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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Wednesday 2 November 2005
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Wednesday 2 November 2005
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 2 November of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department. For other Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 2 November of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Wednesday 2 November see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 1
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by his Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available. | | (24461) | 2
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department has taken to encourage people to live more sustainable lifestyles within the framework of the Government's sustainable development strategy. | | (24534) | 3
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department has taken to implement the guidelines on (a) water usage, (b) travel arrangements and (c) procurement in the Sustainable Development Report and Action Plan 2005. | | (24553) | 4
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effects of (a) research and development tax credits, (b) vaccines research relief and (c) contaminated land tax credits; and if he will make a statement. | | (24556) | 5
| Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received from members of the public about fee-charging cash machines. | | (24422) | 6
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the level of youth unemployment has been in Coventry South in each of the last five years. | | (23240) | 7
| Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the level of public spending per head was in the UK in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) Government office region and (b) local authority area. | | (24616) | 8
| Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans the Government has to introduce a tax on plastic carrier bags. | | (24703) | 9
| Chris Huhne (Eastleigh):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 24th October, Official Report, columns 51-2W, on pensions, what further information he would need to collect to enable estimates to be broken down by (a) decile and (b) taxable income band. | | (24492) | 10
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many possible cases of tax credit fraud were passed to HM Revenue and Customs Special Compliance Office in each month from April 2004 to April 2005; and if he will make a statement. | | (24506) | 11
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many telephone calls (a) were received, (b) were handled and (c) received an engaged tone on the tax credits helpline in (i) August and (ii) September; and if he will make a statement. | | (24542) | 12
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many cases of possible fraudulent tax credit claims of over £1,500 have been (a) referred to HM Revenue and Customs Special Compliance Office and (b) passed to local compliance teams to investigate; and if he will make a statement. | | (24547) | 13
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much official error relief for tax credits was written off in each month from January to October; and if he will make a statement. | | (24585) | 14
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of whether tax credits have been targeted by organised criminals; and if he will make a statement. | | (24586) | 15
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recommendations have been made by HM Revenue and Customs Internal Audit in relation to the gathering of information on the possible targeting of tax credits by organised criminals; and if he will make a statement. | | (24587) | 16
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the merits of levying a windfall tax on UK oil companies; and if he will make a statement. | | (24404) | 17
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 21st October, Official Report, column 1315W, on planning gain supplement, whether Kate Barker's recommendations to his Department stated whether the planning gain supplement should be (a) revenue-neutral, (b) revenue-raising, (c) kept in full by local councils and (d) transferred in whole or part to central government. | | (24689) | 18
| Mr Ian Taylor (Esher & Walton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to improve the flow of information from HM Revenue and Customs to the Child Support Agency. | | (24584) | 19
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff are employed by HM Revenue and Customs, broken down by (a) sex and (b) ethnicity. | | (24478) | Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 20
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what (a) land and (b) property the Duchy owns in Kettering constituency. | | (24362) | Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 21
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, whether she plans to bring forward proposals to increase enforcement powers for financial institutions seeking to recover unsecured debts; and if she will make a statement. | | (24552) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 22
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by her Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available. | | (24468) | 23
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what (a) land and (b) property her Department owns in Kettering constituency. | | (24364) | 24
| Mr Andrew Pelling (Croydon Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much grant-in-aid funding was allocated by Arts Council England to culture in (a) London and (b) Croydon in the financial year 2005-06. | | (24544) | 25
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many (a) videos, (b) DVDs and (c) CDs were lent by libraries in (i) Brent and (ii) London in each year since 1997. | | (24479) | 26
| Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her plans for help and follow-up support with digital switchover for people aged 75 years and over extend to providing free (a) installation, (b) equipment and (c) telephone helpline advice in relation to digital television reception. | | (24372) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 27
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 17th October, Official Report, column 659W, on air support units, what air support was available to British forces in northern Afghanistan during the week commencing 24th October. | | (24493) | 28
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to note 20 of his Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2004-05, if he will list the capital commitments that have been contracted for but not yet provided. | | (24578) | 29
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost has been of leasing or hiring (a) helicopters and (b) fixed wing aircraft from commercial contractors in each year since 2000. | | (24579) | 30
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Army's Total Fleet Requirement 2004. | | (24580) | 31
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) routine British Armed Forces patrols and (b) joint patrols with Iraqi police forces have been undertaken in Iraq in Multinational Division South East in each month since January; and if he will make a statement. | | (24581) | 32
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons the average number of whole-time equivalent persons employed by his Department increased in financial year 2004-05 compared with 2003-04. | | (24598) | 33
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Defence Transport and Movements Agency (DTMA) Annual Report and Accounts 2004-05, if he will make a statement on the DTMA's (a) in-year management control, (b) financial data and (c) short-term planning. | | (24599) | 34
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library copies of his Department's monthly financial submissions to the Treasury's general expenditure monitoring system for (a) financial years (i) 2002-03, (ii) 2003-04 and (iii) 2004-05 and (b) the first six months of 2005-06. | | (24600) | 35
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library copies of his Department's Chart of Accounts for financial years 1997-98 to 2005-06. | | (24601) | 36
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list his Department's top level budget holders and their related intermediate and working level management groupings for financial year 2005-06. | | (24605) | 37
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by his Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available. | | (24457) | 38
| Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total administrative cost was of the Defence Export Service Organisation in 2004-05; and what the projected equivalent figure is for 2005-06. | | (24590) | 39
| Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of staff of the Defence Export Services Organisation are seconded from industry; and what functions such staff perform. | | (24606) | 40
| Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people, excluding employees, have passes, other than day passes, giving access to his Department's headquarters; and by which companies these people are employed. | | (24607) | 41
N | Mr Geoffrey Cox (Torridge & West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons his Department has withdrawn its objections to the proposal to erect three 81 metre wind turbines at Yelland Farm, West Devon. | | (23759) | 42
N | Mr Geoffrey Cox (Torridge & West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what evidence his Department relied upon in stating in a letter from Defence Estates of 26th May, to the West Devon Borough Council, that the erection of three 81 metre wind turbines at Yelland Farm, West Devon, would (a) limit realistic training in the Dartmoor training area and (b) constitute a hazard to military aircraft transiting around the Air Danger Area exclusion zone over North Dartmoor. | | (23760) | 43
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British Army vehicles are in operation in Iraq; and how many are fitted with electronic countermeasures. | | (24526) | 44
N | Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when and at what level discussions have taken place with representatives of the Irish government following its submission for posthumous pardons in respect of 26 soldiers of Irish regiments executed in the Great War for cowardice and desertion; and if he will make a statement. | | (24124) | 45
N | Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library copies of submissions received from the Irish government requesting that consideration be given to granting posthumous pardons in respect of 26 soldiers of Irish regiments executed in the Great War for cowardice and desertion. | | (24125) | 46
| Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the suitability of Angola for overseas military training. | | (24371) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 47
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many (a) short-term and (b) long-term empty properties there were in (i) England, (ii) each region and (iii) each London borough in each year since 1997. | | (24374) | 48
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by his Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available. | | (24462) | 49
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many planning permission applications have been granted for mobile phone masts in Coventry South since 1997. | | (23239) | 50
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will change the building regulations to ensure that each new build property (a) includes renewable energy facilities and (b) is energy efficient. | | (24405) | 51
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what evaluation of the Firelink system will be carried out in advance of the move to regional control centres. | | (24445) | 52
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much has been spent on management consultants by (a) Norwich City Council and (b) Norfolk County Council in each of the last five years. | | (24393) | 53
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Notting Hill Housing Trust as a provider of affordable housing over the last five years; and if he will make a statement. | | (24527) | 54
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many complaints have been received against the Notting Hill Housing Trust in each of the last five years; and how many have been investigated by the Ombudsman. | | (24528) | 55
| David Howarth (Cambridge):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on his Department's performance against its key sustainable development impacts over the last 12 months. | | (24391) | 56
| David Howarth (Cambridge):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what sustainable development requirements he has placed on his Department's (a) executive agencies, (b) advisory non-departmental bodies, (c) executive non-departmental bodies, (d) tribunals, (e) public corporations and (f) other bodies; and if he will make a statement. | | (24399) | 57
| David Howarth (Cambridge):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what information he collects on (a) the number of buildings, (b) the number of staff working from each building and (c) the management of the buildings in (i) his Department and (ii) its executive agencies. | | (24412) | 58
| Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the charging by park home operators of commission on sale. | | (24411) | 59
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what steps he is taking to provide affordable housing in (a) Huddersfield, (b) Yorkshire and (c) England. | | (24426) | 60
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what process the Government plans to adopt in relation to the procedure for an owner reclaiming property seized by a local authority under an empty dwelling management order. | | (24588) | 61
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 26th October, Official Report, column 449W, on local area agreements (LAAs), if he will place a copy of each agreed LAA in the Library; and why the website page referred to in the Answer does not provide access to copies of each LAA. | | (24671) | 62
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what representations his Department has received from (a) the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and (b) the Environment Agency on whether home information packs should include contaminated land reports. | | (24672) | 63
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether home information packs will be required to include contaminated land reports. | | (24673) | 64
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of whether larger or older homes are likely to incur higher costs in producing a home information pack than small or recently built houses; and if he will make a statement. | | (24674) | 65
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the likely mean cost of producing a home information pack, including taxation. | | (24675) | 66
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the required elements of home information packs. | | (24676) | 67
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 26th October, Official Report, column 449W, on local area agreements (LAAs), if he will list the measures which can be applied should certain targets not be met for each of the agreed LAAs. | | (24677) | 68
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library preliminary (a) analysis, (b) studies and (c) estimates conducted before the announcement of the revaluation postponement by (i) his Office and (ii) the Valuation Office Agency on the distribution and number of gainers and losers from the council tax revaluation in England. | | (24678) | 69
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the timetable is for the introduction of home information packs. | | (24679) | 70
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the timetable is for (a) the laying of secondary legislation and (b) the publication of guidance in relation to the Housing Act 2004. | | (24680) | 71
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what guidance the Government has provided to local planning authorities on informing nearby local residents that a planning application in their vicinity has been submitted; and what definition of vicinity he uses in this context. | | (24682) | 72
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether councils graded (a) excellent and (b) good under the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) are subject to (i) future CPA inspections and (ii) inspections from inspectorates other than the Audit Commission; and whether they are required to submit best value performance (A) information and (B) plans. | | (24683) | 73
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the freedoms that local authorities graded (a) excellent and (b) good under the Comprehensive Performance Assessment receive in relation to local government inspection. | | (24684) | 74
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the Audit Commission's plans to move Comprehensive Performance Assessment to a star rating measure. | | (24685) | 75
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 25th October, Official Report, column 340W, on regional chambers, for what reasons the Audit Commission does not audit the other regional chambers; if he will place in the Library copies of the assemblies' most recent business plans; and if he will make a statement. | | (24686) | 76
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 17th October, Official Report, column 819W, on telecommunications masts, if he will break down the number of mobile phone masts registered for business rates in England in (a) April 1998 and (b) March 2005 by local authority area. | | (24687) | 77
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 24th October, Official Report, column 24W, on travellers, what the budget of the new Gypsy and Traveller Unit is for 2005-06; and what its planned (a) work programme and (b) activities are. | | (24688) | 78
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 27th October, Official Report, column 489W, on respect, whether any payment is being made by his Department to the Home Office specifically for the Respect Unit functions. | | (24700) | 79
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 27th October, Official Report, column 489W, on respect, which of the programmes listed are within the remit or responsibility of the Home Office. | | (24701) | 80
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 26th October, Official Report, column 448W, on departmental working groups, which (a) staff member and (b) Minister within his Department approves the creation of new departmental working groups. | | (24718) | 81
N | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Working Time Directive on retained staff within the fire and rescue service; and if he will make a statement. | | (24106) | 82
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the financial position of the London Borough of Brent council pension scheme. | | (24476) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 83
| Mr Brian Binley (Northampton South):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether the Bridgewater Primary School to be built in Northamptonshire will have kitchen facilities. | | (24507) | 84
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what representations she has received on the impact of funding changes by the Learning and Skills Council on (a) the numbers enrolling and (b) the level of fees charged for adult and community learning courses. | | (24373) | 85
N | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many full-time equivalent employee reductions as a result of the Gershon review have been made; what (a) cost savings relating to IT projects and (b) total value of efficiency savings (i) were achieved in 2004-05 and (ii) are expected to be achieved in 2005-06; and if she will make a statement. | | (23992) | 86
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by her Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available. | | (24466) | 87
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment she has made of the effects of prioritising 14 to 19 education on the funding of Prince's Trust schemes in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) London. | | (24574) | 88
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what recent representations she has received on the funding of Prince's Trust schemes by Learning and Skills Councils; and if she will make a statement. | | (24575) | 89
N | Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether the proposed Trust schools will be able to apply for the flexibility to borrow against their assets. | | (24092) | 90
| Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what was the proportion of students on higher education courses from social groups (a) D and (b) E in each year since 1997. | | (24545) | 91
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will list (a) infant, (b) primary and (c) secondary schools which had a deficit in 2004-05; what estimate she has made of the number of schools likely to have a deficit by the end of 2005-06; and if she will make a statement. | | (24614) | 92
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will take steps to assist schools with the lowest pupil funding level to secure adequate funding to enable statutory non-contact time obligations to be met; and if she will make a statement. | | (24615) | 93
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will list research commissioned by the Department in the past 12 months. | | (24514) | 94
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which Minister commissioned the review of the literature on the effects of pupil grouping published recently. | | (24515) | 95
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) classroom assistants and (b) full-time equivalent classroom assistant posts there were in schools in the Kettering constituency in each year since 1997. | | (24189) | 96
| Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will initiate a publicity campaign to persuade adults and employers that there is a need to pay higher fees for courses provided by further education colleges; and if she will make a statement. | | (24409) | 97
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what incentives are offered for people (a) to attend and (b) to complete the New Deal's Gateway to Learning scheme. | | (24419) | 98
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on the restructuring of the Learning and Skills Council. | | (24376) | 99
| Julie Morgan (Cardiff North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) private and (b) public law cases remained unallocated in the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service on 13th July, or the nearest date for which figures are available. | | (24517) | 100
| Julie Morgan (Cardiff North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many unallocated cases there were in the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service at the end of each of the last four financial years. | | (24518) | 101
| Julie Morgan (Cardiff North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) public and (b) private law vacancies there are in the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service; and what the recruitment strategy is for the 2005-06 financial year. | | (24519) | 102
| Mr Andrew Pelling (Croydon Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students in further education have leave to remain in the UK as a member of a family in the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme; and how much in overseas tuition fees was paid by such students in each of the last five years. | | (24425) | 103
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much funding was allocated to school nursing in each of the past 10 years. | | (24428) | 104
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps her Department is taking to encourage school nurses to develop their work in (a) the classroom and (b) health promotion. | | (24429) | 105
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what action she is taking to ensure school nurses have sufficient (a) time and (b) resources to provide a full range of services for children. | | (24430) | 106
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many school nurses there were in England in each of the past 10 years. | | (24431) | 107
| Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what freedoms academies have been given that do not apply to other schools. | | (24508) | 108
| Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what measures (a) secondary schools and (b) local education authorities will be required to have in place to deal with hard-to-place pupils to ensure that no single school takes a disproportionate number of pupils with challenging behaviour. | | (24510) | 109
| Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how the Government will encourage primary and secondary schools to become self-governing and to acquire trust status as set out in the White Paper. | | (24532) | 110
| Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children's trusts there are in England. | | (24533) | 111
| Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what are the most recent truancy levels for (a) secondary and (b) primary schools in Morecambe and Lunesdale. | | (24535) | 112
| Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many parenting contracts have been issued in (a) Morecambe and Lunesdale and (b) England since their inception. | | (24536) | 113
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what (a) powers, (b) funding and (c) responsibilities that are currently within the remit of local education authorities she expects (i) the Learning and Skills Council and (ii) local Learning and Skills Councils to hold following the implementation of the proposals in the Education White Paper. | | (24597) | 114
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what (a) powers, (b) funding and (c) responsibilities the proposed (i) School Improvement Partners and (ii) Office of the Schools Commissioner will hold that are currently within the remit of local education authorities. | | (24602) | 115
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment she has made of the likely effects of the reforms proposed in the Education White Paper on (a) local government finance and (b) the budgets of local authorities; and if she will make a statement. | | (24603) | 116
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment she has made of the likely effects of the reforms proposed in the Education White Paper on local councils appointing school governors; and if she will make a statement. | | (24604) | 117
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school pupils did not have a school place on (i) 1st August, (ii) 1st September and (iii) 1st October in each London borough. | | (24474) | 118
| Mr Michael Wills (North Swindon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of students (a) studying for and (b) who achieved postgraduate degrees were educated in state schools in each year since 1997. | | (24453) | 119
| Mr Michael Wills (North Swindon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what her most recent estimate is of the ratio of pupils to computers in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools. | | (24483) | 120
| Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much funding has been allocated to homework clubs in schools in (a) England, (b) Kent and (c) Sittingbourne and Sheppey in 2005-06. | | (24659) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 121
N | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people in her Department (a) were relocated in 2004-05 and (b) are expected to be relocated in 2005-06 following the Lyons review; where they have been relocated; and if she will make a statement. | | (23710) | 122
N | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many full-time equivalent employee reductions have been made as a result of the Gershon review; what (a) cost savings relating to IT projects and (b) total value of efficiency savings (i) were achieved in 2004-05 and (ii) are expected to be achieved in 2005-06; and if she will make a statement. | | (23991) | 123
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by her Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available. | | (24464) | 124
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research her Department has undertaken into the polluting effects of chemtrails for aircraft. | | (24397) | 125
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress she has made towards re-starting the collection and recycling of farm-use black plastic wrap; and if she will seek to legislate to introduce a statutory levy. | | (24407) | 126
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the recent change in the rules that apply to the recording of sheep movements; and whether she (a) sought and (b) received the approval of the National Farmers Union for the changes. | | (24692) | 127
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations she has made (a) directly and (b) through the EU to the government of (i) Brazil and (ii) Argentina regarding illegal logging; and what steps she has taken to ensure that illegal timber is not imported into the UK. | | (24693) | 128
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance she has given on the holding of bird fairs and sales. | | (24694) | 129
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many residents in the Kettering constituency were (a) eligible for and (b) received grants under the Warm Front Scheme in each of the last five years. | | (24193) | 130
| Mr Bob Laxton (Derby North):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many byway claims were made to (a) Wiltshire County Council and (b) other county councils between 5th August and 11th October; and how many of these were attributable to the Trail Riders Federation in each case. | | (24420) | 131
| Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria the Department uses to decide whether a storm is of a one in 30 year storm for the purposes of establishing when compensation may be paid by a water undertaking following flood damage. | | (24512) | 132
| Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what legislation governs compensation payments by water undertakings in the event of flooding. | | (24513) | 133
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of household waste each local authority in England recycled in 2004-05. | | (24438) | 134
| Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been allocated to complete the Morecambe sea defence scheme; and when work will commence. | | (24554) | 135
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate the Government has made of the cost to local authorities of the implementation of Environmental Protection guidance note PG5/2(04). | | (24589) | 136
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish a regulatory impact assessment for Environmental Protection guidance note PG5/2(04). | | (24594) | 137
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of Environmental Protection guidance note PG5/02(04) on fees charged to the public for municipal services. | | (24595) | 138
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Environment Agency takes (a) to inspect, (b) to regulate and (c) to set targets for local authorities. | | (24596) | 139
| Mr Graham Stuart (Beverley & Holderness):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the Government has (a) to prevent the release of game birds and (b) to ban driven shooting in the event of an outbreak of avian influenza. | | (24450) | 140
| Mr Graham Stuart (Beverley & Holderness):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures she will take to ensure secondary losses resulting from biosecurity restrictions relating to avian influenza do not have an adverse economic impact on farmers. | | (24451) | 141
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what compensation package has been agreed with the poultry industry in the event of an avian influenza outbreak; and if she will make a statement. | | (24503) | 142
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of personnel numbers within the State Veterinary Service to deal with an outbreak of avian influenza. | | (24505) | 143
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of bio-security on poultry farms in England. | | (24644) | 144
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what model her Department has prepared to predict the spread of avian influenza should an outbreak occur. | | (24645) | 145
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many registered quarantine sites for birds exist in the UK. | | (24646) | 146
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total capacity is of existing bird quarantine facilities in the UK. | | (24647) | 147
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many birds (a) entered and (b) died in quarantine in the UK in each year from 2000 to 2005. | | (24648) | 148
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what is the current average period between a bird's death in quarantine and a veterinary investigation taking place into the cause of the bird's death. | | (24649) | 149
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in how many bird deaths in quarantine which were investigated was a specific cause of death identified in 2004-05. | | (24650) | 150
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many bird deaths in quarantine have been investigated by qualified veterinary personnel since 2000; and in how many such cases avian influenza was identified as the cause of death. | | (24651) | 151
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who is responsible for licensing avian quarantine centres in the UK; how long such a licence is valid; and how many have been issued for (a) new and (b) existing centres in each year since 2000. | | (24652) | 152
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many avian quarantine centres have closed down because their licences were withdrawn in each year since 1997. | | (24653) | 153
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the arrangements are for ministerial responsibility for the State Veterinary Service across England and Wales in (a) normal circumstances and (b) the event of an outbreak of avian influenza. | | (24654) | 154
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what training for (a) State Veterinary Service veterinary surgeons and (b) private practice veterinary surgeons (i) has been and (ii) are being provided with in the detection of avian influenza. | | (24655) | 155
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what arrangements have been made for the safe disposal of poultry carcasses in the event of a cull for avian influenza. | | (24656) | 156
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the capacity of the rendering industry to deal with the number of poultry slaughtered in the event of an outbreak of avian influenza. | | (24658) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 157
| Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the progress towards agreeing a budget for the European Union under the United Kingdom's presidency. | | (24455) | 158
N | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many people in his Department (a) were relocated in 2004-05 and (b) are expected to be relocated in 2005-06 following the Lyons review; where they have been relocated; and if he will make a statement. | | (23711) | 159
N | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many full-time equivalent employee reductions as a result of the Gershon review have been made; what (a) cost savings relating to IT projects and (b) total value of efficiency savings (i) were achieved in 2004-05 and (ii) are expected to be achieved in 2005-06; and if he will make a statement. | | (23990) | 160
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by his Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available. | | (24460) | 161
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress the Government has made in assisting the African Union in meeting its commitments, with particular reference to full troop deployment in Darfur. | | (24394) | 162
| Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he will reply to the letter of 7th September from the Right honourable Member for Manchester Gorton with regard to Mr Siddak Ali. | | (24413) | 163
| Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he will reply to the letter of 26th September from the Right honourable Member for Manchester Gorton with regard to Mrs Tahira Hussain. | | (24414) | 164
N | Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he received a formal request from the Irish government to consider granting posthumous pardons in respect of 26 soldiers of Irish regiments executed in the Great War for cowardice and desertion; and if he will make a statement. | | (24126) | 165
N | Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects to respond to the Irish government's request that the Government consider granting posthumous pardons in respect of 26 soldiers of Irish regiments executed in the Great War for cowardice and desertion; and if he will make a statement. | | (24127) | 166
| Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment has been made of the outcome of the referendum in Uganda in July. | | (24434) | 167
| Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness, (b) transparency and (c) accountability of ECOWAS. | | (24435) | 168
| Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on progress towards a resolution to the conflict in Northern Uganda. | | (24436) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 169
| Mr Alan Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons alcohol-related referrals to the community mental health service in the Alnwick and Berwick areas have been suspended; and if she will make a statement. | | (24452) | 170
| Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make a statement on the progress of the fast track referral to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence of velcade for the treatment of multiple myeloma. | | (24550) | 171
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the net number of bed closures in (a) London and (b) each NHS Trust in London was in 2004-05, broken down by bed type. | | (24375) | 172
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by her Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available. | | (24465) | 173
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans she has to make antiviral therapies available to those who handle poultry. | | (24695) | 174
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will arrange for UK-based students qualifying for dentistry to undertake a period of employment in the NHS in return for full or partial remittance of fees. | | (24698) | 175
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dentists in the Cotswold and Vale primary care trust area (a) operate fully within the NHS and (b) only offer NHS treatment for children. | | (24699) | 176
| Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many eligible students who applied for NHS bursaries for their courses had not received their bursary by (a) the first week and (b) the first month of their course in 2005-06. | | (24546) | 177
| Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS trusts in England are (a) in deficit and (b) in surplus; and what the aggregate financial position is of all NHS trusts in England. | | (24618) | 178
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of women diagnosed with breast cancer were tested for the presence of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 in 2004-05. | | (24423) | 179
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what overseas visits the Chief Medical Officer has made in the last two years; where his interests are recorded; what meetings he has had with the Prime Minister in the last two years; and which of the chief scientific advisers to Government Departments he has met in the last 12 months. | | (24390) | 180
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she will make a decision on the reorganisation of Norfolk primary care trusts; and if she will undertake a public consultation process. | | (24392) | 181
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will (a) increase financial support for and (b) promote the expansion of the hospice movement. | | (24191) | 182
| Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice her Department has issued to (a) primary care trusts, (b) strategic health authorities and (c) other NHS organisations on their obligations under Section 11 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 in relation to (i) primary care trust mergers and (ii) strategic health authority reconfigurations; and if she will make a statement. | | (24396) | 183
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of the impact on children's health of advertising of (a) fast foods and (b) sweets and snacks during children's television. | | (24366) | 184
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidelines she has issued on the prescription of medicines for adults which are used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children; and what research the Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on this matter. | | (24417) | 185
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Government plans to use the review of the general practitioners contract to establish incentives for general practitioners to set up a register for those with mental health problems. | | (24418) | 186
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance she has issued to general practitioners on the prioritisation of people with severe mental illnesses for immunisation against (a) influenza and (b) avian influenza. | | (24444) | 187
| Jessica Morden (Newport East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research her Department has conducted into the long-term economic and social effects of minimally invasive technologies for the treatment of uterine fibroids. | | (24365) | 188
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff were employed in communication roles in (a) strategic health authorities, (b) primary care trusts and (c) other NHS trusts in England at (i) 31st March and (ii) 30th September; and if she will make a statement. | | (24662) | 189
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many new staff started employment in the Department during the year ending 31st March (a) 2001, (b) 2002, (c) 2003, (d) 2004 and (e) 2005; and if she will make a statement. | | (24663) | 190
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether repayments of deficits of primary care trusts brought forward from 2004-05 will affect the level of the 2005-06 settlement; and if she will make a statement. | | (24719) | 191
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff employed in her Department in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05 and (c) in the six months to 30th September have been dismissed, or have had their employment contract otherwise terminated, for failure to perform to the standard expected; and if she will make a statement. | | (24720) | 192
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of the likely effects of the change in bed numbers planned in West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust Investing in Your Health Plan on the standard of healthcare for the people of Hemel Hempstead; and if she will make a statement. | | (24721) | 193
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the application of the EU Working Time Directive to the medical workforce has increased the minimum catchments for acute services; and if she will make a statement. | | (24722) | 194
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general hospitals offer 24 hour a day, seven days a week acute accident and emergency services in England; how many are planned to offer these services in 2010-11; and if she will make a statement. | | (24723) | 195
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what criteria were used in setting the funding allocation for (a) Lambeth Primary Care Trust and (b) Dacorum Primary Care Trust for 2005-06; and if she will make a statement. | | (24724) | 196
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what criteria were used in setting the funding allocation to Salford Primary Care Trust for 2005-06; and if she will make a statement. | | (24725) | 197
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much of the increase in Total NHS Settlement for 2004-05 was spent on (a) additional or increased salaries, (b) employers national insurance contributions and (c) additional pension contributions and costs; and if she will make a statement. | | (24726) | 198
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will break down the NHS Settlement for 2005-06 allocated to centrally funded initiatives by main budget heading; and if she will make a statement. | | (24727) | 199
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total deficit is for all strategic health authorities, primary care trusts and other NHS trusts in England brought forward from 2004-05, broken down by (a) authority and (b) trust; and if she will make a statement. | | (24728) | 200
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will break down the NHS Settlement for 2005-06 allocated to other programmes (including DH Admin) by main budget heading; and if she will make a statement. | | (24729) | 201
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) focus groups and (b) other public consultation meetings to help develop and refine policy on health her Department has commissioned in the last year; what the cost was of each; and if she will make a statement. | | (24401) | 202
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions she has had with the Royal College of Nursing about her plans to give primary care trusts a solely commissioning role. | | (24403) | 203
| Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average time taken was to complete a successful claim for the reimbursement of wrongly charged continuing care in the last year for which figures are available. | | (24490) | 204
| Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the timetable for reviewing claims for reimbursement for individuals who have been wrongly charged for continuing care. | | (24529) | 205
| Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many primary health trusts in England have launched advertising campaigns on the reimbursement of erroneous charges for continuing care. | | (24530) | 206
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding has been allocated over the past five years (a) to raise awareness of Lupus and (b) for research into effective treatment. | | (24427) | 207
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make a statement on her plans to re-structure NHS ambulance trusts. | | (24593) | 208
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many situation reports have been delivered to her Department from local NHS bodies in each of the last five years; what the frequency of such reports was; and what issues were covered. | | (24521) | 209
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which categories of (a) healthcare and (b) other key workers will be prioritised during an influenza pandemic to receive a pandemic virus vaccine once it has been developed. | | (24523) | 210
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make it her policy to ensure that the number of doctors and nurses taking the professional lead in protecting children from abuse and neglect in their area does not fall following the merger of primary care trusts. | | (24525) | 211
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on dealing with an influenza pandemic in Wales; and if she will make a statement. | | (24502) | 212
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions she has had with her National Assembly for Wales Government counterpart on cross-border issues arising from contingency planning for an influenza pandemic. | | (24642) | 213
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of the risks of avian influenza spreading to humans through the (a) burial and (b) burning in the open air of poultry carcasses. | | (24643) | 214
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether (a) mortuary and (b) crematoria capacity is estimated to be adequate for dealing with the anticipated increase in death rates during an influenza pandemic. | | (24657) | 215
| Mr Michael Wills (North Swindon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost of general practitioners' pay was in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001, (f) 2002, (g) 2003 and (h) 2004. | | (24481) | 216
| Mr Michael Wills (North Swindon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate she has made of the projected cost of general practitioners' pay in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007, (d) 2008, (e) 2009 and (f) 2010. | | (24482) | 217
| Mr Michael Wills (North Swindon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate she has made of the potential financial effects of the reconfiguration of primary care trusts. | | (24484) | 218
| Mr Michael Wills (North Swindon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost of hospital doctors' pay was in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001, (f) 2002, (g) 2003 and (h) 2004; and what estimate she has made for 2005. | | (24485) | 219
| Mr Michael Wills (North Swindon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate she has made of the projected cost of hospital doctors' pay in (a) 2006, (b) 2007, (c) 2008, (d) 2009 and (e) 2010. | | (24486) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 220
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which organisations were (a) nominated and (b) awarded the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in (i) 2003, (ii) 2004 and (iii) 2005, broken down by local authority area. | | (24551) | 221
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by his Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available. | | (24456) | 222
| Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to improve (a) community engagement and (b) neighbourhood policing in Bedfordshire; and if he will make a statement. | | (24367) | 223
| Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to tackle violent crime in Bedfordshire; and if he will make a statement. | | (24369) | 224
| Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to improve the quality of local policing in Bedfordshire following the Police Performance Assessment 2004-05; and if he will make a statement. | | (24370) | 225
| Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Government's policy is on the role of the media in investigations of murder; and if he will make a statement. | | (24377) | 226
| Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many criminal investigators there were in the Bedfordshire Police force in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. | | (24378) | 227
| Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the loss of experienced criminal investigators from Bedfordshire to other forces, as identified by the Police Performance Assessment 2004-05; and if he will make a statement. | | (24379) | 228
| Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what protocols the Government has in place to ensure that cross-border co-operation between police forces is effective; and if he will make a statement. | | (24516) | 229
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the outcome of the Pay and Reward Review for Probation Staff in England and Wales. | | (24447) | 230
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether (a) VISOR, (b) Exhibit, (c) Libra and (d) other Home Office IT systems are accessible to disabled staff and those who regularly use assistive technology. | | (24448) | 231
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information will be held on the National Offender Management Information System; and what steps will be taken to ensure confidentiality of that data. | | (24449) | 232
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals under the age of 18 years are serving a custodial sentence in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. | | (24549) | 233
| Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the costs of the introduction of the high street network of offices for conducting interviews for all first-time adult applicants for passports in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07. | | (24472) | 234
| Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the costs in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07 of introducing biometric passports. | | (24473) | 235
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will provide additional financial and other support to the Northamptonshire Police. | | (24190) | 236
| David Howarth (Cambridge):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will introduce measures to prevent the disclosure without the consent of the individual of information held on the proposed National Identity Register. | | (24395) | 237
| Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reply to the letter of 22nd September from the Right honourable Member for Manchester Gorton with regard to Mr Abdul Khaleq. | | (24415) | 238
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what co-operation the police are providing to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs to tackle organised fraud in relation to tax credits; and if he will make a statement. | | (24541) | 239
| Mr Ian Taylor (Esher & Walton):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many witnesses have requested special measures in each of the last three years. | | (24582) | 240
| Mr Ian Taylor (Esher & Walton):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to improve support for witnesses who fear for their wellbeing if they give evidence in open court. | | (24583) | 241
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance his Department provides on the minimum number of officers necessary to staff a police station at night. | | (24475) | 242
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost of the Crimestoppers scheme has been in each year since its inception. | | (24477) | 243
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 18th October, Official Report, column 868W, on passports, if he will break down the number of passports recorded as lost between the London and Peterborough passport offices. | | (24511) | 244
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times the powers under the Protection from Harrassment Act 1997 have been used to prevent an individual from contacting a spouse or partner in each year since the Act came into force; what standard of proof is required before such powers are exercised; and if he will make a statement. | | (24524) | Questions to the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission 245
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, how long on average the Director of the Parliamentary Communications Directorate took to respond to telephone queries from honourable members in the last period for which figures are available; and how many telephone queries are awaiting a response. | | (24469) | 246
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, what equal opportunities strategy the House has in place. | | (24501) | 247
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 13th October, Official Report, column 553W, on House employees, if he will break the figures down by pay bracket. | | (24509) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 248
| John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what average percentage of funding allocated to direct budget support was attributed to the control and treatment of TB in the last year for which figures are available. | | (24454) | 249
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by his Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available. | | (24463) | 250
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the UN position is on the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe. | | (23238) | 251
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will encourage the Disasters Emergency Committee to extend the list of organisations to whom it offers free transport of relief materials to those areas in Kashmir, Pakistan and India that were affected by the recent earthquake. | | (24402) | Questions to the Leader of the House 252
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Leader of the House, how many honourable Members claimed the petrol allowance in the last year for which figures are available; and how much each of the 10 highest claimers claimed. | | (24613) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 253
| Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the assessment procedures and criteria are for new pedestrian crossings in Northern Ireland; whether he plans to review them; and if he will make a statement. | | (24487) | 254
| Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in what locations pedestrian crossings have been requested in each roads service division in the past five years; where they have been provided; and where there are plans for new crossings. | | (24488) | 255
| Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much his Department spent on pedestrian crossings in the last five years in each roads service division; what the budgeted expenditure is for 2005-06; and what the planned expenditure is in each of the next five years. | | (24489) | 256
| Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to amend section 57 of the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002. | | (24408) | 257
| Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment and the Department for Education Northern Ireland will evaluate the proposals by Dr Hugh Morrison of Queen's University, Belfast, for an alternative to the 11 plus examination; and if he will make a statement. | | (24410) | 258
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to improve the Department's performance in replying to correspondence from the general public. | | (24424) | 259
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans the Government has to conduct a new valuation of properties in Northern Ireland for (a) domestic local taxation purposes and (b) water rates. | | (24591) | 260
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans the Government has to bring forward legislation to introduce a discrete capital value system of local taxation in Northern Ireland. | | (24592) | 261
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much was raised in gross revenue in domestic water rates in Northern Ireland in 2004-05; and how much he expects to be raised in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07. | | (24690) | 262
N | Sammy Wilson (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what guidance is given to education and library boards in respect of bills received after the end of the financial year for costs incurred during that year. | | (21729) | 263
N | Sammy Wilson (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how long after the financial year has ended education boards are required to continue to adjust accounts for payments incurred in that financial year. | | (21730) | 264
N | Sammy Wilson (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Department of Education requires redundancy costs incurred by education and library boards to be accounted for in the financial year in which the redundancy occurs. | | (21731) | 265
N | Sammy Wilson (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many cases of illegal cross border waste disposal have been identified in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. | | (21738) | 266
N | Sammy Wilson (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much the Belfast Education and Library Board paid for the services of a consultant from Price Waterhouse Coopers to fill its chief financial officer post; and whether the cost was shown in the accounts for 2004-05 submitted to the Department of Education. | | (21795) | 267
N | Sammy Wilson (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many individuals (a) have been prosecuted and (b) have prosecutions pending for illegal cross-border dumping of waste in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. | | (21933) | Questions to the Prime Minister 268
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will use the forthcoming State Visit of China's President (a) to encourage the President to meet the Dalai Lama and (b) to express the UK's concern over the Chinese occupation of Tibet. | | (24192) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 269
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what funding has been made available for renewable energy sources in the UK in each year since 1997. | | (24660) | 270
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps have been taken to ensure that there is adequate funding for renewable energy sources in the UK. | | (24661) | 271
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by his Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available. | | (24458) | 272
| Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he will reply to the letters of 26th May and 25th July from the honourable Member for Tunbridge Wells on regulation. | | (24617) | 273
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent discussions he has had with the Canadian Nuclear Waste Management Organisation. | | (24398) | 274
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the likely impact on business planning for solar photovoltaics of the changes in funding mechanisms operated by the Department. | | (24446) | 275
| Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many (a) sub-post offices and (b) post offices there were in (i) the UK and (ii) Westmorland and Lonsdale in each year since 1997. | | (24548) | 276
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what overseas visits the Chief Adviser for the Government on Science has made in the last two years; where his interests are recorded; what meetings he has had with the Prime Minister in the last two years; and which of the chief scientific advisers to Government Departments he has met in the last 12 months. | | (24389) | 277
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what (a) land and (b) property his Department owns in Kettering constituency. | | (24363) | 278
| Chris Huhne (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of whether a conflict of interest may arise from the Office of Fair Trading being responsible for regulating home credit providers and for assessing competitive problems in the market. | | (24491) | 279
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the amount of money fraudulently obtained from UK consumers through e-mail scams in each of the past 10 years. | | (24531) | 280
| Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the volume of trade was between the United Kingdom and Uganda in each year since 2001, broken down by product. | | (24437) | 281
| Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what grants are available for research and development undertaken by small and medium-sized enterprises. | | (24555) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 282
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) passengers in excess capacity and (b) total number of passengers was (i) for each London commuting service train operator and (ii) in total, broken down into (A) am peak and (B) pm peak figures measured in the most recent survey; and how many peak passengers into London there were for (1) am peak periods, (2) pm peak periods and (3) in total for each London commuting service train operator in that period. | | (24439) | 283
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by his Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available. | | (24459) | 284
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will order a full investigation into the reliability of the service of the Great Western franchise in advance of re-tendering being completed, with specific reference to the performance of (a) First Great Western and (b) Network Rail. | | (24400) | 285
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the cost of the civil engineering and building infrastructure maintenance strategy for the Eurotunnel concession under development by Eurotunnel. | | (24608) | 286
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the (a) timetable for and (b) costs of the completion of Operation TAPIS 2 by Eurotunnel. | | (24609) | 287
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether defects resulting from the detoriation of the upper track bed at its interface with the sleeper blocks in the Channel Tunnel have been remedied. | | (24610) | 288
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the progress of the Eurotunnel Working Group in addressing issues surrounding the process of Eurotunnel's audit system. | | (24611) | 289
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of (a) whether the avant-projets of Eurotunnel remain relevant and (b) the development of alternative procedures (i) for considering modifications to Eurotunnel's existing arrangements and (ii) for determining which modifications are sufficiently significant to require the involvement and agreement of the Intergovernmental Commission and the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority. | | (24612) | 290
| David Howarth (Cambridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will review the rule that the Traffic Commissioners do not accept representations made on behalf of constituents by elected representatives. | | (24406) | 291
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impact of levels of pay for school crossing patrols on recruitment. | | (24368) | 292
| John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what costs have been incurred in respect of rail franchise tendering processes since May 1997. | | (24576) | 293
| John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what costs have been incurred in respect of the tendering process of the (a) Integrated Kent Franchise and (b) Greater Western Franchise; and what the estimated final costs are. | | (24577) | 294
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will ensure that electric cars are included in the low carbon grant scheme. | | (24432) | 295
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that incentives to encourage the take-up of emission-free cars include electric cars. | | (24433) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales 296
| Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when he last discussed NHS dentistry with the Health Minister in the National Assembly for Wales Government. | | (24702) | 297
N | Mr David Jones (Clwyd West):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement on the Government's proposals to reform the system of election of members of the National Assembly for Wales Government. | | (21708) | 298
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on the likely economic consequences of a large-scale cull of poultry in Wales following an avian influenza outbreak. | | (24504) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 299
| Roger Berry (Kingswood):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people under the age of 60 years stopped receiving (a) incapacity benefit and (b) severe disablement allowance due to death in each month of the last five years. | | (24470) | 300
| Roger Berry (Kingswood):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people under the age of 60 years were receiving (a) the middle rate of the care component, higher rate of the care component and (c) the higher rate of the mobility component of disability living allowance stopped receiving these benefits due to death in each month of the last five years. | | (24471) | 301
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by his Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available. | | (24467) | 302
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects to make an announcement on the application of the Financial Assistance Scheme to those not covered in the first tranche of awards who have lost their pension due to the liquidation of their company pension fund. | | (24696) | 303
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects payments to be made for those eligible for support under the Financial Assistance Scheme. | | (24697) | 304
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the efficiency of the computer system dealing with the processing of claims for jobseeker's allowance. | | (24537) | 305
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time taken to process a claim for jobseeker's allowance was in (a) England and (b) each region in each month from April 2004 to September 2005; and if he will make a statement. | | (24538) | 306
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many telephone calls were made to the pension credit helpline in each month from April 2001 to September 2005; how many of these calls (a) were handled, (b) received an engaged tone and (c) were abandoned; and if he will make a statement. | | (24539) | 307
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many telephone calls to the Child Support Agency (a) were received, (b) received an engaged tone and (c) were disconnected during the interactive voice response process for the period April 2002 to September 2005 for (i) all calls and (ii) calls relating to the cases being progressed on the new computer system; and if he will make a statement. | | (24540) | 308
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many telephone calls were made to each helpline operated by the Department and its agencies in each month from April 2003 to September 2005; and how many of these calls (a) received an engaged tone, (b) were abandoned by the caller, (c) were handled and (d) had another outcome; and if he will make a statement. | | (24543) | 309
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims for jobseeker's allowance have been manually processed in each month from April 2004 to September 2005; and if he will make a statement. | | (24573) | 310
| Andrew Miller (Ellesmere Port & Neston):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Department has spent on (a) administrative and (b) legal proceedings in relation to Denise Christina Arathoon. | | (24520) | 311
| Andrew Miller (Ellesmere Port & Neston):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of (a) income support and (b) other benefits are affected by the outcome of Denise Christina Arathoon v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions; and what estimate he has made of the overall cost to his Department of the judgment of the Court of Appeal of 24th June. | | (24522) | 312
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to tackle benefit fraud; and if he will make a statement. | | (24664) | 313
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the take-up of pension credit since it was introduced. | | (24665) | 314
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he expects pension credit to be up-rated in line with earnings after 2008; and if he will make a statement. | | (24666) | 315
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects the Financial Assistance Scheme to become fully operational; and if he will make a statement. | | (24667) | 316
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce absenteeism in his Department. | | (24668) | 317
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on his Department's human resource management strategy. | | (24669) | 318
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with the Pension Commission; and if he will make a statement. | | (24670) | 319
| Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are claiming incapacity benefit in Morecambe and Lunesdale. | | (24557) | 320
| Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what mileage rate is used to reimburse incapacity benefit claimants travelling to a medical test centre; when the rate was set; when he last reviewed the rate; and what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the change in petrol prices on the adequacy of the rate. | | (24421) | 321
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) children and (b) pensioners were living in poverty in (i) Brent, (ii) Brent East and (iii) London in (A) 1997 and (B) 2005. | | (24480) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 322
| Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take steps to introduce an offence of causing death by driving without due care and attention which would attract a greater penalty than the offence of driving without due care and attention. | | [Transferred] (24691) | Questions to the Solicitor General 323
| Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Solicitor General, what guidance has been provided to (a) the Crown Prosecution Service and (b) police in relation to statutory charging arrangements and pre-charge bail from a police station to obtain a charging decision from a Crown Prosecutor. | | [Transferred] (24681) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales 324
N | Dr Hywel Francis (Aberavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the Department of Health on the availability of NHS dental services in Wales. | | [Question Unstarred] (22536) |
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