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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Tuesday 21 June 2005
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Tuesday 21 June 2005
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 21 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 21 June of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Tuesday 21 June see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 1
| Ms Celia Barlow (Hove):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families in the constituency of Hove have received (a) working tax credit and (b) child tax credit since it was introduced; how many are receiving it; how many have received overpayments; what the average (i) amount and (ii) duration of the overpayment was; how many are repaying overpayments; how many have received lower payments than they were entitled to; and what the normal procedure is to correct that. | | (6488) | 2
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9th June, Official Report, columns 683-4W, on the Public Procurement Directive, what the Government's definition is of a competent authority; and which authorities have been identified as suitable for collating information on convictions in relation to this directive. | | (6427) | 3
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9th June, Official Report, columns 683-4W, on the Public Procurement Directive, if he will list those who responded to the consultation; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the responses which referred to Article 45 of EU Procurement Directive 2004/18/EC. | | (6428) | 4
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library a copy of the record of discussions and correspondence between the Office of Government Commerce and the Criminal Records Bureau about implementation of Article 45 of the EU Procurement Directive 2004/18/EC. | | (6450) | 5
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Office of Government Commerce has had further discussions with the private and public sectors about Article 45 of the new EU Public Procurement Directive 2004/18/EC since the consultation exercise was undertaken in 2004. | | (6469) | 6
N | Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on the introduction of new taxes on (a) domestic and (b) international UK flights to fund development aid for Africa; and if he will make a statement. | | (5602) | 7
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many false national insurance records have been found in Coventry South in each year since 2000. | | (5171) | 8
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. | | (6514) | 9
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress is being made in recruiting additonal customs officers. | | (6479) | 10
N | Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Treasury rules are for the provision of matched funding for projects part funded by the European Union; and what the value of matched funding was for (a) the UK and (b) each nation of the UK in each year since 2001. | | (6383) | 11
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps are being taken within his Department to support the International Year of the Volunteer; and what steps have been taken to promote volunteering since 1997. | | (6404) | 12
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what monitoring his Department undertakes on the value for public money of contracts that are entered into by its agencies. | | (6432) | 13
N | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will reply to the letter of 1st April from the honourable Member for West Worcestershire concerning inheritance tax. | | (6078) | 14
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many homeowners there were in the UK in each year since 1979. | | (6407) | 15
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9th June, Official Report, column 681W, on home ownership, what economic analysis was undertaken to underpin the target of one million more homeowners by 2010. | | (6429) | 16
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what measures he is taking to prevent the (a) smuggling into the UK and (b) sale of contraband (i) tobacco products and (ii) alcohol; and if he will make a statement. | | (6489) | Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 17
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. | | (6500) | 18
N | Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the average salary of a pupil conducting criminal legally aided work has been in each of the last 10 years, broken down by region. | | (6379) | 19
N | Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how she plans to encourage young barristers into criminal practice. | | (6380) | 20
N | Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what percentage of law students applied to become criminal barristers in (a) 2005 and (b) each of the last 10 years, broken down by region. | | (6381) | 21
N | Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how much has been spent on the Criminal Defence Service in each of the last 10 years. | | (6382) | 22
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many appeals against the refusal of entry clearance to the UK have (a) been submitted, (b) been acknowledged to the applicant and (c) received an appeal date since 4th April. | | (6442) | 23
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many appeals against the refusal of entry clearance to (a) the Immigration Appellate Authority and (b) the Immigration Appeals Tribunal, (i) were submitted, (ii) were acknowledged to the applicant and (iii) received an appeal date in each year since 1995. | | (6443) | 24
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many cases of appeals against the refusal of entry clearance to the UK made in 1995 remain to be concluded. | | (6444) | 25
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the Department's current estimate is of the average length of time an applicant appealing against the refusal of entry clearance to the UK waits for (a) a date for an appeal hearing and (b) an appeal hearing. | | (6445) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 26
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. | | (6501) | 27
| Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when her Department expects to publish its consultation on revised criteria for listing buildings; and if she will make a statement. | | (6484) | 28
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidelines Ofcom work to when deciding whether to investigate complaints made against television programmes; and if she will make a statement. | | (6176) | 29
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many complaints were received by Ofcom concerning the programme, Jerry Springer The Opera; what investigations took place into the programme; and if she will make a statement. | | (6177) | 30
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many local authority-run libraries there have been in each London borough since 1997. | | (6416) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 31
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the outcome was of the internal Departmental Review following the allegation passed to his Department by the Serious Fraud Office in March 2001. | | (6424) | 32
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. | | (6498) | 33
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the configuration of the planned surface fleet is for (a) 2011, (b) 2012, (c) 2013 and (d) 2014; and if he will make a statement. | | (6477) | 34
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 15th June, Official Report, column 442W, on the Royal Navy, what the expected out-of-service date is for the Lynx MK3/8 helicopter. | | (6482) | 35
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 13th June, Official Report, columns 15-16W, on natural disasters (military assistance), if he will list the improvements identified in the review of operations following the tsunami. | | (6483) | 36
N | Mr Dan Rogerson (North Cornwall):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will arrange a meeting with the honourable Member for North Cornwall and ministerial colleagues from the Department for Transport to discuss the future of Newquay Airport. | | (6217) | 37
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the grounds which constitute a basis for compassionate leave of absence from active military duty. | | (6410) | 38
| Mr Ben Wallace (Lancaster & Wyre):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected levels of deployment to Afganistan for his Department's personnel is by the (a) end of 2005, (b) middle of 2006 and (c) end of 2006. | | (6435) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 39
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the proportion of (a) shared owners and (b) Homebuy purchasers who expect to own their own home outright eventually. | | (6451) | 40
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many of the new homes to be built under the First-Time Buyers Initiative he expects will be available at a price of £60,000. | | (6452) | 41
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what additional funding he is making available in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08 to support (i) the Social Homebuy scheme, (ii) New Build Homebuy, (iii) Open Market Homebuy, (iv) Joint Equity Loans with Mortgage Lenders scheme and (v) the First-Time Buyers Initiative. | | (6453) | 42
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the potential costs to (a) public funds and (b) mortgage lenders of properties purchased under the Homebuy Joint Shared Equity Loan with Mortgage Lenders scheme being sold at below the original purchase price. | | (6454) | 43
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what eligibility criteria will be used to determine access to the Homebuy Joint Shared Equity Loans with Mortgage Lenders scheme. | | (6455) | 44
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. | | (6492) | 45
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much of the parking area adjacent to the Millennium Dome remains in the ownership of the Government. | | (6433) | 46
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what guidance Torbay Unitary Authority sought from his Office in relation to (a) changing the name of Torquay Crematorium Chapel and (b) decreasing the size of the cross inside the ceremonial hall. | | (5962) | 47
| Ms Dari Taylor (Stockton South):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many affordable housing units built or procured through (a) the Housing Corporation Approved Development programme and (b) the Challenge Fund were (i) mixed funded social rented housing, (ii) temporary social rented housing, (iii) homebuy general market purchase, (iv) homebuy general new build, (v) mixed funded low cost home owneship for sale, (vi) miscellaneous works to registered social landlord (RSL) stock, (vii) reimprovements to rented RSL stock, (viii) works only rehabilitation of rented RSL stock, (ix) works only rehabilitation of RSL stock for sale, (x) intermediate rent for key workers, (xi) homebuy market purchase for key workers, (xii) homebuy new build for key workers, (xiii) mixed funded sale for key workers and (xiv) starter home initiative in the North East Region in each year since 1997-98; and how much was spent on each category in each year. | | (6441) | 48
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the number of homeless households who were placed in self-contained temporary accommodation in 2004-05 which do not meet the minimum physical standards proposed in his Department's 2003 consultation paper. | | (6388) | 49
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will undertake a survey of homeless households in temporary accommodation. | | (6389) | 50
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will take steps to enable local authorities to discharge their duty to statutorily homeless households by providing an assured shorthold tenancy in the private rented sector. | | (6390) | 51
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what changes he plans to the definition of homelessness; and if he will make a statement. | | (6392) | 52
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the support his Department gives to temporary to permanent housing initiatives. | | (6393) | 53
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the impact of the London Borough of Brent's policy of offering financial incentives to under-occupying tenants willing to move to smaller accommodation. | | (6394) | 54
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much funding each local authority in London has received from the Homelessness Directorate in each of the last five years to support local homelessness strategies. | | (6402) | 55
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many homes have been sold in each year since 1997 under (a) shared ownership and (b) right-to-buy schemes using the principles of Islamic financing. | | (6408) | 56
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what provision has been made by his Department to enable the purchase of homes under (a) shared ownership and (b) right-to-buy schemes that are compliant with Islamic financing principles. | | (6409) | 57
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether the timetable for publication of the final Code of Guidance on minimum standards in temporary accommodation has changed; and if he will make a statement. | | (6412) | 58
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the final date was for submissions to the consultation on the Code of Guidance on minimum standards in temporary accommodation. | | (6413) | 59
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he plans to publish the statutory code of guidance on standards in temporary accommodation for homeless households. | | (6414) | 60
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what definition of key worker his Department uses. | | (6417) | 61
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the likely shortfall in local authority pension funds under the (a) Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2004 and (b) Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2005. | | (6418) | 62
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what arrangements he will put in place to ensure houses in multiple occupation licence fees set by local authorities only recover costs; and when he expects these arrangements to be in place. | | (6419) | 63
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what recent representations he has received from (a) landlord and (b) tenant organisations on houses in multiple occupation licensing fees; and what response he has made. | | (6420) | 64
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what percentage of councils that have completed their stock options appraisal have decided in favour of council retention of homes. | | (6421) | 65
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, which councils have not yet submitted a stock options appraisal; and whether he expects that all councils will meet the July deadline. | | (6422) | 66
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what his Department's most recent estimate is of the sum which will be raised from houses in multiple occupation licensing fees; and what methodology was used to make the estimate. | | (6426) | 67
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his written statement of 25th May, Official Report, column 17WS, on home ownership, how many people in each region he expects to be eligible for the shared home ownership schemes. | | (6485) | 68
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the written statement of 25th May, Official Report, column 17WS, on home ownership, how many of the shared home ownership schemes he expects to be in place by April 2009; and how many people he expects to have participated in them. | | (6486) | 69
| Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will review the guidance given to local authorities on development in areas at risk from flooding or on a flood plain; and if he will make a statement. | | (6434) | 70
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to promote methods for tenants to obtain equity stakes in their homes. | | (6447) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 71
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. | | (6497) | 72
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many apprenticeships have started since May 2004 resulting from employer leads directly attributable to the Learning and Skills Council's marketing campaign for apprenticeships, broken down by region. | | (6506) | 73
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many young people in each region responded to the recent apprenticeship marketing campaign; and how many inquiries led to apprenticeship starts. | | (6507) | 74
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many employers have started training apprentices since May 2004 as a direct result of the apprenticeship marketing campaign, broken down by region; and how many of those have never trained apprentices before. | | (6508) | 75
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much the Learning and Skills Council has spent on marketing and advertising apprenticeships, including development costs, since the beginning of 2004. | | (6509) | 76
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what progress was made towards the public service agreement target for apprenticeship starts in 2004-05; and what assessment she has made of whether the target will be met. | | (6510) | 77
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many young people are participating in the Entry to Employment programme; and how many are expected to be participating by the end of July. | | (6511) | 78
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what alternative education and training provision has been found for young people who are not yet ready to start an apprenticeship following the changes to the Entry to Employment programme; and what evaluation has been made of (a) the appropriateness of such provision and (b) its likelihood of offering meangingful progression to disadvantaged young people. | | (6512) | 79
| Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many and what proportion of looked after children aged under two years experienced three or more changes of accommodation in the most recent year for which figures are available. | | (6446) | 80
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what funds have been made available to (a) the National Learning and Skills Council and (b) Dartington Tech in each of the of the last three years; and how much will be made available to Dartington Tech in this financial year. | | (5965) | 81
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many special needs (a) assistants and (b) teachers there were in London in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority. | | (6406) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 82
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. | | (6504) | 83
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the representations she has received on the effects of single farm payment on motor sports events being held on agricultural land; what response she has made; and if she will make a statement. | | (5249) | 84
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much revenue she estimates the Environment Agency will receive from companies which register their premises with regards to collections of waste; under what legislation such registration is a requirement; and if she will make a statement. | | (6149) | 85
| Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made on recycling since the Household Waste Recycling Bill was enacted. | | (6467) | 86
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many cattle have been infected with bovine TB in each of the last three years in (a) Devon, (b) Cornwall, (c) Somerset and (d) Dorset; and how many cattle were destroyed during the foot and mouth epidemic in each county. | | (5964) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 87
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 14th June, Official Report, column 329W, on overseas corruption, from which missions each allegation came; on what date each was received; and to which law enforcement agency each was forwarded. | | (6425) | 88
N | Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Netherlands and France voting against the EU Constitution on the prospect for the accession of Turkey to the EU. | | (5695) | 89
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the political situation in Ethiopia. | | (5169) | 90
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Uzbek National Parliament on the role of the Parliamentary Commission in investigating the recent troubles. | | (5244) | 91
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the involvement of foreign nationals in the recent disorders in Andijan. | | (5245) | 92
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to visit Moldova. | | (6478) | 93
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is proposing to encourage the international community to take action to address the political situation in Zimbabwe. | | (6405) | 94
N | Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer on 13th June, Official Report, column 136W, on Hamas, on what date (a) officials and (b) representatives in the region advised him to authorise contacts with members of Hamas. | | (6214) | 95
N | Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer on 13th June, Official Report, column 136W, on Hamas, on what dates he has held discussions with (a) Israel and (b) the Palestinian authority concerning meetings between his officials and members of Hamas; and if he will make a statement. | | (6215) | 96
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government has made to the United States Administration on reports of prisoner abuse by US forces; and if he will make a statement. | | (6411) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 97
N | Mr Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to improve the pre-diagnostic infrastructure for breast cancer. | | (5669) | 98
N | Mr Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps she is taking to improve participation in breast screening programmes. | | (5670) | 99
N | Mr Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to break down cultural and language barriers preventing women from accessing breast screening services. | | (5671) | 100
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in England are waiting (a) to be assessed for and (b) fitted with an NHS hearing aid for the first time. | | (6461) | 101
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress audiology clinics are making towards the Government's target that no-one will wait longer than 18 weeks for treatment, including diagnostics, by 2008. | | (6462) | 102
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps she is taking to reduce the number of people waiting (a) to be assessed for their first NHS hearing aid and (b) to switch from analogue to digital aids. | | (6463) | 103
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in England are using NHS analogue hearing aids; and what information she has collated on the numbers who would benefit from switching to digital hearing aids. | | (6470) | 104
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how she plans to ensure that audiology departments meet the Government's target that no-one will wait longer than 18 weeks for their treatment, including diagnostics, by 2008. | | (6471) | 105
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in England have undergone electroconvulsive therapy in each of the past five years; and how many were (a) 50 years or over and (b) 65 years or over. | | (6395) | 106
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements are in place to ensure that people aged 65 years or over with mental health problems have access to (a) bereavement counselling, (b) assertive outreach teams, (c) crisis resolution teams and (d) community mental health teams. | | (6396) | 107
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures are in place to reduce the incidence of suicide in people aged (a) 50 years or over and (b) 65 years or over. | | (6397) | 108
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what criteria were used to set the priorities for the National Service Framework for Mental Health, with particular reference to the age of sufferers; and what arrangements are in place to ensure that people with mental health problems continue to have access to services once they reach 65 years. | | (6398) | 109
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made against the milestones set in Standard 7 of the National Service Framework for Older People. | | (6399) | 110
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action has been taken towards the improvement of services for older people specified in Delivering Race Equality. | | (6400) | 111
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made against the priorities for action set out in the Audit Commission's Forget Me Not report in 2002. | | (6401) | 112
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in Coventry South suffer from (a) dementia and (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. | | (5170) | 113
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. | | (6513) | 114
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance her Department has issued to health service trusts on the operational life of ambulances. | | (6075) | 115
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she intends to publish the full evaluation of the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme undertaken by the National Foundation of Educational Research; and what funds her Department has allocated to the scheme beyond 2005-06. | | (6505) | 116
N | Mrs Maria Miller (Basingstoke):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many couples have been funded for (a) one, (b) two and (c) more than two cycles of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment by (i) North Hampshire Primary Care Trust and (ii) primary care trusts in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority area in each year since 2000-01; how many couples she expects will receive funding for (A) one and (B) more than one cycle of IVF treatment in 2005-06 from (1) North Hampshire Primary Care Trust and (2) primary care trusts in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority area; if she will make additional resources available to primary care trusts to support the provision of IVF treatment; and if she will make a statement. | | (6073) | 117
N | Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding has been made available for self construct general practitioner registrar training in (a) the Eastern Deanery, (b) Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire and (c) England in 2005-06; how much was made available in 2004-05; and if she will make a statement. | | (6195) | 118
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in each London health authority have been admitted to hospital with respiratory problems resulting from pollution in each of the last five years. | | (6403) | 119
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will commission research into possible links between the use of hair dye and lymphoma. | | (6430) | 120
N | Mr Charles Walker (Broxbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will take steps to increase the funding for research to find treatments for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy; and if she will make a statement. | | (6062) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 121
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria were used in making the decision not to include measures to create aggravating factors for assaults against public sector workers in the Violent Crime Reduction Bill; and if he will make a statement. | | (6205) | 122
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which (a) organisations, (b) companies, (c) Government departments and (d) other Government bodies the Criminal Records Bureau has met to discuss Article 45 of the EU Public Procurement Directive 2004/18/EC. | | (6449) | 123
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects the members of the Review of the Law Relating to Bribery and Corruption team to meet. | | (6466) | 124
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. | | (6502) | 125
N | Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Central Ayrshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects to reply to the letter of 14th January, from the honourable Member for Central Ayrshire, regarding the application of Edward Salmon of McDonald Drive in Irvine for a British passport. | | (6159) | 126
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 7th June, Official Report, column 518W, on police precepts, if he will provide figures per capita of the population for each police authority in each year from 1997-98 to 2005-06. | | (5246) | 127
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment he has made of alternatives to the use of the mouse LD50 procedure. | | (6480) | 128
N | John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 13th June, Official Report, column 168W, on police, if he will supply the annex containing the substantive information to which he refers. | | (6061) | 129
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many students have applied to join the Science and Engineering Graduate scheme since its launch on 25th October 2004, broken down by courses defined by the JACS coding system; and how many have been refused. | | (6076) | 130
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the progress of the application by Olufemi Ojemuyiwa, reference A1194808, for indefinite leave to stay in the United Kingdom. | | (6147) | 131
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many convictions there were for acts of vandalism in each year since 1997. | | (6423) | 132
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many reports the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's Complaints Audit Committee produced in 2004; and how many complaints were made to it. | | (6431) | 133
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures he is undertaking to increase the number of immigration staff at key immigration posts in the UK. | | (6436) | 134
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects all immigration posts to be operated by the target number of staff. | | (6437) | 135
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what qualifications an official is required to possess to assess the standard of English of an applicant for citizenship in the UK. | | (6438) | 136
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which officials are entitled to assess the standard of English of an applicant for citizenship in the UK. | | (6439) | 137
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been refused UK citizenship based on an insufficient standard of English in each of the last 10 years, broken down by nationality. | | (6440) | 138
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to extend the length of visit visa that can be issued to an overseas doctor on successful completion of the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board examination. | | (6475) | 139
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many overseas doctors (a) made original applications for, (b) passed and (c) failed the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board examination; and how many who passed made renewal applications for their visit visa (i) in total, (ii) once, (iii) on two or three occasions, (iv) on four or five occasions and (v) on more than five occasions in each year. | | (6476) | 140
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures are in place to prevent the sale of (a) cigarettes and (b) alcohol to underage consumers, with particular reference to enforcement; and if he will make a statement. | | (6487) | Questions to the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, representing the House of Commons Commission 141
N | Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):To ask the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the annual value of the contract for cleaning the House has been in each year since the last contract was signed; and if he will make a statement. | | (6127) | 142
N | Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):To ask the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the average hourly wage paid to cleaners in the House is. | | (6128) | 143
N | Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):To ask the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will make a statement on discussions between the House authorities and its cleaning contractors concerning the pay of cleaners in the House. | | (6129) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 144
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. | | (6495) | Questions to the Leader of the House 145
N | Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Leader of the House, how many times the (a) Scottish and (b) Welsh Grand Committees have met outside the Houses of Parliament in each of the last four years. | | (6130) | 146
N | Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Leader of the House, for what reason the Northern Ireland Grand Committee has not met outside Westminster. | | (6131) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 147
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. | | (6499) | 148
N | Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, for what reasons he decided to invoke Crown Immunity in proceeding with his decision to site a new wastewater treatment works at Donaghadee, County Down; and what the reasons were for the timing of the decision. | | (5960) | 149
N | Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he expects to be in a position to report on whether parades which (a) took place and (b) will take place on the basis of technically incorrect uncompleted 11/1 forms are legal. | | (5961) | 150
N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many deaths in Northern Ireland in each year since 2000 have been attributable to clostridium difficile. | | (6146) | 151
N | Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what equality impact assessment was conducted on Circular HSS (Gen) (2) 2005. | | (5248) | 152
N | David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many trains pass through Lurgan on weekdays; and for how long on average each day William Street is closed to traffic and pedestrians as a result. | | (5247) | Questions to the Prime Minister 153
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Prime Minister, how much his Office has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. | | (6491) | 154
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Prime Minister, how many of the Chairs of Specialist Committees he approved on 14th June as Members of the Independent Honours Committee are (a) black and (b) Asian. | | (6448) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland 155
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. | | (6496) | Questions to the Solicitor General 156
N | Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield):To ask the Solicitor General, on what basis and for what reasons the responsibility for the use of juries in long and complex trials has been transferred to the Law Officers. | | (6074) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 157
N | Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimated cost savings were cited by ASE Consulting in the report which considered privatising the Export Control and Non-Proliferation Directorate; and if he will make a statement. | | (6157) | 158
N | Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has for the Support for Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad scheme; and if he will make a statement. | | (6158) | 159
N | Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of 13th June, Official Report, column 79W, on Export Credits Guarantee Department, when he expects to reach a settlement with the plaintiffs. | | (6183) | 160
N | Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of 13th June, Official Report, column 78W, on Export Credits Guarantee Department, when he expects the ECGD Pilot Trading Fund to be undertaken. | | (6184) | 161
N | Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of 13th June, Official Report, columns 78-9W, on Export Credits Guarantee Department, when he expects to report on the consultation; and if he will make a statement. | | (6185) | 162
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many allegations of overseas bribery and corruption by British companies have been received by his Department since May 2004. | | (6481) | 163
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. | | (6503) | 164
N | John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much has been paid in costs to Raleys Solicitors since the inception of the vibration white finger and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease compensation scheme. | | (6120) | 165
N | John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many cases have received (a) interim settlements and (b) full and final settlements under the Vendside and Union of Democratic Mineworkers' chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and vibration white finger schemes. | | (6121) | 166
N | John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many cases have been submitted under the Union of Democratic Mineworkers and Vendside agreement for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and vibration white finger in each year since 1999. | | (6122) | 167
N | John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much has been paid in costs under the Union of Democratic Mineworkers and Vendside scheme for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and vibration white finger in each year since 1999. | | (6123) | 168
N | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will discuss with British Telecom its proposal to remove the last remaining pay phone in the village of Longdon in Worcestershire. | | (6077) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 169
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many passengers transferred or transited at Heathrow between (a) two overseas destinations and (b) an overseas destination and a UK destination in each of the last five years. | | (6464) | 170
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of passengers at Heathrow who were (a) UK residents on business trips, (b) overseas residents on business trips to the UK, (c) overseas residents on business trips transferring or transiting at Heathrow en route to an overseas destination, (d) UK residents on leisure trips, (e) overseas residents on leisure trips to the UK and (f) overseas residents on leisure trips transferring or transiting at Heathrow en route to an overseas destination, in each of the last five years. | | (6465) | 171
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. | | (6494) | 172
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will defer the introduction of computerised MOT testing of vehicles until he has ascertained that the computerised procedure will save time; and if he will make a statement. | | (5168) | 173
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the operation of the blue badge scheme, with particular reference to the requirement to (a) display the badge and (b) produce it on demand. | | (6148) | 174
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what public funds have been made available in each of the last three years to maintain the track from (a) London to Reading, (b) Reading to Exeter and (c) Exeter to Plymouth; and what steps he is taking to ensure that Railtrack maintains the rails to the West Country to a sufficient specification to enable high-speed trains (a) to run from London to Plymouth daily in under three hours and (b) to keep to schedule. | | (5963) | 175
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will ensure that the level of on-board catering will be a consideration of the franchise document for the West of England franchise. | | (5966) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales 176
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. | | (6490) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 177
N | Sir John Butterfill (Bournemouth West):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the impact on (a) employees and (b) users of the Social Security Office in Cotlands Road, Bournemouth of its proposed closure as a processing centre; and if he will make a statement. | | (6124) | 178
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. | | (6493) | 179
N | Mr Andrew Smith (Oxford East):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people declared part-time earnings whilst claiming (a) jobseeker's allowance and (b) income support in each of the last five years. | | (5556) | 180
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time in England was for processing (a) initial housing benefit claims, (b) changes of circumstances in existing claims, (c) claims for council tax benefit and (d) changes of circumstances for council tax benefit, in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by local authority. | | (6415) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 181
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list seminars and presentations organised by the Government for the UK business community since December 2003 to raise awareness of the UK's obligations under (a) the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Anti-Bribery Convention and (b) Part 12 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. | | [Transferred] (6468) |
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