been brought against his Department under the Human Rights Act 1998; and what has been the cost in (a) legal fees to defend cases and (b) compensation payments. | | (200812) | 123
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total cost to his Department was for the use of external consultants in each of the last two years. | | (200813) | 124
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total external spending by his Department was on private finance initiative (PFI) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PFI consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement. | | (200814) | 125
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total external spending by his Department was on public private partnership (PPP) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement. | | (200815) | 126
| Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the refurbishment projects in his Department that (a) are in progress and (b) will start in the next six months; what action is being taken to ensure that these will procure timber from legal and sustainable sources; and whether guidance will be issued to contractors on each of these projects to ensure that the timber used on site during refurbishment also comes from legal and sustainable sources. | | (200576) | 127
| Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has to fund the establishment and maintenance of a central point of expertise on timber. | | (200577) | 128
| Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many video conferencing units are installed in (a) the Department and (b) each agency of the Department; what percentage of offices have these facilities in each case; and what plans there are to increase the number. | | (200578) | 129
| Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) establishment and (b) current strength is of each of the three battalions of the Parachute Regiment. | | (200998) | 130
| Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) soldiers and (b) officers in the Army are employed on full-time duties concerned with maintaining airborne forces in role. | | (200999) | 131
| Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) officers and (b) airmen in the Royal Air Force are in receipt of parachute pay. | | (201000) | 132
| Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) officers and (b) soldiers in the Army are in receipt of parachute pay. | | (201001) | 133
| Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost of (a) an in role parachute battalion and (b) a parachute battalion not in role was in the last year for which figures are available. | | (201002) | 134
| Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which Scottish Infantry Regiments he has visited since 1st January 2004; and on what dates the visits were made. | | (201003) | 135
| Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when was the last time that a parachute battalion force was deployed on operations using parachutes as the main entry into the theatre; and what the theatre of operation was. | | (201004) | 136
| Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many in role parachute battalions there are in the Army. | | (201005) | 137
| Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total manpower is of in role (a) airborne engineer forces, (b) airborne Army logistic forces, (c) parachute artillery forces and (d) airborne Army medical forces; and what the cost was of each of those forces in the last year for which figures are available. | | (201011) | 138
| Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on which dates he has held meetings with the First Minister of the Scottish Executive since 1st January; and if he will make a statement. | | (201075) | 139
| Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) established and (b) non-established personal staff support (i) the Chief of the Defence Staff and (ii) the Chief of the General Staff, broken down by (A) rank, (B) job title, (C) regiment and (D) annual salary. | | (201076) | 140
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what financial contribution his (a) Department and (b) non-departmental public bodies made to civil space technology in 2004-05; and what financial provision has been made for the period 2005-06 to 2009-10. | | (200545) | 141
N | Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it is his policy that the Home Service part-time officers and soldiers of the Royal Irish Regiment are deemed to be casual workers for the purposes of pension provision; and if he will make a statement. | | (200349) | 142
N | Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Home Service part-time soldiers of the Royal Irish Regiment have been charged since 1st July 2000 under section 69(a) of the Army Act 1955 for failure to attend a duty; and what punishments were awarded in each case. | | (200350) | 143
N | Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons the Home Service part-time officers and soldiers of the Royal Irish Regiment are excluded from the Armed Forces Pension Scheme; and if he will make a statement. | | (200351) | 144
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. | | (200616) | 145
| Mr Mark Field (Cities of London & Westminster):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on (i) the use of private land by his Department for military exercises and (b) the mechanism for obtaining consent for such use from private landowners. | | (200742) | 146
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the report of the US Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses; and if he will make a statement. | | (200076) | 147
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the anthrax supplied by the American Type Culture Collection was the same strain as that used to treat United Kingdom service personnel during the first Gulf War. | | (200077) | 148
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which (a) UK-owned and (b) foreign-owned companies have manufactured cluster munitions in the UK since 1998 for use by (i) the armed forces of the United Kingdom, (ii) the armed forces of another country and (iii) others. | | (200293) | 149
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the UK to ratify Protocol V to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. | | (200295) | 150
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on (i) improving the reliability of cluster munitions and (ii) finding militarily-adequate alternatives to cluster munitions; and if he will make a statement. | | (200298) | 151
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the countries which have ratified Protocol V to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons; what action he has taken to encourage others to sign the protocol; and if he will make a statement. | | (200299) | 152
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many cluster munitions were imported in each year since 1992; what the total value of imports was in each year; and what the countries of origin were of these imports. | | (200300) | 153
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many explosive remnants of war have been cleared in Iraq to date; at what cost; how many casualties have resulted; what assessment has been made of the amount remaining; how much longer the clearance is expected to take; at what cost; and if he will make a statement. | | (200301) | 154
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of his Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. | | (200171) | 155
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997-98. | | (200387) | 156
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997-98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request. | | (200407) | 157
| Glenda Jackson (Hampstead & Highgate):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will ask the US Administration to furnish him with information on the (a) numbers and (b) type of aerial attacks upon Fallujah between 1st and 15th November. | | (200110) | 158
| Mr John Lyons (Strathkelvin & Bearsden):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the latest cost of the UK Eurofighter above the original estimate is. | | (200121) | 159
| Mr John Lyons (Strathkelvin & Bearsden):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made on the future use of Trident. | | (200122) | 160
| Mr John Lyons (Strathkelvin & Bearsden):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's assessment is of the joint working between Thales and BAe Systems in Ministry of Defence contracts. | | (200123) | 161
| Mr John Lyons (Strathkelvin & Bearsden):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will review the cost-effectiveness of his Department's procurement policy. | | (200124) | 162
| Mr John Lyons (Strathkelvin & Bearsden):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions HRH Prince Andrew has used the Department's vehicles, vessels and planes for private use in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004; and at what cost. | | (200125) | 163
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether uniforms made in China have been issued to service personnel. | | (200505) | 164
N | Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total cost to public funds has been to date of the Future Surface Combatant assessment studies, broken down by (a) the Triton Trimaran project, (b) the integrated project team and (c) other costs. | | (199531) | 165
N | Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what decisions have been made about the prospects for the Future Surface Combatant vessel for the Royal Navy; and if he will make a statement. | | (199532) | 166
N | Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British service personnel were registered as entitled to vote (a) in 2001 and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available. | | (199533) | 167
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list (a) the average flying hours lost per month at airbases in (i) England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Scotland and (b) the flying hours per month lost due to bad weather at (A) RAF Waddington, (B) RAF Lyneham and (C) RAF Brize Norton in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. | | (200269) | 168
N | John Robertson (Glasgow Anniesland):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry regarding the maintenance of a strategic capacity for naval shipbuilding in the UK. | | (199364) | 169
N | Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many ex-Gurkha soldiers fall outside the 1997 Hong Kong Agreement with regards to work rights, residency and citizenship in the United Kingdom. | | (200049) | 170
N | Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what criteria have been used in deciding the status of Gurkha soldiers who have been refused the right to work, reside and apply for UK citizenship. | | (200050) | 171
| Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, where provision will be made within the UK public expenditure arrangements for the cost of the UK contribution to EU military operations. | | (200378) | 172
| Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what scenarios have been adopted by the EU Military Staff as a basis for force planning to meet the Headline Goal 2010. | | (200379) | 173
| Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what large scale co-operative exercises organised by EU Military Staff he expects will take place in the next five years; and from what budgets UK participation will be funded. | | (200380) | 174
N | Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the EU budget the UK has agreed should be apportioned to defence and military operations. | | (200381) | 175
N | Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many EU Military Staff there are, broken down by (a) rank and (b) nationality. | | (200382) | 176
| Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effect that the proposed reductions in (a) Commander-in-Chief Fleet, (b) Commander-in-Chief Land Command, (c) Commander-in-Chief Strike Command and (d) Chief of Defence Logistics will have on frontline capability; and if he will make a statement. | | (200476) | 177
| Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on (a) landmines and (b) landmine clearance in the Falkland Islands. | | (200043) | 178
| Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the ability of the successful contractor to meet deadlines for the supply of Red Reflection clothing and other camouflage combat garments. | | (200045) | 179
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) personnel and (b) equipment and maintenance costs of (i) an armoured infantry (warrior) battalion, (ii) an air-portable infantry battalion, (iii) a parachute regiment battalion and (iv) a Gurkha regiment battalion were in the last period for which figures are available. | | (201009) | 180
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will estimate the projected costs per annum of the proposed new (a) heavy (warrior) battalion with high-tech upgrade, (b) medium (Future Rapid Effect System) battalion with heavy-lift aircraft capability and (c) light (airportable) battalion with high-tech network capable upgrade; and what estimate the Department has made of possible savings from the proposed restructuring process. | | (201010) | 181
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which elements of the Department's cut and sew contract with Cooneen Watts and Stone Ltd have been satisfied to date. | | (200743) | 182
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on operating penalties on contractors who fail to deliver on contracts due to (a) quality and (b) time. | | (200744) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 183
| Mr Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what research he has collated on the impact of new superstores on surrounding retail facilities; and if he will place it in the Library. | | (200332) | 184
| Mrs Patsy Calton (Cheadle):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what advice he was given by (a) the Secretary of State for Health and (b) the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as a result of the consultation on the preparation of Planning Policy Statement 23: Planning and Pollution Control. | | (200973) | 185
| Mrs Patsy Calton (Cheadle):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the purposes of (a) Planning Policy Statement 23 and (b) its annex on the development of land affected by contamination. | | (200974) | 186
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list deprived areas within Greater London. | | (200313) | 187
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the average local authority rent charged by authorities within the Greater London area is for (a) a one, (b) a two and (c) a three bedroom flat. | | (200941) | 188
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what meetings (a) ministers and (b) officials in his Department have held regarding the stock options appraisal in (i) Bedfordshire, (ii) Hertfordshire, (iii) Cambridgeshire, (iv) Essex, (v) Suffolk and (vi) Norfolk, broken down by local authority area; and if he will make a statement. | | (200488) | 189
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what his policy is on the use of telephones in his Department by members of staff for their own personal use relating to (a) domestic and (b) international calls; and if he will make a statement. | | (201021) | 190
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what steps he has taken to ensure that telephones in his Department are not used by staff for making unauthorised personal calls to international numbers. | | (201022) | 191
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the estimated cost is to his Department of unauthorised personal calls made by members of staff to (a) domestic and (b) international numbers. | | (201023) | 192
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the refurbishment projects that (a) are in progress and (b) will start in the next six months in (i) his Office and (ii) each agency of his Office; what steps are being taken to ensure that timber will be procured from legal and sustainable sources; and whether guidance will be issued to contractors on each of these projects to ensure that the timber used on site comes from legal and sustainable sources. | | (201025) | 193
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many video conferencing units are installed in (a) his Office and (b) each agency of his Office; what percentage of offices have these facilities; and what plans there are to increase the number. | | (201026) | 194
N | Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the decision-making structures will be for the Housing Market Renewal initiative in Liverpool. | | (199815) | 195
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. | | (200617) | 196
N | Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) percentage of contractors who will have registered as a Part P Competent Person by 1st January 2005. | | (199932) | 197
N | Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what information he has received concerning the availability of courses to enable contractors to qualify for Part P registration. | | (199933) | 198
N | Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what his estimate is of the total cost to the contractor of Part P registration. | | (199934) | 199
N | Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what provision his Department has made to increase the number of local authority inspectors to facilitate the enforcement of Part P registration; and if he will make a statement. | | (199935) | 200
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what account he takes of commercial factors in determining planning matters. | | (200292) | 201
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of his Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. | | (200182) | 202
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997-98. | | (200396) | 203
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997-98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff but which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request. | | (200416) | 204
N | Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the (a) type and (b) location of projects to be funded from the transport infrastructure fund he announced in his oral statement of 13th July, Official Report, column 1258. | | (200038) | 205
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many times the appraisal system for each pay bargaining unit in his Department has been changed in the last five years; and how many staff are fully or partly employed in connection with pay negotiations in each pay bargaining unit, broken down by grade. | | (200344) | 206
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much money his Office has given to local authorities in North Yorkshire to achieve e-delivery. | | (200141) | 207
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many homeless households were in temporary accommodation in Shrewsbury and Atcham (a) in May 1997, (b) in June 2001 and (c) at the latest available figures. | | (200286) | 208
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, which authorities have decided their stock options appraisal in favour of (a) stock transfer, (b) arm's length management organisation, (c) private finance initiative and (d) stock retention by the council; how many homes each authority has in each case; which authorities have yet to advise his Office of their intentions; and how many homes they own in each case. | | (200319) | 209
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the total amount spent over the last two years by councils in (a) consultancy fees, (b) other fees, (c) information, (d) videos and (e) other ways in ballots for large scale voluntary transfers or arms length management organisations (ALMOs); what proportion of this sum was accounted for by funding provided to councils by his Department; how much was charged to successful registered social landlords and ALMOs; and how much was lost in unsuccessful ballots. | | (200560) | 210
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the amount of private capital brought into social housing by large scale voluntary transfers in each of the last four available years. | | (200561) | 211
| Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the timing of the introduction of changes to the retirement ages for members of the Local Government Pension Scheme. | | (200497) | 212
| Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment has been made of the financial effects of changes to the retirement ages of members of the Local Government Pension Scheme; and if he will make a statement. | | (200498) | 213
| Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what mechanism will be used to introduce the changes to retirement ages for members of the Local Government Pension Scheme; and if he will make a statement. | | (200499) | 214
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much Pendle Council has received in Government grant in real terms since 1996-97; and what the percentage change since 1996-97 has been in the annual grant. | | (200993) | 215
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what recent assessment he has made of the fourth option of direct investment in council housing. | | (200996) | 216
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much rent was paid by council tenants in England in the last year for which figures are available; how much of these receipts was spent on (a) repairs and maintenance and (b) management; and if he will make a statement. | | (200997) | 217
| Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much sponsorship of the Priority Estates Project cost his Office in (a) the financial year 2002-03 and (b) 2003-04. | | (200514) | 218
| Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many traveller caravans there were on each unauthorized site in South Bedfordshire in (a) July 2004 and (b) July 2003; and whether these figures include those traveller caravans on unofficial sites owned by travellers. | | (200610) | 219
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what action his Department is taking to discourage the domination of town centres by larger store groups. | | (200570) | 220
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what incentives the Government (a) has in place and (b) is planning in the future to support (i) small and (ii) specialised businesses to remain open in town centres. | | (200571) | 221
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what incentives the Government (a) has in place and (b) is planning in the future to encourage people to buy from their smaller local shops. | | (200572) | 222
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what steps his Department (a) has taken and (b) is planning to take in support of the Circle Initiative and Business Improvement districts. | | (200603) | 223
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what steps his Department is taking to promote business-community partnerships to tackle graffiti, litter and street cleanliness. | | (200604) | 224
| Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what consultation he has held with electricity providers in the South East on his plans for new building targets. | | (200478) | 225
N | Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the environmental (a) costs and (b) consequences of the Government's policy for implementation of the Barker Report. | | (200479) | 226
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the (a) regional bodies, (b) task forces and (c) organisations that the Government has established since 1997; and which departments have (i) established and (ii) expanded regional offices since 1997. | | (200140) | 227
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the average (a) purchase price of and (b) discount applied to a right to buy (i) flat and (ii) house was in each region in England in (A) 1997 and (B) the last year for which figures are available. | | (200289) | 228
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans the Government has to extend the right to buy to more housing associations' tenants. | | (200291) | 229
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much it has cost to produce carrier bags branded with ODPM since 1997. | | (200631) | 230
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many staff there are within each of the Groups/Directorates within the ODPM. | | (200960) | 231
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the estimated annual cost will be of recruiting and hiring the 7,500 home inspectors to police Home Information Packs. | | (200961) | 232
N | Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when a grant will be allocated to Hampshire County Council on the basis of the 2001 population census; and if he will make a statement. | | (200232) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 233
| Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools have broadband internet access. | | (200745) | 234
| Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what progress has been made towards the Government target of having all schools online by 2006. | | (200746) | 235
| Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many different companies supply broadband to schools in England. | | (200968) | 236
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in each of the last two years. | | (200816) | 237
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) new builds, (b) demolition rebuilds and (c) PFI projects in his Department for each of the last two years. | | (200817) | 238
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the cost has been of criminal damage to his Department's buildings in each of the last two years. | | (200818) | 239
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on energy costs incurred by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200819) | 240
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what his estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) his Department, (ii) his agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which he has had responsibility in each of the last two years. | | (200820) | 241
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what his estimate is of the cost of building refurbishment carried out by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200821) | 242
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the cost of refurbishing each Ministerial Private Office was in each of the last two years. | | (200822) | 243
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the cost was of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200823) | 244
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what his estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200824) | 245
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by his Department and which took place on non-departmental premises in each of the last two years giving the (i) title, (ii) purpose, (iii) date and (iv) cost of each. | | (200825) | 246
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what his target time is in 2004-05 (a) to reply to letters from honourable Members and (b) for the officials in his Office to reply to letters received directly from members of the public. | | (200826) | 247
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what crèche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost. | | (200827) | 248
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what his Department's policy is towards age discrimination. | | (200828) | 249
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the gender pay gap amongst staff in his Department. | | (200829) | 250
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list the equipment leasing arrangements entered into by his Department in each of the last two years; and what the cost is to public funds in each case. | | (200830) | 251
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list the European Union directives and regulations relating to his Department that have been implemented in each of the last two years, specifying (a) the title and purpose of each, (b) the cost to public funds of each and (c) the cost to businesses of each. | | (200831) | 252
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many cases have been brought against his Department under the Human Rights Act 1998; and what has been the cost in (a) legal fees to defend cases and (b) compensation payments. | | (200832) | 253
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the total cost to his Department was for the use of external consultants in each of the last two years. | | (200833) | 254
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the total external spending by his Department was on private finance initiative (PFI) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PFI consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement. | | (200834) | 255
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the total external spending by his Department was on public private partnership consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consutlancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement. | | (200835) | 256
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 e2e in (a) 2003-04 and (b) 2004-05. | | (199522) | 257
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 e2e shortfalls in England. | | (199523) | 258
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. | | (199524) | 259
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. | | (200618) | 260
N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much expenditure has been allocated to families with children aged 0 to five years in each year from 1997 to 2008. | | (199715) | 261
N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children he estimates will benefit from changes in baseline spending on (a) nursery education and (b) Sure Start in 2007-08. | | (199716) | 262
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which civil servants within his Department have direct responsibility for compiling evidence for submission to the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment 2003 study. | | (200276) | 263
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list the schools in England that were selected for the sample to be included in the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment 2003 study. | | (200290) | 264
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what data was omitted from the returns required from his Department by the OECD PISA 2003 study. | | (200927) | 265
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much public money will be invested in the investigation into the failure of the Jarvis private finance initiative bid for school building. | | (200131) | 266
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many school pupils passed (a) four GCSEs and (b) one GNVQ in each year since 1994. | | (200441) | 267
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, for what reasons a GNVQ pass is counted as four GCSE passes in reporting school performance. | | (200442) | 268
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of GCSE results reported in league tables for schools were GNVQ passes in the last year for which figures are available. | | (200443) | 269
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of his Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. | | (200169) | 270
N | Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list each programme and initiative launched by his Department to help young people since 1997; and which of those programmes and initiatives remain in operation. | | (200260) | 271
N | Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effects of Government policies relating to young people. | | (200262) | 272
N | Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on his Department's efforts since 1997 in helping young people. | | (200264) | 273
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what mechanisms have been put in place by his Department to allow regular consultation with young people on all aspects of policy. | | (200356) | 274
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what process is used by his Department to select young people for consultation on policy. | | (200359) | 275
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many young people were consulted by his Department on the role of the Children's Commissioner; and what the age-range was of those consulted. | | (200360) | 276
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997-98. | | (200384) | 277
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the future of the Entry to Employment programme. | | (200398) | 278
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many places his Department estimated would be taken up by young people on the Entry to Employment programme in each academic year since the programme's establishment; and how many have been taken up. | | (200399) | 279
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much funding has been provided for the Entry to Employment programme in each year since its establishment; and what future levels of funding have been allocated. | | (200400) | 280
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997-98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request. | | (200404) | 281
N | Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many pupils played truant in each year since 1997, broken down by parliamentary constituency. | | (199915) | 282
N | Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of 11 year olds attained Level 4 at Key Stage 2 in each year since 1997, broken down by parliamentary constituency. | | (199916) | 283
N | Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of pupils in England achieved five GCSEs at grades A* to C, including (a) mathematics, (b) English and (c) mathematics and English in each year since 1997, broken down by parliamentary constituency. | | (199917) | 284
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many times the appraisal system for each pay bargaining unit in his Department has been changed in the last five years; and how many staff are fully or partly employed in connection with pay negotiations in each pay bargaining unit, broken down by grade. | | (200347) | 285
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students in Birmingham, Selly Oak constituency are receiving education maintenance allowances. | | (200584) | 286
| Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the impact on the future supply of school science teachers of the closure of the chemistry department at Exeter University; and if he will make a statement. | | (200633) | 287
| Martin Linton (Battersea):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what research he has commissioned into the effect of secondary schools using partial selection on the basis of ability on maintained and voluntary schools in the same catchment area. | | (200893) | 288
N | Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the reason is for the difference between the figure given for per pupil funding in the Answer to the honourable Member for Mid Worcestershire of 9th November, in the last Session of Parliament, Official Report, column 591W, and that which appears on his Department's website at www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/pnattach/20030079/4.htm. | | (200105) | 289
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the (a) resource budget, (b) staffing levels and (c) administration costs of the Sector Skills Development Agency (i) were in each year between 2002 and 2004 and (ii) will be in each year to 2007. | | (200954) | 290
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the contribution of the Sector Skills Development Agency towards increasing skills and productivity in industry. | | (200955) | 291
N | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on Government policy on faith schools. | | (200147) | 292
| Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what work is undertaken by the Connexions service in prisons. | | (200433) | 293
| Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many black and minority ethnic young men went to university in 2002. | | (200467) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 294
N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Environment Agency report auditing the refrigerator recycling scheme was published; and if she will make a statement. | | (199947) | 295
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what further action she plans to reduce emissions of methane. | | (200690) | 296
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the volumes of methane likely to be released following the effects of climate change in polar regions; and what assessment she has made of the effect that the release of such methane will have on climate change. | | (200704) | 297
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the outcome of the recent discussions in China on matters within her responsibilities, attended by the Minister for Environment and Agri-Environment. | | (200707) | 298
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) prosecutions, (b) cautions and (c) enforcement notices there have been in each year since 1995 brought by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (i) in total and (ii) broken down by region. | | (200709) | 299
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what role her Department has played in ensuring that private finance initiative projects create the minimum of environmental damage. | | (200710) | 300
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the sustainability and environmental impacts of private finance initiative projects and the effectiveness of the PFI process to deliver environmentally sustainable projects. | | (200711) | 301
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what role her Department (a) has and (b) plans to take to make the PFI process more accountable and transparent in terms of environmental sustainability. | | (200712) | 302
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what action has been taken to ensure that other Government departments deliver sustainability within the private finance initiative projects. | | (200713) | 303
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will estimate the UK (a) fly, (b) mosquito and (c) cockroach population; and what the predicted numbers are in the event of a (i) one per cent., (ii) two per cent. and (iii) three per cent. increase in current average temperatures due to climate change. | | (200913) | 304
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many prosecutions resulted in (a) convictions and (b) custodial sentences in each year since 1999 for offences related to (i) water resources, (ii) flood defences, (iii) fisheries, (iv) navigation, (v) process industry regulation, (vi) radioactive substances, (vii) waste and (viii) water quality as recorded in the National Enforcement Database; and what the average fines were where custodial sentences were awarded (A) in total and (B) broken down by region. | | (200915) | 305
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact that rising wholesale gas prices will have on the ability of the UK to meet its carbon dioxide reduction targets; and if she will make a statement. | | (200557) | 306
| Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of steps being taken to prevent the introduction of disease through the importation of horticultural products; and if she will make a statement. | | (200111) | 307
| Mr Martin Caton (Gower):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of a total ban on the sale and use of nickel-cadmium batteries on employment in the United Kingdom. | | (200282) | 308
| Mr Martin Caton (Gower):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to improve collection and recycling rates for nickel-cadmium batteries. | | (200283) | 309
| Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact termination of the EU Life Nature Fund would have on her Department's ability to meet its Public Service Agreement target of achieving favourable conditions for 95 per cent. of sites of special interest in England by 2010. | | (200579) | 310
| Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact that termination of the EU Life Nature fund would have on member states with smaller national budgets but high levels of biodiversity. | | (200580) | 311
| Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will support continuation of a dedicated EU biodiversity fund for measures ineligible for support under other EU instruments. | | (200581) | 312
| Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much of EU Life Nature funding was received in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in each year since 1993. | | (200582) | 313
N | Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Cunninghame South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many foxes were killed during hunts in each of the last five years. | | (199780) | 314
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether it is the Government's policy to support an eight-hour limit on live animal transport at EU level; if it will advance this point of view when the issue next comes before the Agriculture Council; if the Government will use its Presidency of the European Union next year to promote an eight-hour limit if no earlier agreement has been reached; and if she will make a statement. | | (200348) | 315
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when Arable Area Payment Scheme payments are expected to be made. | | (200566) | 316
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to her Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if she will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. | | (200619) | 317
| Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many farms were affected in 1986 by fallout from Chernobyl; on how many farms restrictions remain in place as a result; and when she expects the effects to be eradicated from farms in Wales. | | (200268) | 318
| Mr George Foulkes (Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the European Commission about the development of an action plan for ACP sugar producers as envisaged in the EC Communication on sugar published in July. | | (200241) | 319
| Mr George Foulkes (Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations her Department has made to the European Commission on the (a) delivery, (b) timing and (c) package of measures for ACP sugar producers in the Caribbean. | | (200242) | 320
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many large animal veterinary practices have operated in the UK in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. | | (200685) | 321
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many large animal veterinary practices have (a) closed and (b) merged in the last 10 years for which figures are available. | | (200686) | 322
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many overseas temporary veterinary officers were employed in the public sector to assist in her Department's veterinary work in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. | | (200687) | 323
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the capacity of (a) public and (b) private veterinary services to meet the needs of large and farm animals in the UK. | | (200688) | 324
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason there is a difference between the amount required from the European Commission to assist in defraying the costs of implementing emergency plans to manage the 2001 outbreak of foot and mouth disease and the actual amount agreed by the Commission. | | (200962) | 325
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost to public funds was of the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak; how much was requested by the UK Government from the European Commission to contribute towards meeting these costs; and how much was contributed by the Commission. | | (201024) | 326
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total amount of subsidy received by the British farming industry was in each of the last three years; how much will be paid in the next three years; from which funding sources this money originates; how much was received from (a) market regimes and (b) import tariffs; and if she will make a statement. | | (200297) | 327
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of her Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. | | (200186) | 328
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by her Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997-98. | | (200392) | 329
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997-98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request. | | (200412) | 330
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how rural funding under the single farm payment will be implemented. | | (200418) | 331
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for rural areas of the new rural funding scheme, with particular reference to North Yorkshire. | | (200419) | 332
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which body will be the delivery body for the new rural funding scheme. | | (200420) | 333
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for parish plans of the streamlining process for rural funding. | | (200421) | 334
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the future of the Bee Health Programme. | | (200426) | 335
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures her Department is taking to support bee-keepers in the UK; and if she will make a statement. | | (200427) | 336
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what consultation she (a) has had and (b) proposes to have with the Harrogate and Ripon Beekeepers Association regarding the Bee Health Programme. | | (200428) | 337
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reasons the term "common policy in the sphere of operation of fisheries", specified in the Maastricht Treaty, was replaced by the term "exclusive competence to manage marine life" in the proposed constitutional treaty for the European Union; and what assessment she has made of the consequences for the UK of the change. | | (200259) | 338
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. | | (200215) | 339
N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason an incorrect answer was given on 9th November to the honourable Member for South East Cambridgeshire in reply to Question 194308 in the last Session of Parliament. | | (200216) | 340
N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department possessed a copy of the video of Burnside Farm taken by Northumberland Trading standards on 24th February 2001; and when the decision not to provide the video to the Anderson Inquiry was taken. | | (200217) | 341
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria were used in determining which sites would be eligible to deal with hazardous waste; and if she will make a statement | | (200088) | 342
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what directions she has given the Environment Agency with regard to monitoring sites dealing with hazardous waste; and if she will make a statement. | | (200089) | 343
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment was made of Wingmoor Farm, Bishop's Cleeve, Gloucestershire when deciding which sites should be eligible to deal with hazardous waste; and if she will make a statement. | | (200090) | 344
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the safety implications of the transportation of hazardous waste. | | (200091) | 345
N | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she will publish the details of the new set-aside rules. | | (200320) | 346
N | Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps are being taken to licence pair trawling in British inshore waters. | | (199823) | 347
N | Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what action she plans to take concerning the pair trawling team that caused the deaths of dolphins whilst fishing for bass near Bigbury Bay, Devon, on 13th November; and if she will make a statement. | | (199824) | 348
N | Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what action is taken to enforce rules relating to pair trawling of British inshore waters by Spanish vessels. | | (199826) | 349
N | Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the (a) value and (b) potential value of sea angling for bass in UK inshore waters on a recreational and commercial hook and line fishing basis only. | | (200047) | 350
N | Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the value of commercial fishing for bass in UK inshore waters. | | (200048) | 351
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list consultation documents and mailings that were sent unsolicited by her Department or its agencies in the most recent 12 months for which information is available that contained general information; how many of each publication were printed; and what the cost was per copy. | | (200321) | 352
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects the consultation on the designation of (a) Bolton Fell Moss and (b) Solway Moss as special areas of conservation to be concluded. | | (200163) | 353
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discretion her Department allows Warm Front Scheme managers to (a) repeat grants for households which have already benefited from Warm Front and (b) fast track exceptionally vulnerable households. | | (200448) | 354
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what mechanisms are in place to monitor private landlords' compliance with the requirement to freeze rents for a one or two year period after a Warm Front improvement. | | (200449) | 355
N | Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to maintain the regulation of (a) Varroasis and (b) European Foul Brood in beekeeping. | | (199527) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 356
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether (a) he, (b) ministers in his Department and (c) officials had discussions in an official capacity with the former Right honourable Member for Hartlepool during the last 12 months concerning Equatorial Guinea. | | (200920) | 357
| John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will instruct the Visa Correspondence Section of UK Visas to respond to the correspondence of 4th October from the honourable Member for Edinburgh West regarding Mr Thomas William Case. | | (200367) | 358
| John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will instruct the Visa Correspondence Section of UK Visas to respond to the correspondence by email of 15th November and 16th November from the honourable Member for Edinburgh West regarding Mr Muhammad Tariq. | | (200369) | 359
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in each of the last two years. | | (200836) | 360
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) new builds, (b) demolition rebuilds and (c) private finance initiative projects in his Department for each of the last two years. | | (200837) | 361
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the cost has been of criminal damage to his Department's buildings in each of the last two years. | | (200838) | 362
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on energy costs incurred by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200839) | 363
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) his Department, (ii) his agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which he has had responsibility in each of the last two years. | | (200840) | 364
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his estimate is of the cost of building refurbishment carried out by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200841) | 365
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the cost of refurbishing each Ministerial Private Office was in the last two years. | | (200842) | 366
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the cost was of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200843) | 367
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200844) | 368
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by his Department and which took place on non-departmental premises in each of the last two years giving the (i) title, (ii) purpose, (iii) date and (iv) cost of each. | | (200845) | 369
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his target time is in 2004-05 (a) to reply to letters from honourable Members and (b) for the officials in his Office to reply to letters received directly from members of the public. | | (200846) | 370
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what creche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost. | | (200847) | 371
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his Department's policy is towards age discrimination. | | (200848) | 372
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the gender pay gap amongst staff in his Department. | | (200849) | 373
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the equipment leasing arrangements entered into by his Department in each of the last two years; and what the cost is to public funds in each case. | | (200850) | 374
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the European Union directives and regulations relating to his Department that have been implemented in each of the last two years, specifying (a) the title and purpose of each, (b) the cost to public funds of each and (c) the cost to businesses of each. | | (200851) | 375
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many cases have been brought against his Department under the Human Rights Act 1998; and what has been the cost in (a) legal fees to defend cases and (b) compensation payments. | | (200852) | 376
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the total cost to his Department was for the use of external consultants in each of the last two years. | | (200853) | 377
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the total external spend by his Department was on private finance initiative (PFI) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PFI consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement. | | (200854) | 378
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the total external spending by his Department was on public private partnership (PPP) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement. | | (200855) | 379
| Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the Whitehall departments whose default setting is just to put out press releases attacking the European Commission as mentioned by the Minister of Europe in his interview with the Financial Times on 17th November. | | (200046) | 380
| Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the United Kingdom is giving to the Palestinian authority for the elections scheduled for 9th January 2005. | | (200278) | 381
| Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the refurbishment projects that (a) are in progress and (b) will start in the next six months; what action is being taken to ensure that these will procure timber from legal and sustainable sources; and whether guidance will be issued to contractors on each of these projects to ensure that the timber used on site during refurbishment also comes from legal and sustainable sources. | | (200573) | 382
| Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans his Department has to fund the establishment and maintenance of a central point of expertise on timber. | | (200574) | 383
| Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many video conferencing units are installed in (a) the Department and (b) each agency of the Department; what percentage of offices have these facililties in each case; and what plans there are to increase the number. | | (200575) | 384
| Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Governor of Guangdong Province in China during his recent visit to the UK; what assessment he has made of the implications for the UK's bilateral relations wth China of the economic growth of Guangdong Province; and if he will make a statement. | | (200684) | 385
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he is having with the Government of the Republic of Cyprus on the clearing of minefields in the UN buffer zone in Cyprus; whether this action is supported by the British Government; and if he will make a statement. | | (200305) | 386
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK Government supports the lifting of the arms embargo on China; and if he will make a statement. | | (200354) | 387
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he supports the introduction of a more stringent EU Code of Conduct for Arms Sales; and if he will make a statement. | | (200355) | 388
N | Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received regarding attacks by anti-Ahmadiyya agitators upon Ahmadis in Bangladesh; what representations he (a) has made and (b) is making to the Government of Bangladesh regarding the protection of the Ahmadiyya community in Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement. | | (200436) | 389
N | Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he (a) has made and (b) is making to the Government of Pakistan regarding the protection of the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan, particularly with regard to the blasphemy laws in that country; and if he will make a statement. | | (200437) | 390
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the average waiting time is to get a visitor's visa from each consulate in Pakistan. | | (200562) | 391
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reason the UN Security Council has withdrawn reference to further measures to be taken against the Sudanese Government over its actions in Darfur in its latest resolution; and what position the British Government took with regard to this resolution. | | (200563) | 392
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the signing of the peace treaty in Nairobi between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement based on the Naivasha protocols. | | (200564) | 393
N | Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland & Melton):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to press for a peace agreement to resolve the conflict affecting Darfur in Sudan. | | (199721) | 394
N | Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland & Melton):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much money his Department (a) has given since 1st January and (b) intends to give to the African Union to fund its forces in Darfur; and if he will make a statement. | | (199722) | 395
N | Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland & Melton):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether it is the Government's policy to give additional financial support to the African Union for the cost of administering its force in Darfur. | | (199723) | 396
N | Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland & Melton):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department has received regarding the likely date by which a peace agreement to resolve the conflict affecting Darfur in Sudan might be signed. | | (199724) | 397
N | Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action he has taken to tackle anti-semitic broadcasts from Middle East countries. | | (199741) | 398
N | Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his assessment is of the effect anti-semitic broadcasts in Arab media have had on prospects for a resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict. | | (199742) | 399
N | Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the influence of Arab media on extremist Islamic movements in the UK. | | (199743) | 400
| Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what extra resources will be made available to embassies and high commissions in their efforts to publicise overseas voter registration, following his meeting on 10th November with the Electoral Commission. | | (200483) | 401
| Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what decisions were taken at the meeting between representatives of his Department and the Electoral Commission on 10th November regarding assistance from his Department to the Electoral Commission in its efforts to publicise overseas voter registration. | | (200484) | 402
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. | | (200620) | 403
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of Iran about the death of the Bahá'i Mr Mir Naqi Kamali. | | (200928) | 404
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the treatment by the Iranian courts of offences committed against Bahá'is. | | (200929) | 405
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to promote dialogue between the people of West Papua, and the Government of Indonesia, about the conflict in West Papua; and if he will make a statement. | | (200978) | 406
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Government of Indonesia concerning attacks on unarmed civilians by (a) Kopassus and (b) other Indonesian military forces in the Puncak Jaya region of West Papua; and if he will make a statement. | | (201016) | 407
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of his Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. | | (200179) | 408
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997-98. | | (200394) | 409
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997-98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff but which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request. | | (200414) | 410
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what definitions he uses of (a) terrorists and (b) insurgents in relation to Iraq; what his latest estimate is of the number of (i) terrorists and (ii) insurgents operating in Iraq; how many of those (A) terrorists and (B) insurgents operating in Iraq he estimates are (1) not Iraqi citizens and (2) from a foreign country; how many (x) terrorists and (y) insurgents have been (X) killed and (Y) captured in Iraq since major combat operations ended on 1st June 2003; and if he will make a statement. | | (200495) | 411
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many members of the (a) coalition forces, (b) Multi-National Force and (c) Iraqi security forces have been (i) killed and (ii) injured by (A) terrorists and (B) insurgents since 1st June 2003; how many Iraqi citizens have been (1) killed and (2) injured by (x) terrorists and (y) insurgents since 1st June 2003; and if he will make a statement. | | (200496) | 412
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking in relation to Mr Nick Baker who is in prison in Japan; whether he or his officials are in discussions concerning this case with Japanese Government Ministers of officials; and if he will make a statement. | | (200723) | 413
| Mr John Lyons (Strathkelvin & Bearsden):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list British citizens held and released in Saudi Arabia since 1997. | | (200126) | 414
| Mr John Lyons (Strathkelvin & Bearsden):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he next expects to visit Saudi Arabia. | | (200127) | 415
| Mr John Lyons (Strathkelvin & Bearsden):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions are planned with the Palestinian Authority on elections. | | (200128) | 416
| Mr John Lyons (Strathkelvin & Bearsden):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what requests have been received from the interim Iraqi Government for assistance in the January elections. | | (200129) | 417
| Mr John Lyons (Strathkelvin & Bearsden):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if his Department will allocate funds to assist the Palestinian election in January 2005. | | (200130) | 418
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many European Community directly applicable (a) regulations and (b) directives requiring United Kingdom legislation or action have become applicable in each year since 1974; how many (i) became time expired, (ii) were replaced and (iii) became redundant in each year; and what the total figures in each category were up to December 2003. | | (200098) | 419
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which parts of the text of the Constitutional Treaty for the EU are additional to provisions contained in treaties already ratified; and in which treaties those parts of the text which do not introduce new provisions were originally contained. | | (200447) | 420
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, why the official text of the EU Treaty on the European Constitution published by the EU differs from the version on the internet; and when he intends to place the UK Government's text of the Treaty on the internet. | | (200475) | 421
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many versions of the Treaty establishing the European Constitution his Department has published; what further revisions he expects to be made; and when he anticipates that a final version will be published. | | (200509) | 422
| Mr James Plaskitt (Warwick & Leamington):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Indian Government about investigations into the attacks on Sikhs in Delhi in 1984. | | (200042) | 423
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to help resolve the boundary dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea. | | (200144) | 424
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK citizens (a) are held and (b) have been held in each year since 2001 in Guantanamo Bay; and if he will make a statement. | | (200251) | 425
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of (a) the conditions in which detainees are held at Guantanamo Bay and (b) the prospects for detainees at Guantanamo Bay receiving a fair trial; and if he will make a statement. | | (200252) | 426
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK citizens detained at Guantanamo Bay have had their cases reviewed by the Combat Status Review Tribunal; and if he will make a statement. | | (200253) | 427
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he intends to meet his new US counterpart to discuss UK detainees held at Guantanamo Bay; and if he will make a statement. | | (200254) | 428
N | Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Spanish authorities over (a) the remarks of the Spanish coach and (b) events at the matches during the recent international football matches in Spain. | | (199596) | 429
N | Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what advice he has given to the England and Wales Cricket Board on the Zimbabwe Government's decision to ban journalists covering the England cricket tour from entering the country. | | (200362) | 430
N | The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of (a) recent attacks on Christians and (b) the overall security situation in Nagaland. | | (200120) | 431
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he will announce the logo for the UK Presidency of the EU in July 2005. | | (200936) | 432
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many visits have been made by (a) Ministers and (b) honourable Members to each of the UK posts in the EU since 2001. | | (200937) | 433
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many (a) ambassadors and (b) high commissioners he has appointed since 2001; and if he will list them. | | (200938) | 434
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has received concerning the entry clearance operation in Dhaka, Bangladesh. | | (200939) | 435
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many entry clearance officers there are in Dhaka, Bangladesh. | | (200940) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 436
| Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, who produced the business case for the jobs.nhs.uk website project; and if he will publish it. | | (200747) | 437
| Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the companies which submitted bids to his Department to develop and run the jobs.nhs.uk website project. | | (200748) | 438
| Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what charges have been paid by NHS organisations for the use of the jobs.nhs.uk website to date; and how much he expects to be received from NHS organisations for use of the website in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07. | | (200751) | 439
| Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department spent on the jobs.nhs.uk website to date; and how much he expects to spend on the website in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07. | | (200752) | 440
N | John Austin (Erith & Thamesmead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will meet (a) the Chief Executive of Oxleas NHS Trust and (b) the honourable Member for Erith and Thamesmead to discuss the matters raised by the honourable Member for Erith and Thamesmead in his letter of 13th October. | | (199605) | 441
N | John Austin (Erith & Thamesmead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the (a) South East London Strategic Health Authority and (b) Private Finance Unit regarding Oxleas NHS Trust on the matters raised with him by the honourable Members for Erith and Thamesmead and Bexleyheath and Crayford on 14th July. | | (199606) | 442
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what evidence he has gathered to support a connection between levels of ozone in the atmosphere and premature deaths; and if he will make a statement. | | (200689) | 443
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total external spending by his Department was on public private partnership (PPP) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement. | | (200776) | 444
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total external spend by his Department was on private finance initiative (PFI) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PFI consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement. | | (200777) | 445
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total cost to his Department was for the use of external consultants in each of the last two years. | | (200778) | 446
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases have been brought against his Department under the Human Rights Act 1998; and what the cost has been in (a) legal fees to defend cases and (b) compensation payments. | | (200779) | 447
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the European Union directives and regulations relating to his Department that have been implemented in each of the last two years, specifying (a) the title and purpose of each, (b) the cost to public funds of each and (c) the cost to businesses of each. | | (200780) | 448
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the equipment leasing arrangements entered into by his Department in each of the last two years; and what the cost is to public funds in each case. | | (200781) | 449
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the gender pay gap amongst staff in his Department. | | (200782) | 450
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his Department's policy is towards age discrimination. | | (200783) | 451
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what creche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost. | | (200784) | 452
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his target time is in 2004-05 (a) to reply to letters from honourable Members and (b) for the officials in his Office to reply to letters received directly from members of the public. | | (200785) | 453
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by his Department and which took place on non-Departmental premises in each of the last two years; giving the (i) title, (ii) purpose, (iii) date and (iv) cost of each. | | (200786) | 454
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200787) | 455
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost was of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200788) | 456
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost of refurbishing each Ministerial Private Office was in the last two years. | | (200789) | 457
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his estimate is of the cost of building refurbishment carried out by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200790) | 458
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) his Department, (ii) his agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which he has had responsibility in each of the last two years. | | (200791) | 459
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on energy costs incurred by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200792) | 460
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost has been of criminal damage to his Department's buildings in each of the last two years. | | (200793) | 461
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) new builds, (b) demolition rebuilds and (c) PFI projects in his Department for each of the last two years. | | (200794) | 462
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in each of the last two years. | | (200795) | 463
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the impact of fuel poverty on health; and what research his Department has (a) received and (b) supported into the impact of fuel poverty interventions on health. | | (200555) | 464
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the impact of recent large wholesale gas prices on the energy costs of the NHS; and what effect this will have on frontline services. | | (200556) | 465
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when Ministers last met representatives of Consumers for Health Choice to discuss strategies for achieving the addition to the lists of permitted ingredients set out in the Annexes of the Food Supplements Directive of ingredients on the United Kingdom market that are omitted from those lists; and what progress has been made in securing the addition of such ingredients to the lists. | | (200243) | 466
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice his Department plans to give to enforcement authorities on the bringing of prosecutions against the manufacturers and retailers of safe food supplements which contain ingredients that become illegal under the Food Supplements (England) Regulations after July 2005. | | (200244) | 467
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many products he estimates will be affected by the implementation of the Food Supplements Directive and the Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003; and what assessment he has made of the impact of the removal of food supplements by this implementation on (a) the businesses of the manufacturers and retailers of such products and (b) consumer choice. | | (200371) | 468
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many residential and nursing home beds were available in (a) England and (b) each local authority, at the end of each year since 1996-97. | | (200592) | 469
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Government's plans to increase the numbers of (a) school nurses and (b) community matrons are based on the recruitment into these posts (i) of nurses already working in the NHS and (ii) additional nurses. | | (200593) | 470
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the cost to train a dentist (a) in total and (b) per year. | | (200594) | 471
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the annual cost to the NHS on average of one NHS dentist under the new dentistry contract. | | (200595) | 472
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what forecasts have been made by his Department's workforce planners of the number of additional medical and nursing staff over the next five years; and if he will make a statement. | | (200596) | 473
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the number of people in England who receive free personal care. | | (200597) | 474
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the total cost for the Government to provide free personal care in England for those people whose income levels mean they are currently eligible for this care. | | (200598) | 475
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the cost to (a) his Department and (b) the NHS of (i) theft and (ii) fraud in each year since 1997. | | (200605) | 476
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the total costs to his Department of consultancy and professional services in each year since 1997. | | (200606) | 477
| Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on future contractual arrangements between the primary care trusts and dentists. | | (200520) | 478
| Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which items are available on prescription to laryngectomy patients. | | (200273) | 479
| Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what mechanisms are in place to inform general practitioners of the availability of items on prescription, with particular reference to laryngectomy patients. | | (200274) | 480
| Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the (a) need for and (b) availability of speech therapy at head and neck clinics; and what plans he has to provide dedicated funding for speech therapists at head and neck clinics. | | (200275) | 481
| Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on his policy on the introduction of (a) compulsory and (b) voluntary labelling of units of alcohol on alcohol products. | | (200133) | 482
| Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on his policy on the introduction of (a) compulsory and (b) voluntary labelling of alcohol products with recommended units of alcohol consumption. | | (200134) | 483
| Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on his policy on the introduction of (a) compulsory and (b) voluntary labelling of alcohol products with recommendations regarding alcohol consumption by pregnant women. | | (200135) | 484
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what help is available towards reimbursing travel costs for the transportation of children to hospital clinics for out-patient treatment following a serious operation, when the care and treatment required is not available locally. | | (200565) | 485
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. | | (200621) | 486
N | Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason delays have occurred in appointing case managers to review health service complaints referred to the Healthcare Commission; how many such cases are outstanding; and if he will make a statement. | | (199936) | 487
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to investigate the potential health hazards of telecommunications mast emissions. | | (200132) | 488
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people are employed to treat mental health disorders in each prison establishment. | | (201057) | 489
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what mental health programmes are available to prisoners upon release from prison. | | (201058) | 490
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many prisoners have been (a) diagnosed with and (b) treated for mental health disorders in each year since 1997, broken down by prison establishment. | | (201059) | 491
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on incidence of mental health disorders amongst ethnic minority prisoners. | | (201060) | 492
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of mental health service (a) provision and (b) interventions in prisons. | | (201061) | 493
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what programmes are in place to ensure swift identification of prisoners with mental health disorders upon arrival at prison establishments; and which prison establishments operate such programmes. | | (201062) | 494
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which prisons operate permanent community mental health teams. | | (201063) | 495
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many direct payments were made by each local authority to disabled people in each year from 2001 to 2003. | | (200642) | 496
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which local authorities have set up support systems to enable them to make direct payments to disabled people. | | (200647) | 497
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of his Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. | | (200173) | 498
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the last review of NHS laundry guideline HSG (95) 18 took place; and for how long the temperatures recommended by the guideline have remained unchanged. | | (200333) | 499
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of NHS laundry guideline HSG (95) 18 in (a) achieving complete disinfection of laundry and (b) reducing the incidence of MRSA. | | (200334) | 500
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to update NHS laundry guideline HSG (95) 18 in relation to tackling MRSA; and if he will make a statement. | | (200335) | 501
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure young people being held on adult psychiatric wards receive treatment by staff who are specifically trained to support them and their families. | | (200340) | 502
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure safeguards are in place to protect young people held on adult psychiatric wards. | | (200341) | 503
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of assault have occurred against young people held in adult psychiatric wards in each year since 1997. | | (200342) | 504
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many young people have been held on adult psychiatric wards in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. | | (200343) | 505
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997-98. | | (200389) | 506
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997-98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff but which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request. | | (200409) | 507
| Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many copies of the Annual Report of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) were printed; and how many (a) hits and (b) unique visits were made to the annual report pages on the HFEA website in the four days following its publication. | | (200635) | 508
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on progress in ending mixed-sex wards in Hampshire; and if he will list hospital premises where inpatient accommodation does not comply with the standards set by his Department. | | (200271) | 509
| Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what resources he plans to devote to information and education campaigns in relation to tuberculosis in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005. | | (200099) | 510
| Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his estimate is of the cost of (a) the mobile screening service for tuberculosis and (b) all screening services for tuberculosis in the latest year for which figures are available. | | (200102) | 511
| Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of the population of England he estimates to be undiagnosed for (a) tuberculosis and (b) hepatitis C. | | (200103) | 512
| Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, in how many cases hepatitis C was recognised as an underlying cause of death in the latest year for which figures are available; and what his assessment is of the contribution of hepatitis C to mortality from chronic liver disease. | | (200104) | 513
| Mr John Lyons (Strathkelvin & Bearsden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospital trusts in England have equipment to identify MRSA on admission to hospital. | | (200889) | 514
| Mr John Lyons (Strathkelvin & Bearsden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cleaning materials to combat MRSA are being assessed by the Health Protection Agency. | | (200891) | 515
| Mr John Lyons (Strathkelvin & Bearsden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospital trusts in England recorded a reduction in hospital infections between 2003 and 2004. | | (200892) | 516
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of dentists' time was spent on NHS work on (a) 1st April 1990, (b) 1st April 1997 and (c) 1st April 2004. | | (201039) | 517
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether clinical guidelines issued by his Department are designed to set minimum standards. | | (200107) | 518
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will publish his response to the report of the neonatal intensive care services review group; and if he will make a statement. | | (200109) | 519
| Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an assessment of the protocols put in place for dealing with Group B Streptococcus in pregnant women in (a) Belgium and (b) the United States. | | (201014) | 520
N | Mr Stephen Pound (Ealing North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps have been taken to implement the recommendations of the Kennedy Report, with particular reference to the professional development of paediatric cardiac nurses. | | (199607) | 521
N | Mr Stephen Pound (Ealing North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has been made of the impact of the disbanding of national courses for multiprofessional groups on paediatric cardiac education. | | (199608) | 522
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many carers there are in Pendle. | | (200992) | 523
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many free eye tests for pensioners there have been in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale in each year since 2000. | | (200994) | 524
| Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effects of over-consumption of (a) potassium sorbate and (b) sodium benzoate; and if he will make a statement. | | (200423) | 525
| Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment (a) his Department and (b) the Food Standards Agency has made of the effects of artificial (i) colourings, (ii) flavourings and (iii) additives on children. | | (200424) | 526
| Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department gives to (a) hospitals and (b) NHS trusts installing vending machines in hospitals on the type of products which should be sold; and if he will make a statement. | | (200425) | 527
| Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which senior NHS staff approved the advertising feature in NHS Family Choice Magazine promoting Popzone; and what criteria are used to determine from which suppliers advertisements are accepted for inclusion in the magazine. | | (200432) | 528
| Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the European Council of Health Ministers' statement on diabetes; and whether he expects there to be a similar Council statement after the next meeting in December. | | (200040) | 529
N | Jonathan Shaw (Chatham & Aylesford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether people with Aspergers Syndrome who have an IQ of over 70 qualify for social services assessment under the fair access to care services practice guidelines; and if he will make a statement. | | (200106) | 530
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure children who are doubly incontinent are provided with more than five incontinence pads for every 24 hours; and if he will make a statement. | | (200150) | 531
N | Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the budget of the Peninsula Strategic Health Authority is for the current financial year. | | (199727) | 532
N | Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the financial deficits for the financial year ended 31st March were for (a) the Peninsula Strategic Health Authority, (b) Plymouth Primary Care Trust, (c) South Hams and West Devon Primary Care Trust, (d) Plymouth Hospital NHS Healthcare Trust and (e) Devon Partnership Trust; and what the anticipated financial deficit of each of them is in the year to 31st March 2005. | | (199728) | 533
N | Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts regarding the right of member states to exclude genetically modified foods; and if he will make a statement. | | (200231) | 534
| Mr Paul Truswell (Pudsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the allocations of (a) revenue and (b) capital to Leeds primary care trusts and each of their predecessor healthcare commissioning bodies have been since 1991-92. | | (200136) | 535
| Mr Paul Truswell (Pudsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the expenditure on medicines switched from Leeds health authorities to the Prescription Pricing Authority has been since 1997-98. | | (200137) | 536
| Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what methods of restraint are approved for use on children in (a) hospitals and (b) secure hospitals. | | (200422) | 537
| Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action he is proposing to control (a) obesity amongst and (b) alcohol consumption by children; and if he will make a statement. | | (200051) | 538
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Food Labelling (Amendment) (England) (No 2) Regulations 2004 require the mandatory labelling of homemade cakes, biscuits and jams sold in aid of charity; and if he will make a statement. | | (201008) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 539
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in what competencies special constables are trained; where the training takes place; and how long it lasts. | | (200284) | 540
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in what competencies police recruits are trained at the police training college in Hendon. | | (200285) | 541
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many special constables have been appointed in each year since 1997; and how many are currently employed. | | (200287) | 542
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police recruits have completed basic police training in each year since 1997. | | (200288) | 543
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what percentage of members on the board of the National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction have expertise in the area of replacement. | | (200697) | 544
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what notification he has received regarding the funding of experimentation on primates in the UK by the US Air Force. | | (201069) | 545
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in each of the last two years. | | (200756) | 546
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) new builds, (b) demolition rebuilds and (c) PFI projects in his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200757) | 547
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost has been of criminal damage to his Department's buildings in each of the last two years. | | (200758) | 548
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on energy costs incurred by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200759) | 549
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) his Department, (ii) his agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which he has had responsibility in each of the last two years. | | (200760) | 550
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his estimate is of the cost of building refurbishment carried out by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200761) | 551
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost of refurbishing each ministerial private office was in the last two years. | | (200762) | 552
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost was of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200763) | 553
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200764) | 554
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by his Department and which took place on non-departmental premises in each of the last two years, giving the (i) title, (ii) purpose, (iii) date and (iv) cost of each. | | (200765) | 555
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his target time is in 2004-05 (a) to reply to letters from honourable Members and (b) for the officials in his Office to reply to letters received directly from members of the public. | | (200766) | 556
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what creche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost. | | (200767) | 557
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the gender pay gap amongst staff in his Department. | | (200768) | 558
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his Department's policy is towards age discrimination. | | (200769) | 559
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the equipment leasing arrangements entered into by his Department in each of the last two years; and what the cost is to public funds in each case. | | (200770) | 560
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the European Union directives and regulations relating to his Department that have been implemented in each of the last two years, specifying (a) the title and purpose of each, (b) the cost to public funds of each and (c) the cost to businesses of each. | | (200771) | 561
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases have been brought against his Department under the Human Rights Act 1998; and what the cost has been in (a) legal fees to defend cases and (b) compensation payments. | | (200772) | 562
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total cost to his Department was for the use of external consultants in each of the last two years. | | (200773) | 563
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total external spend by his Department was on private finance initiative (PFI) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PFI consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement. | | (200774) | 564
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total external spending by his Department was on public private partnership (PPP) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement. | | (200775) | 565
| Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield, Attercliffe):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many widows of police officers who are beneficiaries of the police officers' pension scheme lost their pension rights as a result of cohabitation or remarriage in each of the last three years; and what estimate he has made of the cost of restoring pension rights to these widows. | | (200366) | 566
| Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield, Attercliffe):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many widows of police officers who lost their police officer pension scheme benefits as a result of remarriage or cohabitation in the last three years have subsequently (a) had their pensions restored on compassionate grounds and (b) had their pensions rights restored following the ending of the second marriage or cohabitation. | | (200383) | 567
| Mr Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects to publish detailed proposals to update sentencing policy for serious road traffic offences. | | (200255) | 568
| Mr Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects to publish the final conclusions of the Halliday Report on sentencing reform. | | (200256) | 569
| Mr Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the application from West Midlands Police for funds for community safety officers (CSOs) for 2004-05 to 2006-07 included an indication of where CSOs would be deployed. | | (200316) | 570
N | Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research his Department has commissioned on whether the efficiency targets for police authorities of 3 per cent. from next year, including cashable savings of 1.5 per cent. are attainable. | | (199778) | 571
N | Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will end the funding rule which results in police authorities facing financial penalties if they fail to maintain officer numbers. | | (199779) | 572
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders have been imposed in (a) the Greater London area and (b) the London Borough of Wandsworth in each of the last two years. | | (200942) | 573
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many reports his Department has commissioned regarding (a) sentencing and (b) the management of offenders since 1997; on what dates these reports were commissioned; who carried out the reviews; at what cost; and when his Department received each report. | | (199525) | 574
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional funding is available to police authorities from central funds to implement (a) the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 and (b) the Freedom of Information Act 2000. | | (199526) | 575
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. | | (200622) | 576
N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have been dispersed to each parliamentary constituency in (a) the two years up to the end of 2003 and (b) the latest two-year period for which figures are available. | | (199717) | 577
N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the key findings were of the Prison Service's Resettlement Survey 2003; and if he will place a copy of the survey in the Library. | | (199530) | 578
N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) female and (b) male prisoners who classify themselves as Muslims are held in each prison service establishment in England and Wales. | | (199535) | 579
N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) girls and (b) boys under 18 were (i) held on remand and (ii) serving a custodial sentence in each prison service establishment in England and Wales on 1st November. | | (199536) | 580
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will place in the Library the responses to the consultation on the National Offender Management Service. | | (200930) | 581
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will establish a multi-disciplinary project team to review fire safety risks in prison cells. | | (200931) | 582
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what account the Prison Service takes of the likelihood of (a) vandalism and (b) attempted suicides when making decisions on the installation of sprinklers in prisons and detention centres. | | (200932) | 583
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what grounds he will not publish the case he is making to the Treasury to close smaller prisons and build larger prisons. | | (201027) | 584
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what factors have been identified as accounting for the increase of self harming incidents in prisons between 1999 and 2003; and if he will make a statement. | | (201028) | 585
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has for the public protection function of the Probation Service to be the subject of contestability under the National Offender Management Service structures. | | (201030) | 586
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list (a) the running costs for each establishment or prison in the Prison Service and (b) the average number of prisoners held at that establishment in each of the last three financial years for which figures are available. | | (201031) | 587
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) women and (b) men were being held in prison on 12th March; how many prisoners were released on early release on 12th March; how many prisoners were eligible for early release on 12th March; and how many prisoners were released on 12th March. | | (201032) | 588
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the reasons are for the introduction of the concept of contestability within the National Offender Management Service. | | (201033) | 589
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many life sentence prisoners have been released on parole during each of the last 48 months. | | (201034) | 590
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many suicides there have been in each month of 2004; and what the figures were each month in the last two years. | | (201035) | 591
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police forces are on standby for Operation Safeguard. | | (201036) | 592
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners in 2003 began training, education or offender behaviour programmes but were unable to complete these courses due (a) to transfer to another establishment and (b) release from custody. | | (201037) | 593
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether offenders assessed as requiring specific offender behaviour programmes will be placed by regional offender managers in establishments that do not offer the specific programme. | | (201052) | 594
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the offender behaviour programmes available at each prison establishment. | | (201053) | 595
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the development costs were of the Democratic Therapeutic Community Core Model to (a) public sector and (b) private sector prison operators. | | (201054) | 596
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the individual departments and units that (a) are already established and (b) are planned to be established within the National Offender Management Service. | | (201055) | 597
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the expected cost is of each of the individual departments and units that (a) are already established and (b) are planned to be established within the National Offender Management Service. | | (201056) | 598
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how long it has taken on average since January for the Criminal Records Bureau to process an application from a drugs service relating to an individual who wishes to work in England and Wales. | | (201064) | 599
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much the Prison Service has spent defending equal pay employment tribunal cases in each year since 1997. | | (201065) | 600
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many investigations are being conducted by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman into self-inflicted deaths in prisons in England and Wales; how many staff are involved in conducting these investigations; and of those staff, how many have been appointed from outside the Prison Service. | | (201066) | 601
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who is carrying out the survey to indentify suitable sites for new, large prisons; and what the terms and conditions of the survey are. | | (201067) | 602
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the sites available in (a) London, (b) the South East, (c) the West Midlands, (d) the North West and (e) Wales where new, large prisons could be located. | | (201068) | 603
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether all appraisals into the options for achieving better quality services at optimal cost for the Prison Service since 1997 have fully complied with Government guidance on Better Quality Services. | | (201015) | 604
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to link the level of a fine to a defendant's income. | | (201017) | 605
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what appraisals have been conducted into the options for achieving better quality services at optimal cost for the Prison Service since 1997; when they were commissioned; who carried them out; when they were completed; if he will publish them; and if he will make a statement. | | (201020) | 606
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of his Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. | | (200178) | 607
N | Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of young offenders were (a) illiterate and (b) innumerate (i) at assessment on entry to young offenders institutions, (ii) 25 per cent. of the way through their custodial sentence, (iii) 50 per cent. of the way through their custodial sentence, (iv) 75 per cent. of the way through their custodial sentence and (v) on completion of their custodial sentence in the latest year for which statistics are available. | | (200261) | 608
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what charges are made to Commonwealth citizens who wish to renew their passports to allow continued residence in the UK; whether these charges apply to residents whose country of birth is a member of the EU; and if he will make a statement. | | (200327) | 609
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many instances of crime against young people have been recorded in each year since 1997, broken down by category of crime. | | (200336) | 610
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) discussion forums, (b) conferences and (c) focus groups his Department has held on reducing crime against young people since 2001. | | (200337) | 611
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding has been given to voluntary organisations working with young offenders in each year since 1997. | | (200338) | 612
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the (a) organisations, (b) associations, (c) agencies and (d) representative bodies he has consulted on youth justice issues in the last 12 months. | | (200339) | 613
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997-98. | | (200393) | 614
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997-98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request. | | (200413) | 615
N | Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the detentions of 31 people under the Metropolitan Police Community Support Officer detention power pilot resulted in release after the arrival of a police officer; and if he will make a statement. | | (200357) | 616
N | Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance his Department has issued on the police exercise of stop and account not resulting in a search; and if he will make a statement. | | (200431) | 617
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the future of the police training centre at Bruche, Warrington. | | (200194) | 618
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Questions to his Department remained unanswered at prorogation; and what percentage of these Questions had been tabled (a) less than one month, (b) between one and three months and (c) more than three months previously. | | (200195) | 619
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time taken by his Department to respond to a written parliamentary Question was in the last parliamentary Session. | | (200196) | 620
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had on the future of the police training centre at Bruche; when these discussions took place; and who was involved in them. | | (200197) | 621
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what reasons underlie his Department's policy on the recording of transphobic crimes as a distinct category within Hate Crime reporting. | | (200583) | 622
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether swords were seized from protesters at RAF Fairford under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 1994; and whether potentially dangerous weapons were seized from the protesters under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000. | | (200602) | 623
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people born in the UK to a British father and a foreign mother applied for a British passport (a) in the last year and (b) in the last three years; how many were successful in each case; and if he will make a statement. | | (200481) | 624
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons British nationality is not granted to an individual born in Britain to a British father if the individual's mother is not a British national; if he will bring forward proposals to allow maternal and paternal nationality to be of equal weight when determining the nationality of a child born in Britain; and if he will make a statement. | | (200482) | 625
| Mr Bob Laxton (Derby North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance has been given to the police to ensure that the provisions in the Fireworks Act 2003 are enforced, with particular reference to people who set off fireworks after curfew hours. | | (200519) | 626
N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when his Department will reply to the letter from the honourable Member for Aylesbury (reference B2050/4) of 27th September about the surety lodged by Mr M. A. of Aylesbury (case reference A1022329). | | (199603) | 627
N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when his Department will reply to the letter of 6th August to the Minister of State for Immigration from the honourable Member for Aylesbury (reference PO9072/4) about Mr A. R. of Aylesbury (references R1055140/2 and PO4967/03). | | (199604) | 628
| Mr John Lyons (Strathkelvin & Bearsden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects the inquest into the death of Mr Christopher Rodway to take place. | | (200890) | 629
| John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will publish cost and statistical data on the performance of each contracted prison against key performance indicators; and if he will make a statement. | | (200966) | 630
| John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will publish the Annual Report and Accounts for the Office of Contracted Prisons for 2003-04. | | (200967) | 631
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost was of (a) drafting, (b) publishing and (c) circulating (i) Working together - tackling not tolerating anti-social behaviour, (ii) One year on - together tackling anti-social behaviour and (iii) Central Government funding of voluntary and community organisations. | | (201038) | 632
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many verdicts of unlawful killing have been returned by coroners' courts since the House of Lords Judgement in R v. HM Coroner for the Western District of Somerset and another ex-parte Middledon (2004); if he will list the cases in chronological order; which deaths resulted in or are expected to lead to prosecutions; and which Government department has primary responsibility for assessing the implications of the verdict and initiating action as necessary. | | (200489) | 633
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the meeting of Ministers of the member states of the European Union and Community to consider the establishment of pilot projects to receive those wishing to seek asylum within the Union, what the origin was of the document containing those proposals; who was responsible for producing that document; what the treaty bases were for those proposals; which member states supported the proposal in principle pending administrative agreement; what views were presented to meetings by representatives of the United Kingdom; who those representatives were; what consultations in (a) private and (b) public were held in the UK prior to the response made on behalf of the UK; and what progress has been made with the project. | | (200097) | 634
| Richard Ottaway (Croydon South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on manning levels at the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. | | (200149) | 635
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of crimes reported to the police in Pendle were cleared up in (a) 1996 and (b) the most recent year for which figures are available. | | (200970) | 636
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) crimes, (b) burglaries, (c) thefts and (d) vehicle-related crimes were reported to the police in Pendle in (i) 1996 and (ii) the most recent year for which figures are available. | | (200971) | 637
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of domestic violence have been reported to the police in (a) Pendle and (b) Lancashire in each year since 2000. | | (200995) | 638
| Mr Andy Reed (Loughborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research his Department has carried out on the potential health risks related to the introduction of the TETRA Airwave project for police forces in England. | | (200965) | 639
N | Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in how many criminal incidents it was reported that firearms had been used in (a) 1997 and (b) 2003; and in how many of those incidents the use of handguns was reported. | | (199534) | 640
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will make an announcement on the Police Grant Settlement. | | (200318) | 641
N | Mr Richard Shepherd (Aldridge - Brownhills):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list all Home Office Bills that have been enacted since May 1997. | | (200142) | 642
| Mr Clive Soley (Ealing, Acton & Shepherd's Bush):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) female murder victims have been killed by their partner or husband and (b) male murder victims were killed by their partner or wife since 2000. | | (200926) | 643
| Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reply to the letter from the honourable Member for West Worcestershire of 18th October (Ref: M15239/4). | | (200325) | 644
| Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many passports the Immigration and Nationality Directorate has lost in each of the last five years. | | (200972) | 645
| Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many juveniles were received into prison service custody for breaching anti-social behaviour orders in each month of (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004. | | (200434) | 646
| Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many young people aged under 18 years were received into prison (a) under sentence and (b) on remand in (i) 2003, (ii) 2002 and (iii) 2001. | | (200435) | 647
| Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which charities have applied for and been granted a waiver of disqualification for a trustee in the last 12 months; and on what grounds in each case. | | (200463) | 648
| Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many reports on suicides in prison have been completed by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman in the last 12 months; and when each was published. | | (200464) | 649
| Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the reports on self-inflicted deaths in prisons completed by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman in the last 12 months. | | (200465) | 650
| Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many black and minority ethnic young men aged 18 to 21 years were received into prison in 2002 (a) under sentence and (b) on remand. | | (200466) | 651
| Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has been made of the implications of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for the National Offender Management Service. | | (200468) | 652
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what pieces of legislation passed in the last 30 years that the Department is responsible for remain to be brought into force, broken down by year of enactment. | | (200446) | 653
N | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Gurkhas who were discharged from the British Army before 1st July 1997 have applied for settlement in the UK. | | (199718) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 654
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate he has made of the percentage of snow cover on Mount Everest in (a) 1953, (b) 1983 and (c) 2003; and what assessment he has made of the impact on Nepal of changes in the level of snow cover. | | (200691) | 655
N | Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what progress is being made on each of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDG) on the basis of existing funding levels; and when each MDG will be met (a) including China and (b) excluding China. | | (199599) | 656
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in each of the last two years. | | (200856) | 657
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) new builds, (b) demolition rebuilds and (c) private finance initiative projects in his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200857) | 658
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the cost has been of criminal damage to his Department's buildings in each of the last two years. | | (200858) | 659
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on energy costs incurred by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200859) | 660
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what his estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) his Department, (ii) his agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which he has had responsibility in each of the last two years. | | (200860) | 661
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what his estimate is of the cost of building refurbishment carried out by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200861) | 662
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the cost of refurbishing each Ministerial Private Office was in each of the last two years. | | (200862) | 663
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the cost of was of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200863) | 664
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what his estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department in each of ther last two years. | | (200864) | 665
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by his Department and which took place on non-Departmental premises in each of the last two years, giving the (i) title, (ii) purpose, (iii) date and (iv) cost of each. | | (200865) | 666
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what his target time is in 2004-05 (a) to reply to letters from honourable Members and (b) for the officials in his Office to reply to letters received directly from members of the public. | | (200866) | 667
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what crèche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost. | | (200867) | 668
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what his Department's policy is towards age discrimination. | | (200868) | 669
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the gender gap amongst staff in his Department. | | (200869) | 670
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will list the equipment leasing arrangements entered into by his Department in each of the last two years; and what the cost is to public funds in each case. | | (200870) | 671
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will list the European Union directives and regulations relating to his Department that have been implemented in each of the last two years, specifying (a) the title and purpose of each, (b) the cost to public funds of each and (c) the cost to businesses of each. | | (200871) | 672
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many cases have been brought against his Department under the Human Rights Act 1998; and what has been the cost in (a) legal fees to defend cases and (b) compensation payments. | | (200872) | 673
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the total cost to his Department was for the use of external consultants in each of the last two years. | | (200873) | 674
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the total external spend by his Department was on Private Finance Initiative consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PFI consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement. | | (200874) | 675
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the total external spend by his Department was on public partnership consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement. | | (200875) | 676
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much money has been allocated by his Department for the provision of humanitarian aid to Iraq in each of the last two years. | | (200944) | 677
N | Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland & Melton):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans his Department has to work with (a) other donors and (b) main partner governments to establish sector wide approaches in water and sanitation. | | (200112) | 678
N | Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland & Melton):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what his Department's policy is on instituting sector budget support for water and sanitation in cases where main partner governments do not prioritise water and sanitation in their poverty reduction strategies; and if he will make a statement. | | (200113) | 679
N | Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland & Melton):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will list the performance indicators for the European Water Initiative; and which of these have been achieved. | | (200114) | 680
N | Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland & Melton):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans his Department has to provide additional resources to the Finance Working Group of the European Union Water Initative in order to implement their commitment to the Water Action Plan. | | (200115) | 681
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. | | (200623) | 682
| Mr George Foulkes (Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what studies his Department has undertaken into the effects that the European Commission's proposed price reductions on sugar will have on his Department's existing programmes in Jamaica. | | (200238) | 683
| Mr George Foulkes (Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment his Department has made of the impact that a three-year transition period and a price reduction on sugar would have on the sugar industry in Jamaica. | | (200239) | 684
| Mr George Foulkes (Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what studies his Department has undertaken into the effects that the European Commission's proposed price reductions on sugar would have on the sugar industry in (a) Jamaica and (b) the wider Caribbean region. | | (200240) | 685
| David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what expenditure has been allocated to treat victims of burns caused by the war in Iraq. | | (200108) | 686
| David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make aid available for charities to assist children orphaned by the war in Iraq who are in foster homes. | | (200221) | 687
| David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what aid he has made available to offer psychological care to people affected by the war in Iraq. | | (200223) | 688
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent support he has given to projects in the Russian Federation aimed at improving facilities for (a) street children, (b) orphans and (c) children with disabilities; what his plans are in this area; and if he will make a statement. | | (200143) | 689
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of his Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. | | (200177) | 690
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997-98. | | (200397) | 691
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997-98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request. | | (200417) | 692
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions he has had with European Union counterparts about the (a) allocation and (b) delivery of EU aid to Third World countries; and if he will make a statement. | | (200719) | 693
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions he has had with multi-national companies on (a) their responsibilities for the environment and (b) employment of local people in developing countries; and if he will make a statement. | | (200722) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 694
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what checks on citizenship and permanent residence are carried out by the National Health Service in Northern Ireland on patients presenting for medical treatment; and if he will make a statement. | | (200727) | 695
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps are being taken to enforce compliance by Belfast City Airport of its planning agreement to offer 1.5 million scheduled seats for sale from the airport in any 12 month period. | | (200916) | 696
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the extent to which Belfast City Airport is meeting its planning agreement in respect of scheduled seats on offer. | | (200917) | 697
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the operators of Belfast City Airport on the recently proposed scheduling of services. | | (200918) | 698
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in each of the last two years. | | (200876) | 699
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the cost was of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200877) | 700
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the cost of refurbishing each ministerial private office was in each of the last two years. | | (200878) | 701
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what his estimate is of the cost of building refurbishment carried out by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200879) | 702
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what his estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) his Department, (ii) his agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which he has had responsibility in each of the last two years. | | (200880) | 703
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on energy costs incurred by his Department in each of the last two years. | | (200881) | 704
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the cost has been of criminal damage to his Department's buildings in each of the last two years. | | (200882) | 705
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the total external spending by his Department was on public private partnership (PPP) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement. | | (200883) | 706
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what tonnage of waste is estimated to have been dumped illegally in Northern Ireland since November 2003. | | (200079) | 707
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what is being done with the waste illegally dumped in Northern Ireland over the past 12 months. | | (200080) | 708
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make representations to the Government of the Irish Republic to change the title of the President of that country to a title which specifically excludes Northern Ireland. | | (200081) | 709
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the Department for Regional Development Roads Service Structural Maintenance budget was in each of the last three years. | | (200082) | 710
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many Civil Service jobs have been relocated from the Greater Belfast area to each of the constituencies outside Belfast and North Down in the last five years. | | (200083) | 711
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to replace the Worktrack programme in Northern Ireland. | | (200084) | 712
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress is being made in apprehending those responsible for illegal dumping of waste originating in the Irish Republic in Northern Ireland. | | (200085) | 713
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much has been spent in each year since 2000 on the Worktrack programme in (a) North Belfast and (b) Northern Ireland. | | (200902) | 714
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people have been placed on the Worktrack programme in (a) North Belfast and (b) Northern Ireland in each year since 2000. | | (200903) | 715
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much has been allocated from public funds on Learn Direct in (a) North Belfast and (b) Northern Ireland in each year since 2000. | | (200904) | 716
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people have benefited from Learn Direct in (a) North Belfast and (b) Northern Ireland. | | (200905) | 717
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress is being made on redeveloping Victoria Square, Belfast. | | (200906) | 718
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many jobs have been created in (a) North Belfast and (b) Northern Ireland as a result of public investment in each year since 1997. | | (200907) | 719
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many new housing starts there have been in (a) North Belfast and (b) Northern Ireland in each year since 1997. | | (200908) | 720
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the future of Crumlin Road gaol. | | (200909) | 721
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to review the law relating to private operations of wheel-clamping in Northern Ireland. | | (200910) | 722
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, on how many occasions in each year since 2000 the non-display of vehicle tax discs has been detected, broken down by district command unit. | | (200911) | 723
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, on how many occasions in each year since 2000 the lack of an MOT certificate has been detected, broken down by district command unit. | | (200912) | 724
N | Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will rescind the decision to change the role of traffic wardens in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. | | (200352) | 725
N | Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people in residential accommodation on a voluntary financing basis have been paid in full during the 12 week disregard period by each Health and Social Services Trust in Northern Ireland. | | (200353) | 726
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. | | (200624) | 727
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of his Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. | | (200172) | 728
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997-98. | | (200388) | 729
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997-98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request. | | (200408) | 730
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many flights there were into Belfast City airport on average each week in the latest period for which figures are available, broken down by type of aircraft; and how much fuel each such aircraft would be expected to consume during the first three minutes of take-off. | | (200508) | 731
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will institute a public inquiry into the construction of a 45 foot gabion wall at Strangford View in Killyleagh; and if he will make a statement. | | (200370) | 732
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) Roman Catholics and (b) Protestants constituted the workforce of Down District Council in each of the past 10 years; how many (a) jobs were advertised and (b) vacancies were filled by Protestants in each year. | | (200500) | 733
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the funding surplus within the LMS scheme was for each school in the South Eastern Education and Library Board in each of the last five years; and how each surplus was used. | | (200501) | 734
| The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety's Children in Need strategy will be published for consultation; what issues the strategy will address; and what funding will be made available for the strategy's implementation. | | (200515) | 735
| The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the protection of children, including children abused through commercial sexual exploitation, will be a key priority within the Northern Ireland Policing Plan. | | (200516) | 736
| The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps the Chief Constable of the Police Service Northern Ireland is taking to implement the recommendations of the Bichard Report. | | (200517) | 737
| Mr David Trimble (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of (a) Learn Direct, (b) Enterprise Ulster and (c) Work Track. | | (200884) | 738
| Mr David Trimble (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the level of (a) gross domestic product and (b) gross value added per hour worked in the Northern Ireland economy was in (i) 1996, (ii) 1999 and (iii) 2002. | | (200885) | 739
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what pieces of legislation passed in the last 30 years that the Department is responsible for remain to be brought into force, broken down by year of enactment. | | (200445) | Questions to the Prime Minister 740
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Prime Minister, whether (a) he, (b) ministers and (c) officials had discussions in an official capacity with the former Right honourable Member for Hartlepool during the last 12 months concerning Equatorial Guinea. | | (200919) | 741
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on his recent discussions in Washington with President Bush on climate change; and what progress was made. | | (200692) | 742
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make an assessment of the degree to which (a) President Bush and (b) the US Administration believe that climate change is happening. | | (200750) | 743
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the actions achieved in 2004 through his diplomatic engagement with President Bush. | | (200899) | 744
N | Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with President Chirac on the Commission for Africa. | | (199598) | 745
N | Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with President Chirac on the International Financing Facility. | | (199600) | 746
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list meetings he has attended with representatives of casino operators from outside the UK in the last 12 months, broken down by (a) location and (b) purpose; and if he will make a statement. | | (200372) | 747
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Prime Minister, on how many occasions he has (a) met and (b) spoken to Sir John Day in the last 12 months; what was discussed on each of those occasions; on how many occasions he has (i) met and (ii) spoken to (A) other Ministers, (B) Government officials or (C) other staff of BAe Systems with regard to Sir John Day's appointment to BAE Systems; and what was discussed on each of those occasions. | | (200510) | 748
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Prime Minister, whether he had been informed of Sir John Day's role in assessing the causes of the crash of the RAF Chinook HC2 helicopter ZD576 on the Mull of Kintyre in 1994; when he overturned the ruling of the advisory committee on business appointments; and on how many occasions he has over-ruled the advisory committee on business appointments. | | (200511) | 749
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Prime Minister, whether he has discussed with Sir John Day his role in assessing the causes of the crash of the RAF Chinook HC2 helicopter ZD576 on the Mull of Kintyre in 1994. | | (200512) | 750
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Prime Minister, how he was first informed of Sir John Day's appointment to BAe Systems; and what factors underlay his assessment that it would be in the wider national interest for Sir John Day to take up his post at BAe Systems three months after his retirement from the RAF. | | (200513) | 751
N | Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask the Prime Minister, on what date he was made aware of the July 2003 withdrawal by the intelligence services of the reports on Iraq's weapons. | | (200037) | 752
N | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Prime Minister, what reports he received during 2002 from the International Atomic Energy Agency concerning Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. | | (200148) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland 753
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. | | (200625) | 754
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of his Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. | | (200174) | 755
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997-98. | | (200390) | 756
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997-98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request. | | (200410) | Questions to the Solicitor General 757
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Solicitor General, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to her Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if she will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. | | (200626) | 758
| Joyce Quin (Gateshead East & Washington West):To ask the Solicitor General, when she will reply to the letter from the Right honourable Member for Gateshead East and Washington West dated 4th February. | | (200590) | Questions to the honourable Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission 759
| Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the honourable Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what representations the Electoral Commission is making to companies to encourage workers who live abroad to register to vote in British elections. | | (200086) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 760
| Mr Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the representation from manufacturing industry is on the Better Regulation Task Force. | | (200228) | 761
| Mr Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the carbon emission levels were (a) in the UK and (b) in other EU member states at the latest date for which figures are available. | | (200229) | 762
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the storage of chocolate radioactively contaminated following the fire at Windscale in 1957. | | (200708) | 763
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she will publish the latest revisions to her Department's forecasts for energy consumption and carbon emission levels for the UK in (a) 2010 and (b) 2020; and if she will make a statement. | | (200714) | 764
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what liability was agreed by the Office of Civil Nuclear Security in respect of the shipment of plutonium from the United States to France aboard the Pacific Teal and Pacific Pintail. | | (200715) | 765
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what role the UK Government played in (a) reviewing and (b) approving the security arrangements provided by the United States and France aboard the Pacific Teal and Pacific Pintail. | | (200716) | 766
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the cost was (a) of investigations and (b) in administration to the UK Government in preparation for the transport of plutonium from the United States to France aboard the Pacific Teal and Pacific Pintail. | | (200717) | 767
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the transport ships, Pacific Teal and Pacific Pintail, were operating on Government service in recent movement of plutonium from the US to France. | | (200718) | 768
| John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the Government supports the lifting of the arms embargo on China; and if she will make a statement. | | (200368) | 769
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much cover was made by the Export Credits Guarantee Department to (a) Nepal, (b) Zimbabwe, (c) Nigeria, (d) Rwanda, (e) Sierra Leone, (f) South Africa, (g) Pakistan, (h) Mozambique, (i) Zambia, (j) China, (k) Ethiopia, (l) Kenya, (m) Malawi, (n) Uganda, (o) Ghana, (p) Bangladesh, (q) India and (r) Tanzania in the last two years for which figures are available. | | (200933) | 770
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the uptake has been of each Support to Implement Best Practice in each region; and if she will make a statement. | | (200525) | 771
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many people have visited her Department's website promoting Access to Business Practice; and what other material is available as part of this business support product. | | (200526) | 772
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much has been allocated to support (a) business start-ups and (b) SME growth in each enterprise area by region in the 2004-05 financial year. | | (200527) | 773
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the value of (a) UK High Technology Fund and (b) Regional Venture Capital Funds expenditure in each region since the Funds' establishment. | | (200528) | 774
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what financial provision has been made for the UK High Technology Fund in each year since its inception; and what the uptake was in each year. | | (200529) | 775
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what financial provision has been made for the Regional Venture Capital Funds in each year since 2001; and what the uptake was in each year. | | (200530) | 776
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what financial provision has been made for the Research and Development Grants/SMART in each year since its inception; and what the uptake was in each year. | | (200531) | 777
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what financial provision has been made for enterprise grants in each year since its inception; and what the uptake was in each year. | | (200532) | 778
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many businesses have been assisted by (a) the UK High Technology Fund and (b) Regional Venture Capital Funds in each (i) region and (ii) constituency since 2000. | | (200533) | 779
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many businesses in each region have benefited from a Grant for Investigating an Innovative Idea; and to what value. | | (200534) | 780
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the value of Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme expenditure in each (a) region and (b) constituency in each year since 2000. | | (200535) | 781
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many businesses have been assisted research and development Grants / SMART; and to what value in each (a) region and (b) constituency since 2000. | | (200536) | 782
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the value of (a) UK High Technology Fund and (b) Regional Venture Capital Fund expenditure in each region since 2000. | | (200537) | 783
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many organisations have been assisted by the Phoenix Fund; and to what value in each (a) region and (b) constituency since 2000. | | (200538) | 784
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many businesses have been assisted by enterprise grants; and to what value in each (a) region and (b) constituency since 2000. | | (200539) | 785
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what contribution will have to be made by the private sector and charitable funding in order to achieve the public and private spending on research and development targets set out in the Spending Review 2004; and what contribution has been secured from (a) the private sector and (b) charitable funding. | | (200540) | 786
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the planned Government expenditure on research and development is in each financial year from 2005-06 to 2009-10; what the expenditure is on (a) civil and (b) defence in each year; and what the planned Indicative UK contribution is to the European Union budget. | | (200541) | 787
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what financial contribution her (a) Department, (b) non-departmental public bodies and (c) research councils made to civil space technology in 2004-05; and what financial provision has been made for the period 2005-06 to 2009-10. | | (200543) | 788
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much public funding has been spent on Business Link in each (a) region and (b) constituency in (i) 2003-04 and (ii) 2004-05. | | (200544) | 789
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many (a) company compulsory liquidations and (b) personal bankruptcies there were in each quarter since Q4 2003, broken down by region. | | (200546) | 790
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many businesses have been helped by Business Link in each (a) region, (b) constituency and (c) local authority ward in (i) 2003-04 and (ii) 2004-05 to date. | | (200547) | 791
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much it has cost to make the Consumer Direct telephone advice service available in (a) Scotland, (b) South West England, (c) Wales, (d) Yorkshire and the Humber and (e) total; and how many enquiries have been handled in each region. | | (200548) | 792
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, at what cost the Consumer Direct website was set up; how much it costs each year; and how many people have visited the site. | | (200549) | 793
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many people have applied for a Post Office Card Account in each (a) region and (b) ward. | | (200550) | 794
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the post offices which have closed in (a) the 10 per cent. most deprived wards and (b) the 20 per cent. most deprived wards in each year since 2000, broken down by region. | | (200551) | 795
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the rural post offices which have closed since the introduction of the subsidy to support the rural post office network, broken down by region. | | (200553) | 796
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many (a) fuel-poor and (b) vulnerable fuel-poor households there were in (i) the UK, (ii) each region and (iii) each constituency in each year since 1997. | | (200554) | 797
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the change in her Department's contribution to the regional development agencies in 2005-06. | | (200558) | 798
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, with what financial support products UK Trade and Investment assists UK businesses. | | (200559) | 799
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the take-up has been in each region in the current financial year of (a) Access to Best Business Practice and (b) Support to Implement Best Business Practice; and if she will make a statement. | | (200599) | 800
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will place in the Library representations made by (a) BAES, (b) Rolls-Royce and (c) Airbus at meetings held with her Department since January to discuss the anti-corruption procedures brought into force by the Export Credits Guarantee Department on 1st May. | | (200600) | 801
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will place in the Library minutes from the meetings since January in which (a) her officials and (b) Export Credits Guarantee Department staff have met organisations to discuss anti-corruption procedures brought in by the Export Credits Guarantee Department. | | (200601) | 802
| Mr Martin Caton (Gower):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment her Department has made of alternatives to nickel-cadmium batteries for uses that (a) require reliability and high discharge and charge rates and (b) need to operate at low temperatures. | | (200281) | 803
| Mr Martin Caton (Gower):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the UK Government's position on the proposed EU Battery Directive [COM (2003) 723 final]. | | (200506) | 804
N | Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make representations to the utility regulators to place conditions on utility providers to ensure that appointment times for provision of services are made time specific. | | (200151) | 805
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many cases are waiting to be heard at industrial tribunals that cover the Greater London area; and what the average time before a case is heard at such a tribunal has been in the last period for which figures are available. | | (200309) | 806
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action her Department is taking to ensure that people with disabilities are offered employment within each of the local authorities that cover the Greater London area; and if she will make a statement. | | (200311) | 807
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many claims have been brought by people living in the Greater London area to the Equal Opportunities Commission in each of the last three years. | | (200312) | 808
| Mr John Cummings (Easington):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will refer the acquisition of Glenmorangie by LVMH to the Competition Commission. | | (200507) | 809
N | Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster & Wyre):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how the (a) impact and (b) success of basic research in the UK is being assessed; and how it will be assessed in the future. | | (199951) | 810
N | Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster & Wyre):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures are being taken (a) to prevent the best young scientists from leaving (i) research and (ii) the UK and (b) to attract young scientific talent from abroad. | | (199952) | 811
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to her Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if she will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. | | (200613) | 812
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures she proposes to take to ensure that the number of students who graduate from information technology courses reaches the levels that are need by the IT industry as stated by the E-Skills UK and Gartner Consulting research published on 1st November. | | (200740) | 813
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on (a) the work and (b) the future of the regional broadband aggregation organisations. | | (200894) | 814
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what funding was provided for the Broadband National Aggregation Board in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement on its future funding. | | (200895) | 815
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on her plans for the Broadband National Aggregation Board. | | (200896) | 816
| David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has made for the delivery of secure energy supplies this winter; and what the make-up of those supplies is. | | (200191) | 817
| David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps she will take to assist former miners who worked with private mining companies as well as British Coal to have their compensation cases settled. | | (200198) | 818
| David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many miners and widows have been paid less than £2,000 in settlements for (a) vibration white finger and (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Midlothian. | | (200205) | 819
| David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much has been paid to solicitors in Scotland for vibration white finger claims since the scheme came into operation. | | (200206) | 820
| David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many former mineworkers or beneficiaries are in receipt of concessionary coal in (a) Midlothian, (b) Scotland and (c) the United Kingdom. | | (200207) | 821
| David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many former mineworkers or beneficiaries are in receipt of cash in lieu in (a) Midlothian, (b) Scotland and (c) United Kingdom. | | (200210) | 822
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the amount of cat and dog fur being imported into (a) the UK and (b) other EU states; if she will make it her policy to ban such imports into the UK; and if she will make a statement. | | (200975) | 823
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent discussions she has held with (a) EU member state governments and (b) others, over the importation of cat and dog fur. | | (200976) | 824
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent assessment she has made of the accuracy of scientific testing to determine whether products contain (a) cat and (b) dog fur; and if she will make a statement. | | (200977) | 825
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of her Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. | | (200170) | 826
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by her Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997-98. | | (200385) | 827
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997-98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request. | | (200405) | 828
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many times the appraisal system for each pay bargaining unit in her Department has been changed in the last five years; and how many staff are fully or partly employed in connection with pay negotiations in each pay bargaining unit, broken down by grade. | | (200346) | 829
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the likely effects of amending the law so that unpaid COT3 settlements accrue interest on the same basis as awards made by employment tribunals; and if she will make a statement. | | (200192) | 830
| Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the Government was represented at the conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in (a) Moscow in June and (b) Beijing on 18th to 22nd October; and if she will place in the Library the text of Government statements and submissions to each conference. | | (200222) | 831
| Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the impact on science research of the closure of the chemistry department at Exeter University; and if she will make a statement. | | (200634) | 832
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether she (a) had sight of and (b) approved the recent Statement by the UK National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines on Avient; and if she will make a statement. | | (200490) | 833
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, with regard to the recent Statement by the UK National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines, on Avient, whether the National Contact Point sought confirmation of Avient's account of its activities during the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (a) with MONUC and (b) with the UN's Department of Peace Keeping Operations; and if she will make a statement. | | (200491) | 834
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, with regard to the recent Statement by the UK National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines, on Avient, what role (a) the Secretary of State and (b) the Department's solicitor played in the decision to exclude the non-governmental organisations RAID and Action contre l'impunité pour les droits humains (ACIDH) from acting as complainants; which officials were involved in the decision to proceed with the Avient case without a complainant; and if she will make a statement. | | (200492) | 835
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, with regard to the recent Statement by the National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines on Avient, how many (a) meetings, (b) telephone calls and (c) other types of communication took place between (i) the UK National Contact Point and (ii) other UK Government officials and Avient's representatives; on what dates each such communication took place; and whether Avient was allowed to comment on the Statement before it was made public. | | (200493) | 836
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, with regard to the recent Statement by the National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines on Avient, what assessment she has made of what is covered by the term military company. | | (200494) | 837
N | Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what evidence the National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines drew upon in reaching the conclusion that the UN had supplied neither further details nor evidence of specific actions undertaken by Avient crews when preparing its statement on Avient; and what assessment was made in drawing up the statement of allegations by the UN Panel of Experts of (a) bombing raids and (b) dealings with Mr Leonid Minim by Avient. | | (200749) | 838
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make an assessment of the extent to which the Statement on Avient by the UK National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines accords with Government policy on mercenary operations in Africa. | | (200753) | 839
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what interpretation she places on the reference in the Statement on Avient by the UK National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines that Avient's M124 attack helicopter crew was involved in the relief of isolated places. | | (200754) | 840
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the non-governmental organisations RAID and Action contre l'Impunité pour les Droits Humans (ACIDH) were accepted by her Department as complainants in respect of allegations against Avient. | | (200755) | 841
N | John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the top 100 solicitors with unsettled claims under the coalminers compensation scheme, broken down by number of claims for (a) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and (b) vibration white finger. | | (200374) | 842
N | John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the top 100 solicitors in terms of fees paid by the Department under the coalminers' compensation scheme; and how much each has been paid to date. | | (200375) | 843
N | John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the average settlement is for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and vibration white finger claims for the top 100 solicitors, defined by number of claims submitted, under the coalminers' compensation scheme. | | (200376) | 844
N | John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much has been paid to the Union of Democratic Mineworkers for carrying out spirometry testing under the coalminers' compensation scheme. | | (200377) | 845
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether her Department has undertaken an investigation into the effects of the insolvency of Parmalat upon subsidiary companies of Parmalat in the UK. | | (200450) | 846
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether her Department has undertaken an investigation into the effects of insolvency of Hollinger International upon subsidiary companies in the UK. | | (200455) | 847
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether her Department has undertaken an investigation into the effects of the insolvency of Tyco upon subsidiary companies in the UK. | | (200456) | 848
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether her Department has undertaken an investigation into the effects of the insolvency of WorldCom upon subsidiary companies in the UK. | | (200461) | 849
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether her Department has undertaken an investigation into the effects of the insolvency of Global Crossing upon subsidiary companies in the UK. | | (200462) | 850
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the number of qualified retired electricians who may be deterred from working in household areas as a result of Part P of the Building Regulations to be introduced on 1st January 2005; and what representations she has made to the Deputy Prime Minister on the issue. | | (200946) | 851
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the average award for compensation in employment tribunal cases was in the UK in each year between 1992 and 1996. | | (200947) | 852
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what her Department's online advertising budget was for each year between 1997 and 2004. | | (200948) | 853
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the cost was of printing her Department's Five Year Programme published on 17th November. | | (200949) | 854
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what role was played by her Department's special advisors in the drafting and production of the Five Year Programme published by her Department on 17th November. | | (200950) | 855
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, on what occasions her Department's Better Regulation Team has stipulated that DTI policy officials give serious consideration to alternatives to state regulation since 2002. | | (200951) | 856
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, on what occasions her Department's Better Regulation Team has involved independent experts in regulatory policy making since 2002. | | (200952) | 857
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the (a) resource budget, (b) staff numbers and (c) administration costs of her Department's Better Regulation Team (i) were in each year from 2002 to 2004 and (ii) will be in each year to 2007. | | (200953) | 858
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many times she has (a) attended and (b) been absent from meetings of the EU Competitiveness Council since 2001; and which ministers attended in her absence on each occasion. | | (200956) | 859
N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what her estimate is of the costs to business of compliance with regulations imposed by her Department in the last year for which figures are available. | | (200270) | 860
| Mr Andy Reed (Loughborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to provide consumers with protection against fraudulent dial-up internet scams; and if she will make a statement. | | (200957) | 861
| Mr Andy Reed (Loughborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the number of people affected by dial-up internet scams in the last year for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. | | (200958) | 862
| Mr Andy Reed (Loughborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had with the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS) about the growth of dial-up internet scams and premium rate number diallers; and if she will make a statement. | | (200959) | 863
| Mr Andy Reed (Loughborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assistance her Department is giving to encourage UK firms to compete in the provision of wind turbine projects in England. | | (200964) | 864
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent discussions she has had with European Union counterparts on improving (a) trade with and (b) access to EU markets for Third World countries; and if she will make a statement. | | (200720) | 865
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent discussions she has had with the governments of Third World countries about improving access to EU markets; and if she will make a statement. | | (200721) | 866
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent representations she has received concerning the share of the retail market held by Tesco. | | (200934) | 867
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent research she has commissioned concerning ownership of retail outlets in the high street. | | (200935) | 868
| Mr Michael Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what research she has commissioned on the cost to the general public of the introduction of transaction charges at ATM machines. | | (200741) | 869
N | David Winnick (Walsall North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she will reply to the letter for the honourable Member for Walsall North of 20th October, regarding a factory closure; and for what reasons no acknowledgement was sent at the time. | | (199602) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 870
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average level of carbon dioxide emitted per kilometre driven was for road traffic in each (a) EU and (b) G8 country in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. | | (200696) | 871
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the robustness of the estimates made for carbon emissions for road transport by the National Environmental Technology Centre. | | (200897) | 872
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how the relationship between congestion and carbon emissions is factored into the figures for total carbon dioxide emissions compiled by the National Environmental Technology Centre. | | (200898) | 873
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what financial contribution his (a) Department and (b) non-departmental public bodies made to civil space technology in 2004-05; and what financial provision has been made for the period 2005-06 to 2009-10. | | (200542) | 874
| Mr Martin Caton (Gower):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the use of cameras linked to heat and movement sensors triggering remote signalling to prevent train and road vehicle collisions at level crossings. | | (200087) | 875
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the major road developments that (a) have been agreed and (b) are under consideration by his Department within the Greater London area. | | (200308) | 876
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Irish Government has agreed to contribute for the Dún Laoghaire project being undertaken by the Commissioners of Irish Lights; and if he will place in the Library a schedule of costs. | | (200451) | 877
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the plans for the Dún Laoghaire project being undertaken by the Commissioners of Irish Lights. | | (200452) | 878
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the dates of meetings since January between his Department and the Irish Government on navigational aids in the Republic of Ireland; and who the attendees were at each meeting. | | (200453) | 879
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his latest estimate is of the 2005-06 value of the subsidy to Light Dues in the Republic of Ireland from the General Lighthouse Fund; and what the projected cost is in 2006-07. | | (200454) | 880
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Irish Government first agreed to provide funding for the Dún Laoghaire project being undertaken by the Commissioners of Irish Lights. | | (200457) | 881
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the date is for the cessation of payment of subsidies for navigational aids in the Republic of Ireland. | | (200458) | 882
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to seek a rebate from the Irish Government for the sums contributed for the Irish Lights from the General Lighthouse Fund in the last financial year. | | (200459) | 883
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is the intention of the Government to continue its programme of investment in the Loran C navigational system. | | (200460) | 884
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. | | (200627) | 885
N | Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Barnstaple by-pass project was given final approval. | | (200092) | 886
N | Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) projects and (b) proposals there are in the South West for (i) bridge and (ii) tunnel rail crossings. | | (200093) | 887
N | Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many road crossings with automatic gates over high speed tracks there are in (a) the South West region and (b) Somerset. | | (200094) | 888
N | Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when local transport authorities will be informed whether bids for funding for projects have been granted. | | (200095) | 889
N | Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what date each local transport authority was informed about the postponement of decisions on each local transport project. | | (200096) | 890
| Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the South West Regional Development Agency on the (a) financial and (b) engineering viability of the local transport plan in each local transport authority in the South West Region. | | (200199) | 891
| Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many proposals for final approval from each local transport authority in the South West region have been put on hold. | | (200200) | 892
| Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list each proposal in the South West region awaiting a decision for final approval as part of the local transport plan, broken down by local transport authority. | | (200201) | 893
| Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of how many cars used the Silk Mills train crossing in Taunton over the high speed train line from London to the South West each day on average in the last period for which figures are available. | | (200202) | 894
| Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many requests for immediate approval he has received from Somerset County Council in relation to the North West Taunton Package; and what discussions he has had with the Council on the likely impact of delays in approval. | | (200203) | 895
| Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what dates for heavy engineering works to the tracks at the Silk Mills crossing in Taunton have been made available to the Somerset Highways Authority for putting a bridge over the crossing into place. | | (200204) | 896
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what traffic and noise projections were made for the stretch of the M40 that passes through the Chilterns at the time of its widening in 1991; and if he will make a statement. | | (200636) | 897
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which roads are being considered by the Highways Agency for treatment for non-maintenance reasons in (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06 and (c) 2006-07. | | (200637) | 898
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what criteria are used by the Highways Agency to determine whether (a) treatment of stretches or routes for non-maintenance reasons is included in the annual budget of the Highways Agency and (b) such treatment includes noise barriers. | | (200638) | 899
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much and what proportion of the Highways Agency budget for 2004-05 is expected to be spent on (a) noise barriers and (b) other environmental programmes in (i) maintenance and (ii) non-maintenance programmes. | | (200639) | 900
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the annual budget of the Highways Agency is for 2004-05. | | (200640) | 901
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will break down the budget of the Highways Agency for 2004-05 by major category. | | (200641) | 902
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the frequency and schedule under the 30 year contract is between the Highways Agency and Highway Services (UK) Ltd for contract review. | | (200643) | 903
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what mechanisms there are under the 30 year contract between the Highways Agency and Highway Services (UK) Ltd for cost recoveries through changes to the per vehicle charge. | | (200644) | 904
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what environmental terms were in the initial 30 year contract between the Highways Agency and Highway Services (UK) Ltd. | | (200645) | 905
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what environmental issues have been negotiated in reviews of the 30 year contract between the Highways Agency and Highway Services (UK) Ltd. | | (200646) | 906
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what route mileage of (a) road surface and (b) noise barriers is expected to be installed by the Highways Agency and its operators in (i) 2004-05, (ii) 2005-06 and (iii) 2006-07. | | (200901) | 907
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding will be provided for rural bus services in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement. | | (200294) | 908
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of his Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. | | (200175) | 909
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997-98. | | (200391) | 910
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997-98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request. | | (200411) | 911
N | Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many regional transport boards there will be; when they will be established; what their budget will be for (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07 and (c) 2007-08; and what their (i) composition and (ii) remit will be. | | (200039) | 912
| Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his policy is on the wearing of tinted visors as a safety measure by motor cyclists; and if he will make a statement. | | (200190) | 913
| Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the First Great Western and Thames Trains about possible reductions to the direct service from Hereford to Paddington. | | (200485) | 914
| Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received about the direct rail service from Hereford to London. | | (200486) | 915
| Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what regulations are in place to preserve the frequency of direct trains from Hereford to London; and if he will make a statement. | | (200487) | 916
| Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information he holds on the performance of intercity train companies. | | (200429) | 917
| Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish information he holds on the punctuality of Virgin Trains' intercity services. | | (200430) | 918
| Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, who will be responsible for drawing up the new franchises created as a result of the termination of the Central Trains franchise; what the timetable is for the developments of these franchises; and to whom representations should be made about suggestions for new services. | | (200100) | 919
| Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, who will be responsible for drawing up the terms of the new Greater Western franchise; what the timetable is for its development; and to whom representations about the services it specifies should be made. | | (200101) | 920
| Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans there are for the detrunking of the A5 through Dunstable once the A5-M1 link/ Dunstable and Hongleton Regis northern bypass is built. | | (200609) | 921
N | Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department has given to local authorities with regard to the impact of aircraft noise on growth areas. | | (200477) | 922
N | Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the impact of the Seaford noise preferential route on the proposed housing development at Imberhorne in East Grinstead. | | (200480) | 923
| Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to improve safety and security of passengers (a) on trains and (b) at railway stations. | | (200052) | 924
N | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to announce his decision on (a) the Integrated Kent Rail Franchise, (b) the CTRL domestic service pattern to East, South and North Kent and (c) placing orders for the new rolling stock for the CTRL domestic services. | | (199719) | 925
| Iain Wright (Hartlepool):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has spent on noise reduction barriers to reduce noise from roads in each of the last seven years. | | (200611) | 926
N | Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the targets are for the length of time between receipt of an application for a driving test and the date of the test in Gillingham. | | (199529) | 927
N | Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, who audits the performance of the driving test services at Gillingham against their targets. | | (199776) | 928
N | Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the remaining part of junctions 5 to 6 on the M2 will be resurfaced using a quieter tarmac. | | (200237) | 929
| Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will ensure that the Harbourmaster at Sheerness Port restricts the opening of the Kingsferry Bridge to a single lift during rush hours; and if he will make a statement. | | (201070) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales 930
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. | | (200629) | 931
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of his Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. | | (200181) | 932
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997-98. | | (200330) | 933
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997-98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request. | | (200402) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 934
| Mr Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representation there is from manufacturing industry on the Health and Safety Commission. | | (200227) | 935
N | Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department collects statistics on the amount of working time lost by employees waiting at home for delivery of (a) goods and (b) services. | | (200152) | 936
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people living in the London Borough of Wandsworth are receiving the disability income guarantee; and if he will make a statement. | | (200306) | 937
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many unfilled job vacancies there are at job centres in the London Borough of Wandsworth. | | (200307) | 938
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners living in the London Borough of Wandsworth have an annual income of less than £6,000 per year; and if he will make a statement. | | (200310) | 939
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what percentage of those invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of those invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to the Department. | | (201006) | 940
N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average payment of pension credit is in (a) England and Wales and (b) each region. | | (200373) | 941
| David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom are in receipt of industrial injuries benefit in relation to exposure of asbestos dust. | | (200208) | 942
| David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Midlothian were in receipt of (a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance in 2003-04; and how much was paid to them in total. | | (200209) | 943
N | David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom have been diagnosed with pleural plaques due to exposure to asbestos dust. | | (200211) | 944
N | David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Midlothian have received industrial injuries benefit in the last 10 years due to mesothelioma caused by asbestos dust. | | (200212) | 945
N | David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Midlothian are in receipt of industrial injuries benefit due to asbestosis. | | (200213) | 946
| David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to improve response times to the Department's free telephone number. | | (200218) | 947
| David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Department is on target to 2006 to increase the employment rate of people with disabilities in (a) Scotland and (b) Midlothian. | | (200219) | 948
| David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Department is on target to reduce the number of children in low income households by at least a quarter by 2004 in (a) Scotland and (b) Midlothian. | | (200220) | 949
| David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are in receipt of attendance allowance in the constituency of Midlothian. | | (200224) | 950
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will establish an independent inquiry into the handling by the Pensions Ombudsman of the complaint by members of the IBM UK pension fund; and if he will make a statement. | | (200257) | 951
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of his Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions. | | (200176) | 952
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to continue carer's allowance payments to those entitled upon their take-up of state pension; and if he will make a statement. | | (200328) | 953
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997-98. | | (200386) | 954
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997-98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request. | | (200406) | 955
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have claimed disability living allowance, broken down (a) by nation and (b) by region, in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement. | | (200234) | 956
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people who are eligible for disability living allowance. | | (200235) | 957
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of people who entered the New Deal for (a) 50 Plus, (b) 25 Plus, (c) Disabled People and (d) Lone Parents, have found sustained employment (i) in Great Britain and (ii) in each constituency, in each quarter in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement. | | (200236) | 958
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the levels of performance against the key performance targets in respect of Atos Origin for each month since Atos Origin (formerly Schlumberger Sema) was awarded the Benefits Medical Assessment Contract; on how many occasions a financial remedy has been applied to Atos Origin in respect of this contract; how much the financial remedy was on each of these occasions; and if he will make a statement. | | (200245) | 959
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people appealed against decisions made regarding the award of (a) incapacity benefit, (b) severe disablement allowance and (c) disability living allowance in each quarter in each year since 2001; how many of these appeals were successful; and if he will make a statement. | | (200246) | 960
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost was of administering the appeals system for (a) incapacity benefit, (b) severe disablement allowance and (c) disability living allowance in each quarter in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement. | | (200247) | 961
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many times the appraisal system for each pay bargaining unit in his Department has been changed in the last five years; and how many staff are fully or partly employed in connection with pay negotiations in each pay bargaining unit, broken down by grade. | | (200345) | 962
N | Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of households in each region of England and Wales has a gross annual income of (a) less than £10,000 and (b) less than £20,000. | | (199902) | 963
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have claimed incapacity benefit in Pendle in each year since 1997. | | (201013) | 964
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria are used to decide whether a Child Support Agency client is to be assessed under the new or old system; and what arrangements are in place for moving cases between the two systems. | | (200317) | 965
| Mr Frank Roy (Motherwell & Wishaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many organisations took part in the consultation exercise on the proposed Jobcentre Plus roll-out programme in Lanarkshire this year; and how many supported the proposal. | | (200502) | 966
| Mr Frank Roy (Motherwell & Wishaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the submissions received in the Lanarkshire Jobcentre Plus roll-out consultation. | | (200503) | 967
| Mr Frank Roy (Motherwell & Wishaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many clients and client groups of the proposed Lanarkshire Jobcentre Plus roll-out programme were asked to submit their views on the roll-out proposals. | | (200504) | 968
| Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost was of the Trading Places Café Royal event in London; and how many (a) officials and (b) members of the public attended. | | (200044) | 969
N | Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the costs of the Financial Assistance Scheme will be met from within his Department's pre-existing spending plans. | | (199725) | 970
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many local authority benefit fraud investigators have (a) commenced and (b) completed the Professionalism in Security Accredited Counter Fraud Officer Scheme. | | (200116) | 971
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what percentage of local authority detected frauds resulted in prosecutions in each year since 1997. | | (200117) | 972
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many suspected cases of benefit fraud were (a) referred to and (b) investigated by his Department in each year since 1997. | | (200118) | 973
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many different IT systems hold customer benefit data; and what plans he has to integrate those systems. | | (200119) | 974
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimates he has made of (a) confirmed, (b) high suspicion and (c) low suspicion (i) fraud and (ii) error since 1997; and if he will place the results in the Library. | | (200153) | 975
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library the report setting out the basis of his estimates of the range of pension savings required to avoid dependence on means-tested benefits throughout retirement. | | (200154) | 976
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the statutory basis under which the Pension Protection Fund would be able to charge pension protection levies designed to incentivise participating schemes to opt for a predominantly risk-based levy. | | (200155) | 977
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the number of eligible people who have not received backdated winter fuel payments for the first three years of the scheme; and what the value was of such payments. | | (200156) | 978
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost of the winter fuel payment advertising and publicity campaign has been in each year since its introduction. | | (200157) | 979
N | Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his estimate of expenditure on contracted-out rebates is based on an assumption about the number of people who are contracted out in 2004-05; and if he will make a statement. | | (200158) | 980
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of (a) fraud and (b) error in social security benefits excluding jobseeker's allowance, income support and housing benefit since 1997; and if he will place the results in the Library. | | (200160) | 981
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many interventions on benefit claims identified as high risk his Department carried out in each year since 1997. | | (200161) | 982
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which companies he has had discussions with regarding contributions to the Financial Assistance Scheme; and how much each of them has agreed to contribute. | | (200162) | 983
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many local authority benefit fraud investigators there were in each year since 1997. | | (200164) | 984
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on how many occasions the new powers to obtain information from third party organisations established under the Social Security (Fraud) Act 2001 have been used. | | (200165) | 985
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which and what percentage of local authorities have yet to implement the Housing Benefit Matching Service. | | (200167) | 986
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which and what percentage of local authorities have yet to implement an agreement with the Post Office not to redirect housing benefit payments; and what plans he has to make such agreements mandatory for all local authorities. | | (200168) | 987
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason the average weekly assessments for child support maintenance are different to the average weekly payments made under (a) the old scheme and (b) the new scheme. | | (200469) | 988
| Tony Wright (Cannock Chase):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications for (a) attendance allowance and (b) disability living allowance, under the special rules requiring the submission of a DS1500 form, have been received in each of the last three years; and how many of these have been rejected. | | (200277) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 989
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many excess winter deaths there were in each year since 1997 in (a) the UK, (b) each region and (c) each constituency; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (200552) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 990
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many magistrates' court prosecutions under section 2 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 resulted in (a) conviction and (b) acquittal in (i) 2001, (ii) 2002 and (iii) 2003, broken down by sex. | | [Transferred] (201029) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 991
| Mr Bob Laxton (Derby North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had with the police on the enforcement of the Fireworks Act 2003. | | [Transferred] (200518) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 992
| Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made towards fulfilling the European Commission Recommendation on Enforcement in the Field of Road Safety (2004/245/EC). | | [Transferred] (200632) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 993
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the number of disused petrol stations which do not meet the requirements of the Public Health Act 1961; how many improvement notices have been issued under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974; and what further steps are planned to deal with the potential detrimental effects to the environment of disused petrol stations. | | [Transferred] (200914) |
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