Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2005 - 06
Publications on the internet
The Questions Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Thursday 21 July 2005

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

Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Thursday 21 July 2005
(the 'Questions Book')

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Thursday 21 July 2005

This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Thursday 21 July of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

For other Written Questions for answer on Thursday 21 July of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Thursday 21 July see Part 2 of this paper.

Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

1
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will list the management consultants employed by his Department in each of the last three years.

(14239)

Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

2
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, under what circumstances from April 2006 funds from a self-invested personal pension can be invested in properties already owned by the fund holder prior to April 2006, or prior to the fund being set up.

(14379)

3
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether payments equivalent to market rent must be made into self- invested personal pension funds for properties bought with fund finances during periods for which they are unoccupied.

(14380)

4
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people classified as having a disability are eligible for working tax credit; and what the percentage uptake is amongst this group.

(14381)

5
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what types of property may be purchased, and in what circumstances, with funds from a self-invested personal pension from April 2006.

(14382)

6
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the net effect on revenues to his Department of the changes to self invested personal pension funds due to be implemented in April 2006 for each of the next five financial years.

(14436)

7
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, in what circumstances funds from the sale of properties financed through a self invested personal pension fund will be subject to capital gains tax from April 2006.

(14437)

8
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many young people will reach the age of 18 years in each of the 10 years commencing 2000.

(14260)

9
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many men aged (a) between 60 and 65, (b) 66 and 70 and (c) over 70 years of age are estimated to be employed in England and Wales.

(14264)

10
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) males and (b) females reached retirement age in each year since 1975.

(14265)

11
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of people in (a) England and Wales, (b) Essex, (c) the Metropolitan Police Area of London and (d) Southend paid income tax at the (i) starting rate of 10 per cent., (ii) basic rate of 22 per cent. and (iii) higher rate of 40 per cent. in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14287)

12
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the purchasing power is of the pound sterling, taking its May 1997 value as 100p.

(14288)

13
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average value of the pound sterling against the United States Dollar has been in each month since 1997.

(14289)

14
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the survival rates for each of the common forms of cancer have been in each year since 1980, broken down by (a) social class and (b) English region.

(14290)

15
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have had their tax credit payments suspended due to overpayments in each year since the tax credit system was introduced in (a) each county in England and Wales and (b) Wellingborough constituency.

(14771)

16
Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit claimants in the Tunbridge Wells constituency there were in each year since the scheme began; and how many have been (a) underpaid and (b) overpaid.

(14355)

17
John Cummings (Easington):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many deaths where alcohol was the primary cause there were in the last five years in Easington constituency.

(14469)

18
John Cummings (Easington):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people were employed in (a) call centres and (b) manufacturing in Easington constituency in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(14470)

19
John Cummings (Easington):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many deaths where misuse of drugs was the primary cause there were in the Easington constituency in the last five years.

(14472)

20
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Department has spent promoting equality and diversity in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14656)

21
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on progress on achieving a further derogation from EU law for marine operators who use red diesel.

(14083)

22
Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will exempt hospices from VAT on building work and major repairs.

(14232)

23
Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects to announce the appointment of the next National Statistician; and if he will make a statement.

(14234)

24
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12th July, Official Report, column 889W, on Hiatt handcuffs, if he will place a copy of the results of the HM Revenue and Customs investigation into large Hiatt handcuffs in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

(14351)

25
N Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many claimants had (a) in-year and (b) end-of year adjustments made to their tax credits awards in each year since 2003-04; and in how many in-year adjustments the tax credit award was reduced to zero.

(13918)

26
N Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit awards were reduced in response to an alleged overpayment and subsequently discovered not to have been overpaid in (a) 2003-04 and (b) 2004-05.

(13920)

27
N Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) number and (b) value of additional hardship tax credit payments made to tax credit claimants has been since their inception.

(13921)

28
N Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) complaints, (b) disputed overpayments and (c) appeals against Inland Revenue decisions are registered with the tax credits office.

(13924)

29
N Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the value was of tax credit payments made to people with awards whose incomes were in excess of (a) £50,000, (b) £52,000, (c) £55,000 and (d) £57,500 in (i) 2003-04 and (ii) 2004-05.

(13925)

30
Mr David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families in Midlothian have received the child trust fund.

(14753)

31
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what measures his Department is taking to enable developing countries to examine the Bretton Woods Institutions' programmes before they are implemented.

(14201)

32
N Mr Doug Henderson (Newcastle upon Tyne North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was spent by his Department and public bodies and agencies for which he is responsible on security contracts with Group 4 Securicor in 2004-05; and if he will list (a) the nature and location of services provided and (b) the start and end dates of such contracts.

[R] (13525)

33
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the change he announced to the Treasury Select Committee on 19th July on the start date for the economic cycle will require revision and alteration of documents and economic assessments previously published by his Department.

(14632)

34
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he consulted the financial and business communities before announcing the revision to the start date for the economic cycle to the Treasury Select Committee on 19th July; and when the decision was made to change the start date for the economic cycle.

(14633)

35
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many working tax credit overpayments there were in each parliamentary constituency in each of the last two years; and what the total value was of overpayments in each year.

(14856)

36
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total value is of overpayments for each tax credit, broken down by region and nation of the UK.

(14857)

37
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate for each tax credit the value of unclaimed credits, broken down by nation and region of the UK.

(14858)

38
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total value of unclaimed tax refunds was for each year since 2001.

(14860)

39
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total value is of unclaimed assets in national savings accounts.

(14861)

40
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what percentage of pensioners do not pay income tax at the basic rate, broken down by nation and region of the UK.

(14862)

41
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the costs of administering (a) the introduction of a lower or higher basic rate income tax level for Scotland and (b) the annual costs of such a change.

(14863)

42
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Dundee East constituency, (ii) Tayside and (iii) the City of Dundee was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14874)

43
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will set out for each region (a) total public expenditure, (b) total public expenditure excluding debt interest, (c) total public expenditure excluding all transfer payments, (d) total public expenditure excluding all transfer payments and all defence expenditure, (e) total public expenditure on education, (f) total public expenditure on health, (g) total public expenditure on the police and (h) total public expenditure on transfer payments as a share of gross domestic product.

(14120)

44
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) total public expenditure, (b) public expenditure excluding debt interest, (c) public expenditure excluding transfer payments, (d) public expenditure excluding transfer payments and defence expenditure, (e) public expenditure on education, (f) public expenditure on health, (g) public expenditure on the police and (h) public expenditure on transfer payments was in 2004-05 per head of population in each standard region calculated on the same basis as the usual figures provided for the UK.

(14163)

45
Mr Fraser Kemp (Houghton & Washington East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will extend the new Savings Gateway scheme for low income and unemployed people to the constituency of Houghton and Washington East.

(14450)

46
Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what percentage of people in Milton Keynes are classified as (a) professionals and (b) skilled workers; and if he will make a statement.

(14255)

47
Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what percentage of people in Milton Keynes are employed in (a) service industries and (b) manufacturing industries; and if he will make a statement.

(14256)

48
Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the unemployment rate was in Milton Keynes in each year between 2001 and 2005; and if he will make a statement.

(14257)

49
Peter Law (Blaenau Gwent):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how he intends to implement Paragraph 3.12 of the White Paper, Better Government for Wales (Cm 6582), in respect of any bill he introduces in the current session of Parliament.

(14952)

50
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many hours of overtime have been worked by staff in the tax credit office in each of the last four years; and what the cost of this overtime was.

(14342)

51
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people (a) left Inland Revenue's tax credit office and (b) were recruited to permanent posts in the tax credit office in each of the last four years; what proportion of tax credit staff are employed on a temporary basis or on contracts of less than a year; and what the average pay is for staff working in (i) the tax credit office and (ii) HM Revenue and Customs as a whole.

(14343)

52
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people with incomes below £10,000 per year had incomes above the personal income tax allowance for each year from 1997-98 to 2005-06; and if he will make a statement.

(14344)

53
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Chairman of HM Revenue and Customs will make a substantive reply to the letter of the honourable Member for Thurrock dated 16th June in connection with the case of Mr and Mrs K R Collins of Aveley, Essex.

(14081)

54
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, why acknowledgement letters to honourable Members from the Chairman of HM Revenue and Customs do not contain any reference number or other indication as to how letters can be subsequently traced; and if he will make a statement.

(14082)

55
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his Department's policy is for dealing with and responding to correspondence received in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14728)

56
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what facilities his Department has to deal with telephone enquiries in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14729)

57
Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families in the Wansbeck constituency have been advised by the Inland Revenue that they have been overpaid tax credits; and how many families have had their overpayments written off.

(14463)

58
Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many children in the Wansbeck constituency are eligible to receive the child trust fund; and how many applications have been made from the Wansbeck constituency.

(14465)

59
N Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons honourable Members are not able to file their tax returns via the Internet.

(14027)

60
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in the (i) Moray constituency and (ii) Highland Region was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14842)

61
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Department has spent on external media relations in each of the last 12 months.

(14676)

62
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Banff and Buchan and (ii) the North East of Scotland was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14881)

63
Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects to complete his enquiries as to when the Enforcement Notice was issued by the Inland Revenue against Les Goodland Ltd of Paignton and sent to his accountant, Mr C Howe, of Totnes Road, Paignton.

(14425)

64
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) subject matter and (b) dates were of opinion survey research undertaken by the Department and its agencies in the last 12 months; if he will place copies of the results of each survey in the Library; which companies were used in conducting the research; and how much each was paid.

(14807)

65
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will amend Her Majesty's Customs and Excise Notice 263 to take account of the terms of EU Council Directive 2003/96/EC.

(14891)

66
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with representatives of the fishing industry and other marine interests on the impact of EU Council Directive 2003/96/EC on their industries.

(14893)

67
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Government has made of the impact on its revenues of changes in oil and gas prices.

(14452)

68
Hywel Williams (Caernarfon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking as part of the efficiency review to safeguard Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs' future provision of services to the public through the medium of the Welsh language.

(14823)

69
Hywel Williams (Caernarfon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential change of the number of Welsh speakers employed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs as a result of the efficiency review.

(14825)

70
N Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people who had their application to open a bank account declined on the basis that they represented a risk of money laundering were subsequently allowed to open a bank account in the UK, having provided further information.

(14014)

71
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in Perth and North Perthshire was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14915)

72
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests have been answered by the Department; and in how many cases (a) information was wholly exempted, (b) information was partly exempted and (c) the requests were answered in full.

(14956)

Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

73
Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what computerisation or IT failures have occurred in projects managed by the Cabinet Office in each year since 1997; what the contracted cost of the project was in each case; and what estimate he has made of the (a) direct and (b) indirect costs of failure or breakdown in each case.

(14369)

74
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what the total expenditure saved was in each of the last three years as a result of implementing recommendations by management consultancies within his Department and its predecessors.

(14824)

75
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what measures his Department has put in place to respond to a deliberate release of harmful gaseous substances.

(14786)

Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs

76
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if she will summarise responses to the consultation document (a) Who Decides? Making decisions on behalf of mentally incapacitated adults and (b) Making Decisions: Helping people who have difficulty for themselves; and if she will make a statement.

(14313)

77
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what recent discussions she has held with the Archbishop of Cardiff regarding the Mental Capacity Act 2005, with particular reference to (a) its implementation and (b) the draft Code of Practice to be introduced under the Act; and if she will make a statement.

(14314)

78
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with (a) honourable Members, (b) Members of the House of Lords and (c) interested organisations concerning the development of policy on (i) assisted suicide, (ii) euthanasia and (c) the Mental Capacity Act 2005; if she will list those organisations; and if she will make a statement.

(14315)

79
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, when she will answer Question reference 6175 from the honourable Member for Sutton and Cheam.

(14594)

80
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what progress has been made with research into the effects of changing the small claims limit for personal injuries.

(13667)

81
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, whether she plans to hold a public consultation prior to changing the small claims limit for personal injuries.

(13668)

82
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what plans she has to alter the registration procedures for voting in elections.

(13669)

83
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how much the Department has spent promoting equality and diversity in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14671)

84
Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12th July, Official Report, column 868W, on Election Voting, whether any Commonwealth country has reciprocal measures in place with the United Kingdom to allow British nationals, when resident in that country, to vote in (a) local and (b) national elections.

(14327)

85
Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how much legal aid was paid to (a) solicitors, (b) junior counsel and (c) senior counsel in each year in England and Wales since 2000.

(14583)

86
N Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the current status is of the inquest into the death of Dr David Kelly.

(12850)

87
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the total spending by her Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Dundee East constituency, (ii) Tayside and (iii) the City of Dundee was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14872)

88
Peter Law (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how she intends to implement Paragraph 3.12 of the White Paper, Better Government for Wales (Cm 6582), in respect of any bill she introduces in the current session of Parliament.

(14942)

89
Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, which rulings of the European Court of Human Rights have not been fully implemented by the United Kingdom Government; what the obstacles are to full implementation of those rulings; and if she will make a statement.

(14755)

90
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what her Department's policy is for dealing with and responding to correspondence received in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14703)

91
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what facilities her Department has to deal with telephone enquiries in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14704)

92
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how much the Department has spent on external media relations in each month of the last year.

(14683)

93
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the (a) subject matter and (b) dates were of opinion survey research undertaken by the Department and its agencies in the last 12 months; if she will place copies of the results of each survey in the Library; which companies were used in conducting the research; and how much each was paid.

(14813)

94
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the total spending by her Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in Perth and North Perthshire was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14918)

95
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests have been answered by the Department; and in how many cases (a) information was wholly exempted, (b) information was partly exempted and (c) the requests were answered in full.

(14964)

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

96
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to visit Highland Games events in 2005; and if she will make a statement.

(14440)

97
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has a media literacy development strategy; and if she will make a statement.

(14441)

98
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how her Department defines media literacy.

(14442)

99
Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield, Attercliffe):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has received from industry on the draft Best Practice Guidance for Tourism.

(14415)

100
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the ban on pistol shooting will be lifted to allow the UK Olympic pistol shooting teams to practice in the UK; and if she will make a statement.

(14383)

101
Mr Nicholas Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what issues she will consider when making her assessment of the regional casino pilot.

(14159)

102
Mr Nicholas Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the range of different types of location of casinos that need to be considered in undertaking a trial of the potential advantages and disadvantages of regional casinos.

(14161)

103
Mr Nicholas Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has held with the Gambling Commission concerning the Commission's duty to advise the Government on the effect on problem gambling of the introduction of new types of casinos; and what advice she has received regarding the suitability of the single regional casino pilot for an assessment of the effect of such casinos on problem gambling.

(14162)

104
Mr Nicholas Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the evidential basis is for her policy of testing the regional casino idea with a single pilot study.

(14419)

105
Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on the implications for his Department of the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003 after 7th November.

(14117)

106
Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what action she will expect from police forces regarding those who have neither a premises licence nor a personal licence under the Licensing Act 2003 after 7th November.

(14118)

107
Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her Department's priorities are for the next 12 months.

(14850)

108
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Department has spent promoting equality and diversity in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14670)

109
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many and what percentage of viewers in the Stroud constituency (a) have access to Freeview and (b) have converted from analogue to digital broadcasting; what strategy she has put in place to complete the conversion process; and if she will make a statement.

(14152)

110
Mr David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many households in Midlothian are unable to receive digital television.

(14187)

111
Mr David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people are employed by TV Licensing in Scotland.

(14194)

112
Mr David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much has been spent on advertising on commercial radio to publicise the need to hold a current television licence in each of the last three years.

(14195)

113
Mr David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people in Midlothian were found by TV Licensing not to have a current television licence in 2004.

(14796)

114
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what process is used to audit the financial performance of Ofcom.

(14200)

115
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with (a) the British Canoe Union and (b) others on improving the accessibility of rivers in England and Wales to the public.

(14851)

116
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to promote the sport of canoeing in England and Wales.

(14868)

117
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the total spending by her Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Dundee East constituency, (ii) Tayside and (iii) the City of Dundee was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14878)

118
Peter Law (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how she intends to implement Paragraph 3.12 of the White Paper, Better Government for Wales (Cm 6582), in respect of any bill she introduces in the current session of Parliament.

(14949)

119
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her Department's policy is for dealing with and responding to correspondence received in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14734)

120
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what facilities her Department has to deal with telephone enquiries in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14735)

121
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to encourage tourists to visit mountain bike trail sites.

(14746)

122
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the total spending by her Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Moray constituency and (ii) the Highland Region was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14853)

123
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Department has spent on external media relations in each month of the last year.

(14680)

124
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the total spending by her Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Banff and Buchan and (ii) the North East of Scotland was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14887)

125
Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much has been spent on advertising on television warning against the failure to hold a current television licence in the last five years.

(14148)

126
Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which community organisations in Paisley and Renfrewshire North have received Awards for All grants since 1999.

(14149)

127
Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people in Paisley and Renfrewshire North were found by TV Licensing not to have a current television licence in 2004.

(14151)

128
Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what consultations she has had with landlords in Devon and Cornwall regarding the provision of digital transmission for tenants living in multiple dwelling units.

(14569)

129
Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what provision has been made for households in Devon and Cornwall that will be unable to receive a digital signal by 2008.

(14570)

130
Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps will be taken to ensure that the elderly and housebound in Devon and Cornwall have the opportunity to acquire a digital tuner by 2008.

(14571)

131
Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of whether a digital signal will be available to every household in Devon and Cornwall by the time analogue transmission is ended.

(14572)

132
Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many households that are receivers of analogue transmission in Devon and Cornwall are unable to receive a digital signal.

(14573)

133
N Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many members of the public her Department consulted on the proposed changes to the National Lottery.

(13054)

134
N Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the total number of responses was from members of the public to her Department's consultation on the National Lottery.

(13055)

135
N Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Big Lottery Fund regarding the future of other Lottery distributors.

(13056)

136
N Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Big Lottery Fund regarding the future classification of Lottery good causes after 2009.

(13057)

137
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Health on possible use of Lottery funding in schemes within the health service.

(14096)

138
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has given directions to the Big Lottery Fund to reduce balances held in the National Lottery Distribution Fund.

(14097)

139
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether it is her intention that the Big Lottery Fund should be responsible for the distribution of more than 50 per cent. of Lottery good cause funding.

(14098)

140
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Education and Skills on the use of Lottery funding for projects in schools.

(14099)

141
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to launch the consultation on Lottery distributor licences after 2009.

(14100)

142
Mr Charles Walker (Broxbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many full-time equivalent employees worked for the National Lottery Commission in each year since it was established.

(14407)

143
Mr Charles Walker (Broxbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the annual budget has been for the National Lottery Commission for each year since it was established.

(14408)

144
Mr Charles Walker (Broxbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether companies based outside the EU will be allowed to tender for the third licence to operate the National Lottery; what safeguards will be put in place if the National Lottery is awarded to a non-EU company; and if she will make a statement.

(14409)

145
Mr Charles Walker (Broxbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what meetings she has held with the National Lottery Commission to discuss the responses to the consultation document A Lottery for the Future.

(14410)

146
Mr Charles Walker (Broxbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many responses the National Lottery Commission received to its consultation document A Lottery for the Future; and when those responses will be published.

(14411)

147
Mr Charles Walker (Broxbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many times the National Lottery Commission (NLC) has (a) investigated section 6 breaches by Camelot and (b) fined Camelot for section 6 breaches of its licence (i) since the NLC began (ii) under Oflot.

(14412)

148
Mr Charles Walker (Broxbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations the National Lottery Commission has received from organisations representing lottery ticket sellers about a possible change of operator following the award of the third licence for the National Lottery.

(14413)

149
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the (a) subject matter and (b) dates were of opinion survey research undertaken by the Department and its agencies in the last 12 months; if she will place copies of the results of each survey in the Library; which companies were used in conducting the research; and how much each was paid.

(14816)

150
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the total financial support provided to date from (a) the Government and (b) Lottery funding for the London bid for the 2012 Olympics has been.

(14896)

151
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether it is her policy to provide financial support for the bid to bring the Commonwealth Games to Glasgow in 2014.

(14897)

152
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Scottish Executive on a Glasgow bid for the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

(14898)

153
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the total spending by her Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in Perth and North Perthshire was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14921)

154
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests have been answered by the Department; and in how many cases (a) information was wholly exempted, (b) information was partly exempted and (c) the requests were answered in full.

(14967)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence

155
Mr Nicholas Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what future naval shipbuilding work he has identified as being suitable for Swan Hunter shipyard to tender for; and what the timetable is for that work.

(14157)

156
N Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Diana Elias, of Enfield Southgate, is eligible for a £10,000 award under the ex-gratia scheme for British groups interned by the Japanese during the Second World War.

(14080)

157
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Department has spent promoting equality and diversity in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14669)

158
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the accuracy of the count of civilian deaths and casualties in Iraq by (a) the Iraq Body Count, (b) the Lancet Study and (c) the Iraq Living Conditions Survey; and what effect these counts have had on procedures for casualty counts used by UK and allied forces.

(14582)

159
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost has been of stationing UK troops in Afghanistan in each year since the operation began.

(14449)

160
Mr David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK troops will be stationed in Belize in December.

(14790)

161
Mr David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the Territorial Army in Scotland are stationed in Iraq.

(14791)

162
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what metrics have been established for measuring the Department's success in achieving Public Service Agreement Objective II; and what weighting has been assigned to training projects (AVTS, DTR, RSME) in terms of contributing to the achievement of this objective.

(14751)

163
N Mr David Heath (Somerton & Frome):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what level of hearing loss equates to a 20 per cent. disablement in considering applications to the Armed Forces Compensation scheme; and what evidence his Department uses for this assessment.

(14022)

164
N Mr David Heath (Somerton & Frome):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of whether there can be variation in the time taken for the full consequences of noise-induced hearing loss to become apparent.

(14023)

165
N Mr David Heath (Somerton & Frome):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what percentage of applications for war disablement pensions were successful for each major disability in each year since April 1997.

(14024)

166
N Mr David Heath (Somerton & Frome):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance relating to the application of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.

(14025)

167
N Mr Doug Henderson (Newcastle upon Tyne North):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much was spent by his Department and public bodies and agencies for which he is responsible on security contracts with Group 4 Securicor in 2004-05; and if he will list (a) the nature and location of services provided and (b) the start and end dates of such contracts.

[R] (13524)

168
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Dundee East constituency, (ii) Tayside and (iii) the City of Dundee was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14879)

169
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what instructions he has issued to senior members of the armed forces on discussions and meetings they may have with honourable and Right honourable Members; and whether guidance has been altered in the past two years.

(14196)

170
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, at what notice each (a) aircraft carrier and (b) landing platform (helicopter and dock) will be available to the Fleet during the next 12 months.

(13370)

171
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the major Royal Navy vessels available for (a) each standing task and (b) ad hoc tasks.

(13371)

172
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many warheads are carried by each SSBN on patrol; and if he will make a statement.

(13372)

173
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his latest assessment is of the ability of the Fleet to protect itself against (a) missile and (b) aircraft attack.

(13373)

174
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the cost of a future generation nuclear deterrent will fall on (a) the Exchequer, (b) the Defence Budget and (c) the budget of the single service supplying the deterrent.

(13374)

175
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which of the 65 RN and RFA ships which donated ships' fitted equipment between 1st January 2004 and 31st March 2005 remain unavailable for deployment at sea; and for what reason in each case.

(14079)

176
Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which of the 65 RN and RFA vessels listed in the letter from the Minister of State (Armed Forces) dated 4th July as having donated ships' fitted equipment between 1st January 2004 and 31st March 2005 are still without the donated equipment; and what the main items of equipment donated were in each case.

(14491)

177
Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions his Department has had with US counterparts about the next generation of the UK nuclear deterrent.

(14492)

178
Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the £1,050,000,000 to be spent over the next three years on upgrading facilities for the Atomic Weapons Establishment will be relevant (a) only to the existing Trident warhead stockpile and (b) also to a future generation of the UK nuclear deterrent.

(14493)

179
Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list (a) the reasons for designating each of the Royal Navy ships referred to in his Written Answer of 13th July, Official Report, column 1080W, for reduced support status, with special reference to HMS Albion and HMS St Albans, (b) the age of each of these vessels and (c) the time it would take to bring each of them to a state of readiness to serve with the Fleet if required.

(14646)

180
Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what computerisation or IT failures have occurred in projects managed by (a) his Department and (b) the various branches of the armed forces in each year since 1997; what the contracted cost of the project was in each case; and what estimate he has made of the (i) direct and (ii) indirect costs of failure or breakdown in each case.

(14368)

181
N Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions (a) he and (b) officials in his Department have had with United States officials regarding the replacement of Trident; whom they involved; when they took place; and if he will make a statement.

(13964)

182
N Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions (a) he and (b) officials in his Department have had with (i) UK defence companies and (ii) overseas defence companies regarding the replacement of Trident; whom they involved; when they took place; and if he will make a statement.

(13965)

183
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Moray constituency and (ii) the Highland Region was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14855)

184
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will estimate the costs associated with the defence of UK overseas territories in each of the last four years.

(14909)

185
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the costs were of running and maintaining UK military facilities in (a) UK overseas territories and (b) other UK military facilities overseas in each of the last four years.

(14910)

186
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will estimate the economic value to local communities of each of his Department's facilities with staff of over 10 personnel.

(14911)

187
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list all of his Department's facilities in the UK with staff of over 10 personnel, broken down by nation and region of the UK.

(14912)

188
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the operational strength is of the Royal Navy's (a) destroyers and (b) frigates.

(14516)

189
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many medals have been awarded to soldiers who have served or are serving in Iraq, broken down by medal designation.

(14517)

190
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many payments have been made in the last five years to members and former members of HM armed forces in compensation for ill-treatment, bullying or harassment experienced while serving; and what the total cost was in each year.

(14518)

191
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many applications to join the Army were made in each year since 1998; and how many applicants were successful in each year.

(14525)

192
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many applications to join the Army from Northern Ireland were rejected on national security grounds in (a) 2003-04 and (b) 2004-05.

(14526)

193
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Department has spent on external media relations in each month of the last year.

(14678)

194
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Banff and Buchan and (ii) the North East of Scotland was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14889)

195
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his US counterparts on the replacement of the Trident nuclear weapons system.

(14989)

196
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the UK Government has paid Atomic Weapons Establishment Management Limited in each of the last 20 years.

(14990)

197
Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what purpose the Versatile Intermediate Pulsed Energy Reactor (VIPER) at the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston is used; what its running costs were in 2004-05; what energy it consumed in that year; whether he has requested AWE Management Ltd to conduct a sustainability audit of VIPER; and whether it has been used for collaborative work with scientists from the United States Energy or Defense Department under the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement on atomic energy matters.

(14934)

198
Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what purpose scientists from (a) his Department and (b) the Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston are engaged in collaboration with scientists at the US Sandia National Library on the SPHINX x-ray simulator.

(14936)

199
Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what purpose marginal initiation characterisation tests are conducted at Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston; how many have been conducted since July 2004; and what the cost is of each such test.

(14937)

200
Paddy Tipping (Sherwood):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the progress and timetable of the review of the defence estate byelaws.

(14414)

201
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) subject matter and (b) dates were of opinion survey research undertaken by the Department and its agencies in the last 12 months; if he will place copies of the results of each survey in the Library; which companies were used in conducting the research; and how much each was paid.

(14808)

202
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in Perth and North Perthshire was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14913)

203
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests have been answered by the Department; and in how many cases (a) information was wholly exempted, (b) information was partly exempted and (c) the requests were answered in full.

(14954)

Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister

204
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the number of unoccupied dwellings, broken down by local authority area.

(14275)

205
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many council houses have been sold to sitting tenants since May 1979.

(14277)

206
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many and what percentage of (a) one-parent families and (b) two-parent families have been living in (i) private rented housing, (ii) local authority housing, (iii) owner-occupied housing with a mortgage, (iv) owner-occupied housing owned outright, (v) shared accommodation and (vi) housing association accommodation in each year since 1997.

(14278)

207
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much council tax was uncollected within the Southend local authority in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by council tax band.

(14279)

208
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many homeless households in the Southend West constituency have been resident in bed-and-breakfast accommodation in each year since 2000; and what percentage of them claimed benefit in each year.

(14280)

209
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many attacks have been recorded on members of fire crews in (a) Essex and (b) the Metropolitan Police area of London in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

(14281)

210
Janet Anderson (Rossendale & Darwen):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make an assessment of the (a) effectiveness and (b) coverage of the OFTEC scheme.

(14562)

211
Janet Anderson (Rossendale & Darwen):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what his latest estimate is of the proportion of oil-fired heating installers which are covered by the OFTEC scheme.

(14564)

212
Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield, Attercliffe):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what representations he has received from industry on the draft Best Practice Guidance for Tourism.

(14416)

213
Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield, Attercliffe):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many consultants have been employed to advise on the Best Practice Guidance for Tourism; who they are; what their brief was; what the cost of the contracts was; and for what reasons the contracts were terminated.

(14417)

214
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the siting of onshore windfarm developments, with specific reference to Airfield Farm, Podington, Bedfordshire.

(14384)

215
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the number of houses to be built in Wellingborough constituency in each of the next 20 years.

(14770)

216
Colin Burgon (Elmet):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much revenue support grant was awarded to Leeds City Council in each year since 1995-96.

(14418)

217
Mr Douglas Carswell (Harwich):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many fire stations have closed since January 2000.

(14784)

218
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the net cost to each fire authority of the proposed regionalisation of fire control centres; and what methodology will be used for precepting.

(14608)

219
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what trials will be carried out on mobile data terminals in connection with the proposed regionalisation of fire control centres.

(14609)

220
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the timescale is for announcing the location of the Regional Fire Control Headquarters.

(14610)

221
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether Quedegely will be one of the candidates for the new Regional Fire Centre.

(14611)

222
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions have taken place in his Department on merging county fire brigades.

(14612)

223
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the expected change will be in response times for fire emergencies following the proposed regionalisation of fire control centres.

(14613)

224
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the timescale is for adoption of each (a) regional spatial strategy, (b) county structure plan and (c) local development plan.

(14617)

225
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what studies have been undertaken on the number of appliances required by each fire brigade; and who will make decisions on numbers of appliances under the proposed regionalisation of fire control centres.

(14618)

226
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how areas where there is no radio signal will be administered under the Government proposals to regionalise fire control centres; and what percentage of the total area is involved.

(14621)

227
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the costs are of (a) dismantling the present fire control system and (b) establishing the regionalised fire control system.

(14622)

228
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many (a) jobs will be lost and (b) new jobs will be created following the regionalisation of the fire service.

(14623)

229
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the role of the Fire Training College at Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire will be under the proposed regionalised fire control arrangements.

(14625)

230
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, who will determine the numbers of reserve and professional firefighters under the proposed regionalisation of fire control centres.

(14653)

231
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the training strategy will be under the proposed regionalisation of fire control centres; and whether this will involve developing more regional training structures.

(14654)

232
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much the Department has spent promoting equality and diversity in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14668)

233
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what guidance he offers to local authorities on the procedures for dealing with retrospective planning applications; how many retrospective applications were received by each local authority in the last year for which figures are available; how many of these were subsequently (a) successful and (b) withdrawn; and in how many cases enforcement action was taken.

(14782)

234
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the local authorities in the South-East (a) whose housing waiting list is open to applicants who live and work in the area and (b) that operate a closed list available only to applicants with a direct local connection.

(14752)

235
Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many people in Milton Keynes are classified as homeless.

(14246)

236
Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much funding Milton Keynes Unitary Authority has received from all Government sources over the past 10 years in (a) nominal and (b) real terms.

(14258)

237
Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many (a) consultation and (b) advisory documents were sent to parish councils in the North East Milton Keynes constituency by his Department in each of the last five years.

(14259)

238
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what his Department's policy is for dealing with and responding to correspondence received in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14705)

239
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what facilities his Department has to deal with telephone enquiries in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14706)

240
Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what computerisation or IT failures have occurred in public sector projects managed by his Department in each year since 1997; what the contracted cost of the project was in each case; and what estimate he has made of the direct and indirect costs of failure or breakdown in each case.

(14364)

241
Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what appointments were made to lead bodies providing services related to housing provision for which he is responsible in each year since 1997; and what their (a) role, (b) pay, (c) length of tenure at appointment and (d) previous experience in the (i) public sector and (ii) private sector was in each case.

(14374)

242
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, for what reason councils opting to retain council housing stock have to prepare a 30-year financial forecast; and what assistance the Government provides in preparation of such plans.

(14235)

243
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much funding has been made available to registered social landlords since performance requirements for gap funding were removed.

(14747)

244
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the arm's length management organisations in operation, broken down by date of creation; and what sums have been paid by the Government to date.

(14748)

245
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many (a) councils, (b) registered social landlords and (c) arm's length management organisations have tenants' representation structures.

(14749)

246
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the cost for each member of the social housing task force was in the last year for which figures are available; what contribution (a) councils considering transfer and (b) the private sector makes to its costs; and what assessment he has made of the effects on the private sector of the task force.

(14750)

247
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many traveller caravans were on (a) authorised and (b) unauthorised sites in (i) South Cambridgeshire, (ii) East Cambridgeshire, (iii) Cambridgeshire and (iv) England in each year since 1997.

(14584)

248
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many hectares of undeveloped green belt there were in Cambridgeshire in (a) 1997 and (b) the latest date for which figures are available.

(14585)

249
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what proportion of Cambridgeshire comprised undeveloped green belt in (a) 1997 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available.

(14586)

250
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many empty homes there are in (a) South Cambridgeshire and (b) East Cambridgeshire.

(14587)

251
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many households in (a) South Cambridgeshire and (b) East Cambridgeshire were accepted as homeless in each year since 1997.

(14588)

252
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what recent estimate he has made of the number of rough sleepers in Cambridgeshire.

(14589)

253
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much the Department has spent on external media relations in each month of the last year.

(14674)

254
Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the average time taken to arrange a site visit by a representative of the Planning Inspectorate in cases of appeal against a planning decision by the local authority was in 2004-05; how long he estimates the time taken to arrange a site visit to 7 and 8 Fore Street, Salcombe, Devon will be; and if he will make a statement.

(14376)

255
Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the Draper Report on Childhood cancer in relation to distance from high voltage power lines in England and Wales: a case-control study; and if he will make a statement.

(14776)

256
Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will introduce an immediate moratorium on the building of new homes in the vicinity of high voltage power lines; and if he will make a statement.

(14777)

257
Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will discuss the findings of the Draper Report on Childhood cancer in relation to distance from high voltage power lines in England and Wales: a case-control study with (a) ministerial colleagues in the Department for Education and Skills and the Department of Health and (b) the National Grid and power suppliers; and if he will make a statement.

(14778)

258
N Peter Viggers (Gosport):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the incident response times were at the existing fire control centres in the latest year for which figures are available; what the evidential basis is for the statement that incident response times will be improved after a move to regional fire control centres; and if he will make a statement.

(13934)

259
Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the funding allocations for local authorities in the West Midlands from the Regional Housing Board were for (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2005-06.

(14113)

260
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the (a) subject matter and (b) dates were of opinion survey research undertaken by the Department and its agencies in the last 12 months; if he will place copies of the results of each survey in the Library; which companies were used in conducting the research; and how much each was paid.

(14805)

261
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests have been answered by the Department; and in how many cases information was (a) wholly exempted, (b) partly exempted and (c) the requests were answered in full.

(14959)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills

262
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many copies of the Green Paper Youth Matters have been, or will be, distributed to (a) schools, (b) youth groups and (c) youth work organisations.

(14404)

263
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how her Department defines media literacy.

(14405)

264
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether her Department has strategies for improving media literacy in (a) school education, (b) further and higher education and (c) adult education; and if she will make a statement.

(14406)

265
Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make an assessment of the effect on the Finnish education system on the teaching of social behaviour and willingness to learn in early years education; and if she will make a statement.

(14561)

266
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) three and (b) four-year-old children in Southend West attended nursery in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

(14126)

267
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children in Southend West have taken up free nursery places in each year since the policy was introduced; and if she will make a statement.

(14127)

268
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many and what percentage of pupils in (a) Southend, (b) the Metropolitan Police area of London and (c) Hertfordshire went on to higher education from (i) maintained school sixth forms, (ii) sixth form colleges, (iii) further education colleges and (iv) special schools in the last year for which figures are available.

(14128)

269
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what grants have been made by her Department to Southend Council in each year since 1997.

(14129)

270
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children were (a) suspended for a time and (b) permanently expelled from a school in Essex in each of the past five years, broken down by local authority.

(14130)

271
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many incidents of bullying of children have been reported in (a) Essex and (b) the Metropolitan Police area of London (i) at primary schools and (ii) in post-primary education in the last three years, broken down by (A) local authority and (B) category of bullying; and how many incidents took place on public transport to or from school in each case.

(14131)

272
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will list the schools whose closure has been approved by her Department in each year since 1997; and what the reason was for each closure.

(14261)

273
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of working age people in the Southend West constituency hold a qualification at degree level or equivalent or above; and what the national average is.

(14262)

274
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which schools in the Southend West constituency received funding from the Schools Acess Initiative in (a) 2001-02, (b) 2002-03, (c) 2003-04 and (d) 2004-05.

(14263)

275
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many people left school at 16 years in (a) Southend, (b) Essex and (c) England with no qualifications in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

(14301)

276
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many people left school at 16 years in (a) Southend, (b) Essex and (c) England with no qualifications, but subsequently gained qualifications by attending sixth form or higher high education, in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

(14302)

277
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many and what proportion of schools in Southend in each of the last five years were rated good or better by Ofsted at teaching mathematics at key stages (a) 1, (b) 2, (c) 3 and (d) 4.

(14303)

278
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many primary schools in Southend offered language learning opportunities in each of the last five years; and in which languages.

(14304)

279
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assistance her Department (a) is giving and (b) plans to give during the next 12 months to schools in Southend to promote good behaviour in the classroom.

(14305)

280
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many pupils attend each (a) primary and (b) secondary school in Southend.

(14306)

281
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether provision is being made to build a new secondary school in the Wellingborough constituency; and if she will make a statement.

(14088)

282
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many pupils there have been in each year group in each of the secondary schools in the Wellingborough constituency in each year since 1997.

(14091)

283
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many secondary schools there have been in the Wellingborough constituency in each year since 1997; and how many pupil places there were in each school in each year.

(14092)

284
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children in the Wellingborough constituency have been left for any period of time without a secondary school place since 1997; and what the (a) average and (b) maximum length of time is for which such children have been left without a secondary school place.

(14093)

285
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the estimated number of children of secondary school age in the Wellingborough constituency is in each of the next 20 years.

(14094)

286
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the Learning and Skills Council funding for adult education in each county has been in each year since 1997.

(14102)

287
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what funding on adult education in Northamptonshire not including the funding for 14 to 19 year olds is planned for the next 10 years, expressed in (a) actual and (b) real terms; and what assessment she has made of the implications of the funding settlement for lifelong learning in the county over that period.

(14106)

288
Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of children in foster care who achieved no GCSE grades A* to C in 2004 had three or more placements in the previous two years.

(15004)

289
Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of children in foster care who achieved five or more GCSE grades A* to C in 2004 had three or more placements in the previous two years.

(15005)

290
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate (a) Skills for Care and (b) the Children, Young People and Families Workforce Development Council has made of the number of (i) domicilary care workers, (ii) outreach workers, (iii) residential child workers, (iv) social care managers and (v) staff responsible for recruitment and supervision of social care staff who would be covered by future requirements for registration with the General Social Care Council.

(14438)

291
Mr David Cameron (Witney):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many applications are outstanding under the Communication Aid Project for speech and language therapy equipment for children with special educational needs.

(14360)

292
Mr David Cameron (Witney):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans she has to extend the funding for the Communication Aid Project; and if she will make a statement.

(14361)

293
Mr Douglas Carswell (Harwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many village schools have closed since January 2000.

(14785)

294
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much the Department has spent promoting equality and diversity in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14667)

295
Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the cost was in each of the last three financial years of delivering education to individuals and their families in the immigration and asylum system.

(14691)

296
Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the cost was in 2004-05 of education for foreign national prisoners.

(14692)

297
Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what her Department's total expenditure has been on prisoner education in each financial year since it took over responsibility for prisoner education from the Home Office.

(14707)

298
Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many people are working in the Offenders' Learning Skills Unit; and what their total annual budgets were for (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2005-06 expressed in (i) financial terms and (ii) as a percentage of the Learning and Skills Council budget.

(14708)

299
John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, for what reasons the weight of potential foster parents or adoptive parents is taken into account when people are considered as potential candidates.

(14803)

300
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what financial provision has been made to allow schools to provide temporary cover when teachers take advantage of planning, preparation and assessment time from September.

(14189)

301
Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many pupils in Milton Keynes have been found to be in possession of (a) a weapon and and (b) drugs on school premises in each of the last 10 years.

(14245)

302
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many graduates from physiotherapy degrees approved by the Health Professions Council there have been in each academic year since 2000-01.

(14983)

303
Peter Law (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how she intends to implement Paragraph 3.12 of the White Paper, Better Government for Wales (Cm 6582), in respect of any bill she introduces in the current session of Parliament.

(14944)

304
David Maclean (Penrith & The Border):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on the reasons for the funding gap between school sixth forms and further education colleges in the (a) Carlisle and (b) Penrith and the Border constituencies.

(14186)

305
David Maclean (Penrith & The Border):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when the funding gap between school sixth forms and further education colleges in Carlisle will be closed.

(14209)

306
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what her Department's policy is for dealing with and responding to correspondence received in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14693)

307
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what facilities her Department has to deal with telephone enquiries in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14694)

308
Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether European Union member states which have ratified the European Convention of the Adoption of Children recognise adoptions made in the UK; and if she will make a statement.

(14154)

309
Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what representations she has received about the eligibility of teachers for the salary-sacrifice childcare vouchers scheme; and if she will make a statement.

(14155)

310
Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment she has made of the practicality of altering the school teachers' pay and conditions document to enable provision for salary-sacrifice childcare vouchers.

(14156)

311
Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many teaching staff have had salary-sacrifice childcare vouchers issued and subsequently withdrawn since the scheme began.

(14190)

312
Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what computerisation or IT failures have occurred in public sector projects managed by her Department in each year since 1997; what the contracted cost of the project was in each case; and what estimate she has made of the direct and indirect costs of failure or breakdown in each case.

(14366)

313
Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what appointments were made to lead bodies providing services within the education sector for which she is responsible in each year since 1997; and what their (a) role, (b) pay, (c) length of tenure at appointment and (d) previous experience in (i) the public sector and (ii) private sector was in each case.

(14373)

314
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many school playing fields there have been in each of the past 10 years; and what their total area has been.

(14578)

315
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will take steps to encourage cycling amongst school children.

(14743)

316
Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many new childcare places have been created in each of the last three years in (a) England, (b) Northumberland and (c) Wansbeck constituency.

(14538)

317
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the total spending by the Learning and Skills Council was on the promotion of apprenticeships in each of the last 10 years.

(14839)

318
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will list the (a) companies in receipt of funds from the Learning and Skills Council for participating in the Apprenticeship scheme and (b) amounts received in each year for which figures are available.

(14843)

319
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many parental appeals were made against the allocation of school places in Cambridgeshire in each year since 1997; and how many were upheld.

(14563)

320
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many small schools have been amalgamated since 2002.

(14520)

321
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the (a) subject matter and (b) dates were of opinion survey research undertaken by the Department and its agencies in the last 12 months; if she will place copies of the results of each survey in the Library; which companies were used in conducting the research; and how much each was paid.

(14809)

322
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests have been answered by the Department; and in how many cases (a) information was wholly exempted, (b) information was partly exempted and (c) the requests were answered in full.

(14953)

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

323
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what regulations protect the welfare of intensively farmed chickens; and if she will make a statement.

(14307)

324
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what has been the average price of (a) one litre of mik and (b) 250 grams of butter in each year since 1997; and what those figures are at constant prices.

(14308)

325
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the division of responsibilities in respect of animal experiments between her Department and the Home Office.

(14220)

326
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, under what circumstances her Department may decide not to fine a local authority which failed to meet its landfill allowance requirements under the Waste and Emissions Trading Act 2003.

(14221)

327
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which local authorities charge for the separate collection of green waste.

(14222)

328
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether it is her Department's policy to impose a complete ban on former foodstuffs being sent to landfill from 1st January 2006.

(14223)

329
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the occasions when her Department gave guidance to representatives of waste management companies in connection with the disposal of former foodstuffs to landfill from 1st January 2006.

(14224)

330
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department first learnt that the European Commission would not impose a complete ban on former foodstuffs being sent to landfill from 1st January 2006.

(14225)

331
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she supports the decision of the European Commission not to impose a complete ban on former foodstuffs being sent to landfill from 1st January 2006.

(14226)

332
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department made (a) oral representations and (b) written representations to the European Commission not to impose a complete ban on former foodstuffs being sent to landfill from 1st January 2006.

(14227)

333
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many tonnes of former foodstuffs she estimates were sent to landfill in each year since 2000.

(14228)

334
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many tonnes of (a) aluminium, (b) wood, (c) paper, (d) green waste, (e) glass, (f) steel and (g) textiles there were in the municipal waste stream in each year since 2001; and how much of each she estimates was (i) recycled, (ii) landfilled and (iii) sent to energy from waste facilities.

(14229)

335
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she supports the European Parliament resolution of 14th July in respect of action on illegal timber imports into the EU.

(14230)

336
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many cattle have been culled as a consequence of bovine tuberculosis infection in each year since 1997, broken down by county.

(14231)

337
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Department has spent promoting equality and diversity in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14666)

338
N Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the locations of sites selected for the bovine TB vaccination of badgers trial; whether the vaccine is the same as that used in the Irish trial; and if she will make a statement.

(13931)

339
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much central Government funding has been made available for the improvement of flood defences, broken down by London constituency, in each year since 1995; what plans she has to provide additional funding; and if she will make a statement.

(14986)

340
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effects of the role of animal fairs on illegal trade in wildlife; and whether related prosecutions have taken place in the last three years.

(14087)

341
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will (a) issue definitive guidance to local authorities on all species status under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 (as amended) and (b) revise the Zoo Licensing Act 1981.

(14197)

342
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of the length of rivers in England and Wales was accessible to the public in (a) 1997 and (b) 2004.

(14828)

343
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, (b) the British Canoe Union and (c) others on improving the accessibility of rivers in England and Wales to the public.

(14852)

344
Nick Harvey (North Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will introduce a public education programme on the effects of climate change and steps which can be taken by individuals to limit these effects.

(14167)

345
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total spending by her Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Dundee East constituency, (ii) Tayside and (iii) the City of Dundee was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14871)

346
Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will update the rules which allow water companies to base charges to customers on national rateable values of their property.

(14341)

347
Peter Law (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how she intends to implement Paragraph 3.12 of the White Paper, Better Government for Wales (Cm 6582), in respect of any bill she introduces in the current session of Parliament.

(14950)

348
Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she plans to take to reduce food miles.

(14169)

349
Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what decisions were reached by the recent meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee on the impact of climate change.

(14171)

350
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department's policy is for dealing with and responding to correspondence received in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14695)

351
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what facilities her Department has to deal with telephone enquiries in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14696)

352
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many regional advisory councils her Department has established; and what financial support her Department provides for them.

(14237)

353
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many bovines tested positive for bovine tuberculosis as a percentage of the total number of bovines in each of the counties of England and Wales in the past 12 months for which figures are available.

(14451)

354
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total spending by her Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in the (i) Moray constituency and (ii) Highland Region was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14845)

355
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Department has spent on external media relations in each month of the last year.

(14673)

356
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which ministers from the UK attended each EU Fisheries Council meeting from the UK since 1997.

(14830)

357
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on what occasions the Scottish Executive Fisheries Minister has requested to lead the UK delegation to a Fisheries Council meeting since 1999.

(14831)

358
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will estimate the (a) size of the fishing fleet, (b) number of people directly involved in the (i) catching sector and (ii) processing sector and (c) the value and tonnage of landings for each nation of the UK.

(14832)

359
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total spending by her Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Banff and Buchan and (ii) the North East of Scotland was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14883)

360
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what studies she has assessed on the effects of warming waters in the central North Sea on the movement of cod stocks into the northern North Sea.

(14907)

361
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of environmental factors on levels of cod stocks in the North Sea.

(14908)

362
Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the level of compensation for (a) sheep and (b) goats that have been destroyed because of scrapie is; how this compares to their market value; and whether additional payments for pedigree goat herds which are affected are available.

(14328)

363
Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will ask the European Commission to bring forward proposals to scrap the existing EU law regarding surveillance policy for goats; how many (a) goats and (b) sheep have been diagnosed with scrapie in each of the last three years; and how many have been destroyed.

(14424)

364
Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in motor transport.

(14426)

365
Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will increase vehicle excise duty for 4x4 vehicles that emit high quantities of carbon dioxide.

(14427)

366
Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what evaluation she has made of research by (a) UK organisations, (b) the UK Government and (c) other EU member states into the spread of scrapie in herds of goats; on what scientific evidence the current guidelines for slaughtering an entire herd of goats if only one is diagnosed with scrapie are based; and if she will make a statement.

(14443)

367
Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to reduce the differences in water charges between the South West and other regions of the country.

(14565)

368
Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to assist those on low incomes in the South West to pay their water charges.

(14567)

369
Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made since the meeting of 15th June between the Minister in her Department responsible for water and Water Voice the South West; and if she will make a statement.

(14568)

370
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the (a) subject matter and (b) dates were of opinion survey research undertaken by the Department and its agencies in the last 12 months; if she will place copies of the results of each survey in the Library; which companies were used in conducting the research; and how much each was paid.

(14811)

371
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the likely impact on carbon dioxide emissions in the next decades of the expansion of energy generating capacity in (a) China, (b) India, (c) Brazil, (d) Mexcio and (e) South Africa.

(14484)

372
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the level was of UK emissions in each of the six Kyoto greenhouse gases in terms of tonnes of carbon equivalent in each year since 1990; and what the main reasons were for (a) sudden increases and (b) reductions between years for each gas.

(14485)

373
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of green waste collection and composting schemes on the levels of recycling of municipal waste; and how much municipal waste other than green waste was recycled in the last period for which figures are available.

(14991)

374
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government is on course to meet the landfill diversion targets required under the Landfill Directive.

(14992)

375
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the Government has to measure progress towards its landfill diversion targets under the Landfill Directive.

(14993)

376
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the capital investment that will be required if the UK is to meet its obligations under the (a) Landfill Directive and (b) other EU waste directives.

(14994)

377
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which actions required of the UK Government in the G8 Plan of Action on climate change are not already being undertaken by the UK Government.

(14995)

378
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which items of the G8 Plan of Action are not (a) already part of agreements made under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and (b) already being undertaken by other international bodies of which the UK is a member.

(14996)

379
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate has been made of the change in carbon dioxide emissions that would result from the full implementation of the G8 Plan of Action on climate change.

(14997)

380
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much additional investment in clean energy technologies from (a) public and (b) private sources is guaranteed under the G8 Plan of Action on climate change.

(14998)

381
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effects of the Hazardous Waste Regulations on the construction industry.

(14999)

382
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the definition of occupy is for the purposes of the Hazardous Waste Regulations, with regard to the mobile services tenure restriction for exemption from notification to the Environment Agency.

(15000)

383
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether construction contractors are considered for the purposes of the Hazardous Waste Regulations to occupy the premises on which they work.

(15001)

384
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the number of registrations anticipated by the Environment Agency as a result of the Hazardous Waste Regulations includes construction sites.

(15002)

385
Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) waste minimisation and (b) recycling targets the Government has set for local authorities for each year to 2015.

(14477)

386
Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures her Department has in place (a) to reduce energy consumption, (b) to minimise waste and (c) to recycle waste; and whether these measures have been adopted by other central Government Departments and agencies.

(14478)

387
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests have been answered by the Department; and in how many cases (a) information was wholly exempted, (b) information was partly exempted and (c) the requests were answered in full.

(14960)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

388
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what initiatives the Government will be taking during the course of its Presidency of the European Union to address concerns about the One Child Policy in China; and if he will make a statement.

(14298)

389
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the occasions during the last 12 months when the Government has publicly condemned the One Child Policy in China; and if he will make a statement.

(14299)

390
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the UK Government has made since 1997 to the government of Russia about the fate of Raoul Wallenberg; and if he will make a statement.

(14300)

391
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the implementation of outstanding UN resolutions relating to Tibet.

(14105)

392
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the UK's financial contribution has been to the European Union in each year since 1997.

(14780)

393
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list draft EU laws in respect of which the Government has made representations seeking their withdrawal.

(14111)

394
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18th July, reference 10415, how much has been paid to the UK Government to date by the United Nations Compensation Committee for distribution to claimants; how much more is expected to be paid to the UK Government in due course for disbursement to claimants; and if he will list (a) all UK claimants who have so far received disbursements from the UK Government and the amount received by each and (b) all UK claimants who will receive disbursements in due course from the UK Government and the amount each of them will receive.

(14626)

395
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the government of Pakistan following the London bombings.

(13927)

396
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 the Philippines.

(15011)

397
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much the Department has spent promoting equality and diversity in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14665)

398
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he is making to the Palestinians to stop the Qassam missile attacks on Israeli communities; and if he will make a statement.

(14192)

399
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of the recent missile attacks on Israeli communities from Gaza on the Israeli Gaza disengagement plan; and if he will make a statement.

(14193)

400
N Mr Doug Henderson (Newcastle upon Tyne North):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much was spent by his Department and public bodies and agencies for which he is responsible on security contracts with Group 4 Securicor in 2004-05; and if he will list (a) the nature and location of services provided and (b) the start and end dates of such contracts.

[R] (13520)

401
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Dundee East constituency, (ii) Tayside and (iii) the City of Dundee was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14870)

402
Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of civilians killed in Iraq by (a) insurgent forces and (b) coalition forces since April 2003; and if he will make a statement.

(14840)

403
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many complaints of misconduct made by Her Majesty's Ambassadors against subordinate staff are outstanding; how long each case has been outstanding; whether investigations in each case have been concluded; and when in each case the complaint is expected to be determined.

(14399)

404
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much public money has been spent in each of the last five years in settlement of grievance procedures brought against senior staff of his Department by subordinate staff; how much was paid in each case; and whether the payment was in full and final settlement in each case.

(14400)

405
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on what date he was given sight of the Collinson Grant report on the management of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

(14401)

406
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what responsibilities fall (a) to him and (b) to the Permanent Under-Secretary in relation to complaints of misconduct against officers appointed to senior positions in the Department.

(14402)

407
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place a copy of the Collinson Grant report on the management of his Department in the Library.

(14403)

408
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when Sir Michael Jay was asked to adjust his duties in relation to the G8; whether this constituted a formal redeployment; when he will return to his principal duties as Permanent Under-Secretary; and if he will make a statement.

(14445)

409
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the (a) First Division Association and (b) each of the other representative bodies of his Department's staff were consulted about the last substantive revision of the Department's grievance procedure; and what representations were made by each representative body.

(14446)

410
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many formal grievances made against Her Majesty's Ambassadors by subordinate staff are outstanding; how long each case has been outstanding; whether investigations in each case have been concluded; and when the complaint is expected to be determined in each case.

(14447)

411
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when his Department's grievance procedure underwent a substantive revision; what the consequential principal variations in the procedure and appeal machinery are; and if he will make a statement.

(14461)

412
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his Department's policy is for dealing with and responding to correspondence received in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14736)

413
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what facilities his Department has to deal with telephone enquiries in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14737)

414
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list management consultants employed by his Department in each of the last three years.

(14357)

415
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Moray constituency and (ii) the Highland Region was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14854)

416
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much the Department has spent on external media relations in each month of the last year.

(14679)

417
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on Scottish Executive ministers (a) attending EU council meetings, (b) chairing EU council meetings during the UK Presidency and (c) leading the UK delegation to EU council meetings.

(14834)

418
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on what occasions Scottish Executive ministers have led UK delegations to EU council meetings.

(14835)

419
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which council meetings during the UK Presidency of the EU Scottish Executive ministers are scheduled to chair.

(14836)

420
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the EU council meetings to be held in (a) London, (b) England, (c) Wales, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) Scotland during the UK Presidency of the EU.

(14837)

421
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Banff and Buchan and (ii) the North East of Scotland was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14888)

422
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) financial assistance, (b) technical assistance and (c) personnel his Department is contributing to the clearing of mines in Iraq.

(14988)

423
Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the members of the UK delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

(14104)

424
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the (a) subject matter and (b) dates were of opinion survey research undertaken by the Department and its agencies in the last 12 months; if he will place copies of the results of each survey in the Library; which companies were used in conducting the research; and how much each was paid.

(14818)

425
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in Perth and North Perthshire was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14922)

426
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests have been answered by the Department; and in how many cases (a) information was wholly exempted, (b) information was partly exempted and (c) the requests were answered in full.

(14969)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Health

427
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dental practices in the Southend West constituency have (a) closed and (b) opened in each year since 2000.

(14132)

428
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many community pharmacies in the Southend West constituency have (a) closed and (b) opened in each year since 2001-02.

(14133)

429
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients in the Essex Health Authority area referred urgently with suspected breast cancer have waited more than two weeks for an out-patient appointment in each reporting period since January 2002.

(14134)

430
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Two Shires Ambulance NHS Trust met its performance target for responding to category A calls in (a) 2001-02, (b) 2002-03 and (c) 2003-04.

(14135)

431
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have given blood in Essex in each financial year since 2002-03.

(14136)

432
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment she has made of chiropody services in Essex.

(14137)

433
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting time for a hip replacement operation has been in (a) Southend Primary Care Trust, (b) Essex, (c) the Metropolitan Police area of London and (d) England in each year since 1997.

(14267)

434
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average annual cost to public funds of maintaining a child in care has been in each of the last six years for which figures are available.

(14268)

435
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many ambulances are available in each primary care trust area in (a) Essex and (b) the Metropolitan Police area of London; and how many were available in (i) 1995, (ii) 1996, (iii) 1997, (iv) 1998, (v) 2000, (vi) 2002 and (vii) 2004.

(14269)

436
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what consultations take place before appointments are made to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority; and if she will make a statement.

(14270)

437
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the criteria are by which members of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority are appointed.

(14271)

438
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the duration is of the membership of each member of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

(14272)

439
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will list the publications produced by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority since its inception.

(14273)

440
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the level of personal social services expenditure by each local authority in England has been in each year since 1997; and what the percentage variation against standard spending assessment is in each case.

(14274)

441
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many non-attendances there were for (a) inpatient appointments and (b) outpatient appointments in (i) Essex and (ii) the Metropolitan Police Area of London in each of the last three years, broken down by primary care trust.

(14282)

442
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people with head injuries resulting from (a) cycling, (b) skateboarding and (c) rollerblading accidents have been admitted to each hospital in Essex in the last year for which figures are available.

(14283)

443
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of state-registered nurse training is allocated to dealing with psychiatric illnesses.

(14284)

444
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of state-registered nurse training is allocated to dealing with termination of pregnancy; whether nurses are allowed to opt out of abortion training under section 4 of the Abortion Act 1967; and if she will make a statement.

(14285)

445
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions she has had during each of the last 18 months with the Royal College of Nursing about (a) abortion and (b) euthanasia issues; if she will place in the Library a note of each such meeting; and if she will make a statement.

(14286)

446
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nursing vacancies there are in the Essex Health Authority area.

(14316)

447
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nurses are employed in each of the hospitals located in Essex Health Authority.

(14317)

448
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment she has made of delayed discharge in hospitals located in the Essex Health Authority.

(14318)

449
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioners there were in the Essex Health Authority area in (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04 and (c) 2004-05.

(14319)

450
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans she has to develop NHS walk-in centres in Essex.

(14320)

451
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients in the Essex Health Authority area have waited more than (a) three months, (b) six months, (c) nine months, (d) 12 months, (e) 15 months, (f) 18 months and (g) 24 months for (i) heart operations, (ii) cancer treatment and (iii) hip replacements in each year since 2001-02.

(14321)

452
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS registered dentists there have been in the Essex Health Authority area in each year since 2001.

(14322)

453
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate she has made of demand over the next five years for (a) inpatient and (b) respite and day care provision for palliative care; and if she will make a statement.

(14326)

454
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance she (a) has issued and (b) plans to issue to primary care trusts on providing palliative care services; and if she will make a statement.

(14650)

455
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements are in place to compensate those who have incurred pain and suffering through unsuccessful operations; and if she will make a statement.

(14651)

456
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her reply of 14th July, Official Report, column 1188W, on end of life decision making, if she will list the stakeholders who have made representations to her Department on end of life issues during each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

(14797)

457
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her reply of 14th July, Official Report, column 1200W, on right to life, whether the Government's commitment to the NHS offering equal access for all includes the right to life; and if she will make a statement.

(14798)

458
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will list the hospitals in (a) Essex and (b) the Metropolitan Police Area of London which have a specially equipped baby unit; and if she will make a statement.

(14799)

459
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nurses on average in (a) Southend, (b) Essex and (c) the Metropolitan Police area of London, staffed an intensive care bed for (i) adults, (ii) children and (iii) new born or premature babies in the latest period for which figures are available.

(14800)

460
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action she is taking to promote awareness of the symptoms of prostate cancer; and if she will make a statement.

(14801)

461
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether all six and seven-year-olds have access to dental services, including fissure sealing, in all primary care trust areas; and if she will make a statement.

(14802)

462
Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations she has received regarding the provision of day care for disabled children in East Sussex since 1997.

(15013)

463
Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding has been made available for the provision of day care for disabled children in East Sussex since 1997.

(15014)

464
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients in the Wellingborough constituency have not been able to register directly with a doctor's surgery and have had to register centrally since 1997.

(14107)

465
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many operations were cancelled at Kettering General Hospital NHS Trust within (a) seven days and (b) 24 hours of the appointment time in each year since 1997.

(14756)

466
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how long on average patients requiring cardiac rehabilitation waited to be referred to each NHS hospital trust in England in the latest year for which figures are available.

(14757)

467
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the ratio of practising NHS general practitioners to population was in (a) Wellingborough constituency, (b) Northamptonshire and (c) England in the last year for which figures are available.

(14758)

468
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the ratio of NHS dentists to population was in (a) Wellingborough constituency, (b) Northamptonshire and (c) England in the last year for which figures are available.

(14759)

469
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS dentists there were in Wellingborough constituency in (a) 1997 and (b) 2004; and how many of these dentists (i) admitted new adult patients to their list and (ii) treated NHS patients between the ages of 18 and 65 years.

(14762)

470
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many abortions were performed on patients (a) under 16 years, (b) 16 to 19 years and (c) aged 20 years and over in Wellingborough constituency in each year since 1997.

(14772)

471
Mr Nicholas Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps her Department is taking to improve mesothelioma (a) treatment and (b) prevention; and how much funding has been allocated to each in 2005-06.

(14160)

472
N Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance she has issued on the application of the Food Supplements Directive to (a) synthetically-produced nutrients and (b) naturally-occurring nutrients; and if she will make a statement.

(13933)

473
Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the reasons were for the decision to replace the National Care Standards Commission with the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

(14453)

474
Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost was of the replacement of the National Care Standards Commission by the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

(14454)

475
Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the expenditure of the (a) National Care Standards Commission and (b) Commission for Social Care Inspection have been in each year of their operation; and what the estimated figures for (i) 2005-06 and (ii) 2006-07 are for the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

(14455)

476
Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the reasons were for the decision to merge the Commission for Social Care Inspection with the Healthcare Commission.

(14456)

477
Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many inspectorates with a remit that covers (a) social services and long-term care for the elderly and (b) health care, in whole or in part, have been in operation in each year since 1997.

(14457)

478
Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will publish the Regulatory Impact Assessment or equivalent document of the decision to merge the Commission for Social Care Inspection with the Healthcare Commission.

(14458)

479
Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the estimated (a) budget and (b) full-time equivalent staff of the Healthcare Commission will be once it has merged with the Commission for Social Care Inspection in 2008.

(14459)

480
Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the full-time equivalent staff employed by the (a) National Care Standards Commission and (b) Commission for Social Care Inspection were in each year of their operation; and what the estimated figures are for (i) 2005-06 and (ii) 2006-07.

(14460)

481
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she will answer Question reference 6661 tabled by the honourable Member for Sutton and Cheam.

(14596)

482
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she will reply to Question reference 6656 tabled by the honourable Member for Sutton and Cheam.

(14635)

483
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she will reply to Question reference 9440 tabled by the honourable Member for Sutton and Cheam.

(14636)

484
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 28th June, Official Report, column 1503W, on electroconvulsive therapy, when her Department will repeat its survey of electroconvulsive therapy.

(14644)

485
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the Department has spent promoting equality and diversity in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14664)

486
Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14th July, Official Report, columns 1184-5W, on Bedford Hospital NHS Trust, what financial outcome she expects following the discussions.

(14763)

487
Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14th July, Official Report, columns 1184-5W, on Bedford Hospital NHS Trust, what appropriate action she expects will take place following the discussions.

(14764)

488
Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14th July, Official Report, columns 1184-5W, on Bedford Hospital NHS Trust, what has been discussed between her officials and the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Strategic Health Authority; and if she will make minutes and records of these discussions publicly available.

(14765)

489
Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14th July, Official Report, columns 1184-5W, on Bedford Hospital NHS Trust, whether discussions are ongoing between her officials and the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Strategic Health Authority.

(14766)

490
Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14th July, Official Report, columns 1184-5W, on Bedford Hospital NHS Trust, what budget changes will take place following the discussions.

(14767)

491
Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14th July, Official Report, columns 1184-5W, on Bedford Hospital NHS Trust, what measures the Government is putting in place to combat violent incidents against NHS staff.

(14768)

492
Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much public funding was made available to (a) Hospice in the Weald and (b) Demelza House Children's Hospice in 2004-05; and how much will be made available in 2005-06.

(14233)

493
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much money was spent on prescriptions by each primary care trust in each of the last five years.

(14742)

494
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the funding per capita was for each primary care trust in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

(14984)

495
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much of total health service expenditure in each of the last 10 years was spent directly on (a) healthcare, (b) administration and (c) prescriptions, broken down by NHS trust; and if she will make a statement.

(14985)

496
Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance her Department issues on circumstances in which (a) conditions and (b) cases should be treated at independent sector treatment centres.

(14219)

497
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the incidence of (a) acute cerebral events and (b) acute coronary events has been in each of the last five years.

(14923)

498
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans her Department has to set targets for the effective management of (a) stroke and (b) coronary heart disease.

(14924)

499
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action her Department will be taking in light of the evidence showing that stroke is overtaking coronary heart disease as the UK's most common acute vascular event.

(14925)

500
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people at high risk of stroke following a transient ischaemic attack or minor stroke had a major stroke while awaiting initial assessment, investigation and treatment for their condition in 2004-05.

(14926)

501
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting time was for a patient, from initial presentation with a transient ischaemic attack or minor stroke, to consultation with a stroke specialist and subsequent investigation in the period for which figures are available.

(14927)

502
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS trusts offer a daily urgent assessment clinic for patients at high risk of stroke.

(14928)

503
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance is provided by her Department to (a) patients and (b) general practitioners on the early signs of stroke, with particular reference to transient ischaemic attacks.

(14929)

504
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps her Department is taking to encourage general practitioners to refer patients for specialist assessment following transient ischaemic attacks.

(14930)

505
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average age of people suffering from (a) stroke and (b) coronary episode has been in each of the last five years.

(14931)

506
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate she has made of the total economic costs to the UK of long-term disability as a result of stroke in 2004-05.

(14932)

507
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many complaints were received regarding the service provided by NHS Direct in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by type.

(14356)

508
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what records her Department keeps of the number of patients with asthma caused by smoking.

(14202)

509
Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make a statement on the operation of Lancashire Teaching Hospital Trust, with particular reference to (a) its Foundation Trust status and (b) the periods for election for the Board Membership.

(14603)

510
Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of manning levels of ambulance staff in Lancashire; what requirements there are for Lancashire Ambulance Trust to collect response time data; and at what level this should be collated.

(14604)

511
Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she next expects to meet Lancashire Ambulance Trust.

(14619)

512
Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make a statement on (a) response times and (b) staff morale in Lancashire Ambulance Trust.

(14620)

513
Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of people with diabetes were screened for retinopathy on the NHS in each of the last five years in each primary care trust in England.

(14647)

514
Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding has been made available by her Department to ensure that primary care trusts in (a) England, (b) Greater London and (c) Southwark meet the diabetic retinopathy screening target of 80 per cent. by March 2006 and 100 per cent. by December 2007.

(14648)

515
Mr Nick Hurd (Ruislip - Northwood):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many consultants are contributing to maternity care in the labour wards at Northwick Park Hospital; and what the consultant to delivery ratio is at (a) Northwick Park Hospital and (b) other NHS hospitals handling over 4,000 deliveries a year, with particular reference to out-of-hours cover.

(14869)

516
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she expects to receive the report from the Scientific Advisory Committee on nutrition regarding the fortification of foods with folic acid as a preventative measure in respect of neural tube defects.

(14211)

517
Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what work her Department has carried out to assess the existing capacity to carry out diagnostic scans in the NHS.

(14420)

518
Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many diagnostic scans were carried out in the NHS in 2004.

(14421)

519
Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which NHS trusts are meeting the Government target of 18 weeks wait between general practitioner referral and hospital treatment.

(14422)

520
Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, where in Consett the diagnostic scanner operated by Alliance Medical will be sited.

(14423)

521
Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 13th July, Official Report, column 1138W, on MRI scans (Durham), what consultations were carried out with local NHS trusts on utilisation rates of scanners prior to the award of the contract to Alliance Medical.

(14428)

522
Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Oral Answer of 12th July, Official Report, column 685, on MRI scans, what the evidential basis is for her statement that University Hospital of North Durham will need to use its capacity to the full well before 2008.

(14430)

523
Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in the Milton Keynes area she estimates are unable to register with an NHS dentist.

(14090)

524
Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people (a) requested and (b) received an appointment to see a general practitioner within 48 hours in the Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust in the last period for which figures are available.

(14242)

525
Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have been treated by accident and emergency departments in Milton Keynes General Hospital for alcohol-related conditions and injuries in the last 12 months.

(14243)

526
Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much target-tied funding the Milton Keynes General Hospital maternity ward has received from its primary care trust over each of the last five years.

(14348)

527
Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding the Milton Keynes General Hospital maternity ward has received in each of the past five years.

(14349)

528
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 13th July, Official Report, column 1145W, on research and development, whether she plans to increase her Department's total expenditure on research and development as a proportion of total net Department of Health spending to 1.5 per cent.

(14210)

529
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 12th July, Official Report, column 974W, on GP practices, how many GPs are expected to reach retirement age in each year until 2015 using the same format as that given in the Department's 2002 Public Expenditure Questionnaire Memorandum to the Health Select Committee.

(14212)

530
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 11th July, Official Report, column 749W, on waiting times, for what reasons the agreement of local delivery plans has deviated from the timescale set out in the Answer of 27th January, Official Report, column 564W, on waiting times; when she now expects local delivery plans to be agreed; if she plans to publish the local delivery plans; and when she intends to begin publishing waiting times for diagnostic tests.

(14213)

531
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 5th July, Official Report, column 349W, on Health Services (Contractors), what the value is of each of the contracts agreed with the independent sector provider.

(14214)

532
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 17th March, Official Report, column 435W, on neonatal care, what steps she is taking to ensure the additional revenue funding for 2005-06 is being used specifically to improve neonatal intensive care services.

(14795)

533
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she will publish an updated version of the Influenza Pandemic Plan.

(14971)

534
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate she has made of (a) the proportion of prescribed medicines that were not taken by patients and (b) the resultant cost to the NHS in the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14972)

535
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make a statement on the care available to those with multiple chemical sensitivity.

(14973)

536
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what performance indices are used to assess NHS Direct; and what estimate she has made of the average length of time between a person first calling NHS Direct and an operator calling them back in the most recent period for which figures are available.

(14974)

537
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make a statement on progress with her Department's plans to procure extra capacity in diagnostics from the independent sector.

(14975)

538
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of the total cost to the NHS of uncollected dental patient charges in each year since 1997-98.

(14976)

539
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of the likelihood of private dentists pricing their services at rates which would enable them to undercut a banded system of NHS dental patient charges.

(14977)

540
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what percentage of people identified as having diabetes in England were offered screening for the early detection of diabetic retinopathy in each year since 2002-03.

(14978)

541
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether she expects nutrients contained in food supplements which are not listed in the annexes of the Food Supplements Directive to be banned on 31st December 2009.

(14979)

542
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of the number of nutrient ingredients in food supplements on sale which have not had a dossier on their safety submitted to the Food Standards Agency and which are not included on positive lists in the annexes to the Food Supplements Directive.

(14980)

543
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions she has had with the European Commission on the setting of maximum dosage levels for food supplements under the Food Supplements Directive; and when restrictions on maximum dosage levels will come into force.

(14981)

544
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support she has provided to industry and small businesses to enable them to supply the evidence necessary to ensure that their products remain on the market after the Food Supplements Directive comes into force on 1st August.

(14982)

545
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate she has made of the change in need for lung cancer operations resulting from the implementation of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on lung cancer, with specific reference to the provision of positron emission tomography scanners.

(14987)

546
Peter Law (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will take steps to provide support for the United Brain Tumour campaign.

(14109)

547
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will investigate (a) the propriety of the decision by New Forest Primary Care Trust (PCT) to reduce the number of options offered for public consultation about the future of in-patient beds in community hospitals from five to two and (b) the basis for proposals by New Forest PCT to close in-patient beds in community hospitals for (i) medical and (ii) financial reasons.

(14020)

548
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will investigate the reasons for the deficit incurred by New Forest Primary Care Trust.

(14021)

549
Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make a statement on the future of Christie Hospital, Manchester.

(14821)

550
Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what computerisation or IT failures have occurred in public sector projects managed by her Department in each year since 1997; what the contracted cost of the project was in each case; and what estimate she has made of the direct and indirect costs of failure or breakdown in each case.

(14365)

551
Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what appointments were made to lead bodies providing services within the National Health Service for which she is responsible in each year since 1997; and what their (a) role, (b) pay, (c) length of tenure at appointment and (d) previous experience within the (i) public sector and (ii) private sector was in each case.

(14372)

552
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many practising dentists are taking NHS patients in each constituency.

(14744)

553
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average retention rate of NHS dentists within the NHS was in each of the past 10 years.

(14745)

554
Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many student nurses have started training with the NHS in each of the last four years; and how many have specialised in (a) general nursing, (b) children's nursing and (c) mental health nursing.

(14464)

555
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS dentists were practising in (a) South East Cambridgeshire constituency and (b) England per head of population in each year since 1997.

(14580)

556
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioners there were in (a) South East Cambridgeshire constituency and (b) England per head of population in each year since 1997.

(14581)

557
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children have been adopted from Romania in the last 10 years involving home study assessments in the UK.

(14531)

558
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much money a foster family in London has received for each child fostered in each of the last five years.

(14652)

559
Jonathan Shaw (Chatham & Aylesford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps her Department is taking to improve osteoporosis services in primary care.

(14686)

560
Jonathan Shaw (Chatham & Aylesford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the national service framework for older people remains a 10 year programme; and if she will make a statement.

(14687)

561
Jonathan Shaw (Chatham & Aylesford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to ensure that primary care trusts continue to work towards meeting the milestones relating to osteoporosis outlined in standard six of the national framework for older people.

(14688)

562
Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, further to her Minister's letter of 7th July to honourable Members about NHS dental care, what estimate she has made of the cost of training 117 Polish dentists; what conditions are attached to their contracts; and if she will make a statement.

(14375)

563
Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many full-time equivalent GPs are working in the Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley Primary Care Trust area.

(14774)

564
Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total cost to Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley Primary Care Trust of providing out-of-hours care to patients was (a) in the last financial quarter and (b) has been since April 2004.

(14775)

565
Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of the dental workforce shortfall on the South West peninsula; and what the shortfall is in each other areas bidding for dental training facilities.

(14566)

566
Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that there are adequate places available for patients needing (a) residential and (b) inpatient specialist drug treatment rehabilitation in Devon and Cornwall.

(14574)

567
Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting time is for patients wanting to gain access to (a) residential and (b) inpatient specialist drug treatment in Devon and Cornwall.

(14575)

568
Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate she has made of how many additional (a) residential and (b) inpatient specialist drug treatment rehabilitation places are needed to meet demand in Devon and Cornwall.

(14576)

569
Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) residential and (b) inpatient specialist drug treatment rehabilitation places are available in Devon and Cornwall.

(14577)

570
N David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she expects the Race Equality Impact Assessment of the draft Mental Health Bill to be completed.

(13519)

571
N David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate she has made of the cost of the consultation on the Mental Health Bill carried out in (a) 1998 and (b) January 2004.

(13597)

572
N David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will list bodies referred to as those with responsibility for protecting the public in paragraph 13 of the introduction to the Government response to the report of the Joint Committee on the draft Mental Health Bill 2004.

(13599)

573
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make a statement on the treatment of plagiocephaly.

(14792)

574
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will extend treatment for plagiocephaly to families with affected children in those primary care trusts that do not offer treatment.

(14793)

575
Mr Ben Wallace (Lancaster & Wyre):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which health conditions and treatments are covered by the E111 scheme.

(14590)

576
Mr Ben Wallace (Lancaster & Wyre):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding her Department has received under the E111 scheme since 1995, broken down by (a) year and (b) country.

(14595)

577
Mr Ben Wallace (Lancaster & Wyre):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding her Department has paid under the E111 scheme to overseas governments since 1995, broken down by year and country.

(14597)

578
Mr Ben Wallace (Lancaster & Wyre):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many EU nationals have received NHS treatment under the E111 scheme in each year since 1995, broken down by country.

(14598)

579
Mr Ben Wallace (Lancaster & Wyre):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much each NHS Trust has spent on treating overseas nationals under the E111 scheme in each year since 1995.

(14600)

580
Mr Ben Wallace (Lancaster & Wyre):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many overseas nationals without private health insurance have received NHS treatment each year since 1995.

(14601)

581
Mr Ben Wallace (Lancaster & Wyre):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much her Department has recovered from tourists from overseas who have received NHS treatment in each year since 1995.

(14627)

582
Mr Ben Wallace (Lancaster & Wyre):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research she has commissioned into health tourism in the NHS.

(14628)

583
Mr Ben Wallace (Lancaster & Wyre):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what reciprocal financial arrangements her Department and her overseas counterparts will be putting in place under the European Health Insurance Card scheme.

(14630)

584
Mr Ben Wallace (Lancaster & Wyre):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much each NHS trust has spent on treating overseas nationals not covered by the E111 scheme in each year since 1995.

(14638)

585
Mr Ben Wallace (Lancaster & Wyre):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, in what circumstances the NHS refuses to treat tourists from overseas who are uninsured.

(14645)

586
Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps she is taking to meet the challenges set out in the 58th World Health Assembly resolution on disability, including prevention, management and rehabilitation in relation to rehabilitation services for disabled people in England.

(14204)

587
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) subject matter and (b) dates were of opinion survey research undertaken by the Department and its agencies in the last 12 months; if she will place copies of the results of each survey in the Library; which companies were used in conducting the research; and how much each was paid.

(14817)

588
Hywel Williams (Caernarfon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps she is taking to ensure that IT systems in the NHS in England holding information on Welsh patients are compatible with IT systems being developed for the NHS in Wales.

(14241)

589
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will reassess the safety of aspartame for consumption by children and adults; and if she will make a statement.

(14345)

590
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions she has had with the European Food Safety Authority on aspartame; and if she will make a statement.

(14346)

591
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations the Department received from the sweetener industry and how many meetings the Department held with representatives from the sweetener industry prior to the introduction of aspartame in England; and if she will make a statement.

(14347)

592
Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many physiotherapists were employed by the NHS in 2004-05 in a (a) junior capacity and (b) senior capacity.

(14473)

593
Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps she plans to take to increase the number of junior physiotherapy posts in hospitals in England; and if she will make a statement.

(14474)

594
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests have been answered by the Department; and in how many cases (a) information was wholly exempted, (b) information was partly exempted and (c) the requests were answered in full.

(14968)

Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department

595
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the percentage change in (a) overall recorded crime, (b) burglaries and (c) vehicle thefts in (i) Essex, broken down by police division and (ii) Southend (A) has been since 1997 and (B) was between 1988 to 1996; and if he will make a statement.

(14121)

596
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much Government funding has been spent on policing in Essex in each of the last 10 years.

(14122)

597
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance he has given to police officers on briefing the media when a person is (a) arrested, (b) detained in custody and (c) convicted; if he will place such guidance in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

(14123)

598
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers there were in Essex in (a) 1979, (b) 1983, (c) 1987, (d) 1992 and (e) each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

(14124)

599
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much money has been spent on policing per head of population in (a) Essex and (b) the Metropolitan Police area of London, broken down by police division, in each year since 1995.

(14125)

600
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) males and (b) females aged (i) 17 to 24, (ii) 25 to 30, (iii) 31 to 35, (iv) 36 to 40 and (v) over 40 years have been (A) charged with and (B) convicted of (1) failing to comply with a road sign, (2) offences under section (x) 14(3), (y) 15(2) and (z) 15(4) of the Road Traffic Act 1988, (3) failing to provide a breath specimen for analysis, (4) failing to stop for a police constable and (5) disobeying a police constable stopping traffic in (aa) Essex Police and (bb) Southend Police in each year since 1990.

(14139)

601
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many special constables are employed in (a) England and Wales and (b) Essex, broken down by police division; what estimate he has made of the future employment levels of special constables; and if he will make a statement.

(14140)

602
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many emergency 999 calls were made in (a) Essex and (b) the Metropolitan Police area of London in each of the last five years, broken down by emergency service responding.

(14141)

603
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) males and (b) females committed offences in England and Wales under sections (i) 14(3), (ii) 15(2) and (iii) 15(4) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14142)

604
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the instances when (a) prison governors and (b) prison officers were investigated for taking drugs into London prisons in each month since January; how long each investigation took; what conclusions each reached; and if he will make a statement.

(14203)

605
N Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers there have been per 1000 population in each police force in each year since 1997.

(14015)

606
N Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers (a) have taken early retirement, (b) have retired and (c) have left the force for reasons other than retirement or early retirement for each police force in each of the last three years; and what the average length of service is of a police officer for each category, broken down by police force area.

(14016)

607
N Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers have been recruited per police force area in each of the last three years.

(14017)

608
N Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the starting salary of a new police officer was for each police force area in each of the last three years.

(14018)

609
N Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding each police force (a) should have received under the Government's formula and (b) received in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

(14028)

610
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the total number of failed asylum seekers in (a) the UK and (b) each county.

(14095)

611
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the results of his consultation exercise on careless driving will be published; and if he will make a statement.

(14649)

612
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total amount spent on benefits for asylum seekers has been in each county in each year since 1997.

(14760)

613
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what powers the police have to deal with nuisance and disturbance caused by the use of mini-motorbikes.

(14899)

614
Mr Nicholas Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what monitoring his Department carries out of incidents involving criminal damage, threats and assaults which may contain an element of race hatred on the part of perpetrator; and what assessment he has made of the trends indicated.

(14970)

615
Colin Burgon (Elmet):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate his Department has made of the population of prisoners originating from West Yorkshire in the last year for which figures are available.

(14432)

616
Colin Burgon (Elmet):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate his Department has made of the projected population of prisoners originating from West Yorkshire in (a) 2007, (b) 2010, (c) 2015 and (d) 2025.

(14433)

617
Colin Burgon (Elmet):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research his Department has carried out into the operational viability of prisons with a capacity of around 2,000 places.

(14434)

618
N Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 7th July, Official Report, column 589W, on the Sexual Offences Act, if he will set out the recorded crime data relating to section 15 for the period from 1st May 2004 to 31st March 2005; and if he will make a statement.

(13197)

619
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reply to Question reference 7215 tabled by the honourable Member for Sutton and Cheam.

(14634)

620
Mr Douglas Carswell (Harwich):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police stations have closed since January 2000.

(14783)

621
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of times the identity card database would be used in order to secure the effective and efficient delivery of public services; and whether the consent of the individual cardholder would be required.

(14547)

622
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research he has commissioned on the relationship between drug use and gun crime.

(13926)

623
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much the Department has spent promoting equality and diversity in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14663)

624
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will review the telephone charges to those calling emergency helpline numbers, with particular reference to the London bombings; and if he will make a statement.

(14114)

625
Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 14th July, Official Report, columns 1228-9W, on safety cameras, how and where the estimated revenue generated through fixed penalties from 2000 to 2003 was distributed and spent.

(14890)

626
N Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any member of his Department met Pastor Danny Cnalliah during his recent visit to the UK.

(14078)

627
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many failed asylum seekers have been returned to safe third countries in each of the last five years, broken down by country; and if he will make a statement.

(14719)

628
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions have taken place under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 since it came into force.

(14720)

629
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many migrants have applied under the Worker Registration Scheme; and of those how many applications were (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful; and if he will make a statement.

(14721)

630
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals were in (a) prison and (b) young offenders institute in the last period for which figures are available.

(14722)

631
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions there have been for underage drinking in each police authority in each of the last 10 years.

(14740)

632
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average response time to an emergency call to the police was for each police authority in each of the last 10 years.

(14741)

633
N Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of section 21 of the Drugs Act 2005 with European Union treaties in relation to free trade and the single market.

(14029)

634
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the implications of the decisions of the General Medical Council relating to Sir Roy Meadows for the process of accrediting expert witnesses.

(14108)

635
Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals are held in prisons or other establishments awaiting deportation, broken down by (a) nationality and (b) establishment.

(14689)

636
Mr Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the representations that he has received from Muslim community leaders in Leeds regarding their concerns over the recent London suicide bombers.

(14690)

637
Mr Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take steps to ensure that UK citizens are prevented from travelling to terrorist training camps abroad.

(14711)

638
Mr Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support his Department offers asylum seekers who have failed in their applications but whose countries are too dangerous for them to be returned to.

(14713)

639
Mr Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will allow asylum seekers to work whilst their applications are being considered.

(14714)

640
John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people of each standard juvenile and adult age cohort were convicted of each of the standard offence categories for each year between 1997 and 2005; and how many convicted offenders had previously been given a final warning or reprimand for (a) that same offence and (b) any other offence.

(14892)

641
N Mr Doug Henderson (Newcastle upon Tyne North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much was spent by his Department and public bodies and agencies for which he is responsible on security contracts with Group 4 Securicor in 2004-05; and if he will list (a) the nature and location of services provided and (b) the start and end dates of such contracts.

[R] (13521)

642
Mr John Horam (Orpington):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether handgun competitions will be permitted to be held in London in 2012 as part of the Olympic Games.

(14337)

643
Mr John Horam (Orpington):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether pistol shooting will be permitted in UK rifle and pistol clubs so that British competitors can train in Olympic disciplines in the UK prior to 2012.

(14338)

644
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Dundee East constituency, (ii) Tayside and (iii) the City of Dundee was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14877)

645
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proposals he has received from the Scottish Executive on possible amendments to the Violent Crime Reduction Bill in relation to licensing or control of air weapons in Scotland.

(14940)

646
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) discussions and (b) correspondence he has had with the Scottish Executive on proposals on the control and licensing of air weapons in Scotland.

(14941)

647
Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cars in Lancashire have been crushed for not having tax discs in each of the last three years.

(14591)

648
Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many working days were lost because of attacks on police in Lancashire in 2004-05.

(14593)

649
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how long it took the emergency services to reach each of the underground trains attacked on 7th July; and how long it took to reach the bus that was attacked.

(14158)

650
Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance he has issued on whether mopeds may be parked in pedestrian zones, including pavements.

(14089)

651
Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people in Milton Keynes have been convicted of crimes in which alcohol has been a contributory factor in each of the last five years.

(14244)

652
Peter Law (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how he intends to implement Paragraph 3.12 of the White Paper, Better Government for Wales (Cm 6582), in respect of any bill he introduces in the current session of Parliament.

(14947)

653
Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions police forces have used powers under the Police Reform Act 2002 to issue warnings to individuals and to seize motorbikes following offences concerning motorbike nuisance.

(14804)

654
Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the percentage staff turnover was in each (a) private and (b) public prison in England and Wales in (i) 2002-03, (ii) 2003-04 and (iii) 2004-05.

(14168)

655
Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he plans to introduce across the country mediation schemes aimed at individuals who exhibit anti-social behaviour.

(14172)

656
Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the merits of introducing contestability into the provision of probation services.

(14173)

657
Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what prime function he has specified for private prisons in England and Wales.

(14174)

658
Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the progress of private prisons in England and Wales in meeting the decency agenda.

(14175)

659
N John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how the (a) Disability Discrimination Act 1975 and (b) Disability Equality Duty will be applied to (i) prisons and (ii) probations services in England and Wales.

(13600)

660
N John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals in prison in England and Wales have a disability.

(13601)

661
N John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what facilities are available in prisons in England and Wales to assist prisoners with disabilities.

(13602)

662
N John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals (a) in prison and (b) supervised by the Probation Service have (i) a hearing difficulty, (ii) a sight impairment and (iii) a mobility difficulty; and what services are available to assist them.

(13603)

663
David Maclean (Penrith & The Border):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the inspections of Cumbria police for the 12 month period ending 31st March.

(14215)

664
David Maclean (Penrith & The Border):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what resources Cumbria police deployed to assist those conducting inspections of the force in the 12-month period ending 31st March; and how many officer hours were involved.

(14216)

665
David Maclean (Penrith & The Border):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the purpose was of each of the inspections of Cumbria Constabulary carried out to the year ending 31st March; and what key findings and recommendations he intends to implement.

(14217)

666
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his Department's policy is for dealing with and responding to correspondence received in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14732)

667
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what facilities his Department has to deal with telephone enquiries in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14733)

668
N Mr Denis MacShane (Rotherham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will reply to the letter of the Right honourable Member for Rotherham sent on 13th December 2004 requesting the return of identity documents to Mr Iskaudar Anwar Raouf.

(13928)

669
Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders were (a) applied for and (b) issued in (i) the Northumbria Police force area and (ii) the local authority areas of (a) Wansbeck and (b) Castle Morpeth in each of the last three years.

(14462)

670
Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many uniformed prison officers were injured whilst on duty at prisons in England and Wales in each of the last five years.

(14466)

671
Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many uniformed prison officers are employed in prisons in England and Wales; and what their average age is.

(14467)

672
Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action his Department is taking to tackle alcohol-related violence; and how many incidents of alcohol-related violence took place in each of the last three years in (a) England and Wales, (b) Northumbria Police force area and (c) Wansbeck constituency.

(14537)

673
Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many acceptable behaviour contracts were entered into in (a) Northumbria Police Force area and (b) Castle Morpeth and Wansbeck local authority areas in each of the last three years.

(14599)

674
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of alcohol-related violence there were in Cambridgeshire in each year since 1997; and what percentage of the total number of violent crimes this represented in each case.

(14552)

675
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions there have been in Cambridgeshire for (a) permitting drunkenness or riotous conduct on the premises or selling liquor to a drunken person, (b) selling intoxicating liquor to persons under 18 years for consumption on the premises, (c) wholesalers selling intoxicating liquor to a person under 18 years and (d) delivery of alcohol to a person under 18 years or allowing such delivery in each year since 1997.

(14553)

676
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued in (a) South Cambridgeshire, (b) East Cambridgeshire and (c) Cambridgeshire in each year since they were introduced.

(14554)

677
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders have been breached in Cambridgeshire in each year since they were introduced; and what percentage of the total issued this represented in each case.

(14555)

678
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of fly-tipping were reported in Cambridgeshire in each year since 1997.

(14556)

679
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions for fly-tipping there were in Cambridgeshire in each year since 1997.

(14557)

680
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fixed penalty notices for disorder have been issued in Cambridgeshire in each year since 1997, broken down by category; and what percentage of fines has been collected in each case.

(14558)

681
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fixed penalty notices for fly-posting and graffiti have been issued since the implementation of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003; and what percentage have been collected.

(14559)

682
Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the usefulness and effectiveness of the practice of publishing the mobile phone numbers of police officers; and if he will make a statement.

(14185)

683
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Moray constituency and (ii) Highland Region was in the most recent year for whch figures are available.

(14848)

684
John Robertson (Glasgow North West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on his assessment of the level of terrorist threat facing the UK.

(14723)

685
John Robertson (Glasgow North West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the enquiries into the London bombings.

(14724)

686
John Robertson (Glasgow North West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the next report on control orders will be published; and if he will make a statement.

(14725)

687
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much the Department has spent on external media relations in each of the last 12 months.

(14681)

688
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Banff and Buchan and (ii) the North East of Scotland was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14886)

689
Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the implications for the United Kingdom of the conclusions of the recent report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on Terrorism Risk Insurance in OECD Countries, published on 5th July.

(14935)

690
Ian Stewart (Eccles):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for naturalisation as a British citizen since 2001 have been processed within (a) six months, (b) 12 months, (c) two years and (d) three years; and how many are outstanding after three years.

(14362)

691
Ian Stewart (Eccles):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, why additional documentary evidence was not requested until 22nd October 2004 with regard to Application H 357963 for British citizenship.

(14363)

692
N David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action he has taken to reduce homicides committed by people other than those who suffer from mental ill health.

(13598)

693
Mr Ben Wallace (Lancaster & Wyre):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the results were of the UKPS biometric trials that commenced in April 2004 and was completed in December 2004.

(14629)

694
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) subject matter and (b) dates were of opinion survey research undertaken by the Department and its agencies in the last 12 months; if he will place copies of the results of each survey in the Library; which companies were used in conducting the research; and how much each was paid.

(14815)

695
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many airgun clubs there are which have been approved by his Department.

(14838)

696
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in Perth and North Perthshire was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14920)

697
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests have been answered by the Department; and in how many cases (a) information was wholly exempted, (b) information was partly exempted and (c) the requests were answered in full.

(14966)

Questions to the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission

698
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, what consultations the Commission will hold with honourable Members on plans to change honourable Members' stationery and postage allowances; and if he will make a statement.

(14191)

699
Mr Frank Doran (Aberdeen North):To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will make a statement on the provision of mail services in the House.

(14205)

700
Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, what consultation took place with Transport for London before the installation of steel security barriers in Bridge Street; and what steps will be taken to enable the 211 bus from Waterloo to stop conveniently for visitors to Portcullis House.

(14101)

Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development

701
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many consultants have been employed by his Department to investigate reproductive health issues in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; at what cost; if he will place in the Library a copy of the reports produced by such consultants; and if he will make a statement.

(14143)

702
John Cummings (Easington):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance the Government is giving to the government in Belize (a) to tackle corruption and (b) to combat the trafficking of drugs; and if he will make a statement.

(14468)

703
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much the Department has spent promoting equality and diversity in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14662)

704
N Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many displaced Sudanese he estimates have returned to the South of Sudan; what assistance with resettlement he has provided; and if he will make a statement.

(13929)

705
N Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding he has made available for the South Sudan Democratic Forum.

(13930)

706
Mr Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what conditions he has attached to debt relief for heavily indebted poor countries in Africa.

(14718)

707
Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what payments agreed at the G8 Summit at Gleneagles will be made available to the Palestinian Authority in 2005.

(14146)

Questions to the Leader of the House

708
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Leader of the House, if he will make representations to the Procedure Committee to examine changing the rules of the House to allow written parliamentary questions to be tabled and answered in recesses within the same guidelines which apply when the House is sitting.

(14103)

709
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Leader of the House, what systems his Office has put in place to monitor the length of time taken by each Government department to answer individual Parliamentary Questions.

(14439)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

710
Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, for what reasons an area designated for education and recreation usage has now been turned over to the provision of a new police station for Cookstown.

(14019)

711
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much the Department has spent promoting equality and diversity in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14661)

712
N Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether approval is pending for Velcade treatment for people with myeloma; and if he will make a statement on available treatments in Northern Ireland for myeloma.

(13932)

713
Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the funding for the children's and childcare sectors; and if he will take steps to assist with the funding difficulties on which he has received representations.

(14488)

714
Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many proposals were received in the public procurement exercise for a Public Prosecution Service Regional Office in Derry.

(14489)

715
Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will ensure (a) that the new childcare protection legislation will contain the elements which were to be part of a Northern Ireland Assembly Private Member's Bill designed to strengthen the operation of area child protection committees and (b) that the new legislation will be a priority for the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

(14490)

716
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what his Department's policy is for dealing with correspondence received in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14701)

717
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what facilities his Department has to deal with telephone enquiries in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14702)

718
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list the (a) names and (b) numbers of management consultants employed by his Department in each of the last three years.

(14240)

719
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what representations he has made to the Prime Minister of the Irish Republic about the murder of Joseph Rafferty on 12th April.

(14894)

720
N Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the funding to the Housing Executive for Northern Ireland has been in each of the last 10 years, broken down by region.

(13963)

721
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) Police Service Northern Ireland and (b) Army personnel were working within the bomb squad in Northern Ireland on the last day for which figures are available.

(14494)

722
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the level of unemployment was in each of the last five years in Northern Ireland.

(14495)

723
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many incidents of petrol bombing have taken place in each year since 1998.

(14496)

724
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which parades in Northern Ireland require a Police Service of Northern Ireland presence.

(14497)

725
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list each parade in Northern Ireland in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005 to date by its named organisation.

(14498)

726
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many parades took place in each of the last 12 months in Northern Ireland.

(14499)

727
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many flags have been removed by Police Service Northern Ireland officers in each police district in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

(14500)

728
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress the Government has made in the implementation of each category of the Regional Transportation Plan approved by the Northern Assembly before suspension.

(14501)

729
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much funding he allocated to each of the education and library boards for (a) 2005-06 and (b) the three previous financial years; and what the projected or actual overspend or underspend is in each.

(14502)

730
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much each district council in Northern Ireland has budgeted to spend on landfill for 2005-06; and what the expenditure was in (a) 1985-86 and (b) 1995-96.

(14503)

731
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list the 10 worst areas in Northern Ireland for educational accomplishment based on the Nolan indices; and what steps he is taking in each area to make improvements in performance.

(14504)

732
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much each district council in Northern Ireland received for projects from Lottery funding in each of the last five years.

(14505)

733
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much funding the Government has provided to each district council in Northern Ireland through the resources element of the general grant factor.

(14506)

734
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the (a) estimated cost and (b) insurance value of the assets held by each district council in Northern Ireland are.

(14507)

735
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many GPs in Northern Ireland have been struck off the medical register in each of the last five years, broken down by region or board.

(14508)

736
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what requirements he is introducing on those council areas that do not provide emergency life savers along their beaches.

(14509)

737
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which local government councils employ lifeguards along the coastline in their borough or district; and how many lifeguards are employed in each.

(14510)

738
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many telecommunications masts there are in Northern Ireland, broken down by telecommunications company.

(14512)

739
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many tyres were scrapped in each of the last five years in Northern Ireland; how many tonnes this amounts to; and what his estimate is of the proportion of the tyres which were (a) disposed of in landfil sites and (b) illegally dumped.

(14513)

740
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much money the Government has spent on cancer services in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years.

(14514)

741
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many fabrication jobs there are in Northern Ireland; and what the figures are for each of the last four years.

(14515)

742
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the attendance record for (a) elected and (b) non-elected members of the Police Board of Northern Ireland has been at (i) full Police Board meetings and (ii) Police Board committee meetings for the last three years.

(14519)

743
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people were waiting for a heart by-pass operation on the latest date for which figures are available.

(14521)

744
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many complaints have been made about the quality of care and treatment in hospitals in Northern Ireland in the last five years, broken down by hospital.

(14522)

745
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many heart by-pass operations were carried out in NHS hospitals in Northern Ireland in each year since 1995.

(14523)

746
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many beds for elderly people in residential homes there have been in each year between May 1998 and the latest available date.

(14524)

747
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the bed capacity is of the Royal Victoria Hospital.

(14527)

748
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people in Northern Ireland have died from epilepsy-related deaths in each of the last five years.

(14528)

749
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what land his Department (a) is offering for sale, lease-back or similar disposal and (b) plans to offer in the next 12 months; and what the (i) location, (ii) size and (iii) best estimate of value is in each case.

(14529)

750
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the bed capacity is of the Ulster Hospital.

(14530)

751
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many pensioners in East Belfast constituency are in receipt of disability living allowance, broken down by (a) care and (b) mobility components.

(14532)

752
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests have been answered by the Department; and in how many cases (a) information was wholly exempted, (b) information was partly exempted and (c) the requests were answered in full.

(14963)

Questions to the Prime Minister

753
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Prime Minister, how much his Office has spent promoting equality and diversity in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14660)

754
Mr Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East):To ask the Prime Minister, what the outcome was of his meeting with Muslim faith representatives on Tuesday 19th July.

(14712)

755
Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Prime Minister, whether he raised with his colleagues in the G8 taxation of aviation and aircraft fuel.

(14170)

756
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Prime Minister, what his Office's policy is for dealing with and responding to correspondence received in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14730)

757
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Prime Minister, what facilities his Office has to deal with telephone enquiries in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14731)

758
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list management consultants employed by his Office in each of the last three years.

(14358)

759
Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Prime Minister, how many staff were employed by his Office on (a) 1st May 2004 and (b) 1st May 2005.

(14511)

760
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Prime Minister, how much his Office has spent on external media relations in each of the last 12 months.

(14677)

761
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Prime Minister, what the (a) subject matter and (b) dates were of opinion survey research undertaken by his Office in the last 12 months; if he will place copies of the results of each survey in the Library; which companies were used in conducting the research; and how much each was paid.

(14819)

762
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Prime Minister, how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests have been answered by his Office; and in how many cases (a) information was wholly exempted, (b) information was partly exempted and (c) the requests were answered in full.

(14958)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland

763
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much the Department has spent promoting equality and diversity in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14659)

764
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Dundee East constituency, (ii) Tayside and (iii) the City of Dundee was in the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14876)

765
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what his Department's policy is for dealing with correspondence received in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14697)

766
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what facilities his Department has to deal with telephone enquiries in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14698)

767
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in the (i) Moray constituency and (ii) Highland Region was in the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14846)

768
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much the Department has spent on external media relations in each of the last 12 months.

(14684)

769
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Banff and Buchan and (ii) the North East of Scotland was in the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14884)

770
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the (a) subject matter and (b) dates were of opinion survey research undertaken by the Department in the last 12 months; if he will place copies of the results of each survey in the Library; which companies were used in conducting the research; and how much each was paid.

(14812)

771
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in Perth and North Perthshire was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14917)

772
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests have been answered by the Department; and in how many cases (a) information was wholly exempted, (b) information was partly exempted and (c) the requests were answered in full.

(14962)

Questions to the Solicitor General

773
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Solicitor General, how many prosecutions were brought by the Crown Prosecution Service in Southend against (a) nightclubs and (b) public houses for supplying alcohol to under-aged purchasers in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(14138)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

774
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the Royal Mail's performance figures in respect of delivery of first class letters were in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(14429)

775
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many manufacturing jobs were lost in each county in each year since 1997.

(14761)

776
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the future of manufacturing in Northamptonshire with particular reference to the Wellingborough constituency.

(14769)

777
N Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of 13th June, Official Report, column 78W, on the Export Control Organisation, through which mechanisms he will announce his decision on (a) the future of the Export Control Organisation and (b) whether to delegate authority to issue export licences to a private contractor; and if he will make a statement.

(13723)

778
N Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether he is required to inform (a) other Government departments, (b) honourable Members and (c) the public that a decision has been made on whether to delegate authority to issue export licences to a private contractor; and if he will make a statement.

(13801)

779
Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment has been made of the likely impact Ofcom's proposed changes to (a) the 0870 number range and (b) 0845 numbers could have on those industries which rely on these number ranges to fund or subsidise the cost of providing other services to consumers.

(15007)

780
Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment has been made of the likely impact Ofcom's proposal to remove revenue sharing of the 0870 number range will have on the Number Translation Service industry.

(15008)

781
Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment has been made of the likely impact Ofcom's proposal to maintain the current price per minute rates for 0845 numbers for a two year period will have on internet service providers' ability to take advantage of British Telecom's next generation network roll-out.

(15009)

782
Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will bring forward measures (a) to help consumers understand the pricing of calls to Number Translation Services and (b) to ensure providers who charge more than the standard fixed line rate make a pre-announcement to consumers using their services.

(15010)

783
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list sub-Saharan African countries which produce substantial quantities of oil.

(13919)

784
Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether he plans to visit Coventry in the next six months.

(14849)

785
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much the Department has spent promoting equality and diversity in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14658)

786
Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will estimate the additional administrative cost, per confidentiality order, of making the effects of section 723B of the Companies Act retrospective.

(14789)

787
Mr David Hamilton (Midlothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many workplaces in Midlothian were reported to the minimum wage helpline for failing to comply with the national minimum wage legislation in 2004.

(14754)

788
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will effect a moratorium on (a) takeovers and (b) acquisitions in the grocery trade.

(14198)

789
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will (a) take steps to strengthen the Supermarkets Supplier Code of Practice and (b) introduce an independent regulator for the grocery market.

(14199)

790
N Mr Doug Henderson (Newcastle upon Tyne North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much was spent by his Department and public bodies and agencies for which he is responsible on security contracts with Group 4 Securicor in 2004-05; and if he will list (a) the nature and location of services provided and (b) the start and end dates of such contracts.

[R] (13522)

791
Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his Answer of Monday 18th July, Official Report, column 1344W, on MG Rover, when the decision was taken by his Department, following the requests made by Kevin Howe and John Towers, to offer a bridging loan to aid the completion of a commercial deal; and when that decision was first communicated to MG Rover management.

(14385)

792
Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether he has received evidence that suggests MG Rover was trading whilst insolvent during April.

(14386)

793
Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether a Government bridging loan facility remains available to aid the completion of a commercial deal to help secure the future of MG Rover; whether the Government has been approached with a request for such a facility by a potential bidder since the company entered administration; whether the Government has offered any such facility to potential bidders since the company entered administration; and if he will make a statement.

(14387)

794
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Dundee East constituency, (ii) Tayside and (iii) the City of Dundee was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14875)

795
Peter Law (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how he intends to implement Paragraph 3.12 of the White Paper, Better Government for Wales (Cm 6582), in respect of any bill he introduces in the current session of Parliament.

(14948)

796
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what his Department's policy is for dealing with and responding to correspondence received in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14726)

797
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what facilities his Department has to deal with telephone enquiries in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14727)

798
Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what computerisation or IT failures have occurred in projects managed by his Department in each year since 1997; what the contracted cost of the project was in each case; and what estimate he has made of the (a) direct and (b) indirect costs of failure or breakdown in each case.

(14367)

799
Mr Alan Meale (Mansfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of 6th July, Official Report, column 464W, on mine rescue services, if he will list the (a) values, (b) dates and (c) scope of the contracts held by the Coal Authority with Mines Rescue Services Ltd in each year since 1994.

(14085)

800
Mr Alan Meale (Mansfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the Coal Authority has participated directly or indirectly in (a) financial support and (b) contracts with Mines Rescue Services Ltd in connection with overseas mining operations.

(14086)

801
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in the (i) Moray constituency and (ii) Highland Region was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14844)

802
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much the Department has spent on external media relations in each month of the last year.

(14675)

803
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Banff and Buchan and (ii) the North East of Scotland was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14882)

804
Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many temporary workers were employed by Royal Mail in Scotland in 2004.

(14144)

805
Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many workplaces in Paisley and Renfrewshire North were reported to the Minimum Wage Helpline for failing to comply with national minimum wage legislation in 2004.

(14147)

806
Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of 20th June, Official Report, column 720W, on radioactive leak (Thorp), on what date he was informed of the nuclear waste leakage at Sellafield; on what dates the (a) Euratom and (b) International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards authorities were informed of the discrepancy in the nuclear materials balance at Sellafield; what communications his safeguards department has had with these authorities in respect of the reportage of discrepancies in measured nuclear materials at Sellafield; and what calculation his Department has made of the costs incurred to date by this leakage.

(14820)

807
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the (a) subject matter and (b) dates were of opinion survey research undertaken by the Department and its agencies in the last 12 months; if he will place copies of the results of each survey in the Library; which companies were used in conducting the research; and how much each was paid.

(14806)

808
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many initiatives to promote domestic installation of renewable energy initiatives his Department operates.

(14900)

809
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make it his policy to ensure future offshore oil and gas pipelines and infrastructure are suitable for carbon sequestration.

(14901)

810
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much was spent by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Angus constituency and (ii) Tayside in 2004-05.

(14902)

811
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much (a) research and development funding, (b) capital grants and (c) other state support for energy technologies, excluding the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation and the Renewables Obligation was provided in each year since 1990, broken down by (i) technology, (ii) Government department and (iii) support scheme.

(14486)

812
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, by what mechanism surpluses are generated from the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation; what the level of those surpluses has been since their inception; and what the projected level of surpluses is for the next three years.

(14487)

813
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many UK tyre manufacturers have relocated to bases in (a) Eastern Europe, (b) China and (c) South Korea in each year since 1997.

(14639)

814
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in Perth and North Perthshire was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14916)

815
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests have been answered by the Department; and in how many cases (a) information was wholly exempted, (b) information was partly exempted and (c) the requests were answered in full.

(14957)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport

816
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) passes and (b) failures of motor car driving tests there were in each test centre in (i) Essex and (ii) the Metropolitan Police area of London in (A) 1990, (B) 1995 and (C) each year since 1999.

(14291)

817
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much has been raised in fines from speed cameras in the county of Essex since 1999.

(14292)

818
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much money has been collected in fines from motorists as a result of speed cameras on the A13 and A127 between Southend and the M25.

(14293)

819
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to reduce congestion on the A5 between the A406 and the A407; and if he will make a statement.

(14294)

820
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) fatal, (b) major and (c) minor accidents have occurred on each direction of the A5 between the A406 and the A407 in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14295)

821
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the major trunk roads in (a) Essex and (b) Hertfordshire; what new trunk roads are planned in each county in each of the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

(14296)

822
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) recent assessment he has made and (b) assessment he plans to make of the possible effects of (i) forward facing and (ii) rear facing speed camera flash on a driver driving at night; and if he will make a statement.

(14297)

823
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the estimated cost of road accidents in (a) Essex and (b) England was in the last year for which figures are available; and how much of that estimate is accounted for by (i) lost output, (ii) police and administration costs, (iii) medical and ambulance costs, (iv) damage to property and (v) allowance for loss in human terms.

(14309)

824
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the estimated cost per (a) fatal, (b) serious, (c) slight and (d) damage-only road accident in (i) Essex and (ii) Great Britain was in the last year for which figures are available.

(14310)

825
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to reduce congestion on the A5 between the A4003 and the A501; and if he will make a statement.

(14311)

826
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) fatal, (b) major and (c) minor accidents occurred in each direction of the A5 between the A4003 and the A501 in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14312)

827
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13th July, Official Report, columns 1052-6W, on road traffic accidents/statistics, if he will place in the Library equivalent information for Highways Agency road schemes not included in the tables provided.

(14084)

828
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the (a) number and (b) location of fixed speed cameras which have been installed in each month since January 2004; and what the casualty rates were (a) before and (b) after installation in each case.

(14614)

829
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many applications for speed camera sites have been made where a final decision on whether installation will be allowed remains pending; and in which locations.

(14615)

830
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the review of rules regarding the location of speed cameras will be completed.

(14616)

831
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will ask the Highways Agency to control ragwort on the A417 and M5 motorway.

(14624)

832
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Department has spent promoting equality and diversity in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14657)

833
Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the bid process for the new Greater Western and Thameslink/GN rail franchise will take account of car parking charges and capacity at Flitwick Railway Station, Bedfordshire.

(14781)

834
N Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received concerning the A2 in South London during the past 12 months.

(12848)

835
N Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what surveys have been undertaken by his Department in the past year of traffic flows on the A2 through Bexley Borough.

(12849)

836
Dr Hywel Francis (Aberavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which agencies are responsible for security at UK airports.

(14431)

837
Mr Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he will make an announcement on the Leeds Supertram proposal.

(14710)

838
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost per mile of operating bus services outside London has been in each year since 1997; and what estimate he has made of the cost for the next five years.

(14859)

839
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much money his Department has given to each local authority outside London towards the cost of subsidising local bus services in each of the last three years; and what the budget is for the next three years.

(14865)

840
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost of subsidised bus services for (a) each route and (b) per mile for each local authority outside London in each of the last three years; and what forecast he has made of the cost of subsidising bus services in each of the next two years.

(14866)

841
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) commercially operated bus services and (b) subsidised routes have been operating in each local authority area ooutside London in each of the last three years; and what estimate he has made of the number which will operate in each of the next two years.

(14867)

842
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 18th July, Official Report, column 1295W, on tonnage tax, how many companies have to date failed to make returns within 30 days of each four month period since January 2004; and how many prosecutions (a) have resulted and (b) are in progress as a consequence.

(14938)

843
N Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will set out the timetable for the Rail Safety and Standards Board's investigation into obstacle detection technologies; and when it will produce its report.

(13375)

844
N Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the systems being trialled by the Rail Safety and Standards Board in its investigation into obstacle detection technology for use at unmanned level crossings.

(13376)

845
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Dundee East constituency, (ii) Tayside and (iii) the City of Dundee was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14873)

846
N Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons two cameras have been erected on a gantry overhanging the southbound carriageway of the M1 motorway just south of junction 21; whether such cameras are (a) permanent and (b) temporary; and if he will make a statement.

(13604)

847
N Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason a speed limit of 40mph has been imposed on the M1 motorway north of Junction 20 where roadworks are being carried out.

(13666)

848
Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to make greater use of tidal flow schemes to manage congestion; and if he will make a statement.

(14164)

849
Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will incentivise local authorities to develop tidal flow highway schemes by making grants available in appropriate cases.

(14165)

850
Peter Law (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how he intends to implement Paragraph 3.12 of the White Paper, Better Government for Wales (Cm 6582), in respect of any bill he introduces in the current session of Parliament.

(14946)

851
David Maclean (Penrith & The Border):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost has been (a) in Cumbria and (b) on the rest of the motorway network of erecting signs with the messages Highways Agency and Highways Agency End.

(14207)

852
David Maclean (Penrith & The Border):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many signs (a) have been and (b) are proposed to be erected on motorways which contain the messages Highways Agency and Highways Agency End.

(14208)

853
David Maclean (Penrith & The Border):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the purpose is of traffic signs on the approaches to the slip road of the M6 motorway in Cumbria which state Highways Agency and Highways Agency End.

(14218)

854
Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Airprox events within a three mile radius of Wargrave, Berkshire have been recorded since 1999.

(14779)

855
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list management consultants employed by his Department in each of the last three years.

(14238)

856
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what measures will be taken to (a) incorporate cycle lanes into the transport system and (b) provide secured cycle parking, in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games.

(14579)

857
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many proposals for speed cameras in Cambridgeshire have been (a) approved and (b) rejected by his Department in each year since 1997; and what their location was in each case.

(14560)

858
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in the (i) Moray constituency and (ii) Highland Region was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14841)

859
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Department has spent on external media relations in each month of the last year.

(14685)

860
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Banff and Buchan and (ii) the North East of Scotland was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14880)

861
N Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his plans are for remodelling and improving safety on Junction 34 of the M6 motorway; and what the timescale is for implementation.

(14026)

862
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) subject matter and (b) dates were of opinion survey research undertaken by the Department and its agencies in the last 12 months; if he will place copies of the results of each survey in the Library; which companies were used in conducting the research; and how much each was paid.

(14810)

863
Mark Williams (Ceredigion):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of dual carriageway trunk roads have central reservation fencing.

(14829)

864
Mark Williams (Ceredigion):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many kilometres of all purpose dual carriageways there are without safety fences in non-urban areas of England.

(14833)

865
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in Perth and North Perthshire was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14914)

866
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests have been answered by the Department; and in how many cases (a) information was wholly exempted, (b) information was partly exempted and (c) the requests were answered in full.

(14955)

867
Jeremy Wright (Rugby & Kenilworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to develop and extend the scheme of variable vehicle excise rates for vehicles which have reduced environmental impact.

(14112)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales

868
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much the Department has spent promoting equality and diversity in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14655)

869
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what his Department's policy is for dealing with and responding to correspondence received in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14699)

870
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what facilities his Department has to deal with telephone enquiries in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14700)

871
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list management consultants employed by his Office in each of the last three years.

(14359)

872
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests have been answered by the Department; and in how many cases (a) information was wholly exempted, (b) information was partly exempted and (c) the requests were answered in full.

(14961)

Questions to the Minister for Women and Equality

873
Lynda Waltho (Stourbridge):To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, if the Government will take steps to simplify the administration of maternity leave for employers.

(14324)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

874
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of (a) the sustainability and environmental impacts of private finance initiative (PFI) projects and (b) the effectiveness of the PFI process in delivering environmentally sustainable projects in his Department.

(14247)

875
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what role his Department (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to make the private finance initiative (i) process and (ii) contracts more accountable and transparent in terms of environmental sustainability in his Department.

(14248)

876
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what targets he has for improving energy efficiency; and what steps his Department is taking to achieve these targets.

(14249)

877
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of electricity used by buildings in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies came from renewable sources in each year since 1997.

(14250)

878
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much money was spent by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies on (i) electricity use and (ii) water and sewerage in each year since 1997.

(14251)

879
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what change there has been in (a) road transport vehicle carbon dioxide emissions and (b) incidence of single occupancy car commuting in his Department since (i) 2003-04 and (ii) 2004-05.

(14252)

880
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what change there was in water consumption by his Department between 2002 and 31st March 2005; and what assessment he has made of which non-office sites offer opportunities for significant water savings.

(14253)

881
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many video conferencing units are installed in (a) the Department and (b) each agency of the Department; what percentage of offices have these facilities in each case; and what plans he has to increase the number.

(14254)

882
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of (a) copying paper and (b) paper for printed publications used by the Department in (i) 2003-04 and (ii) 2004-05 was from recycled sources; and how much post consumer waste this paper contained.

(14388)

883
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures he has put in place to ensure that his Department meets the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that all copying paper brought by the Department is 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum of 75 per cent. post consumer waste content.

(14389)

884
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures he has put in place to ensure that his Department meets the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that all paper for printed publications brought by the Department is 60 per cent. recycled, of which a minimum is 75 per cent. post consumer waste.

(14390)

885
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has joined the Watermark project.

(14391)

886
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by what date his Department expects to implement in full the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that (a) all copying paper brought by the Department is 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum of 75 per cent. post consumer waste content and (b) all paper for printed publications brought by the Department is 60 per cent. recycled, of which a minimum is 75 per cent. post consumer waste.

(14392)

887
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list his Department's main suppliers of (a) copier paper, (b) stationery, (c) envelopes and (d) paper for reports in each case stating (i) the name of each paper used and (ii) the recycled and post consumer recycled content of each paper.

(14393)

888
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the cost of extending Sure Start Maternity Grant eligibility to recipients of (a) long-term incapacity benefit, (b) short-term higher rate incapacity benefit and (c) short-term lower rate incapacity benefit.

(14479)

889
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the environmental impact against sustainable development criteria of bids made for contracts awarded by his Department.

(14480)

890
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department's procurement policy includes timber used on and in the construction of departmental building projects; and if he will make a statement.

(14481)

891
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list his Department's refurbishment projects that (a) are in progress and (b) will start in the next six months; what steps are being taken to ensure that these will procure timber from legal sustainable sources; and whether guidance is issued to contractors to ensure that the timber used on site during refurbishment comes from legal and sustainable sources.

(14482)

892
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that private finance initiative projects for which his Department is responsible create the minimum of environmental damage.

(14483)

893
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total floor space is of buildings owned or leased by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies.

(14533)

894
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the most significant sustainable development impacts in relation to the operation of the estate of his Department.

(14534)

895
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what work his Department's Green Minister has undertaken in the last three months in their official capacity in that role.

(14535)

896
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what meetings his Department's Green Minister has attended in the last 12 months in their official capacity in that role.

(14536)

897
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to provide the delivery of sustainable development within Government.

(14539)

898
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress has been made on his Department's Sustainable Development Strategy.

(14540)

899
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the most significant sustainable development impacts are in relation to the operation of his Department's estate.

(14541)

900
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps have been taken by his Department to review its arrangements for public reporting of sustainable development impacts.

(14542)

901
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what arrangements his Department has made to report publicly on its key sustainable development impacts.

(14543)

902
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many recipients there are of pension credit in the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency.

(14544)

903
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average entitlement to pension credit is in Scotland.

(14545)

904
Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the uptake of pensions credit as a percentage of overall eligibility.

(14546)

905
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the statutory provisions and regulations in force to promote or ensure the employment of disabled people.

(14444)

906
Roger Berry (Kingswood):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims for industrial injuries disablement benefit have been made on the basis of hearing loss in each year since 1995; and how many were successful.

(14115)

907
Roger Berry (Kingswood):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of (a) claims for industrial injuries disablement benefit (IIDB) and (b) IIDB claims awarded were for hearing loss in each year since 1995.

(14116)

908
Roger Berry (Kingswood):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the evidential basis was for setting (a) the lower threshold for hearing loss caused by noise at work at 50db when assessing claims and (b) a three-year time limit for hearing loss industrial injuries disablement benefit.

(14119)

909
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he will reply to Question reference 7079 from the honourable Member for Sutton and Cheam.

(14637)

910
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much people with disabilities are allowed to earn before their benefits are affected; and if he will make a statement.

(13922)

911
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Jobcentre Plus offices there are in Coventry.

(13923)

912
Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to monitor (a) the performance of the Child Support Agency database and (b) the accuracy of CSA payments.

(14933)

913
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Department has spent promoting equality and diversity in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(14605)

914
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many state retirement pensioners there are in the Stroud constituency; and what percentage that represents of the total electorate of that constituency.

(14153)

915
John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to issue guidelines on maximum working temperatures; and if he will make a statement.

(14166)

916
N Mr Doug Henderson (Newcastle upon Tyne North):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was spent by his Department and public bodies and agencies for which he is responsible on security contracts with Group 4 Securicor in 2004-05; and if he will list (a) the nature and location of services provided and (b) the start and end dates of such contracts.

[R] (13523)

917
N Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps are being taken through the tax and benefits system to tackle teenage pregnancy and to encourage responsible parenting in Kettering.

(13917)

918
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Dundee East constituency, (ii) Tayside and (iii) the City of Dundee was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14864)

919
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people on incapacity benefit have failed to attend their first work focused interview in each of the Pathways to Work pilot areas; and how many of these have received a sanction.

(14329)

920
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has been made of the effect on people of being subject to Pathways to Work related sanctions in the pilot area.

(14330)

921
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people on incapacity benefit have participated on the Pathways to Work pilots (a) in total and (b) each month; what the average duration of participation is; and how many in total have entered paid employment of 16 hours or more a week.

(14331)

922
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how the Pathways to Work pilot schemes are being evaluated; and when the findings will be published.

(14332)

923
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the impact of the Incapacity Benefit Pathways to Work pilots as of June on (a) inflows to jobseeker's allowance, (b) levels of economic inactivity and (c) numbers of people in paid employment.

(14333)

924
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have left incapacity benefit since October 2003 in (a) the UK and (b) Pathways to Work pilot areas to (i) enter paid work, (ii) claim jobseeker's allowance, (iii) claim retirement pension and (iv) to claim another benefit.

(14334)

925
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with mental health problems on incapacity benefit have participated in the Pathways to Work pilots; and how many have entered paid employment of 16 hours or more each week.

(14335)

926
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many existing recipients of incapacity benefit have attended a work focused interview through the Pathways to Work pilots since February; and how many have received the job preparation premium.

(14336)

927
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people on incapacity benefit in each of the Pathways to Work areas have had a work focussed interview (a) waived or (b) deferred.

(14339)

928
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people on incapacity benefit who are (a) mandatory and (b) voluntary participants of the Pathways to Work pilots have taken up (i) condition management programmes, (ii) new deal for disabled people, (iii) Access to Work and (iv) return to work credit.

(14340)

929
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will include inherited SERPS from contracted-out pensions in pension forecasts where applicable.

(14350)

930
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will produce a leaflet giving advice on claiming inherited SERPS for widows or widowers whose spouse was contracted-out of SERPS.

(14352)

931
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners receive inherited SERPS where the contributing spouse was (a) contracted into and (b) contracted-out of SERPS.

(14353)

932
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people who do not benefit from an entitlement to inherited SERPS where the contributing spouse was contracted-out of SERPS.

(14354)

933
Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will direct the Disability and Carers Service to provide a substantive response to the letters of the honourable Member for Manchester Central dated 3rd June and 6th July regarding AL (ref: NE215064B).

(14822)

934
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 4th July, Official Report, column 69W, on disability living allowance, whether actions taken by his Department or by the Disability and Carers Service have intentionally or unintentionally had the consequence of reducing the award rate.

(14602)

935
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department's policy is for dealing with and responding to correspondence received in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14738)

936
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what facilities his Department has to deal with telephone enquiries in (a) Welsh, (b) Scots Gaelic and (c) Irish Gaelic.

(14739)

937
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assistance is available to lone parents who wish to return to work in the Great Grimsby constituency area; how many people took up this assistance in 2004-05; and if he will make a statement.

(14370)

938
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people from the Great Grimsby constituency have been on the New Deal in each year since its introduction; and if he will make a statement.

(14371)

939
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people, broken down by gender, who have made applications for incapacity benefit in the last year have had their applications refused as a result of an incomplete contributions history.

(15006)

940
Sir Malcolm Rifkind (Kensington & Chelsea):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total expenditure per job obtained under (a) the New Deal for Disabled People and (b) the incapacity benefit Pathways to Work pilots has been.

(14394)

941
Sir Malcolm Rifkind (Kensington & Chelsea):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have (a) taken part in an incapacity benefit Pathways to Work pilot and (b) obtained a sustained (i) part-time and (ii) full-time job through a Pathways to Work pilot.

(14395)

942
Sir Malcolm Rifkind (Kensington & Chelsea):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have (a) registered on the New Deal for Disabled People and (b) obtained a sustained (i) part-time and (ii) full-time job through the New Deal for Disabled People.

(14396)

943
Sir Malcolm Rifkind (Kensington & Chelsea):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish his Department's latest assessment of the Pathways to Work pilots.

(14397)

944
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in the (i) Moray constituency and (ii) Highland Region was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14847)

945
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints have been received relating to the loss of (a) birth certificates and (b) other supporting documents sent to the Dundee Pension Service Centre in each year since 2001; whether an internal assessment has been made of the number of (i) birth certificates and (ii) other supporting documents lost at the Dundee Pension Service Centre; and what estimates he has made of the number of (A) birth certificates and (B) other supporting documents lost at each Pension Service Centre for each year since 2001.

(14606)

946
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness and security of mail delivery and opening arrangements at (a) the Dundee Pension Service Centre and (b) other pension service centres.

(14607)

947
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Department has spent on external media relations in each month of the last year.

(14682)

948
Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in (i) Banff and Buchan and (ii) the North East of Scotland was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14885)

949
Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland had legal action taken against them for benefit fraud in 2004.

(14145)

950
Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects to refund the back-dated income support owed to Jamie Holyoake of Kingsbridge following the decision of the Appeal Tribunal on 16th June at Exeter (registration no. U/03/194/2005/00149).

(14435)

951
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions the Health and Safety Executive has had with the emergency services about co-ordinating investigations when carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected.

(14787)

952
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many carbon monoxide poisoning incidents have occurred in public places in each of the last 10 years.

(14788)

953
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) subject matter and (b) dates were of opinion survey research undertaken by the Department and its agencies in the last 12 months; if he will place copies of the results of each survey in the Library; which companies were used in conducting the research; and how much each was paid.

(14814)

954
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 18th July, Official Report, column 1063, on the Child Support Agency, whether he proposes to amend the time scale under which payments made by those whose CSA cases transferred from the old calculation system to the new calculation system will be amended to bring them to the level due under the new system.

(14895)

955
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have moved from claiming jobseekers' allowance (a) to work, (b) to training and (c) to other benefits, broken down by benefit received in each of the last four years.

(14903)

956
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) total and (b) change in the number of people claiming each state benefit has been for each Scottish constituency, since 2001.

(14904)

957
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the total (a) over payment and (b) under payment of pension credit; how many people have been affected; and what the average amount of over or under payment has been.

(14905)

958
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement has been in (i) Angus constituency and (ii) Tayside for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14906)

959
Hywel Williams (Caernarfon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of reconfiguration on jobcentres' ability to provide services to the public through the medium of the Welsh language; and what steps he is taking to ensure that this ability is maintained.

(14672)

960
Hywel Williams (Caernarfon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Minister for Economic Development of the National Assembly for Wales Government regarding job losses arising out of the reconfiguration of jobcentre services on Wales.

(14826)

961
Hywel Williams (Caernarfon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential change in the number of Welsh speakers employed in jobcentres following reconfiguration of the organisation.

(14827)

962
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total spending by his Department on (a) staff, (b) accommodation and (c) procurement in Perth and North Perthshire was for the most recent year for which figures are available.

(14919)

963
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Freedom of Information Act 2000 requests have been answered by the Department; and in how many cases (a) information was wholly exempted, (b) information was partly exempted and (c) the requests were answered in full.

(14965)

964
Jeremy Wright (Rugby & Kenilworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Child Support Agency will submit its business transformation programme to the Department; and if he will place a copy of the report in the Library.

(14110)

Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

965
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many job vacancies there were in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

[Transferred] (14266)

966
Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to renew the derogation from EU Directive 2003/96/EC which allows red diesel to be taxed at a lower rate for private recreational marine craft; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (14794)

967
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many pregnancies there were in (a) under 16 year olds, (b) 16 to 19 year olds and (c) those aged 20 years and over in the Wellingborough constituency in each year since 1997.

[Transferred] (14773)

968
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the climate change levy on (a) new tyre manufacturers and (b) manufacturers of retreaded tyres.

[Transferred] (14640)

969
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effects of the climate change levy on companies increasing expenditure to increase energy efficiency putting themselves below the three per cent. energy usage against manufacturing costs criteria required for the 80 per cent. climate change levy reduction.

[Transferred] (14641)

970
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many manufacturers of tyres have received a discount from the climate change levy; and how many have done so in each year since its introduction.

[Transferred] (14642)

971
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) applicants in total and (b) tyre manufacturers have been unsuccessful in applying for a reduction in the climate change levy in each year since its introduction.

[Transferred] (14643)

972
Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people had overpayments of family tax credits due to incorrect health or disability categorisation in the last year for which figures are available.

[Transferred] (14475)

973
Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total cost of overpaid family tax credits, due to incorrect categorisation on grounds of health or disability was in the last year for which figures are available.

[Transferred] (14476)

Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

974
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will publish in full the Strategy Unit Drugs Report dated 13th June 2003.

[Transferred] (14550)

Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs

975
Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many cases have (a) been received, (b) been allocated case numbers, (c) remained unallocated and (d) been determined by the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal in each quarter of the last five years for which records are available; and if she will make a statement.

[Transferred] (14548)

976
Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what length of time was required (a) to allocate a case number following receipt and (b) to reach a determination by the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal in the case of Mr Abolade Amuleya; and if she will make a statement.

[Transferred] (14549)

Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister

977
Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the effects of council wardens and police working together in Lancashire.

[Transferred] (14592)

978
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the council tax revaluation on Cambridgeshire.

[Transferred] (14631)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills

979
Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what representations she has received regarding the provision of day care in East Sussex; and if she will make a statement.

[Transferred] (15012)

980
Lynda Waltho (Stourbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps the Government is taking to improve access to affordable childcare for working women.

[Transferred] (14323)

Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department

981
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will estimate the cost of damage caused by vandalism to public housing in each local authority area in (a) Essex and (b) the Metropolitan Police area of London in each of the past five years.

[Transferred] (14276)

982
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has been made of the merits of moving responsibility for policy on controlled drugs from the Home Office to the Department of Health; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (14551)

983
Mr Mohammad Sarwar (Glasgow Central):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will remove (a) incapacity benefit and (b) disability living allowance from the list of public funds HC 251 (as amended).

[Transferred] (14377)

984
Mr Mohammad Sarwar (Glasgow Central):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons (a) disability living allowance and (b) incapacity benefits are included in the list of public funds in HC 251 (as amended).

[Transferred] (14378)

Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development

985
Mr Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what conditions were attached to the offer of aid to the poorest nations in Africa following the agreement at the G8 summit.

[Transferred] (14716)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland

986
Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much (a) money and (b) property has been seized in Paisley and Renfrewshire North as a consequence of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

[Transferred] (14150)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

987
N Colin Challen (Morley & Rothwell):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will extend the Clear Skies Programme beyond March 2006.

[Question Unstarred] (13821)

988
John Cummings (Easington):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many jobs accredited to (a) One North East and (b) the Durham Development Company have been brought to (i) the county of Durham and (ii) Easington constituency in the last three years.

[Transferred] (14471)

989
Mr Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether conditions will be imposed upon countries in Africa following the agreement at the G8 summit to create fairer trade.

[Transferred] (14715)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales

990
Peter Law (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how he intends to implement paragraph 3.12 of the White Paper, Better Government for Wales (Cm 6582), in respect of any bill he introduces in the current session of Parliament.

[Transferred] (14943)

991
Peter Law (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how he intends to implement Paragraph 3.12 of the White Paper, Better Government for Wales (Cm 6582), in respect of any bill he introduces in the current session of Parliament.

[Transferred] (14945)

992
Peter Law (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how he intends to implement Paragraph 3.12 of the White Paper, Better Government for Wales (Cm 6582), in respect of any bill he introduces in the current session of Parliament.

[Transferred] (14951)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

993
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost was of housing benefit in council housing transferred to housing associations in each of the last two years.

[Transferred] (14236)

994
Lynda Waltho (Stourbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to tackle women's pension inequality.

[Transferred] (14325)

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Revised 21 July 2005