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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Tuesday 7 June 2005
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Tuesday 7 June 2005
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 7 June of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department. For other Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 7 June of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Tuesday 7 June see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 1
N | Mr Alan Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what changes have been made in the duties carried out by the Customs and Excise officer in Berwick-upon-Tweed in respect of (a) customs duties and (b) immigration; and where that officer is to be based. | | (1164) | 2
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether Article 45 of the new EU Public Procurement Directive 2004/18/EC applies only to EU companies tendering for public procurement projects in the EU. | | (2384) | 3
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings the Office of Government Commerce has had with UK companies and businesses to discuss Article 45 of the new EU Public Procurement Directive 2004/18/EC since August 2004; and if he will list the companies with which he has had such meetings. | | (2385) | 4
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Office of Government Commerce has taken to establish information-sharing mechanisms with (a) local authorities and (b) Government departments in (i) the UK and (ii) the EU on convictions held by UK companies for corruption, fraud, money laundering and criminal investigation. | | (2386) | 5
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what date the Office of Government Commerce intends to publish its regulations and guidance on the new EU Procurement Directive 2004/18/EC for public consultation. | | (2388) | 6
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place a copy of all the responses to the Office of Government Commerce consultation on the new EU Procurement Directive 2004/18/EC in the Library; and how many consultees requested confidentiality for their responses. | | (2391) | 7
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Office of Government Commerce has taken to establish an agreed contact point for advice on blacklisting companies in public procurement for (a) local authorities, (b) Government departments and (c) companies. | | (2392) | 8
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place a copy of the record of discussions held between the Office of Government Commerce and the Home Office's Criminal Investigation Bureau about implementation of Article 45 of the new EU Procurement Directive 2004/18/EC in the Library. | | (2393) | 9
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Office of Government Commerce has taken to establish a national list of compulsorily disqualified contractors in relation to the EU Procurement Directive 2004/18/EC. | | (2394) | 10
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what sanctions will be applicable under the EU Public Procurement Directive 2004/18/EC to those companies that fail to alert contracting authorities to convictions held for corruption, fraud, money laundering and criminal organisations. | | (2591) | 11
| Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what has been the total yield of the climate change levy in each year since its introduction; what its expected yield is in the 2005-06 financial year; by how much the income of the National Insurance Fund has been reduced in each year since the introduction of the climate change levy by the off-setting cuts in employers' contributions; and whether he plans to arrange for future proceeds of the levy to be transferred to the National Insurance Fund to pay for increases in pensions and other benefits. | | (2359) | 12
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnership projects the Treasury is undertaking; and what the status is of each. | | (2367) | 13
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received regarding the VAT liability of the proposed staging of the Live8 concert in Hyde Park; and if he will make a statement. | | (2406) | 14
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the basis is of the Government's target of creating one million more homeowners by 2010. | | (2456) | 15
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average annual income was per person in each London borough in each year since 1997. | | (2493) | 16
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many small businesses were registered for VAT in (a) Brent East and (b) each London borough in each year since 1997. | | (2507) | 17
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many new VAT registrations of small companies there were in (a) Brent East and (b) each London borough in each year since 1997. | | (2508) | 18
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) long-term and (b) young unemployed people there were in (i) Brent East and (ii) each London borough in each year since 1997. | | (2535) | 19
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people were employed in manufacturing industry in (a) Brent East and (b) each London borough in each year since 1997. | | (2540) | 20
| Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the costs of policing the G8 summit in Perthshire. | | (2336) | 21
| Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the additional costs to policing of the G8 summit across Scotland. | | (2337) | 22
| Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the costs will be to his Department of policing the G8 summit. | | (2338) | Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 23
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will list the Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnership projects his Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is. | | (2360) | Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 24
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if she will list the Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnership projects her Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is. | | (2363) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 25
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnership projects her Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is. | | (2361) | 26
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a statement on the construction of Wembley Stadium. | | (2452) | 27
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, on what date officials from her Department last met the Football Association to discuss Wembley Stadium. | | (2453) | 28
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many (a) pubs and (b) night clubs have had their licences removed in each London borough in each year since 1997. | | (2472) | 29
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many National Lottery grants were given in each London borough in the last five years; and what the total value was. | | (2474) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 30
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnership projects his Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is. | | (2370) | 31
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on the preservation of military index cards relating to British servicemen in the First World War. | | (2339) | 32
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list his Department's IT projects in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) amount spent and (b) purpose; and whether each project has over-run. | | (2341) | 33
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what role QinetiQ plays in (a) testing and (b) evaluating the effectiveness of military training programmes. | | (2342) | 34
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the companies to whom pre-qualification questionnaires for the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability project have been issued; when they are due to be returned; when a shortlist of companies will be decided upon; and if he will make a statement. | | (2350) | 35
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many requests his Department received under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 up to 30th April; in how many cases no substantive information has been provided; and what the average time taken to respond to such requests is. | | (2351) | 36
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans the Royal Navy has for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles at sea; what the budget level of expenditure on such vehicles over the next 10 years is; and if he will make a statement. | | (2352) | 37
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether all buildings occupied by his Department in the Greater London area are fully accessible by disabled people; and if he will make a statement. | | (2353) | 38
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential for conflicts of interest where QinetiQ is competing for departmental contracts; and if he will make a statement. | | (2558) | 39
| Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects his Department's requirement for fully trained pilots of Apache helicopters will be met. | | (2324) | 40
| Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the suitability of the Apache attack helicopter to carry out the (a) search and rescue and (b) other roles of the Lynx helicopter. | | (2325) | 41
| Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what roles the Apache helicopter fleet will perform in addition to its anti-tank and ground attack roles. | | (2326) | 42
| Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to maintain the Royal Navy's search and rescue capability when Lynx helicopters are replaced by Apaches. | | (2327) | 43
| Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans (a) to marinise the fleet of Apache helicopters against salt corrosion and (b) to allow the aircraft to operate from Royal Navy vessels. | | (2328) | 44
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it remains his policy that the decision to replace Trident with the next generation of the strategic nuclear deterrent will be taken before the end of this Parliament. | | (1553) | 45
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the relationship is between the new building programme at the AWRE Aldermaston and the next generation British nuclear weapons. | | (1554) | 46
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what preliminary assessments his Department has made of the relative merits of (a) extending the life of Trident and (b) replacing Trident with an entirely new system. | | (1555) | 47
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the practicability of (a) fitting and (b) retro-fitting Type 45 destroyers with tactical Tomahawk missiles. | | (1556) | 48
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it remains the policy of his Department to implement all the reductions in the (a) Royal Navy, (b) Army and (c) Royal Air Force announced prior to the 2005 General Election. | | (1557) | 49
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK nuclear weapons are available for use by the Government; and how many US tactical nuclear weapons there are at RAF Lakenheath. | | (2335) | 50
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many low flying aircraft were used in the Wye Valley between Hay-on-Wye and Builth Wells from Friday 27th May to Thursday 2nd June. | | (2378) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 51
N | Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield, Attercliffe):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many affordable housing units built or procured through the Housing Corporation Approved Development Programme and Challenge Fund were classified as (a) mixed funded social rented housing, (b) temporary social rented housing, (c) Homebuy general market purchase, (d) Homebuy general new build, (e) mixed funded low cost home ownership for sale, (f) miscellaneous works to RSL stock, (g) reimprovements to rented RSL stock, (h) works only rehabilitation for rented RSL stock, (i) works only rehabilitation of RSL stock for sale, (j) intermediate rent for key workers, (k) Homebuy market purchase for key workers, (l) Homebuy new build for key workers and (m) mixed funded sale for key workers in the Yorkshire and the Humber Region in each year since 1997-98; and how much was spent on each category in each year. | | (1316) | 52
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnership projects his Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is. | | (2373) | 53
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council received from the Local Authority Social Housing Grant in the year before it was abolished. | | (2559) | 54
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what representations he received before the abolition of the Local Authority Social Housing Grant; and from whom. | | (2560) | 55
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the reasons were for the abolition of the Local Authority Social Housing Grant. | | (2561) | 56
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what representations he received, and from whom, on extending the transitional arrangements put in place to oversee the abolition of the Local Authority Social Housing Grant. | | (2562) | 57
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether any (a) vacant and (b) surplus public sector-owned site being reviewed by English Partnerships is (i) in and (ii) in close proximity to a (A) conservation area and (B) site of special scientific interest. | | (2407) | 58
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many applications for planning permission on school playing fields were approved in each English region in each quarter since 1997. | | (2412) | 59
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much, and what percentage, of money allocated for regeneration has been spent on (a) lawyers and (b) consultants in each year since 1997. | | (2416) | 60
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much was owed to (a) local authorities and (b) housing associations in rent arrears on the last date for which figures are available. | | (2418) | 61
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the average time taken to conduct a standard search on a property was in each English region in each year since 1997. | | (2419) | 62
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much was spent by each local authority on (a) in-house and (b) independent advice services in each year since 1997. | | (2421) | 63
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many derelict or unused phone boxes there are in the UK, broken down by local authority; and how many have been removed in each year since 1997. | | (2430) | 64
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many second homes there were in each local authority area, and what proportion this was of the local housing stock, in each year since 1997. | | (2431) | 65
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to change the statutory definition of overcrowding. | | (2432) | 66
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of (a) the number of families with children and (b) the number of children in (i) temporary accommodation, (ii) non-decent accommodation and (iii) overcrowded accommodation. | | (2433) | 67
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many and what percentage of children with (a) a disability and (b) a serious medical condition that requires adapted housing live in acccommodation that is not fit for purpose in each English region. | | (2434) | 68
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many homes have (a) no and (b) partial central heating in each English region; and what percentage this is of the dwelling stock. | | (2436) | 69
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the average time taken to re-let a local authority dwelling was in each English region in each year since 1997. | | (2437) | 70
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many units of housing support have been provided in each year of the Supporting People programme; and how many units are projected to be provided for subsequent years. | | (2438) | 71
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what progress has been made on the Firelink scheme; how much the scheme has cost; what resources have been allocated to it; and if he will make a statement | | (2439) | 72
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what proportion of Fire and Rescue Service staff have received training on using incident response units at the Fire Service College. | | (2440) | 73
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what resources have been (a) spent on and (b) allocated to the New Dimension programme for improving capacity in the rescue services; and if he will make a statement. | | (2441) | 74
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, which regions have conducted training exercises to assess contingency plans, as proposed by the Civil Resilience Directorate; and if he will make a statement. | | (2443) | 75
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many fire engines were (a) stolen, (b) lost and (c) vandalised in each year since 1997. | | (2444) | 76
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what percentage of firefighters in the Fire and Rescue Service was female in each year since 1997. | | (2445) | 77
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many attacks on firefighters were recorded in each fire authority in each year since 1997. | | (2446) | 78
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many malicious false alarms were (a) registered and (b) attended by each fire authority in each year since 1997. | | (2447) | 79
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many fires were attended by the Fire and Rescue Service where there was (a) no fire alarm and (b) a non-functioning fire alarm in each year since 1997. | | (2448) | 80
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many deliberate (a) property and (b) vehicle fires were recorded in each year since 1997. | | (2449) | 81
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the average number of days' sickness absence taken by staff in (a) all local authorities and (b) each local authority was in each year since 1997. | | (2450) | 82
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many mortgage possession orders were made in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement. | | (2451) | 83
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many traffic wardens were employed by each London borough per 1,000 population in the last year for which figures are available. | | (2454) | 84
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many parking meters there were in each London borough per 1,000 population in the last year for which figures are available. | | (2455) | 85
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what planning restrictions apply to the sites so far named as Design for Manufacture sites. | | (2457) | 86
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many persons are (a) registered homeless with and (b) on the housing waiting lists of (i) Maidstone District Council, (ii) Milton Keynes Council and (iii) Basingstoke and Deane Council. | | (2458) | 87
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the (a) size and (b) value was of the surplus brownfield public sector-owned land in England in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by local authority. | | (2459) | 88
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will publish the survey of surplus brownfield public sector-owned land undertaken by English Partnerships. | | (2460) | 89
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many press officers were employed by each London borough per 1,000 population in the last year for which figures are available. | | (2463) | 90
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many streetcare inspectors were employed by each London borough per 1,000 population in the last period for which figures are available. | | (2464) | 91
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many street cleaning machines were used by each London borough in the last year for which figures are available. | | (2466) | 92
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much was spent by each London borough per 1,000 population on environmental services in the last year for which figures are available. | | (2467) | 93
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many local authority-maintained streetlights there were in each London borough per 1,000 population in the last period for which figures are available. | | (2469) | 94
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much was spent by each London borough on recycling services in the last year for which figures are available. | | (2475) | 95
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many local authority maintained litterbins there were in each London borough in each of the last five years. | | (2477) | 96
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many local authority maintained public toilets there were in each London borough in each of the last five years. | | (2478) | 97
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many people were prosecuted for planning irregularities in each London borough in the last five years. | | (2479) | 98
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many public libraries are maintained by each London borough per 1,000 population; and what the total number of public libraries run by local authorities in London was in each year since 1997. | | (2483) | 99
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many gritting lorries are owned by each London borough. | | (2484) | 100
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much was spent by each London borough on education per 1,000 population in each of the last five years. | | (2485) | 101
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many housing officers were employed by each London borough per 1,000 population in the last year for which figures are available. | | (2486) | 102
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many environmental health officers were employed by each London borough per 1,000 population in the last year for which figures are available. | | (2488) | 103
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many inspections were carried out by environmental health officers on food providers in each London borough in the last 12 months. | | (2489) | 104
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many food providers failed environmental health inspections in the last 12 months in each London borough. | | (2490) | 105
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what powers his Department has given to local authorities to remove derelict telephone boxes. | | (2494) | 106
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much was collected in (a) parking fines and (b) fines for fly-tipping in each London borough in each year since 1997. | | (2501) | 107
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment the Audit Commission has made of leisure facilities in Brent. | | (2509) | 108
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many local authority-owned properties in each London borough do not meet the Government's decent homes standard; and what the estimated cost is of bringing them up to that standard. | | (2523) | 109
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what percentage of local authority-owned properties in each London borough are fitted with (i) smoke alarms, (ii) fire doors and (iii) double glazing. | | (2524) | 110
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many people are on waiting lists to be rehoused in each London borough. | | (2525) | 111
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many (a) fire engines, (b) firefighters and (c) fire stations there were in London in each of the last five years. | | (2527) | 112
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much his Department gave in grants to voluntary organisations in each London borough in the last year for which figures are available. | | (2534) | 113
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many people were registered as homeless in each London borough in the last year for which figures are available; and what the figures were per 1,000 population. | | (2546) | 114
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what percentage of council-owned properties had their smoke alarms checked in the last 12 months, in each London borough. | | (2551) | 115
N | Mr Neil Turner (Wigan):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what grants have been given to Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council for (a) extinguishing the fire at Broomfield Tip, Standish and (b) the restoration of the site afterwards. | | (1465) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 116
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what resources she has allocated in the 2005-06 financial year to assist further education colleges to identify adults without a Level 2 qualification to receive free tuition. | | (1663) | 117
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what resources she has provided in the 2005-06 financial year to ensure that more adults of working age achieve a first full Level 2 by 2010. | | (1664) | 118
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of staff who have left the Department as part of the implementation of the Gershon Review (a) has taken (i) voluntary and (ii) compulsory redundancy and (b) has been transferred to employment in a non-departmental public body. | | (1849) | 119
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what progress has been made in implementing the proposals of the Gershon Review as they affect her Department; and if she will make a statement. | | (1850) | 120
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will require extended schools to make facilities available to supplementary schools in their community free of charge upon request; and if she will make a statement. | | (1854) | 121
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many teachers in Coventry have been assaulted by pupils in each year since 1997. | | (1271) | 122
| Mr Roger Godsiff (Birmingham, Sparkbrook & Small Heath):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the (a) projected cost at the time of tender and (b) actual cost at the time of completion was for each IT contract commissioned by her Department and its predecessors in the last five years. | | (2580) | 123
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will list the Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnership projects her Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is. | | (2364) | 124
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) full-time teachers, (b) part-time teachers and (c) teaching assistants there were in (i) each London borough and (ii) Brent East in each year since 1997. | | (2470) | 125
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment she has made of the requirement for school building repairs in Brent; and if she will make a statement. | | (2471) | 126
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many school playing fields there were in each London borough in each year since 1992. | | (2476) | 127
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many people are in adult education in each London borough per 1,000 population. | | (2481) | 128
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many pupils received free school meals in each London borough in each year since 1997; and how many pupils she estimates are entitled to claim free school meals. | | (2495) | 129
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of schools in London have access to (a) a swimming pool and (b) playing fields. | | (2503) | 130
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what average number of hours per week of physical education was undertaken in schools in (a) Brent East and (b) each London borough in the last 12 months. | | (2516) | 131
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much her Department spent per pupil in (a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) further education in (i) Brent East and (ii) each local education authority in England in each year since 1997. | | (2545) | 132
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment she has made of the performance of the Capital City Academy; and if she will make a statement. | | (2548) | 133
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment she has made of the need for building repairs at John Kelly (a) girls and (b) boys schools; and if she will make a statement. | | (2552) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 134
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the new system of table valuations for (a) bovine TB, (b) enzootic bovine leukosis, (c) BSE and (d) brucellosis. | | (2566) | 135
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many owners who lost stock due to disease breakdown have been overpaid due to overvaluation of that stock in each of the last five years. | | (2567) | 136
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reasons the Meat and Livestock Commission was chosen to be the body responsible for collecting data from markets for the purpose of the introduction of the new table valuations system. | | (2568) | 137
| Mr Roger Godsiff (Birmingham, Sparkbrook & Small Heath):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the (a) projected cost at the time of tender and (b) actual cost at the time of completion was for each IT contract commissioned by her Department and its predecessors in the last five years. | | (2579) | 138
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnership projects her Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is. | | (2369) | 139
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the level of pollution from Neasden Goods Depot; and if she will make a statement. | | (2500) | 140
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much plastic per person was recycled in (a) Brent East and (b) each London borough in each year since 1997. | | (2542) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 141
N | Sir Menzies Campbell (North East Fife):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the Government has had with the US Administration with regard to the proposed national security directive on space; and if he will make a statement. | | (946) | 142
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the government of Sudan about the continuing violence in the Kalua Camp, Nyala, Darfur. | | (2569) | 143
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of food supplies in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the decision of the World Food Programme to consider suspending its food aid operations there. | | (2570) | 144
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the continuing violence in Eastern Sudan. | | (2571) | 145
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the government of Afghanistan on the threat to women from rape, abduction, sexual violence and forced marriage; and if he will make a statement. | | (2572) | 146
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Saharawi people and their representatives following the mass demonstrations of students in El Ayoun. | | (2593) | 147
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Moroccan authorities concerning media access to El Ayoun to cover the recent demonstrations of Saharawi students there. | | (2594) | 148
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the government of Sudan concerning the arrests of representatives of Médecins Sans Frontières in Khartoum. | | (2595) | 149
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on his Department's policy towards negotiations in the UN on the introduction of sanctions in connection with the situation in Darfur. | | (2597) | 150
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government has made regarding reports of rape and sexual violence against women in Darfur. | | (2598) | 151
| Mr Roger Godsiff (Birmingham, Sparkbrook & Small Heath):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the (a) projected cost at the time of tender and (b) actual cost at the time of completion was for each IT contract commissioned by his Department in the last five years. | | (2577) | 152
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnership projects his Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is. | | (2371) | 153
| Glenda Jackson (Hampstead & Highgate):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will press for the United Nations to categorise the situation in Darfur as genocide; and if he will make a statement. | | (2383) | 154
| Glenda Jackson (Hampstead & Highgate):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will call for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the situation in Darfur. | | (2387) | 155
| Glenda Jackson (Hampstead & Highgate):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last raised the issue of Darfur with the US Secretary of State. | | (2397) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 156
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) fatalities and (b) respiratory hospital admissions caused by transport-related air pollution, excluding ozone in the last period for which figures are available. | | (2380) | 157
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the estimated financial outcome in the 2005-06 financial year is for (a) Poole Primary Care Trust, (b) Bournemouth Primary Care Trust and (c) the South East Dorset Primary Care Trust. | | (1468) | 158
| Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many pregnancies were terminated in the United Kingdom in each year between 1975 and 2005 at fewer than (a) 28 weeks, (b) 24 weeks, (c) 22 weeks and (d) 12 weeks. | | (2329) | 159
| Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many terminations of pregnancy were carried out in the United Kingdom in each year between 1975 and 2005. | | (2330) | 160
| Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients under the age of 16 years had pregnancies terminated in each year between 1975 and 2004. | | (2331) | 161
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients were treated with photo-dynamic treatment for wet macular degeneration in (a) Gloucestershire and (b) England in the latest year for which figures are available. | | (2563) | 162
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research is being undertaken into dry macular degeneration. | | (2564) | 163
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions she has had with her colleagues at the Department of Transport on the criteria for medical fitness to drive. | | (2565) | 164
| Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate her Department has made of (a) the number of E111 forms held by British citizens before August 2004 and (b) the proportion of these covering more than one person; and if she will make a statement. | | (2356) | 165
| Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures the Government has taken to alert British citizens to the fact that E111 forms issued before August 2004 have been invalid since 31st December 2004; how much has been spent on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising, (d) leaflets, (e) campaigns involving airlines and (f) other campaigns; and if she will make a statement. | | (2357) | 166
| Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate her Department has made of the number of British citizens who travelled without a valid E111 form in the last year for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. | | (2358) | 167
| Mr Roger Godsiff (Birmingham, Sparkbrook & Small Heath):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if her Department will commission research into the effect of phthalates (a) as an environmental pollutant and (b) on reproductive health. | | (2574) | 168
| Mr Roger Godsiff (Birmingham, Sparkbrook & Small Heath):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) projected cost at the time of tender and (b) actual cost at the time of completion was for each IT contract commissioned by her Department in the last five years. | | (2578) | 169
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will list the Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnership projects her Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is. | | (2365) | 170
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children were diagnosed as obese in each London borough in each of the last five years. | | (2487) | 171
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) clinical and (b) non-clinical NHS staff were employed in (i) Brent and (ii) each London primary care trust in each year since 1997. | | (2496) | 172
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS dental nurses there were in (a) Brent and (b) each London primary care trust in each year since 1997. | | (2497) | 173
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) adults and (b) children have been recorded as suffering from asthma in (i) Brent East and (ii) each London borough in each year since 1997. | | (2514) | 174
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many pharmacies operated 24 hour services in each year since 1997 in (a) Brent East, (b) Brent and (c) each London primary care trust. | | (2529) | 175
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many pharmacies there were in each year since 1997 in (a) Brent East, (b) Brent and (c) each London primary care trust. | | (2530) | 176
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many ambulance stations there were in London in each of the last five years. | | (2531) | 177
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients were waiting to see a consultant at Central Middlesex Hospital on (a) 1st May 1997, (b) 7th June 2001 and (c) the latest date for which figures are available. | | (2537) | 178
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients have benefited from infertility treatment in (a) Brent and (b) each primary care trust in England in each year since 1997. | | (2541) | 179
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what procedures are used to encourage patients to report anaesthetic awareness. | | (2375) | 180
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of anaesthetic awareness have been recorded in England in each year since 1997. | | (2376) | 181
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what procedures are used in the NHS to detect anaesthetic awareness; and what routine checks are made in hospitals to prevent its incidence. | | (2377) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 182
N | Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield, Attercliffe):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many failed asylum seekers who have not left the country are not claiming section 4 hard case support. | | (1312) | 183
N | Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield, Attercliffe):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many units of accommodation for section 4 hard case support asylum seekers are vacant, broken down by region. | | (1313) | 184
N | Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield, Attercliffe):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many failed asylum seekers are receiving section 4 hard case support, broken down by region. | | (1314) | 185
N | Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield, Attercliffe):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many football banning orders are in place; and how many of these prevent the person from travelling abroad to watch football matches. | | (1315) | 186
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Criminal Investigation Bureau (a) has established and (b) intends to establish a register of UK companies that have received a conviction for corruption, fraud, money laundering and criminal organisation which can be easily accessed by public procurement authorities across the European Union in line with the new EU Public Procurement Directive 2004/18/EC. | | (2389) | 187
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many meetings the Criminal Investigation Bureau has had with United Kingdom companies to discuss Article 45 of the new EU Public Procurement Directive 2004/18/EC; if he will list the companies that attended those meetings; and if he will place the minutes and notes of those meetings in the Library. | | (2390) | 188
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what date (a) the police first reported the discovery of traces of ricin in the London flat used by Kamel Bourgass and his associates and (b) Porton Down chemical and biological weapons research centre first indicated that there was no ricin in the flat; and if he will make a statement. | | (1852) | 189
| Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many successful prosecutions were brought against shops and off-licences for sales of alcohol to persons under 18 years of age in England and Wales in each year between 1984 and 2004. | | (2586) | 190
| Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders were issued in Pembrokeshire in each year between 1998 and 2004. | | (2587) | 191
| Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many convictions were made for the offence of being drunk and disorderly in England and Wales in each year between 1984 and 2004. | | (2588) | 192
| Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many convictions were made for sales of alcohol to persons under 18 years of age in England and Wales in each year from 1984 to 2004. | | (2589) | 193
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the contribution identity cards may make to the prevention of terrorist attacks on the UK. | | (1269) | 194
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of the community support officers the Government plans to recruit by 2008 he expects to be posted in Coventry. | | (1270) | 195
| Mr Roger Godsiff (Birmingham, Sparkbrook & Small Heath):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) projected cost at the time of tender and (b) actual cost at the time of completion was for each IT contract commissioned by his Department in the last five years. | | (2576) | 196
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnership projects his Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is. | | (2372) | 197
N | Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he plans to extend the possibility of conducting trials without jury, as set out in Part 7 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, to other types of trial. | | (1909) | 198
N | Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to bring into force Part 7 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 to introduce the procedure for conducting complex criminal trials without a jury. | | (1903) | 199
| Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action he is taking to implement the recommendations of the Policy Unit's report on drugs; and if he will publish the report. | | (2396) | 200
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were (a) charged and (b) convicted of illegally operating an unlicensed minicab in each year since 1997. | | (2408) | 201
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many attacks were committed by the drivers of unlicensed minicabs in each year since 1997. | | (2409) | 202
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what dates in the last 12 months he has held meetings with the Mayor of London to discuss contingency measures in the event of a terrorist attack on London. | | (2435) | 203
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which London boroughs' police community consultative groups have had their funding withdrawn in each year since 2000 | | (2462) | 204
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were convicted for motoring offences in each of the last five years in (a) Brent East and (b) each London borough. | | (2473) | 205
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many thefts of mobile telephones there were in each London borough in each year since 1997. | | (2480) | 206
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were (a) arrested and (b) successfully prosecuted for (i) kerb-crawling, (ii) prostitution and (iii) running a brothel in each London borough in each of the last five years. | | (2491) | 207
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many women aged (a) under 16, (b) under 17 and (c) under 18 were in prison in London in each year since 1997. | | (2492) | 208
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many successful prosecutions there were for fly-tipping in each local authority in England in the last five years. | | (2498) | 209
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many gun-related crimes there were in (a) Brent East and (b) each London borough in each year since 1997. | | (2499) | 210
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many arrests were made outside tube stations in (a) Brent East and (b) each London borough for ticket touting in each year since 1997. | | (2510) | 211
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many road-side vehicle checks were carried out by the Metropolitan Police in each year since 1997. | | (2513) | 212
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many violent crimes against the person were committed in (a) Brent East and (b) each London borough in each year since 1997. | | (2515) | 213
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the rate of Metropolitan Police officer abstractions was from each London borough for (a) counter-terrorism, (b) special operations and (c) public order event policing work in each of the last 12 months; what the average rate was for each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. | | (2521) | 214
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many referrals of (a) immigration, (b) asylum and (c) naturalisation cases to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate by honourable Members there have been in each year since 2001, broken down by constituency. | | (2522) | 215
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police stations there were in London in each of the last five years. | | (2526) | 216
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were (a) arrested and (b) successfully prosecuted for terrorist activities in London in each year since 1997; and to which organisations those successfully prosecuted belonged; and what their country of origin was. | | (2528) | 217
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, by what date he expects the extension of the Airwave system to the London Underground to be complete. | | (2543) | 218
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many successful prosecutions there have been of individuals for (a) dropping litter and (b) graffiti in (i) Brent East and (ii) each local authority in England. | | (2547) | 219
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many businesses have been prosecuted for the illegal sale of (a) knives, (b) replica guns and (c) firearms in (i) Brent East and (ii) each London borough in the last 12 months. | | (2549) | 220
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many businesses were prosecuted for selling (a) alcohol, (b) glue products and (c) fireworks to people under age in (i) Brent East and (ii) each London borough in each of the last five years. | | (2550) | 221
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of (a) the technology available to undertake biometric scans necessary for implementing the identity card scheme and (b) its suitability for such a large scale public domain application. | | (2401) | 222
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the potential impact the introduction of the identity card scheme may have on civil liberties; and what measures he is taking to protect confidential information. | | (2402) | 223
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of breath-testing of drivers resulted in withdrawal of driving licences in England and Wales in the last period for which figures are available. | | (2403) | 224
N | Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to abolish jury trials in fraud cases. | | (1907) | 225
N | Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans the Department has to extend trials without jury, as set out in Part 7 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, to other types of trial. | | (1901) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 226
| Mr Roger Godsiff (Birmingham, Sparkbrook & Small Heath):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the (a) projected cost at the time of tender and (b) actual cost at the time of completion was for each IT contract commissioned by the Department in the last five years. | | (2575) | 227
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will list the Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnership projects his Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is. | | (2368) | 228
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what percentages of households in Iraq have access to (a) clean water and (b) electricity. | | (2539) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 229
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will assess the merits of demolishing the former High School in Killyleagh; and if he will make a statement. | | (2349) | 230
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has (a) to improve the sewage system at Darragh Cross and (b) to upgrade the system to include the villages of Raffrey and Derryboye; and if he will make a statement. | | (2590) | 231
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the effect of the withdrawal of EU funding for out-of-school clubs in vulnerable and chronically deprived areas in Northern Ireland on working parents; and if he will make a statement. | | (2592) | Questions to the Prime Minister 232
| Glenda Jackson (Hampstead & Highgate):To ask the Prime Minister, when he last discussed with NATO colleagues the situation in Darfur; and if he will make a statement. | | (2398) | 233
| Glenda Jackson (Hampstead & Highgate):To ask the Prime Minister, when he last discussed with G8 colleagues the situation in Darfur; and if he will make a statement. | | (2399) | 234
| Glenda Jackson (Hampstead & Highgate):To ask the Prime Minister, when he last discussed with his EU counterparts the situation in Darfur; and if he will make a statement. | | (2400) | Questions to the Solicitor General 235
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Solicitor General, what discussions the Government's law officers have had with representatives of Customs and Excise about the merits of revised legal and evidential arrangements in complex and expensive fraud cases involving tax; and if he will make a statement. | | (1851) | 236
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Solicitor General, on what grounds the Crown Prosecution Service withdrew charges against Kamel Bourgass and co-defendants of conspiring to make chemical and biological weapons and substituted conspiracy to cause a public nuisance; for what reasons Government lawyers requested an order requiring no reporting of the charge of making chemical weapons being dropped at the time; and if he will make a statement. | | (1853) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 237
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what (a) security checks, (b) vetting procedures and (c) other precautions are taken by UK Trade and Investment before an agent is included on the list of agents it provides to British companies. | | (2343) | 238
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what (a) information and (b) training the Export Control Organisation has provided for UK defence exporters concerning bribery and corruption. | | (2344) | 239
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many agents were removed from the list of agents provided by UK Trade and Investment to British companies, in each year since 2000; and from which countries. | | (2345) | 240
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what procedures the Export Control Organisation has in place for preventing corruption on defence sales for which it gives a licence; and if he will make a statement. | | (2553) | 241
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the Export Control Organisation requires companies to sign no-bribery warranties before it will issue a licence. | | (2554) | 242
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether companies applying for a licence to the Export Control Organisation are required to provide details of agent's commission that will be paid on the contract for which a licence is sought. | | (2555) | 243
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what (a) services and (b) advice UK Trade and Investment gives to companies with regard to the use of agents. | | (2556) | 244
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures UK Trade and Investment staff take to ensure that the lists of agents they provide to British companies include only agents committed to non-bribery principles. | | (2557) | 245
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on new arrangements for distribution of newspapers and magazines to retailers and consumers under the proposals announced by the Office of Fair Trading. | | (1272) | 246
| Mr Roger Godsiff (Birmingham, Sparkbrook & Small Heath):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will bring forward legislation to compel manufacturers to reveal which of their products contain phthalates and in what concentrations. | | (2573) | 247
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnership projects his Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is. | | (2374) | 248
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he expects to make an announcement on the future of the Export Control Organisation. | | (2333) | 249
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many staff were employed by the Export Control Organisation in each of the last five years. | | (2334) | 250
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what legal advice was given to his Department on the signing of separate coal health agreements with Vendside and the Union of Democratic Mineworkers. | | (2354) | 251
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what legal advice was given to his Department on the signing of a coal health claim agreement with Vendside Ltd. | | (2355) | 252
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when his Department was first informed of complaints about double charging by (a) claims handlers and (b) Vendside. | | (2582) | 253
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many times (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department met the Union of Democratic Mineworkers in (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999 regarding coal health claims. | | (2583) | 254
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what investigations his Department has undertaken into (a) Walker and Co Ltd and (b) Indiclaim Ltd. | | (2584) | 255
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when the claimants' solicitors group was first informed of the (a) Vendside and Union of Democratic Mineworkers coal health agreements by his Department. | | (2585) | 256
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many (a) personal and (b) company bankruptcies there were in each London borough in each of the last three years for which figures are available; what assessment the Department has made of recent changes in the numbers; and if he will make a statement. | | (2468) | 257
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many businesses have ceased trading in (a) Brent East and (b) each London borough in each year since 1997. | | (2536) | 258
N | Paddy Tipping (Sherwood):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he expects to publish the annual review of the Energy White Paper. | | (1604) | 259
| Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what proportion of claims for compensation for cases of vibration white finger initially classified as Group 3 and for which liability was denied by claims handlers were reclassified to Groups 1 or 2 on further review; and what proportion of claims initally classified as Group 3 were accepted on review as Group 3 with exposure. | | (2346) | 260
| Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the performance of claims handlers in accurately determining liability in claims for compensation for vibration white finger. | | (2347) | 261
N | Mr Neil Turner (Wigan):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what powers the Department has to ensure the reporting of serious incidents on former colliery spoil sites. | | (1466) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 262
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consideration his Department has given to issuing permits to operate lorries of 25.5 metres in length. | | (2379) | 263
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what measures have been taken since 19th October 2004 to prevent people riding on the outside of trains. | | (2381) | 264
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many incidents of people riding on the outside of moving trains were reported to the British Transport police in 2004. | | (2382) | 265
| Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total amount of public subsidy given to passenger air services was in the United Kingdom in the last financial year. | | (2332) | 266
| Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what restrictions his Department applies to the use of public subsidy to support air transport services in the United Kingdom. | | (2348) | 267
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to tackle aircraft emissions at Coventry airport. | | (1268) | 268
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnership projects his Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is. | | (2362) | 269
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of unlicensed minicabs operating in each English region. | | (2410) | 270
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many rail journeys were made by freight trains on the North London Line in each year since 1997. | | (2504) | 271
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of noise vibrations from trains on the North London Line on residential properties; and if he will make a statement. | | (2505) | 272
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to promote the use of car clubs in London. | | (2506) | 273
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many successful prosecutions were carried out against passengers for avoiding fares on (a) trains, (b) buses and (c) the tube in London in each year since 1997. | | (2511) | 274
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many successful prosecutions were carried out against passengers for dropping litter at (a) train stations and (b) tube stations in London in each year since 1997. | | (2512) | 275
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many trains operate between midnight and 7 a.m. on the North London Line. | | (2532) | 276
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) fatal and (b) non-fatal traffic accidents there were in (i) Brent East and (ii) each London borough in each year since 1997. | | (2538) | 277
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many speed cameras there were in (a) Brent East and (b) each London borough in each year since 1997. | | (2544) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 278
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to simplify the application form for disability living allowance. | | (1467) | 279
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnership projects his Department is undertaking; and what the status of each is. | | (2366) | 280
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people received housing benefit in each London borough in the last period for which figures are available; and how much was paid in total in each. | | (2482) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 281
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many alcohol-related deaths there were in each London borough in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (2502) | Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 282
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, which local authorities have produced (a) civil contingency and (b) emergency plans. | | [Transferred] (2442) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 283
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the estimated cost of removing chewing gum from streets was in (a) England, (b) each English region and (c) each local authority in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (2411) | 284
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much was spent by councils on clearing abandoned vehicles in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (2414) | 285
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimates she has made of the amount of litter dropped in the street in each year since 1997; and what percentage of this is made up of (a) food and (b) food wrapping. | | [Transferred] (2415) | 286
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the average cost of collecting rubbish was, per household, in each English region in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (2422) | 287
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) public tip and (b) large scale rubbish facilities there were on the last date for which figures are available; and how many there were in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (2423) | 288
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost of removing fly tipped rubbish was in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (2424) | 289
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many fly tipping incidents have been recorded in each English region in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (2425) | 290
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of abandoned vehicles were investigated within (a) 24 hours, (b) a week and (c) a month of a complaint being registered in the last year for which figures are available. | | [Transferred] (2426) | 291
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many abandoned vehicles have been identified in each year since 1997; and how many have been cleared. | | [Transferred] (2427) | 292
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of (a) rights of way and (b) footpaths are (i) easy to use and (ii) in a good state of repair. | | [Transferred] (2428) | 293
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of streets in each local authority had visible fly-posters in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (2429) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 294
| Glenda Jackson (Hampstead & Highgate):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what additional support the UK will offer the African Union to ensure safe delivery of humanitarian aid in Darfur. | | [Transferred] (2395) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 295
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many citizens advice bureaux there were in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (2420) | 296
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many citizens advice bureaux offices there were in each local authority area in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (2461) | 297
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the average income was of a small business in (a) Brent East and (b) each London borough in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (2517) | 298
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much his Department gave in grant to citizen's advice bureaux in each London borough in the last year for which figures are available. | | [Transferred] (2533) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 299
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was spent on replacing, removing or fixing damaged bus shelters in each English region, in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (2413) | 300
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what percentage of street lights were broken on the last date for which figures are available; and what the average time taken to repair a street light was in the most recent period for which figures are available. | | [Transferred] (2417) | 301
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government has any plans to implement random breath-testing of drivers. | | [Transferred] (2404) | 302
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to bring the drink-drive limit in the UK into line with those of other EU member states. | | [Transferred] (2465) |
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