Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2004 - 05
Publications on the internet
The Questions Book

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

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

Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Thursday 9 December 2004
(the 'Questions Book')

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

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

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

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

Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office

1
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48 hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

(204150)

2
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many ministerial cars are being operated by the Government Car Service; and if she will break down the fleet by (a) manufacturer, (b) model and (c) country of manufacture.

(204037)

3
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the total travel costs to her Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203785)

4
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on how many occasions the Prime Minister's Panel for Regulatory Accountability has met since March; which regulations likely to impose a significant cost to business have been scrutinised by the panel; and which regulatory proposals have been (a) rejected and (b) delayed by the panel.

(203888)

5
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the projected (a) resource budget, (b) staff numbers and (c) running costs are of (i) the Regulatory Impact Unit and (ii) the Better Regulation Task Force for 2004 to 2007.

(203891)

6
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Cabinet Office departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203928)

7
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Cabinet Office special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203957)

Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

8
N Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to publish indicators of employment of workers aged 50-69 years.

(203571)

9
N Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to publish indicators of employment levels of all adults, including those over state pension age.

(203572)

10
N Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to publish indicators of employment levels of workers of all ages over 50 years.

(203573)

11
N Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to revise the term working age adult when describing adults aged below the State Pension Age.

(203574)

12
Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assurances he obtained from Sir Nicholas Montagu that he would not be consulting with PriceWaterhouseCooper's clients on tax matters prior to granting him permission to join PWC.

(204024)

13
Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what EU funding supports the Local Government International Bureau; whether such public funds were used for its advertising in the House Magazine on 15th November; what his policy is on this use of public funds for this purpose; and if he will make a statement.

(204066)

14
Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the level of EU funding to the European Parties Elections and Referendums Network was in the last year for which figures are available.

(204068)

15
Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much EU funding to date has not been signed off by the Court of Auditors; and what the UK's share of this funding is.

(204073)

16
Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library a break down of expenditure incurred in the last EU financial year available for budget lines (a) 3701 and (b) 3710; and if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on continued funding of these lines.

(204074)

17
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which (a) military facilities and (b) defence contractors he has visited since he took office in 1997, excluding the Dockyards in Rosyth.

(203936)

18
N Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203782)

19
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total value was of US Treasury bonds held by (a) the Bank of England, (b) the UK Government, (c) UK Reserves and (d) UK banks, expressed in (i) US dollars and (ii) pounds sterling (A) in January 2003, (B) in January 2004 and (C) on the latest date for which figures are available.

(204064)

20
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the deregulatory measure to raise the audit exemption threshold was contained in the list of 147 regulations for reform or removal referred to by the Chancellor in his Pre-Budget Report statement of 10th December 2003.

(203890)

21
Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many children in Pendle he estimates will benefit from the Child Trust Fund.

(204085)

22
N Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 29th November, Official Report, column 16W, on the International Cricket Conference Headquarters, from which International Sports Federations he has received representations on taxation issues affecting their proposed headquarter locations.

(203729)

23
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff & Buchan):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue has been raised by the Aggregate Tax in each quarter of its existence in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK.

(204159)

24
N Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his statement of 1st December, Official Report, column 650, if he will explain the difference between the figures given for the special reserve provision in that statement, in table C13 of the 2004 Budget (HC 701, 2003-04) and in table B18 of the Pre-Budget Report (CM 6408, 2004-05).

(203655)

25
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203919)

26
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203959)

27
N Mr Michael Weir (Angus):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent representations he has received on the use of ATM machines.

(203423)

Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs

28
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what steps the Department has taken to publicise the availability of special measures for witnesses in the criminal courts.

(203874)

29
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what plans he has to extend the automatic availability of special witness measures to complainants in criminal cases of domestic violence.

(203875)

30
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many defendants to allegations of domestic violence in the criminal courts have been allowed personally to cross-examine the complainant in (a) England and Wales, (b) Cleveland Magistrates' Court and (c) Teesside Crown Court in 2004.

(203876)

31
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will extend Special Measures into the family courts in cases in which quasi-criminal allegations of domestic violence and sexual abuse are a part of the case.

(204039)

32
Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many full days are available for hearings in the Principal Registry of the Family Division before 1st July 2005.

(203937)

33
Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, when the first day known to be available for a full day hearing in the Principal Registry of the Family Division was on Monday 6th December.

(203938)

34
Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many (a) Queen's Bench and (b) Family Division judges there are; how many there were in (i) 1974, (ii) 1984 and (iii) 1994; and what the percentage change was in each case.

(203939)

35
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48 hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

(204149)

36
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Advisory Council on Public Records on the closure period for census details.

(204032)

37
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what recent representations he has received about reducing the closure period for census records.

(204033)

38
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what estimate he has made of the expected revenue that would be generated from a release of the (a) 1911 and (b) 1921 census online before their scheduled release dates.

(204034)

39
Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, when he will publish the draft statutory instrument on the charging regime for museums and other organisations in respect of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

(204014)

40
Mr Greg Pope (Hyndburn):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many applications for warrants for energy disconnection under the Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act 1954, as amended, were (a) granted, (b) refused and (c) verified by Magistrates' Courts in England and Wales in (i) 2002, (ii) 2003 and (iii) 2004.

(204116)

41
Mr Greg Pope (Hyndburn):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many applications for energy disconnection under the Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act 1954, as amended, were granted by each Magistrates' Court in England and Wales in each of the last three years.

(204117)

42
Mr Greg Pope (Hyndburn):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what guidance is given to magistrates on ensuring that each warrant application for energy disconnection made under the Rights of Entry (Gas and Electricity Boards) Act 1954, as amended, receives a rigorous and consistent verification; and if he will make a statement.

(204118)

43
N Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the average length of time was between applications for hearings in the Principal Registry of the Family Division and the hearings themselves between 1st November and 3rd December; and which cases were given return dates of less than 21 days.

(203730)

44
N Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many applications for adjournment were made in the Principal Registry of the Family Division in London between 18th November and 1st December; what the average length of time was between application and hearing during that period; and which cases were heard within fewer than seven days.

(203731)

45
N Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many appeals were made to the High Court relating to applications for adjournment in the Family Division between 18th November and 3rd December; what the average length of time was between application and hearing; and which appeals were heard in fewer than 14 days.

(203732)

46
N Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203771)

47
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203927)

48
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203967)

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

49
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48 hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

(204147)

50
N Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to limit the increase in licensing fees for sports and community clubs under the Licensing Act 2004.

(203704)

51
N Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assistance she is giving the Amateur Swimming Association to meet the costs of training swimming coaches.

(203705)

52
N Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the total travel costs to her Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203772)

53
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203916)

54
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203973)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence

55
Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the private and personal records of (a) Flight Lieutenant Jonathan Tapper and (b) Flight Lieutenant Richard Cook have been included in the transfer of records to Bourne Avenue, Hayes following the privatisation of the Ministry of Defence Records Office.

(203885)

56
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48 hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

(204146)

57
Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has received on the future of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers; and if he will make a statement.

(204027)

58
N Sir Menzies Campbell (North East Fife):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the three services he expects to be (a) serving abroad and (b) deployed on front-line duties between 24th December and 2nd January 2005; what percentage of the trained strength of each force this represents; and if he will make a statement.

(201879)

59
N Sir Menzies Campbell (North East Fife):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what provision he has made to ensure that those members of the armed forces serving abroad and deployed on front-line duties between 24th December and 2nd January 2005 are able to maintain family contact over that period; and if he will make statement.

(201880)

60
N Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Cunninghame South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he will make a statement on the findings of the independent inquiry into Gulf War Syndrome headed by Lord Lloyd of Berwick.

(203568)

61
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list recent surveys he has conducted on bullying in the Armed Forces, broken down by the date (a) carried out and (b) results were published; and if he will make a statement.

(204036)

62
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the spectrum price paid by his Department for the bands which it managed was in financial years (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02, (d) 2002-03 and (e) 2003-04; what his estimate is for 2004-05; and what estimate he has made for financial years (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07 and (iii) 2007-08.

(203929)

63
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list mobile and fixed linked bands that (a) were and (b) were not subject to spectrum pricing in financial years (i) 1999-2000, (ii) 2000-01, (iii) 2001-02, (iv) 2002-03 and (v) 2003-04.

(203930)

64
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department paid for use of spectrum for ground-based radar in financial years (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02, (d) 2002-03 and (e) 2003-04.

(203931)

65
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list mobile and fixed linked bands that have been released for civil use in financial years (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99, (c) 1999-2000, (d) 2000-01, (e) 2001-02, (f) 2002-03 and (g) 2003-04; and what plans he has to release spectrum for civil use in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07 and (iii) 2007-08.

(203932)

66
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library copies of the information that his Department has released to commercial operators about its prospective spectrum utilisation.

(203933)

67
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding on the role of the Physical Integrator as part of the Future Aircraft Carrier project.

(203934)

68
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the contract for the Physical Integrator role for the Future Aircraft Carrier project is worth.

(203935)

69
N Mr Michael Jack (Fylde):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether negotiations between his Department and BAe Systems on the price and other details of Eurofighter Typhoon have concluded.

(203793)

70
Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons questions relating to (a) racial and sexual harrassment, (b) racial and sexual discrimination and (c) bullying were omitted from the sixth serving personnel survey for the Army completed in August; and how many (i) pages and (ii) questions the full report comprised.

(204028)

71
Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library the (a) questions asked and (b) responses given to the seventh serving personnel survey for the Army conducted in June.

(204029)

72
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203783)

73
N Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons the Gibraltar Service Police Association (a) were not consulted on the changes to and (b) were not included in the distribution list for the Gibraltar Personnel Manual dated 17th November; and if he will make a statement.

(203578)

74
N Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) time off and (b) other facilities are available to the officials of the Gibraltar Service Police Association to enable them to fulfil their representative responsibilities and attend official meetings in Gibraltar and London; and if he will make a statement.

(203579)

75
N Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effects of Command Secretariat Temporary Memorandum No. 46/04, The Gibraltar Personnel Manual, dated 17th November on (a) each category of personnel and (b) existing manuals and practices.

(203580)

76
N Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much he estimates his Department will save in (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06 and (c) 2007-08 by coordinating the purchase of energy with the NHS Purchasing and Supplies Agency.

(203652)

77
N Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, by how much his Department's capital budget was underspent in financial year 2003-04.

(203653)

78
N Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what changes to his Department's depreciation figures occurred between the publication of the 2004 Budget (HC 701, 2003-04) and the Pre-Budget Report (CM 6408, 2004-05); and if he will make a statement.

(203654)

79
N Mr Neil Turner (Wigan):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many uniforms were contracted to be delivered under the contract with Cooneen, Watts & Stone for the supply of camouflage uniforms; and how many have been delivered.

(199537)

80
N Mr Neil Turner (Wigan):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what penalties are included in the contract with Cooneen, Watts & Stone for failure to deliver on time.

(199538)

81
N Mr Neil Turner (Wigan):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what stocks of camouflage uniforms his Department holds.

(199539)

82
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203917)

83
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203972)

Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister

84
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48 hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

(204140)

85
Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park & Kensington North):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will rank each local authority in England by the percentage of total expenditure financed by council tax in 2003-04.

(204063)

86
Mr Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, which decisions by local spending bodies require (a) authorisation by and (b) consultation with Government Offices for the Regions.

(204175)

87
N Tony Cunningham (Workington):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 1st December, Official Report, column 125W, on the Local Government Pension Scheme, for what reason the amendments to the Local Government Pension Scheme to remove provisions that allow some scheme members to retire with unreduced pension benefits before the age of 65 years will come into effect before the consultation on the full scheme is completed.

(203728)

88
Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what European Parties Elections and Referendums Network funds were used in support of the recent referendum in the North East.

(204069)

89
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many firework-related callouts to the fire service there were in England in (a) 2004 and (b) 2003.

(204067)

90
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203786)

91
Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many houses in Pendle were re-possessed as a result of missed mortgage payments in each year since 1990.

(204083)

92
Mr Andy Reed (Loughborough):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he proposes to establish the study funded by his Department into best practice on dealing with the problems associated with areas of high student numbers in accommodation.

(204023)

93
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the estimates of the number and proportion of houses in multiple occupation (HMO) with three or more storeys contained in section 3 of the Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions 1999 report on HMOs in the private rented sector.

(203907)

94
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203915)

95
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203974)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills

96
Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, for what reasons the Early Interventions project was changed to Family Resolutions; what the differences are between the two; and what the mechanisms for the change were.

(203940)

97
Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when CAFCASS first agreed the Family Resolutions project.

(203941)

98
Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when he expects the first Parenting Plan to be approved.

(203942)

99
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48 hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

(204145)

100
Mr Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps an individual school must take in order to expand the number of places it makes available; and if he will list sources of (a) revenue and (b) capital funding available to schools wishing to expand.

(204188)

101
Mr Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list schools in England which have been (a) developed and (b) re-developed since 2001 to educate children (i) with and (ii) without special educational needs in a single environment, broken down by estimated capital value.

(204189)

102
Mr Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of per capita education funding in (a) Birmingham and (b) Hodge Hill in each of the next three years.

(204190)

103
N Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much money his Department is budgeting to spend on the Voluntary Aided Schools Capital Programme in 2004-05; and how much has been spent so far.

(203789)

104
N Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when his Department will pay the debt of £200,000 incurred in respect of works at Verwood Trinity Church of England Voluntary Aided First School.

(203790)

105
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when he expects to announce the conclusions of his review of benchmarks for university admissions based on (a) state schools and (b) socio-economic status; and when this review commenced.

(204031)

106
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what guidance he has issued to (a) local authorities, (b) health services and (c) criminal justice services on working with voluntary and community services organisations to deliver better services to children.

(202965)

107
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 30th November, Official Report, column 54W, on the International Student Assessment Study, for what reason an assurance of confidentiality was given to schools invited to co-operate with the OECD PISA study before they decided whether to co-operate.

(204012)

108
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the reasons for schools' failure to respond to the OECD PISA survey.

(204013)

109
Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list UK academics who have been in receipt of EU funds over the past three years.

(204178)

110
N Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the progress of local education authorities in wave one of Building Schools for the Future.

(202964)

111
Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure parity of resources provided to further education colleges and schools.

(204080)

112
Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many teachers were employed in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Pendle in each year since 1992.

(204084)

113
N Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many school children are receiving regular swimming lessons at school; and what percentage have passed the swimming qualifications set by the national curriculum in the last five years.

(203703)

114
N Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203773)

115
N Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on his policy on the future of the Chemistry, Music and Italian departments at Exeter University.

(203656)

116
N Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his evidence to the Education and Skills Select Committee of Wednesday 1st December, what the evidential basis is for his statement that a brand new school building improves educational performance; and to what extent that evidence has been disaggregated from other factors with particular reference to (a) exclusions, (b) new leadership and (c) improved staffing.

(203784)

117
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203910)

118
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203971)

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

119
Ms Candy Atherton (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent evidence she has found of pair trawlers fishing in the offshore sea bass fishery.

(203879)

120
Ms Candy Atherton (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what monitoring she is undertaking in the offshore pair trawl fishery for sea bass.

(203880)

121
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48 hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

(204144)

122
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding her Department has allocated to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution in each of the last 10 years; what plans she has for future levels of funding for the organisation; and if she will make a statement.

(204177)

123
Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the extent to which urban foxes within the Greater London area are caught and then released into a rural environment; and if she will make a statement.

(204087)

124
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on the use of telephones in her Department by members of staff for their personal use relating to (a) domestic calls and (b) international calls; and if she will make a statement.

(204105)

125
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures she has taken to ensure the telephones in her Department are not used by staff for making unauthorised personal calls to international numbers.

(204106)

126
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the estimated cost to her Department of unauthorised personal calls made by members of staff to (a) domestic numbers and (b) international numbers was in the last year for which figures are available.

(204107)

127
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the departmental refurbishment projects that (a) are in progress and (b) that 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 during refurbishment comes from legal and sustainable sources.

(204108)

128
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to fund the establishment and maintenance of the Central Point of Expertise on Timber.

(204109)

129
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural 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 facilities in each case; and what plans there are to increase the number.

(204110)

130
Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the average (a) farmgate and (b) retail price was of (i) one kilogram of (A) beef, (B) lamb, (C) pork, (D) chicken, (E) turkey, (F) bacon, (G) dessert apples, (H) potatoes, (I) carrots, (J) cauliflower, (K) peas and (L) runner beans, (ii) one pint of (x) milk, (y) cream and (z) yoghurt, (iii) one dozen eggs and (iv) one litre of (X) English wine and (Y) brandy in (1) 1975, (2) 1980, (3) 1985, (4) 1990, (5) 1995, (6) 2000, (7) 2003 and (8) 2004, broken down by (I) organic and (II) conventionally produced foodstuffs.

(204157)

131
Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she received from (a) biotechnology companies, (b) environmental groups and (c) farming organisations regarding the application for a licence to import GT73 genetically modified oilseed rape into the European Union for use as animal feed (i) before and (ii) after 20th June.

(204158)

132
Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the geographical restrictions and closed areas which apply to (a) specific types of fishing activity, (b) all commercial fishing activity, (c) demersal fishing and (d) pelagic fishing in United Kingdom territorial waters; and which areas have restrictions which apply (i) all year round and (ii) during part of the year.

(204191)

133
Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of proposals to change the (a) number, (b) operational framework, (c) basis of accountability, (d) funding regime and (e) legislative framework of Sea Fisheries Committees following her Department's receipt of the Bradley Report.

(204192)

134
Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what timetable she has set for the lifting of (a) the over-30-month scheme and (b) the export ban on British beef.

(204193)

135
Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects the over-30-month scheme to end.

(204194)

136
Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of turkeys sold for the fresh meat Christmas market which were produced and slaughtered in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(204195)

137
Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many United Kingdom produced turkeys have been slaughtered for (a) domestic consumption, (b) catering and (c) processing industries in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(204196)

138
Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what studies her Department has made of the practical applications of large-scale Manzanares-style solar chimneys.

(204038)

139
N Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total travel costs to her Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203774)

140
Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many horse passports have been issued to date, broken down by issuing authority.

(204129)

141
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203911)

142
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203970)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

143
N Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether it is his Department's policy that legal immunities should be extended to Eurojust.

(203696)

144
N Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions the Minister for Europe has held with HM Treasury on the assessment of the five economic tests for entry to the euro.

(203699)

145
N Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, under what legal basis the European Police College is to be designated a body of the European Union.

(203700)

146
Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance his Department is giving to the family of Russell Christopher Anderson of Birmingham in their efforts (a) to discover the full circumstances of his death in Rhodes on 30th August 2003 and (b) to persuade the Greek authorities to return his body parts to the family or to account for parts they are not able to return.

(204025)

147
Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Greek authorities regarding the case of the late Russell Christopher Anderson of Birmingham.

(204026)

148
N Sir Menzies Campbell (North East Fife):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what distinction the Government makes between insurgents and terrorists in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

(201877)

149
N Sir Menzies Campbell (North East Fife):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many (a) insurgents and (b) terrorists are estimated to be operating in Iraq.

(201878)

150
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK citizens are being detained by US authorities.

(202967)

151
Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much EU funding was allocated to the European Information Association in the last period for which figures are available.

(204076)

152
Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on how many occasions European Union personnel have been subject to internal disciplinary hearings in each year since 1995; what complaint was made in each case; which cases involved incidents of whistleblowing; what the result of the hearing was in each case; if he will list the individuals involved; and if he will make a statement.

(204091)

153
Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much EU funding was allocated to the Council of the Bar and Law Societies of the European Union in the last year for which figures are available.

(204095)

154
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 2004 annual report by the European Anti-Fraud Office.

(204112)

155
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203788)

156
Mr John Lyons (Strathkelvin & Bearsden):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to Turkey to abolish the use of passports for internal travel on the island of Cyprus.

(204009)

157
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place in the Library copies of the reports he requested from each Department on the steps that they have taken to implement the recommendations of the Bellis report of 24th November 2003.

(203889)

158
Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Pakistan concerning the use of the military and police there to train Iraqi recruits.

(204079)

159
N Mr Alex Salmond (Banff & Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which international (a) treaties and (b) agreements require the UK to introduce biometric passports.

(203709)

160
N Mr Alex Salmond (Banff & Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what biometric information is to be required by the United States for UK passport-holders wishing to enter that country.

(203710)

161
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203912)

162
Mr Michael Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the interim administration in Iraq on the Chaldo-Assyrian Christian community; and if he will make a statement.

(203943)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Health

163
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the star ratings system for NHS hospital trusts.

(203886)

164
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what factors are taken into account when a NHS hospital trust is being assessed under the star ratings system; and if he will make a statement.

(203887)

165
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48 hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

(204143)

166
Mr Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of public funding for health per capita in (a) the West Midlands, (b) Birmingham and (c) Hodge Hill in each of the next three financial years.

(204185)

167
Mr Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list (a) delivered and (b) approved publicly-funded capital projects in the health sector in East Birmingham since 2001, broken down by estimated capital value.

(204186)

168
Mr Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what powers of compulsory purchase primary care trusts (PCTs) have; and how many compulsory purchase orders have been issued by PCTs since their inception.

(204187)

169
N Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will define the meaning of premature death when used for the purposes of policy making in his Department.

(203794)

170
Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients have been treated at the NHS walk-in centre at St George's Hospital in each year since it was opened.

(204088)

171
Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many older people are in receipt of long-term care within the Greater London area.

(204094)

172
Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what budget was granted to Wandsworth Primary Care Trust in each of the last three years.

(204096)

173
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what implications the European Working Time Directive will have for the working patterns of junior doctors in the UK.

(202968)

174
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the risks of driving whilst taking (a) benzodiazepines, (b) tricyclic antidepressants and (c) antihistamines; and if he will make a statement.

(204020)

175
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will introduce changes to labelling of (a) benzodiazepines, (b) tricyclic antidepressants and (c) antihistamines to ensure clear advice on possible effects on driving when taking such medication is included; and if he will make a statement.

(204021)

176
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will commission research on the experience in other EU countries of the effects on the incidence of road accidents of labelling pharmaceutical packaging to include information on the effects of the drug on driving, with particular reference to (a) benzodiazepines, (b) tricyclic antidepressants and (c) antihistamines; and if he will make a statement.

(204062)

177
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to inform honourable Members of the cost of augmented Criminal Records Bureau checks carried out by primary care trusts on medical performers; and how many medical performers have been discovered to have failed such checks.

(204072)

178
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what documents a medical performer must show to a local primary care trust to pass the augmented Criminal Records Bureau check.

(204077)

179
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the (a) cost to and (b) time taken by primary care trusts in Somerset in ensuring that all medical performers have an augmented check.

(204078)

180
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on whose authority the decision was taken to check that all medical performers had been cleared by the Criminal Records Bureau.

(204086)

181
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of eligible people in each primary care trust had received the (a) influenza and (b) pneumonia vaccine by 30th November.

(203878)

182
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many firework-related callouts to the ambulance service there were in England in (a) 2004 and (b) 2003.

(204060)

183
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many firework-related (a) fatalities and (b) injuries occurred in England in (i) 2002, (ii) 2003 and (iii) 2004.

(204061)

184
Andy King (Rugby & Kenilworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance he has given to primary care trusts of the consequences of refusing to fund medical treatments or technologies solely because they have not been approved by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.

(204099)

185
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research he is undertaking into Lyme disease and its treatment.

(203881)

186
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to raise awareness of Lyme disease amongst healthcare professionals.

(203882)

187
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many reports of Lyme disease there have been in England in each year since 1986; and if he will make a statement.

(203883)

188
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve the treatment and management of Lyme disease within the National Health Service.

(203884)

189
Mr John Lyons (Strathkelvin & Bearsden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many contract cleaners were employed in the Health Service in England in 2004.

(204010)

190
Mr John Lyons (Strathkelvin & Bearsden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cleaners were employed in the Health Service in England in (a) 1997 and (b) 2004.

(204011)

191
Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS dentists moved to entirely private practice in each month of the latest year for which figures are available.

(204081)

192
N Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203775)

193
N Mr John Taylor (Solihull):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the report of the finding of a dead body in the lavatories at Solihull Hospital.

(203581)

194
N Mr John Taylor (Solihull):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients in (a) Solihull parliamentary constituency and (b) the Borough of Solihull have waited for more than six months for foot and ankle surgery in 2004.

(203639)

195
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203913)

196
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203969)

Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department

197
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48 hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

(204142)

198
Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many London prisons have a visitor centre that provides childcare facilities; and if he will make a statement.

(204100)

199
Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of court reports written for the courts in England and Wales by the National Probation Service were produced within 15 days of a request for that report in the last period for which figures are available.

(204119)

200
Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any probation areas in England and Wales reported that they had failed to produce court reports within the 15 days work standard because of staff shortages, vacancies or resource issues in the last period for which information is available.

(204120)

201
Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of probation areas (a) met and (b) exceeded the 90 per cent. breach target within 10 days in each year since 2001; and what progress the National Probation Service has made on breach targets since April 2001.

(204121)

202
Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many probation areas exceeded their profile targets in respect of accredited programmes between April and September 2004.

(204122)

203
Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the target was for Enhanced Community Punishment commencements in England and Wales in 2003-04; and whether that target was achieved.

(204123)

204
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria were used when making the decision to allow advertisements in Prison Catering by HM Prison Service; what revenue was raised from advertising in the last issue; and what the total cost was of the publication of that issue.

(203893)

205
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many days sick were taken on average per employee in the National Probation Service during (a) 2003-04 and (b) April to September 2004.

(203869)

206
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, by how much Basic Skills Commencements for the National Probation Service changed (a) during 2003-04 and (b) between April to September 2004.

(203870)

207
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of victims were contacted by the National Probation Service during the required timescale during (a) 2003-04 and (b) April to September 2004.

(203871)

208
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the performance of the National Probation Service on (a) Basic Skills Awards and (b) Basic Skills Commencements against its targets improved (i) during 2003-04 and (ii) between April and September 2004.

(203873)

209
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many firework-related prosecutions occurred in (a) England and Wales, (b) Wales and (c) the South Wales Police Force area in (i) 2002, (ii) 2003 and (iii) 2004.

(203892)

210
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many firework-related complaints there were to the police in (a) 2004 and (b) 2003 in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Wales and (iii) the South Wales Police Force area.

(203899)

211
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the provisions in (a) the Fireworks Act 2003 and (b) other relevant legislation in controlling the misuse of fireworks.

(203900)

212
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions of individuals for (a) selling fireworks without a licence, (b) selling fireworks that did not conform to British Standards BS 7114, (c) selling adult fireworks to individuals below the age of 18 and (d) storing fireworks in an unsafe manner there were in (i) 2004 and (ii) 2003 in (A) the UK, (B) Wales and (C) the South Wales Police Force area.

(203901)

213
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many firework-related (a) fatalities, (b) serious injuries and (c) incidences of damage to property there were in (i) 2004 and (ii) 2003 in (A) the UK, (B) Wales and (C) the South Wales Police Force area.

(203902)

214
N Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 30th November, Official Report, column 50W on Police Training Centre (Warrington), on what dates representatives of the Home Office met key stakeholders to discuss the future of the police training centre at Bruche; who was present at each of these meetings; and what options for the future of the Bruche centre were considered.

(203733)

215
Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the targets for solving (a) theft from cars, (b) domestic burglary, (c) robbery and (d) violent crimes for (i) police forces, (ii) nationally and (iii) for Northamptonshire Police are: and what rates have been achieved by (A) police forces nationally and (B) Northamptonshire Police.

(203798)

216
Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the detection rates for domestic burglary in Northamptonshire were in (a) October 2003, (b) March 2004 and (c) November 2004.

(203833)

217
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203787)

218
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in what circumstances a delay of over three years might occur between a suspicious death and a coroner's inquest.

(203834)

219
N Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the application of Dr Malwina Luczak, Ref No. L1015769, for permanent leave to remain, which was received by the Data Processing Team NO DPT4 at Lunar House, Croydon, in September, was not processed until 14th October; which charged-leave team is handling this application; and when he expects the application to be determined.

(203582)

220
N Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the application of Dr Malwina Luczak for permanent leave to remain, processed by Data Processing Team NO DPT4 at Lunar House, Croydon, on 14th October, has not been acknowledged; and if he will amend the information on his Department's website in relation to its policy on the timescale for the dispatch of acknowledgements to applications.

(203583)

221
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria are used to determine whether permanent leave to remain should be granted to an applicant who has been granted a work permit in four consecutive years; and whether his policy is to consider such applications only from people in certain professions or trades.

(204071)

222
Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what basis the decision to end the suspension of removals for failed asylum seekers from Zimbabwe was taken; and whether this represents a change in the Government's assessment of the human rights situation in that country.

(204030)

223
Julie Morgan (Cardiff North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average number of days of sick leave absence was for Probation staff in England and Wales (a) in 2003-04 and (b) for the first six months of 2004-05, broken down by (i) long-term and (ii) short-term sickness.

(204130)

224
Julie Morgan (Cardiff North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what change there has been in the rate of absence due to sickness in the Probation Service in England and Wales in the last three years.

(204131)

225
Julie Morgan (Cardiff North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Home Office has conducted stress surveys amongst staff in the Probation Service in England and Wales.

(204132)

226
Julie Morgan (Cardiff North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions during 2003-04 the (a) National Probation Service's and (b) local probation area bullying and harassment policies were invoked.

(204133)

227
N Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many employees of the Prison Service have been disciplined for improper use of official cars since (a) 1997 and (b) 2001.

(203641)

228
N Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prison officers have been disciplined since (a) 1997 and (b) 2001 for dishonest claims for travel allowances.

(203651)

229
N Mr Alex Salmond (Banff & Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the current EU proposal to mandate biometric passports for its citizens is in an area the UK has opted out of from the Schengen Acquis; and whether the UK will be required by the EU to introduce biometric passports under current proposals.

(203708)

230
N Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford & Southend East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reach a decision on the case of Jesline Chikuku of Southend, reference C1070991 - DMC.

(203575)

231
N Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been (a) warned, (b) prosecuted and (c) convicted for failure to comply with the Security Industry Authority requirements for the licensing of door staff; and what plans he has to introduce further penalties for individuals and organisations for failure to comply with those requirements.

(203711)

232
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203926)

233
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203968)

234
N Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons he has not yet provided substantive answers to Questions reference 202178, 202631, 202632, 202633 and 202750.

(203832)

235
N Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what factors determined (a) the level of pay rise included in the Probation Service's budget for 2004-05 and (b) the level of pay rises awarded to Probation Service staff in 2004-05.

(203638)

Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development

236
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48 hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

(204141)

237
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment his Department has made of the percentage of malnutrition cases in (a) children and (b) adults in Eritrea; what estimate he has made of the percentages in each year since 1998; and if he will make a statement.

(204151)

238
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment his Department has made of the predicted number of people depending on food aid in 2005 in Eritrea; and if he will make a statement.

(204152)

239
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment his Department has made of the current stores of food aid (a) situated in and (b) readily available to organisations distributing aid in Eritrea; what estimate he has made of the adequacy of these stores to meet food aid requirements for 2005; and if he will make a statement.

(204153)

240
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what projects his Department has (a) funded and (b) managed in conjunction with the Eritrean Relief and Refugee Commission since 1998; and if he will make a statement.

(204154)

241
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proposals his Department has (a) made and (b) implemented since 1997 for projects aimed at the (i) minimisation and (ii) halting of soil erosion in Eritrea; and if he will make a statement.

(204155)

242
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions (a) he, (b) members of his Department and (c) UK representatives have had with (i) members and (ii) representatives of the (A) US Administration and (B) Italian government since 1998 regarding (1) food aid, (2) development and (3) debt relief to Eritrea; and if he will make a statement.

(204156)

243
N Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203777)

244
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203909)

245
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203966)

Questions to the Leader of the House

246
N David Burnside (South Antrim):To ask the Leader of the House, what restrictions exist in UK law on the participation of honourable Members in the legislative chambers of foreign countries.

(203701)

247
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Leader of the House, whether his Office's special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203924)

248
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Leader of the House, whether his Office's special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203964)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

249
Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what (a) diplomatic and (b) formal protocols were observed during the visit of the President of Ireland to St. Joseph's Primary School, Bessbrook, Co. Armagh on 26th November.

(204101)

250
Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many delayed discharge patients there are in Northern Ireland, broken down by health board area.

(204102)

251
Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what funds are available for the provision of community care packages during the remainder of financial year 2004-05, broken down by health board area.

(204103)

252
Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what action he is taking to ensure that acute hospital beds are not used for patients who are ready to be discharged from hospital.

(204104)

253
Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many patients who have been listed as high priority are on the waiting list for a stair lift, broken down by health trust area.

(204113)

254
Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether allowances to the set home adaptation budgets are made in respect of social housing in areas where there are few new houses which are suitable for the elderly and disabled.

(204114)

255
Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether it is his policy that the Capital Formula Review should redistribute resources in line with population changes; and when the new formula will be applied.

(204115)

256
Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make available to the Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland the 25 year long service award offered in the Department for Work and Pensions.

(204125)

257
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48 hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

(204139)

258
N David Burnside (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions have taken plans with the Government of the Irish Republic on participation of honourable Members in the lower house of the Parliament of the Irish Republic.

(203702)

259
N Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to open internal Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Civil Service job trawls to Home Civil Service staff employed in Northern Ireland.

(203152)

260
N Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when the Fuel Poverty Strategy for Northern Ireland will be issued; and what the proposed timescale is for the implementation of its recommendations.

(203153)

261
N Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the practice of not including Home Civil Service staff employed in Northern Ireland in internal Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Civil Service job trawls has been equality-proofed.

(203154)

262
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many hours between 1st August 2003 and 31st July 2004 were spent actively investigating the attempted murders of five persons at Cluan Place on the weekend of 3rd to 4th June 2002.

(204126)

263
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people have been detained and questioned in connection with the attempted murder of five persons at Cluan Place in East Belfast on the weekend of 3rd to 4th June 2002.

(204127)

264
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many officers are investigating the attempted murder of five persons on the weekend of 3rd to 4th June 2002 at Cluan Place.

(204128)

265
N Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203778)

266
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203923)

267
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203965)

Questions to the Prime Minister

268
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on recent talks with the Iraqi Prime Minister concerning progress in Iraq.

(202966)

269
Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list articles written by members of his Government in an official capacity that have been published in the foreign press over the past 12 months; and if he will place copies in the Library (a) of these articles and (b) as a matter of course in the future.

(204111)

270
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Prime Minister, whether his office has made representations to (a) Wycombe District Council, (b) mobile telephone network providers and (c) the Thames Valley Police on plans to locate a radio base station at Missenden Road, Buckmoorend, Butler's Cross; and if he will make a statement.

(204090)

271
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Prime Minister, whether his special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203914)

272
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Prime Minister, whether his special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203975)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland

273
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48-hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

(204137)

274
N Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203795)

275
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203920)

276
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203960)

Questions to the Solicitor General

277
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Solicitor General, how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48-hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

(204138)

278
N Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds):To ask the Solicitor General, what the total travel costs to her Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203796)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

279
Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what percentage of UK Trade and Investment's budget is directed towards (a) inward investment and (b) trade promotion; and what plans she has to change each percentage.

(203894)

280
Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she will announce the proposed changes to (a) the structure and staffing and (b) the focus of UK Trade and Investment; when these changes are to take effect; and if she will make a statement.

(203895)

281
Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which businesses, associations and organisations have been consulted about the changes being discussed by UK Trade and Investment as a result of the 2004 Spending Review.

(203896)

282
Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many staff are employed in the London office of UK Trade and Investment; and what plans she has for reducing London-based staff at UK Trade and Investment over the next 12 months.

(203908)

283
Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which international trade and industry conferences have been attended by members of the Government in the past 12 months; on what occasions Labour honourable Members have attended such conferences as part of the official delegation; and what places she has made available to Opposition parties to attend these conferences as part of the official delegation.

(203944)

284
Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether all the places offered to the Government for delegates to attend international trade and industry conferences during the last 12 months have been filled.

(203945)

285
Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what safeguards private companies have that the flows of commercial-in-confidence information between them and public bodies will not be compulsorily divulged under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

(203946)

286
Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether she plans to discontinue UK Trade and Investment's Support for Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad Schemes; and if she will make a statement.

(203947)

287
Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what budget UK Trade and Investments has set for funding for exhibitions in 2004; and what the budget for 2005 is expected to be.

(203948)

288
Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much UK Trade and Investment has spent on external consultants over the past six months.

(203949)

289
Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many staff in each regional development agency work on supporting exporters in the (a) civil aerospace, (b) agriculture, horticulture and fisheries, (c) airports, (d) automotive, (e) biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, (f) business and consumer services, (g) chemicals, (h) clothing, footwear and fashions, (i) communications, (j) construction, (k) creative and media, (l) education and training, (m) electronics and IT hardware, (n) environment, (o) financial services, (p) fire, police and security, (q) food and drink, (r) giftware, jewellery and tableware, (s) healthcare and medical, (t) household goods, furniture and furnishings, (u) leisure and tourism, (v) marine, (w) mechanical engineering and process engineering, (x) metallurgical process plant, (y) metals and minerals, (z) mining, (aa) oil and gas, (bb) ports and logistics, (cc) power, (dd) railways, (ee) software and computer services business-to-business, (ff) sports and leisure infrastructure, (gg) textiles, interior textiles and carpets and (hh) water sectors.

(203950)

290
Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how regional development agencies (RDAs) choose which company to support when multiple companies across multiple RDAs are competing for the same export business.

(203951)

291
Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what percentage of the export trade funding received by UK Trade and Investment was handed over to the regional development agencies in the last period for which figures are available; and whether this amount is forcast to change.

(203952)

292
Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what UK Trade and Investment business support schemes are run by representative trade bodies; and what plans there are to end these schemes.

(203953)

293
Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many contract staff have been appointed in regional development agencies to work on export trade promotion and inward investment.

(203954)

294
Mr Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many businesses were registered in Birmingham Hodge Hill in each of the last seven years.

(204182)

295
Mr Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what funding was provided by her Department for science in (a) the West Midlands, (b) Birmingham and (c) Hodge Hill since 2001; and what support will be made available in the next three years.

(204183)

296
Mr Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on Government support for manufacturing in (a) the West Midlands, (b) Birmingham and (c) Hodge Hill since 2001; and what support will be available over the next three years.

(204184)

297
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many guarantees were issued under the Export Credits Guarantee Scheme in each year between 1997 and 2004; and what the total value of (a) guarantees and (b) claims was in each period.

(203872)

298
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will introduce performance statistics for Royal Mail based on the first three letters and digits of the postcodes; and if she will make a statement.

(203836)

299
Mr George Osborne (Tatton):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the projected allocation for regional venture capital funds is for (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06 and (c) 2006-07.

(204176)

300
Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many people in Pendle received the minimum wage in each year since its introduction.

(204082)

301
John Robertson (Glasgow Anniesland):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the progress of Ofcom's review of premium rate services.

(203897)

302
John Robertson (Glasgow Anniesland):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps her Department is taking, in addition to the work being done by Ofcom and ICSTIS, to combat abuses of premium rate services, with particular reference to internet diallers.

(203898)

303
Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps the Government is taking to encourage small business in the Romford area.

(203837)

304
N Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the total travel costs to her Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203776)

305
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203922)

306
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203962)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport

307
N Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he will announce his preferred route for the A21 from Robertsbridge to Flimwell; and if he will make a statement

(203697)

308
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48-hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

(204136)

309
N Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what percentage of the trunk road network has been resurfaced with quieter surfaces pursuant to the policy announced on 17th October 2001; and what percentage will be resurfaced in each of the next three years.

(203791)

310
N Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many of the schemes for resurfacing concrete trunk roads with quieter materials which were announced by the Highways Agency on 17th October 2001 have been completed; and at what cost.

(203792)

311
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he takes to advise the public on the possible effects on driving whilst taking (a) benzodiazepines, (b) tricyclic antidepressants and (c) anti histamines; and if he will make a statement.

(204022)

312
Mr Boris Johnson (Henley):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his latest estimate is of the number of (a) fatal, (b) serious and (c) non-serious injuries thought to have been caused by mobile phone use by (i) cyclists and (ii) other road users in a year.

(203956)

313
N Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203779)

314
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he last met the Chairman of the Board of the European Railway Agency; and if he will make a statement on (a) the work of the Agency and (b) its relationship to the work of (i) the Strategic Rail Authority, (ii) the Office of the Rail Regulator and (iii) other bodies working within the railway industry which have statutory powers.

(204124)

315
Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of cyclists who wore protective headgear in the latest period for which figures are available, broken down by age.

(203903)

316
Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many road traffic accidents resulted in (a) death and (b) serious injury in the most recent year for which figures are available; and in how many cases (i) the victim was aged under 15 and (ii) a driver over the age of 70 was involved.

(203904)

317
Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in what proportion of road traffic accidents the victim was (a) a pedestrian and (b) a cyclist in the last period for which figures are available, broken down by age.

(203905)

318
Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to oblige (a) opticians and (b) medical practitioners to notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency of patients whose medical conditions should prevent them from driving.

(203906)

319
Mr Peter Pike (Burnley):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to enable local authorities to display traffic speed limit repeater signs on all main and through roads.

(204180)

320
Mr Peter Pike (Burnley):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will introduce a requirement for learner drivers prior to taking their driving tests, to take theoretical instruction on driving on motorways, dependent on the area in which the driving test is to be taken.

(204181)

321
N Mrs Gillian Shephard (South West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for the consultation by a regional transport body on the development of the dualling schemes for the (a) A47 and (b) A11 in Norfolk and Suffolk.

(203706)

322
N Mrs Gillian Shephard (South West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which regional transport body will consult on the development of the (a) A47 and (b) A11 dualling schemes in Norfolk and Suffolk.

(203707)

323
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203921)

324
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203961)

325
N Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons a person who gets divorced and remarries must supply to the DVLA their divorce papers in addition to their marriage certificate.

(203698)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales

326
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48 hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

(204148)

327
N Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203780)

328
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203925)

329
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203963)

Questions to the Minister for Women

330
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Minister for Women, what recent discussions she has had with the Lord Chancellor on the number of women in senior legal positions.

(204161)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

331
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many officials working in ministerial private offices in the Department have worked more than a 48-hour week at any time in the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many of those had signed a waiver under working time regulations; and what percentage these figures represented of the total in each case.

(204135)

332
Mr Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the outcome was of the Employment and Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council on 7th December; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

(203835)

333
N Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

(203781)

334
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent representations he has received on the processing of child support applications; and if he will make a statement.

(204160)

335
Mr Peter Pike (Burnley):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what requirements are placed upon Jobcentres to comply with the voluntary Code of Practice, Age Diversity at Work, A Practical Guide for Business, in helping those who may suffer from age prejudice to find employment; and if he will make a statement.

(204173)

336
Mr Peter Pike (Burnley):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what consultation was carried out with (a) those seeking employment and (b) those involved in advising people in finding employment within the framework of the Government's consultation, Equality and Diversity: Age Matters; and if he will make a statement.

(204174)

337
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether departmental special advisers have been responsible for authorising instances of departmental spending since May 1997.

(203918)

338
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

(203958)

339
N Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library a copy of the estimates that he has made of the cost of providing full compensation for lost occupational pension rights among those workers whose schemes wound up before the introduction of the Pension Protection Fund.

(203569)

340
N Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for how many workers who lost occupational pension rights owing to scheme wind-up the insolvency event was (a) between January and March 1997, (b) between April 1997 and March 2004 and (c) between April 2004 and March 2005.

(203576)

341
N Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it is his policy that the administrative costs to his Department of developing and operating the Financial Assistance Scheme will be met outwith the £400 million which has been allocated to meet the costs of the scheme.

(203577)

Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

342
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to increase penalties for failing to complete a census form.

[Transferred] (204035)

343
Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library a list of UK-based NGOs which received funding from the European Union in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by (a) project and (b) budget line used.

[Transferred] (204070)

344
Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list UK think tanks which received support from the European Union budget in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by (a) location and (b) funding received; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (204075)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

345
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 preparations being made within (a) the European Commission and (b) the UK Civil Service for the establishment of an EU foreign service as set out in the European Constitution; how many employees he expects will be required; at what estimated cost; and what measures are being taken to encourage recruitment of UK personnel (i) via the Commission and (ii) direct from Government departments.

[Transferred] (204089)

346
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 his policy on the establishment of a joint EU intelligence sharing and co-ordination service.

[Transferred] (204092)

347
Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what requirements there are for the declaration of receipt of EU funds by academics during the course of a referendum campaign on the EU Constitution; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (204179)

Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department

348
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to prevent defendants facing domestic violence allegations in the criminal courts from personally cross-examining the complainant.

[Transferred] (203877)

349
Mr Boris Johnson (Henley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cyclists have been prosecuted in each year since 1991 for cycling without due care and attention.

[Transferred] (203955)

350
N Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reply to the letter of 8th October from the honourable Member for Spelthorne, about a constituent, Mr P. Duckworth.

[Transferred] (203570)

Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development

351
Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if the Government will take steps to explain the likely social and economic impact of the EC's proposed cuts in price paid to ACP Caribbean sugar producers to the Caribbean community in the United Kingdom.

[Transferred] (204065)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

352
N Helen Jackson (Sheffield, Hillsborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on prospects for the steel industry.

[Question Unstarred] (203432)

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Revised 9 December 2004