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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Wednesday 9 November 2005
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Wednesday 9 November 2005
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 9 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 9 November of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Wednesday 9 November see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 1
| Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will provide substantive answers to the Questions from the honourable Member for Birkenhead tabled on 19th October, (references 21082 and 21173.) | | (26809) | 2
| Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will provide substantive answers to the Questions from the honourable Member for Birkenhead tabled on 19th October (references 21141 and 21147). | | (26810) | 3
| Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will provide a substantive answer to the Question from the honourable Member for Birkenhead tabled on 21st October (reference 22002). | | (26812) | 4
| Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cost of paying tax credit was as a percentage of each pound of tax credit paid in each year since 1999; and what the capital costs of administration of working tax and child tax credits have been to date. | | (26815) | 5
| Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the 2005 Budget Red Book estimates for payments under Private Finance Initiative contracts between 2005-06 and 2030-31 include payments for (a) capital and interest payments and (b) maintenance and service contracts. | | (26887) | 6
| Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, in respect of which private finance initiative projects the obligations on either party have failed to be met and consequently (a) the contract has been renegotiated and (b) the contract has failed and the project has been taken back into public hands. | | (27039) | 7
| Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what pension fund deficits of former nationalised industries are on the Government Balance Sheet. | | (27042) | 8
| Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total value of private finance initiative contracts on the Government Balance Sheet was as at July. | | (27043) | 9
| Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 10th October, Official Report, column 36W on pensions, what discount rate was used to calculate the deficit; what the estimate of the deficit would be if a discount rate of 2.5 per cent. were used; and what assumptions underlay the calculation of the deficit with particular reference to life expectancy. | | (27117) | 10
| Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 10th October, Official Report, column 360W, on pensions, what the public sector pension deficit would be if the discount rate used was equivalent to that of a 25-year gilt. | | (27118) | 11
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance is given to local authorities by his Department about the funding of Citizens' Advice Bureaux. | | (27213) | 12
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial assistance is given to Citizens' Advice Bureaux by his Department. | | (27214) | 13
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many officials in his Department are assigned to work on the potential integration of the UK with European economic and monetary union; and what the salary of each is. | | (27150) | 14
| Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many full-time carers there were in each local authority area in the county of Devon as recorded by the 2001 Census; how many provided more than 50 hours care per week; and what estimate the Government has made of those figures since the Census. | | (27005) | 15
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many full-time equivalent staff were employed by the Valuation Office Agency in each year since 1997; and what the estimated established staff for (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07 is. | | (26931) | 16
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Valuation Office Agency has spent in total on its Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal system. | | (26932) | 17
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what powers (a) staff and (b) contractors of the Valuation Office Agency have to forcibly inspect a property for a council tax valuation in circumstances where the resident refuses entry to the (i) inside of the premises and (ii) land surrounding the property. | | (26933) | 18
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Valuation Office Agency has made of the effect on a property's notional valuation if that property is assigned a Value Significance Code of US (Utility: Adj Radio Mast, Sub-Station, Pylon, etc). | | (26935) | 19
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate the Government has made of the cost of exempting (a) homes built on previously developed land and (b) property conversions from value-added tax. | | (26936) | 20
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the revenue to be raised from imposing value-added tax on new housing at (a) 5 per cent. and (b) 7 per cent. | | (26937) | 21
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue was raised from stamp duty, on (a) residential and (b) commerical property in (i) each Government office region, (ii) Wales, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland in each financial year since 1996-97. | | (26938) | 22
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many individuals paid stamp duty on (a) residential and (b) commercial property transactions, in (i) each Government office region, (ii) Wales, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland in each financial year since 1996-97. | | (26939) | 23
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue was raised from inheritance tax in (a) each Government office region, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in each financial year since 1996-97. | | (26940) | 24
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many estates paid inheritance tax in (a) each Government office region, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in each financial year since 1996-97. | | (26941) | 25
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average change in UK house prices since May 1997 was in (a) cash and (b) percentage terms; and what the change in inheritance tax threshold in (i) cash and (ii) percentage terms over the same period was. | | (26942) | 26
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Government has made of the causes of increases in (a) stamp duty revenues and (b) inheritance tax revenues since May 1997; and if he will make a statement. | | (26943) | 27
| Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with HM Revenue and Customs concerning policy changes for the repayment of VAT under the 8th and 13th EC directives. | | (27003) | 28
| Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact on (a) inward investment into the UK and (b) the UK hotel industry of changes to VAT collection under the 8th and 13th EC directives. | | (27004) | 29
| Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his Department's revenue receipts from international companies operating in the UK have been in each year since 1997; and what estimate he has made of the receipts from that source in each of the next three financial years. | | (27052) | 30
| Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the proposed policy changes for repayment under the 8th and 13th EC directives that will come into effect on 1st January 2006; and what assessment his Department has made of the likely effects of these changes on (a) UK companies and (b) non-EU companies. | | (27053) | 31
| Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the economic value of (a) EU-based and (b) non-EU based travel into the UK in each of the last eight years was; and what his Department's estimate is for the next financial year. | | (27054) | 32
| Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the percentage of gross domestic product which would be accounted for by public service pensions before the proposed reforms to the scheme in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2013-14, (c) 2023-24, (d) 2033-34, (e) 2043-44 and (f) 2053-54. | | (27045) | Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 33
N | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many people in her Department (a) were relocated in 2004-05 and (b) are expected to be relocated in 2005-06 as a result of Sir Michael Lyons' independent review of public sector relocation; to which locations they have been relocated; and if she will make a statement. | | (25912) | 34
N | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many full-time equivalent employee reductions (a) were achieved in 2004-05 and (b) are expected to be achieved in 2005-06 as a result of the Gershon review in her Department; what (i) cost savings relating to IT projects and (ii) total efficiency savings (A) were achieved in 2004-05 and (B) are expected to be achieved in 2005-06 as a result of that review; and if she will make a statement. | | (25916) | 35
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2nd November, Official Report, column 1165W, on ballot paper descriptions, whether (a) the five descriptions will allow a generic locality description to be registered permitting a candidate to use a description comprising constituency name and party name in each constituency and (b) only a specific named locality may be registered. | | (27228) | 36
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2nd November, Official Report, column 1165W, on ballot paper descriptions, for what reasons the number of descriptions is limited to five. | | (27229) | 37
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2nd November, Official Report, column 1166W, on hereditary peers, whether the Government plans to lower the candidacy age for hereditary peer by-elections to 18. | | (27230) | 38
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2nd November, Official Report, column 1168W, on policy development grant, whether the Government plans to change the audit requirements for policy development grant to reflect its decision to treat and report the grant as a donation. | | (27231) | 39
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that .gov.uk websites attain the AAA standard of accessibility; and what target date has been set to meet these standards. | | (26994) | 40
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, which Government websites, have achieved the AAA standard as specified in the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. | | (27102) | 41
N | Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if she will list criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by the Department since May 1997, broken down by Act. | | (26705) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 42
| Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which black artistic (a) companies, (b) projects and (c) individuals received Arts Council England funding for theatre in 2004-05. | | (26837) | 43
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) disabled and (b) elderly viewers will be able to meet the costs of the television switchover from analogue to digital. | | (26900) | 44
| Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 8th June to the honourable Member for Runnymede and Weybridge, Official Report, column 583W, on private finance projects, what the (a) capital value and (b) total value is of the Royal Parks Agency's private finance initiative contract for Inn on the Park at St James'; and what percentage of the contract is attributable to capital value. | | (27133) | 45
N | Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by her Department since May 1997, broken down by Act. | | (26704) | 46
| Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people have black and white television licences. | | (27040) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 47
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government is required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. | | (27258) | 48
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; which of his Department's non-departmental public bodies (a) publish their advice to Government, (b) publish an annual report and (c) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each case whether this is a statutory requirement. | | (27259) | 49
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation excercises, (c) conduct consultation excercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of member's interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is a statutory requirement. | | (27260) | 50
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the progress made in reducing narcotics production and trafficking in Afghanistan. | | (27155) | 51
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has received from his US counterpart regarding the progress made in reducing narcotics production and trafficking in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. | | (27156) | 52
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what funds have been provided by his Department (a) to assist Afghanistan's counter-narcotics effort and (b) to train Afghan police; and if he will make a statement. | | (27157) | 53
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many troops have been contributed by each country contributing troops to Operation Enduring Freedom; and if he will make a statement. | | (27158) | 54
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress in training the Afghan National Police. | | (27159) | 55
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his assessment is of the current level of insurgency attacks in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. | | (27160) | 56
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts regarding the possibility of the International Security Assistance Force resuming a role in counter-narcotics missions; and if he will make a statement. | | (27161) | 57
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many forces have been contributed by each country contributing to the International Security Assistance Force; and if he will make a statement. | | (27162) | 58
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress made in (a) the training and fielding of Afghan combat troops, (b) the equipping of Afghan combat troops and (c) establishing the institutions the Afghan army needs to sustain itself. | | (27163) | 59
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what funds his Department has provided (a) to help create a new Afghan army and (b) to reconstitute Afghanistan's police force since 2002. | | (27164) | 60
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the target strength is for the Afghan National Army; and when it is expected to be achieved. | | (27165) | 61
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in training the Afghan National Army; and if he will make a statement. | | (27166) | 62
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the reservists who are part of the Civil Contingency Reaction Force have been deployed to Iraq; and if he will make a statement. | | (27167) | 63
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of each of the Civil Contingency Reaction Force contingents are available to be deployed in the event of an emergency; and if he will make a statement. | | (27168) | 64
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the planning assumption is for entry into service of the UK Military Flying Training System; what the forecast cost is for (a) spending on the assessment phase of the project and (b) the demonstration and manufacture phase of the project; and if he will make a statement. | | (27169) | 65
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the planning assumption is for entry into service of the Future Integrated Soldier Technology; and if he will make a statement. | | (27170) | 66
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost has been of British Army recruitment campaigns in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. | | (27171) | 67
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart regarding the future of the Iraqi port of Um Qasr; and if he will make a statement. | | (27172) | 68
N | Sir Menzies Campbell (North East Fife):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursaunt to the Answer of 20th October, Official Report, column 1217W, on Trident, whether he expects to take the decision on the replacement of Trident within the next six months; and if he will make a statement. | | (22249) | 69
| Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the plans for reviewing past operations carried out by HM Armed Forces in Northern Ireland; whether the Police Service of Northern Ireland will be involved in the review; whether the Royal Military Police will play a role in the review; and what rights will be afforded to (a) serving and (b) former members of the Armed Forces who are subject to the review. | | (26995) | 70
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times HMS Nelson has been subject to random drug testing in each of the last three years; and what the results were. | | (26881) | 71
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will order an urgent investigation into whether there have been (a) breaches of security and (b) drug abuse in HMS Nelson; and if he will make a statement. | | (26882) | 72
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will reconsider the decision to reduce the Royal Navy presence in the Caribbean station. | | (26883) | 73
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effect on the international drugs trade of having Royal Navy ships stationed in the Caribbean; and if he will make a statement. | | (26884) | 74
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what amount of drugs the Royal Navy has been responsible for seizing in the Caribbean in each of the last five years; and what the estimated value was of such seizures in each year. | | (26885) | 75
| Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the duties of the 6 Royal Military Police Historic Investigation team are; and how many (a) officers, (b) non-commissioned officers and (c) ordinary soldiers are in the team. | | (27037) | 76
| Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many cases are being examined by the 6 Royal Military Police Historic Investigation Team; and if he will make a statement. | | (27038) | 77
| Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the first prosecutions to be brought by the 6 Royal Military Police Historic Investigation Team; and if he will make a statement. | | (27063) | 78
| Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the estimated annual budget is of the 6 Royal Military Police Historic Investigation Team; and if he will make a statement. | | (27086) | 79
| Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what legal assistance his Department will make available to those (a) serving and (b) former servicemen who face prosecution by the 6 Royal Military Police Historic Investigation Team; and what budget has been provided for this purpose. | | (27101) | 80
| Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel will be involved in the 6 Royal Military Police Historic Investigation Team from (a) the Royal Military Police, (b) the Police Service of Northern Ireland, (c) the Army Prosecutions Service and (d) other sections of his Department. | | (27113) | 81
N | Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by his Department since May 1997, broken down by Act. | | (26703) | 82
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the practicability of air-launched Cruise missiles as an alternative to a submarine-launched nuclear deterrent system. | | (25056) | 83
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to discuss the future of the British nuclear deterrent with his United States counterpart. | | (25057) | 84
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what indications he has received from the United States Department of Defense of the timescale in which Trident missiles will continue to be manufactured. | | (25058) | 85
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many serving generals have never had operational responsibilities in a conflict zone; and how many have had no such responsibilities since 1995. | | (26825) | 86
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the Attorney General about the operation and supervision of the system of courts martial; and if he will make a statement. | | (26838) | 87
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the money that is raised from his Department's 0870 prefix contact telephone number is spent. | | (27131) | 88
| Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the oral Answer of 7th November on courts martial, Official Report, columns 21 to 30, what the cost was of converting the court martial building at Colchester for trial of serving and former members of the Parachute Regiment accused of murdering an Iraqi citizen. | | (27103) | 89
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether an agreement is in place between the Thai and the British governments, whereby arms and munitions are supplied by the British in return for chickens from Thailand; and if he will make a statement. | | (26266) | 90
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel have been seconded to a factory in France from the former Royal Ordnance factory in (a) Chorley and (b) Bridgwater; and whether associated plant has been relocated from the UK to France. | | (27064) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 91
N | Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, which organisations and individuals have been consulted during preparation of the Phase Two Revision Draft of the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy. | | (26077) | 92
| Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the estimated total (a) assets and (b) liabilities are of the Local Government Pension Scheme; what assumptions underlay the calculation of the liability; what discount rate has been used; and what the liability would be if a discount rate was used equivalent to the yield on index linked gilts. | | (27044) | 93
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the timescale is for the announcement of the local authority rate support grant settlement for 2006-07; and if he will make a statement. | | (26880) | 94
| Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he intends to answer the letter to him dated 23rd September from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Christine Burns. | | (27036) | 95
| Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what steps he is taking to provide affordable housing in North East Milton Keynes. | | (27173) | 96
| Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many planning permission applications have been granted for mobile phone masts in North East Milton Keynes since1997. | | (27174) | 97
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many planning applications recommended for refusal in the last five years following a full public inquiry have subsequently been approved. | | (27009) | 98
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many public inquiries as a result of wind farm development planning applications in the last five years have resulted in the planning application being (a) upheld and (b) recommended for refusal. | | (27010) | 99
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether his Department plans to issue guidance to fire services on the need to ensure smoke alarms provided to deaf and hard of hearing people meet the British Standard BS 5446-3.2005. | | (26774) | 100
| Mark Pritchard (Wrekin, The):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what progress has been made towards establishing the West Midlands Regional Fire Control Centre; and if he will make a statement. | | (26841) | 101
| Mark Pritchard (Wrekin, The):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, for what reasons the Outline Business Case for the Regional Fire Control Centres has not yet been published. | | (26842) | 102
| Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will move the time when a local authority area reports the number of student dwellings for council tax purposes from the autumn to the spring. | | (26846) | 103
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 23rd May, Official Report, column 35W, on local government finance, if he will publish estimates for each local authority for 2005-06. | | (26888) | 104
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what work the Valuation Office Agency is conducting on matters relating to the valuation of domestic properties. | | (26902) | 105
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what research the Government (a) has conducted since 1997 and (b) is conducting on unitary local government in England. | | (26903) | 106
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what information his Department would need to collect to be able to publish figures for the total expenditure of the English regional chambers. | | (26904) | 107
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans the Valuation Office Agency has to reduce its staff following his announcement of the delay in the council tax revaluation in England. | | (26905) | 108
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether fire regulations on the London Underground are a devolved matter; and if he will make a statement. | | (26906) | 109
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what guidance he has issued to the regional chambers on their duties under the Human Rights Act 1998; and if he will make a statement. | | (26907) | 110
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much housing market renewal grant funding has been allocated to the demolition of properties in each Pathfinder area in (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2005-06. | | (26908) | 111
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the total amount of money to be saved from Gershon initiative efficiency savings in local government in England; and how those savings will be treated in relation to local government financing. | | (26909) | 112
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what changes the Government has made to planning (a) guidance and (b) regulations relating to (i) section 106 agreements and (ii) affordable housing quotas since 1997. | | (26910) | 113
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many (a) homeless children and (b) homeless households with children were in temporary accommodation in each (i) year and (ii) quarter since 1997. | | (26911) | 114
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the band D council tax was in 2004-05, in the billing authorities affected by the 2004-05 in-year capping designation, giving separately (a) pre-capping band D bill for the whole billing authority and (b) the post-capping band D bill for the whole billing authority; and what the average parish precepts were in each case. | | (26912) | 115
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what advice the Standards Board has issued to (a) councillors and (b) monitoring officers in relation to whether a ward councillor may sit on a licensing sub-committee under the Licensing Act 2003 considering an application for a premises in their ward; and if he will make a statement. | | (26913) | 116
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what Standards Board cases have been considered by the High Court in the last five years in which all proceedings are complete; and what the judgement was in each case. | | (26914) | 117
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will place the interim report commissioned from Arup on regional assemblies in the Library. | | (26915) | 118
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether the Government plans to introduce primary legislation to amend the council tax system in Wales after the Lyons Inquiry has reported. | | (26916) | 119
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans the Government has to amend planning regulations on outdoor advertising controls; and if he will make a statement. | | (26917) | 120
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to introduce a community right to buy; and if he will make a statement. | | (26918) | 121
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will place copies of (a) international comparative research by the London School of Economics and Cardiff University on local government finance, (b) public knowledge and attitudes research on local government finance by NOP World and (c) the wider literature review by the National Economic Research Association on local government finance commissioned by his Department in the Library. | | (26919) | 122
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much (a) his Department and (b) the Lyons Review have allocated to commissioning research from outside bodies in relation to local government finance in the past five years; and what research has been commissioned by his Department's Local and Regional Government Research Unit in relation to local government finance. | | (26920) | 123
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the number of empty public sector (a) residential properties and (b) commercial and industrial properties in each government office region of England. | | (26921) | 124
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the likely number of empty dwelling management orders to be levied per year once the system is in operation. | | (26922) | 125
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans the Government has to conduct a pilot scheme for home improvement packs; and if he will make a statement. | | (26923) | 126
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what changes the Government has made to targets for reducing the number of (a) accidental fire-related deaths in the home and (b) deliberate fires since 1997. | | (26924) | 127
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment the Government has made of the potential impact of the Sustainable Communities Plan on the different growth rates of the English regions. | | (26926) | 128
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what (a) benchmarks and (b) indicators the Government will use to assess its public service agreement target to improve (i) the effectiveness and efficiency of local government in delivery services by 2008 and (ii) the balance between housing availability and demand. | | (26927) | 129
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 31st October, Official Report, column 764W, on Policies (Financial Report), if he will place in the Library copies of the costings carried out on the two documents to which the answer refers. | | (27104) | 130
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether there is a backlog of cases for proposed town councils for his consideration; what timescale he would expect for consideration of the establishment of a Brixham Town Council following a formal submission from the Torbay Unitary Authority; and if he will make a statement. | | (26265) | 131
| Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the revenue support grant per head was in each local authority in (a) 1998, (b) 2001 and (c) 2004; and what the figure for the relative level of grant per head was for each authority in each year if the average level of grant per head in England in each year is represented by 100. | | (26893) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 132
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the allocation to the Geography Development Fund in improving continuing professional development for non-specialist primary teachers. | | (26780) | 133
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps she is taking to ensure the target is met on the proportion of looked after children placed for adoption within 12 months of the decision that adoption is in the child's best interests. | | (26781) | 134
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps she is taking to reduce the percentage of looked after children subject to a final warning or reprimand. | | (26782) | 135
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on progress with the target for the level of education achieved by care leavers aged 19 years. | | (26783) | 136
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on the steps she is taking to meet the Sure Start target to reduce the proportion of young children living in households where no-one is working. | | (26784) | 137
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on progress towards the Sure Start target to reduce the proportion of mothers who smoke during pregnancy. | | (26785) | 138
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of people aged 18 to 30 years entered higher education in (a) 2001, (b) 2002, (c) 2003, (d) 2004 and (e) 2005. | | (26786) | 139
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on the non-completion rate in higher education in (a) 2001, (b) 2002, (c) 2003, (d) 2004 and (e) 2005. | | (26787) | 140
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the under-18 conception rate by 2010 is met. | | (26788) | 141
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when she will assess progress on the Public Service Agreement target to halt the year-on-year rise in obesity among children under 11 years by 2010. | | (26789) | 142
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when she will assess progress on the Public Service Agreement target to narrow the gap in educational achievement between looked after children and their peers. | | (26790) | 143
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on progress towards the Public Service Agreement target to raise standards in English and mathematics so that, by 2006, 85 per cent. of 11 year olds achieve level 4 or above. | | (26791) | 144
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on progress towards the Public Service Agreement target to raise standards in English, mathematics, ICT and science in secondary education so that by 2007 85 per cent. of 14 year olds achieve level 5 or above. | | (26792) | 145
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on the steps she is taking to ensure the Public Service Agreement target for the percentage of children in all schools achieving five GCSEs at grades A*-C is met. | | (26793) | 146
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when she will assess progress on the Public Service Agreement target to increase the proportion of 19 year olds who achieve at least level 2 by three percentage points between 2004 and 2006. | | (26794) | 147
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when she will assess progress on the Public Service Agreement target to reduce the proportion of young people not in education, employment or training by two percentage points by 2010. | | (26795) | 148
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps she is taking to ensure the target is met in respect of science in the Public Service Agreement target to raise standards in secondary schools. | | (26796) | 149
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of young people started a modern apprenticeship by the age of 22 years in 2004-05; and if she will make a statement. | | (26797) | 150
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many learners have applied successfully for the adult learning grant. | | (27031) | 151
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, to how many regions the entitlement to a platform of employability skills has been extended. | | (27032) | 152
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on the funding of the new National Employer Training Programme to be introduced from 2006-07. | | (27184) | 153
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on the Vocational Learning Diploma to be introduced in 2008. | | (27185) | 154
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many schools are part of education improvement partnerships. | | (27186) | 155
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what improvements to the data collection system have been made as part of the New Relationship with Schools. | | (27187) | 156
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on the operation of the School Improvement Partner scheme. | | (27188) | 157
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what changes in the Ofsted inspection process are to be introduced as part of the New Relationship with Schools. | | (27189) | 158
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will list the independently managed academies that are operational, broken down by local education authority. | | (27190) | 159
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will list the Building Schools for the Future projects which are in progress. | | (27191) | 160
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment she has made of the effect of the issue by her Department of a non-statutory national framework for teaching religious education. | | (27192) | 161
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many 14 to 16 year olds have (a) started and (b) completed young apprenticeships since their introduction in May 2004; and if she will make a statement. | | (27193) | 162
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, for what reason the costs of the provider contracts for the apprenticeships introduced by her Department were higher than expected; and if she will make a statement. | | (27194) | 163
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many 16 to 18 year olds took part in the entry to employment programme in 2004-05; and what assessment has been made of the results. | | (27195) | 164
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average (a) primary and (b) secondary formula spending share per pupil is in each local education authority for 2006-07, listed in descending order of secondary formula allocations. | | (26968) | 165
| Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the (a) capital value and (b) total value is of the private finance initiative project for the Richmond-upon-Thames group schools project; and what percentage of the contract is attributable to capital value. | | (27112) | 166
| Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students graduated in the academic year 2004-05 in (a) pure chemistry, (b) pure physics, (c) electrical engineering, (d) mechanical engineering and (e) avionics; and how many graduated in each subject (i) five, (ii) 10 and (iii) 20 years ago. | | (27212) | 167
| Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will publish the syllabus used for the Twentieth Century Science and Science for the Citizen pilots. | | (27227) | 168
N | Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will list criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by her Department since May 1997, broken down by Act. | | (26702) | 169
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what guidance she has issued to Learning and Skills Councils on the definition of non-essential learning; and what definition of this term her Department uses. | | (26582) | 170
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many courses in further education institutions in (a) Cheshire and (b) Warrington have had their fees (i) increased and (ii) reduced in the current academic year. | | (26583) | 171
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much (a) capital and (b) revenue spending has been allocated for the education of 16-19 year olds in (i) school sixth forms, (ii) sixth form colleges and (iii) further education colleges in Warrington in each year since 1997. | | (26584) | 172
| Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what account she took of recent findings on the effects of increased choice in a school system on social segregation in drawing up her proposals in the recent White Paper; and if she will make a statement. | | (26767) | 173
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether it is her policy that community schools should be allowed to be run by religious educational trusts. | | (27081) | 174
| Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what research her Department has undertaken of (a) contact between absent parents and their children and (b) the impact on children of supervised contact with absent parents. | | (27087) | 175
| Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what research her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the work of contact centres in providing supervised contact between absent parents and their children. | | (27088) | 176
N | Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what recent estimate she has made of the number of children who have suffered non-accidental injuries during unsupervised access with their absent parent. | | (27090) | 177
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what role she expects local education authorities to fulfil in relation to (a) promoting, (b) monitoring and (c) commenting on personalised learning in schools in relation to the White Paper Higher Standards, Better Education for All. | | (26814) | 178
| Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many parenting contracts have been issued in Milton Keynes since their inception. | | (27203) | 179
| Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the most recent truancy levels are for (a) secondary and (b) primary schools in Milton Keynes. | | (27204) | 180
| Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):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 the North East Milton Keynes constituency in each year since 1997. | | (27205) | 181
| Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):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 North East Milton Keynes. | | (27206) | 182
| Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what level of (a) qualifications and (b) experience is required to be a school Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator; and if she will make a statement. | | (27072) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 183
| Mr Nicholas Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne East & Wallsend):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will release data relating to individual recipients in (a) Scotland and (b) Wales of payments under the Common Agricultural Policy. | | (27062) | 184
| Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East & Mexborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) advice her Department has given to and (b) discussions her Department has had with poultry handlers to alert them to the possible dangers of an avian influenza outbreak. | | (27012) | 185
N | Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by her Department since May 1997, broken down by Act. | | (26706) | 186
| Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of household waste in Milton Keynes was recycled in 2004-05. | | (27183) | 187
| Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many residents in the North East Milton Keynes constituency were (a) eligible for and (b) received grants under the Warm Front Scheme in each of the last five years. | | (27202) | 188
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the sustainability of water supplies over the next 12 months; and what estimate she has made of the level of financial investment required to ensure adequate water supplies are available over the next five years, broken down by region. | | (26982) | 189
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Government's policy is on the use of fixed bolt rigs in lakes in England. | | (27134) | 190
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Government's policy is on whether fishing lakes and rivers should have a closed season. | | (27135) | 191
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to maintain the population of water voles. | | (27136) | 192
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to stop the poaching of (a) carp, (b) bream, (c) pike and (d) tench in lakes in England. | | (27137) | 193
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure lakes are well oxygenated. | | (27176) | 194
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate the Government has made of the financial implications for local authorities of its proposed Household Duty of Care on Waste. | | (26925) | 195
| 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 implementing Environmental Protection guidance note PG5/2(04) setting higher emissions standards for municipal crematoria. | | (26928) | 196
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations her Department has made to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in relation to contaminated land information in home information packs. | | (26929) | 197
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what advice she has given to the poultry production and retail sectors on the possible effect of avian influenza on their business; and if she will make a statement. | | (27107) | 198
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received from the chicken and turkey retail sector on the influence of avian influenza on the market; and if she will make a statement. | | (27108) | 199
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the chicken and turkey production industry on avian influenza. | | (27109) | 200
| Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects to reach a conclusion on the Environment Agency's recommendation on the treatment of pet cemeteries under the EU Landfill Directive. | | (26960) | 201
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many qualified personnel her Department has at its disposal to manage an outbreak of avian influenza. | | (26830) | 202
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, under what circumstances the Government will pay for the testing of poultry for avian influenza. | | (26831) | 203
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether a flock will be slaughtered if it is (a) found to be positive to avian influenza (i) High Path and (ii) Low Path and (b) not positive but in (A) a slaughter zone and (B) a movement restriction zone. | | (26889) | 204
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether (a) broiler birds are allowed to go to slaughter and (b) replacement chicks are allowed to enter the farm if a flock is in a movement restriction zone. | | (26890) | 205
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether eggs will be able to go to the usual market each day if a layer unit is placed in a movement restriction zone. | | (26891) | 206
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether eggs will be able to leave the farm if a breeder unit is placed in a movement restriction zone. | | (26892) | 207
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to continue funding the Waste and Resources Action Programme Real Nappy Programme when the current funding for the three years from 2003 expires. | | (27097) | 208
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of how many tonnes of disposable nappy waste have been diverted from landfill since the Waste and Resources Action Programme Real Nappy Programme began in 2003. | | (27098) | 209
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, where the 10 pilot plants funded by the Waste Implementation Programme for new waste technologies for the treatment of biodegradable municipal waste will be sited; and what types of technology will be used. | | (27099) | 210
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government has commissioned the Environment Agency to carry out further work on the environmental impacts of modern reusable nappies. | | (27114) | 211
| Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what improvements are planned to the work of the Plant and Invertebrate Ecology Division at Rothamsted Research Station into bee viruses. | | (26898) | 212
| Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the planned funding is for the National Bee Unit at the Central Science Laboratories at York; and what funding has been allocated to the Unit in 2005-06. | | (26899) | 213
| Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what arrangements are being made for the future preservation of bee viruses held at the Rothamsted Research Station. | | (27089) | 214
| Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts about EU proposals to restrict inspection of bee hives to veterinary surgeons. | | (27093) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 215
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with Mr Richard Horsey, the British employee of the International Labour Organisation, who has left Burma after receiving death threats. | | (26768) | 216
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of whether the recent elections in Ethiopia were free and fair. | | (26769) | 217
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the government of Uzbekistan regarding the treatment in detention of opposition leader Sanjar Umarov. | | (26770) | 218
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the decision by the government of Iran to replace diplomats regarded as being too liberal. | | (26771) | 219
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of whether the recent elections in Zanzibar were free and fair. | | (26772) | 220
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on funding for the African Union mission in Darfur. | | (26970) | 221
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the US Administration regarding the decision to reduce US funding for the African Union mission in Darfur. | | (26971) | 222
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of reports that the Ivory Coast is recruiting child soldiers from Liberia; and what representations he has made to the government of the Ivory Coast. | | (26972) | 223
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the government of Tanzania regarding the recent political unrest in Zanzibar. | | (26977) | 224
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the government of Tanzania regarding its support for President Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe. | | (26978) | 225
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the government of Ethiopia regarding the recent political unrest there. | | (26979) | 226
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the possible impact of cuts to the BBC World Service radio provision upon (a) the UK's international standing and reputation and (b) the success of British foreign policy. | | (26988) | 227
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) the government of Ethiopia and (b) the government of Eritrea regarding the escalation of tensions along the Ethiopia-Eritrea border. | | (26989) | 228
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the government of Colombia about (a) tackling paramilitary forces and (b) ensuring that there is justice for the victims of violence. | | (26990) | 229
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made (a) of the announcement by Burma's military junta that it has begun to move ministries to Pyinmana and (b) its implications for civilians in the Shan, Chin and Karen states. | | (27013) | 230
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of (a) UN reports that the Ivory Coast has begun rebuilding its airforce and (b) the implications of these reports for the maintenance of the ceasefire. | | (27014) | 231
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the enforcement of the arms embargo imposed upon the Ivory Coast. | | (27023) | 232
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he plans to have with President Hu of China during his visit to the UK regarding China's use of political psychiatry. | | (27024) | 233
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with governments in the Andean Region regarding (a) governance reforms and (b) the enhancement of democratic values. | | (27025) | 234
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he plans to have with the government of Azerbaijan regarding (a) good governance, (b) democratic values and (c) tackling corruption. | | (27026) | 235
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of whether the recent elections in Azerbaijan were (a) free and (b) fair. | | (27027) | 236
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his position is on (a) Belgium's decision to charge Hissene Habre with crimes against humanity and torture and (b) the extradition of Hissene Habre to Belgium. | | (27028) | 237
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) the government of Senegal, (b) other governments in Africa and (c) his EU counterparts regarding the extradition of Hissene Habre to Belgium. | | (27029) | 238
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action has been taken by his Department to support efforts to bring Hissene Habre to justice for crimes against humanity. | | (27030) | 239
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of the Burmese government's move to Pyinmana upon the local population. | | (27033) | 240
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the likelihood of forced labour being used to construct the Burmese government's development in Pyinmana. | | (27034) | 241
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications of the decision by Burma's military junta to relocate to Pyinmana for the upholding of human rights in the region. | | (27035) | 242
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how regularly the Uzbek authorities provide the British security services with intelligence information; what assessment he has made of whether information provided by those authorities has been obtained by torture; and if he will assess the effect of that information on the maintenance of British security. | | (27255) | 243
| Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the UK overseas posts which have had an increase in the number of staff handling visa applications over the last 12 months; by how many the staff numbers have increased in each case; and how many staff there were handling visa applications in each such post in each of the last 10 years. | | (26851) | 244
| Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the 20 UK overseas posts with the largest increase in visa applications over the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many visa applications each such post handled in each of the last 10 years. | | (26852) | 245
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the (a) occasions and (b) dates when he has raised human rights in (i) Tibet and (ii) China with members of the Chinese government in each of the last three years. | | (26878) | 246
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the ambush of Somalian interim Prime Minister Ali Muhammad Gedi in Mogadishu on 7th November. | | (27224) | 247
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the political situation in Somalia. | | (27225) | 248
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had about political developments in Somalia. | | (27226) | 249
| Mr David Jones (Clwyd West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the UK Government has made to the Indonesian government over incidents of violence against the Christian community in Central Sulawesi. | | (27198) | 250
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether Government officials had (a) direct contact and (b) contact via other parties with the Italian national Rocco Martino between 1999 and September 2002; and whether Government officials (i) met and (ii) had contact via other parties with Nicolo Pollari, Director of the Italian military intelligence, between 2001 and 2003. | | (27100) | 251
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the meeting between the Chinese government and representatives of the Dalai Lama in Berne on 1st July. | | (27066) | 252
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what initiatives the UK Government plans to take to advance the dialogue between the Chinese government and representatives of the Dalai Lama when China's President Hu Jintao visits the UK in November. | | (27067) | 253
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will develop a set of criteria that will allow him to evaluate the progress of formal contact between China and the Tibetan government in exile. | | (27068) | 254
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK Government has asked China (a) by what criteria it assesses the progress of formal contact with the Dalai Lama's representatives and (b) how China decides when future meetings between the two sides will take place. | | (27069) | 255
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last met non-governmental organisations working on human rights in (a) China and (b) Tibet. | | (27070) | 256
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the current status is of the EU/China arms embargo; what the policy of the UK Government is on proposals to lift the embargo; and if he will make a statement. | | (27071) | 257
| Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who the duty Minister was in attendance in respect of HRH the Prince of Wales's official visit to the US. | | (26864) | 258
| Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the frais allowance for each UK ambassador for each of the past five years. | | (26866) | 259
| Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, by what additional amount the frais allowance was increased in this financial year in respect of the United Kingdom's ambassador to the United States; and for what purposes. | | (26867) | 260
| Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what methods of accounting and audit UK ambassadors frais allowances are subject to; and if he will make a statement. | | (26868) | 261
| Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which persons from the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment accompanied HRH Prince of Wales on his official visit to the US; whether costs relating to such persons were met from public funds; and if he will make a statement. | | (26869) | 262
| Mr John Maples (Stratford-on-Avon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether Iran has imposed restrictions on UK imports; and if he will make a statement. | | (26996) | 263
| Mr Chris Mullin (Sunderland South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Senegal (a) bilaterally and (b) representing the EU under the UK presidency on the requests by Belgium for the extradition of Hissene Habre on charges of crimes against humanity; and if he will make a statement. | | (26901) | 264
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether Sir Christopher Meyer submitted the manuscript of his recent book to his Department for (a) comment and (b) clearance; and if he will make a statement. | | (26840) | 265
| Mark Pritchard (Wrekin, The):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information he has received of Iranian involvement in supplying bomb technology used to attack British troop convoys in Iraq. | | (26843) | 266
| Mark Pritchard (Wrekin, The):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons the possible involvement of Iran in bomb attacks on British troops in Iraq was revealed to the media by an official. | | (26844) | 267
| Mark Pritchard (Wrekin, The):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what measures he proposes should be taken if Iran continues to develop nuclear weapons and delivery systems. | | (26845) | 268
N | Mr Andrew Smith (Oxford East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to Russia about the sale of nuclear fuel to Iran. | | (26264) | 269
N | Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the European Commission on establishing a European Institute of Technology. | | (26201) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 270
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 7th November to Question reference 22184, if she will break down the number of speech and language therapists employed by the NHS in (a) 1997 and (b) 2004 by (i) full-time and (ii) part-time workers; and what the full-time equivalent figures were in each year. | | (27257) | 271
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) designated doctors and (b) designated nurses for the protection of children from abuse and neglect are employed by primary care trusts in England. | | (26897) | 272
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps her Department is taking to link designated professional staff for the protection of children from abuse and neglect to Local Safeguarding Children Board areas. | | (27240) | 273
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of the effect of forthcoming Primary Care Trust mergers on the number of designated professionals who safeguard children (a) locally and (b) in England; and if she will make a statement. | | (27253) | 274
| Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what financial resources were made available to (a) Wellhouse Trust for financial year 1997-98, (b) Chase Farm Trust for financial year 1997-98, (c) Barnet Chase Farm Trust for 2005-06, (d) Barnet Health Authority for the financial year 1997-98 and (e) Barnet Primary Care Trust for 2005-06; and if she will make a statement. | | (26805) | 275
| Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what role the Dental Practice Board will play in the Business Services Authority from 1st April 2006. | | (26804) | 276
| Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dentists have left the NHS (a) in each year since 1995 and (b) in 2005 to date; what research her Department has undertaken into the main reasons for leaving; and what action her Department is taking to reduce these numbers. | | (26806) | 277
| Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether flexible funding will be given to primary care trusts in 2006-07 in relation to the implementation of the new general dental services contract. | | (26807) | 278
| Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how bad debt to dentists from patients will be dealt with under the new National Health Service (General Dental Services Contracts) regulations; and if she will make a statement. | | (26808) | 279
| Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans she has to initiate a review of the conclusions of the 2004 dental workforce study. | | (26813) | 280
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps she is taking to ensure that appraisals of new drugs are carried out in a timely and expeditious manner. | | (26581) | 281
| Mr Pat McFadden (Wolverhampton South East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions she has had with leading supermarket chains concerning reducing the (a) sugar, (b) salt and (c) fat content in children's food. | | (27115) | 282
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she expects to reply to the Question tabled by the honourable Member for Vale of York on 25th October, ref 22789; and what representations she has received on the mammogram reading at St Margaret's Hospital, Epping. | | (27065) | 283
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the strategic health authority plans are for the level of services to be provided by Hemel Hempstead General Hospital; and if she will make a statement. | | (26828) | 284
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many accident and emergency (a) consultants, (b) middle grade doctors, (c) junior doctors and (d) nursing staff were employed by the West Hertfordshire NHS Trust at 31st March (i) 2002, (ii) 2003, (iii) 2004 and (iv) 2005; and if she will make a statement. | | (26829) | 285
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients were conveyed by ambulance to the Accident and Emergency departments of (a) Hemel Hempstead General Hospital and (b) Watford General Hospital in (i) 2002-03, (ii) 2003-04 and (iii) 2004-05; and if she will make a statement. | | (26848) | 286
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients in Manchester triage system categories one and two were conveyed by ambulance to the Accident and Emergency departments of (a) Hemel Hempstead General Hospital and (b) Watford General Hospital in (i) 2002-03, (ii) 2003-04 and (iii) 2004-05; and if she will make a statement. | | (26849) | 287
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of the effect on expenditure by Dacorum Primary Care Trust of the introduction of new contracts for (a) pharmacists, (b) dentists and (c) other frontline staff; and if she will make a statement. | | (26876) | 288
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether silicone ankle foot orthoses are available free of charge to sufferers of Charcot Marie Tooth disease; and if she will make a statement. | | (27210) | 289
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the percentage change in payments to general practitioners following the introduction of the Quality and Outcomes Framework included in the new General Medical Services contract for General Practice has been in (a) England and (b) for Dacorum Primary Care Trust; and if she will make a statement. | | (27211) | 290
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of the Royal College of Surgeons' proposals for a National Trauma Service in a Level 2 hospital with particular reference to proposals for (a) a 24 hour Accident and Emergency department, (b) a consultant-led resuscitate trauma team, (c) Intensive Care Unit and trauma beds and (d) helicopter landing access; and if she will make a statement. | | (27254) | 291
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many Polish dentists worked for the NHS in the last year for which figures are available. | | (26839) | 292
N | Mr Andrew Smith (Oxford East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions there were between her Department and the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority on putting primary care trust commissioning in Oxfordshire out to tender prior to its announcement. | | (26270) | 293
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action she has taken to reassure consumers about the safety of chicken and turkey meat in the context of the avian influenza threat. | | (27105) | 294
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make a statement on the safety of chicken and turkey products in the context of avian influenza. | | (27106) | 295
| Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much of her Department's budget in 2005-06 is dedicated to funding training in sign language and lip reading. | | (26824) | 296
| Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures she is taking to ensure that the NHS delivers specialist support to those who became severely or profoundly deaf after the age of 16 years. | | (26847) | 297
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent estimate she has made of the cost to the NHS of the bullying of members of its staff by other members of its staff; and if she will make a statement. | | (27046) | 298
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which of the steps listed in Annex G of her Department's Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan her Department plans to take; and what the timetable is for those actions. | | (27047) | 299
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many 999 calls were first responded to by (a) St John's ambulances and (b) other non-NHS organisation ambulances in (i) England and (ii) each ambulance trust in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement. | | (27048) | 300
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures she has put in place to ensure the safety of commercial cloth laundering services supplying NHS maternity wards with communally laundered cloth nappies for newborn babies; and what temperature these nappies are washed at. | | (27091) | 301
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the proposed BSI PAS 100 safety standard for commercial cloth nappy laundries will be finalised. | | (27092) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 302
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) males and (b) females were (i) charged and (ii) convicted in England and Wales of offences under sections (A) 4, (B) 5, (C) 9, (D) 17, (E) 22, (F) 24, (G) 29, (H) 30, (I) 32, (J) 33, (K) 34, (L) 35, (M) 36, (N) 57 and (O) 60 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. | | (27139) | 303
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the operation of section 36 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. | | (27140) | 304
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) males and (b) females have been (i) charged and (ii) convicted in England and Wales in each year since 1984 of offences under section 1 of the Taking of Hostages Act 1982. | | (27141) | 305
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) males and (b) females have been (i) charged and (ii) convicted in England and Wales of offences under section 36 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 in each year since 1984; and if he will make a statement on the operation of that section of the Act. | | (27142) | 306
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) males and (b) females have been (i) charged and (ii) convicted in England and Wales of offences under sections (A) 35 and (B) 36 of the Malicious Damage Act 1861 in each year since 1984. | | (27143) | 307
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) males and (b) females have been (i) charged and (ii) convicted in England and Wales of offences under sections (A) 34 and (B) 36 of the Forgery Act 1861 in each year since 1984. | | (27144) | 308
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will answer Question 18435 tabled on 13th October by the honourable Member for Southend West; what the reason is for the delay in replying; and if he will make a statement. | | (27145) | 309
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on his policy on the payment of benefits to asylum seekers following the ruling of the Law Lords on 3rd November. | | (26773) | 310
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the change in the national sanction detection rate referred to on page 97 of the 2005 Departmental Report. | | (26776) | 311
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the results of the identity card authentication pilot study undertaken by the Criminal Records Bureau and referred to on page 150 of the 2005 Departmental report. | | (26778) | 312
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps are being taken by his Department in relation to the practice of British parents sending their daughters abroad for female circumcision. | | (26973) | 313
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many convictions for drink-driving resulted in custodial sentences in 2004, broken down by police authority. | | (26749) | 314
N | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people in his Department (a) were relocated in 2004-05 and (b) are expected to be relocated in 2005-06 as a result of Sir Michael Lyons' independent review of public sector relocation; to which locations they have been relocated; and if he will make a statement. | | (25913) | 315
N | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many full-time equivalent employee reductions (a) were achieved in 2004-05 and (b) are expected to be achieved in 2005-06 as a result of the Gershon review in his Department; what (i) cost savings relating to IT projects and (ii) total efficiency savings (A) were achieved in 2004-05 and (B) are expected to be achieved in 2005-06 as a result of that review; and if he will make a statement. | | (25915) | 316
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list organisations which have received funding from his Department to help individuals who claim to have been falsely accused of sexual crime; and how much each organisation received in the last five years for which figures are available. | | (27256) | 317
| Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the letter of 5th April from the Minister of State to Sir Ronnie Flanagan commissioning the O'Connor Report, for what reasons the intention of the Government was that this stage of the review of policing structure be low key in terms of publicity. | | (27095) | 318
| Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the finding of the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary Report Closing the Gap that organised crime is widespread, vibrant and growing. | | (27096) | 319
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many calls have been made to (a) the MP's hotline and (b) each other section of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in each quarter of each of the last three years; what the average time taken to answer each call was in each section; and if he will make a statement. | | (26886) | 320
| Mrs Joan Humble (Blackpool North & Fleetwood):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the result was of the Thames Valley police investigation into the death of Private Gregory Bruce in Bicester barracks, Oxfordshire. | | (26748) | 321
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the implications of the political instability in Somalia for his policy of repatriation of Somalian asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement. | | (27216) | 322
| Mr David Jones (Clwyd West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when an announcement is expected to be made about the continuation of the Victims' Fund beyond 31st March 2006. | | (27197) | 323
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what grants his Department has made in each of the last three years to organisations linked to faith communities; for what purposes; and what conditions are attached to funds. | | (27080) | 324
| Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will answer the letter to him dated 22nd September from the Right honourable Member for Manchester Gorton with regard to (a) Mr Mohammed Ashraf and (b) Ms Juliet Kufvor. | | (27085) | 325
| Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many criminal investigators there were in the Milton Keynes division of the Thames Valley Police Force in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. | | (27182) | 326
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what advice and support is available to a parent with learning difficulties when dealing with cases in the Family Court. | | (26980) | 327
| Mr Andrew Pelling (Croydon Central):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average number of Criminal Records Bureau checks made per week (a) was in (i) 2003 and (ii) 2004 and (b) has been to date in 2005. | | (26895) | 328
| Mr Andrew Pelling (Croydon Central):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action is being taken to deal with the backlog in Criminal Records Bureau checks. | | (26896) | 329
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with the Association of Chief Police Officers on the enforcement of the Hunting Act 2004; and if he will make a statement. | | (26834) | 330
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Muslim women are employed by police forces in England as (a) police officers and (b) civilian employees. | | (26835) | 331
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the main routes through which drugs are smuggled into prisons; and if he will make a statement. | | (26853) | 332
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, by whom he was advised that the proposals for detention without charge for 90 days would be compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights. | | (27119) | 333
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applicants to the police force in each of the last five years had (a) an upper second or better degree, (b) a lower second or lower degree and (c) no A-level qualifications. | | (27120) | 334
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many official complaints have been lodged against police officers in each London borough in each of the last 10 years. | | (27121) | 335
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers have been found to be using their siren inappropriately in the last five years. | | (27122) | 336
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many illegal immigrants have been caught trying to enter the UK through Tilbury Docks in each of the last 10 years. | | (27123) | 337
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many illegal immigrants have been found guilty of (a) murder and (b) violent offences in (i) Greater London and (ii) England and Wales in each of the last 10 years. | | (27124) | 338
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people in (a) Havering, (b) Greater London and (c) England and Wales who have been classified as a missing person in each year since 1980 remain missing. | | (27125) | 339
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many murders committed in each year since 1980 in (a) Havering, (b) Greater London and (c) England and Wales remain unsolved. | | (27126) | 340
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people in (a) Havering, (b) Essex and (c) Greater London have had (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three and (iv) four or more anti-social behaviour orders issued against them in the last four years. | | (27127) | 341
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the ratio of police officers to inhabitants in (a) each London borough and (b) each county has been in each year since 1997. | | (27128) | 342
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how the money that is raised from his Department's 0870 prefix contact telephone number is spent. | | (27132) | 343
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how long he expects the police to maintain the shoot to kill policy for suspected suicide bombers. | | (27138) | 344
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure that juveniles do not cause disruption to others in their neighbourhood after 9pm. | | (27147) | 345
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to tackle (a) violent crime and (b) sexual assaults. | | (27148) | 346
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many deaths there were at the Notting Hill Carnival in each year since 1995. | | (27175) | 347
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) advice and (b) guidance the Office of the Surveillance Commissioner provided to (i) the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), (ii) the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and (iii) the Treasury in relation to the conduct of the council tax revaluation by VOA inspectors; and if he will place copies in the Library. | | (26930) | 348
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what boundaries the Government will use for the restructuring of police forces; and what assessment he has made of the merits of using Government office regions as the basis for the reorganisation. | | (26944) | 349
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects to draw conclusions on the pilot scheme into hand held computers for police officers on the beat. | | (27110) | 350
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many residential drug rehabilitation places were available in Essex in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. | | (27111) | 351
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of children smuggled into the UK in each of the last five years from (a) EU countries and (b) the rest of the world; and if he will make a statement. | | (26267) | 352
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many child traffickers have been convicted of offences and deported back to their country of origin in each of the last five years. | | (26268) | 353
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many women he estimates to be working illegally in the sex industry in (a) Brent, (b) London and (c) England; and what proportion of these women he estimates to have been illegally trafficked into the UK. | | (27200) | 354
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate he has made of the number of women illegally trafficked into the UK each year; what assessment he has made of what happens to them thereafter; and if he will make a statement. | | (27201) | 355
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list grants made to organisations in the Hampshire Constabulary's area to promote rehabilitation of offenders in each of the last three years. | | (26197) | 356
| Mr Ben Wallace (Lancaster & Wyre):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what reasons the Italian authorities gave the Department for withdrawing their request to extradite Farj Hassan Faraj to Italy. | | (26816) | 357
| Mr Ben Wallace (Lancaster & Wyre):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when Farj Hassan Faraj was released from detention. | | (26820) | Questions to the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission 358
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether the Commission plans to digitise the internal House television distribution system; and if he will make a statement. | | (27261) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 359
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance has been provided by his Department to help with the recovery from the damage in Central America caused by hurricanes. | | (26975) | 360
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps are being taken by his Department in relation to the practice of female circumcision. | | (26976) | 361
N | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many full-time equivalent employee reductions (a) were achieved in 2004-05 and (b) are expected to be achieved in 2005-06 as a result of the Gershon review in his Department; what (i) cost savings relating to IT projects and (ii) total efficiency savings (A) were achieved in 2004-05 and (B) are expected to be achieved in 2005-06 as a result of that review; and if he will make a statement. | | (25914) | 362
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which countries sponsored engineering students through the British Council Education UK partnership in the last year for which figures are available; what the total budget allocated to (a) all training and (b) engineering-based training was; and what the (i) titles and (ii) length of the engineering courses undertaken were. | | (26775) | 363
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the total amount of aid given to (a) the Pakistan government and (b) aid agencies has been following the earthquake of 8th October; and if he will make a statement. | | (27011) | 364
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what Somalia's outstanding debt is; how much international debt relief was given to Somalia following the G8 summit in July; and if he will make a statement. | | (27223) | 365
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much financial aid the UK has given to Somalia since 1997; and if he will make a statement. | | (27242) | 366
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, on what grounds the US blocked packaged meals donated by the UK for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. | | (27082) | 367
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations he has made to encourage the US authorities to accept British beef when offered as humanitarian aid. | | (27083) | 368
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on the British Government's attempts to tackle poppy production in the Nangarhar area of Afghanistan. | | (26826) | 369
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much money was disbursed to Afghan farmers as compensation for the destruction of poppies in 2003; and how much remains to be paid. | | (26827) | 370
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will assess the impact on poor countries were they to be enabled to provide one per cent. of world trade by value. | | (26985) | 371
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what advice his Department gives to UK companies on avoiding the exploitation of cheap labour in developing countries. | | (26986) | 372
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions his Department has held with the World Bank in relation to (a) water privatisation in Bolivia and (b) the need to consider the implications of the projects it funds for poor citizens in each recipient country. | | (26987) | 373
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how the money that is raised from his Department's 0845 prefix contact telephone number is spent. | | (27130) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 374
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of changes in commuter travel time at peak times from junction 5 of the M2 motorway to Belfast City Centre over the last five years. | | (27015) | 375
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he plans to include questions on knowledge of Ulster Scots cultural issues in the next census in Northern Ireland. | | (27016) | 376
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people he expects will be affected by the proposed legislation regarding on the runs in relation to offences committed in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) England, Scotland and Wales. | | (27017) | 377
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average amount of outstanding debt owed by (a) tenants and (b) past tenants of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive was at the end of 2004, broken down by constituency. | | (27018) | 378
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress is being made in funding the improvements in facilities for customer safety and comfort at each of the Irish League Premier Division grounds. | | (27019) | 379
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many employers have been (a) interviewed and (b) prosecuted in relation to offences committed under the minimum wage legislation in Northern Ireland since its introduction. | | (27020) | 380
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many homes were sold to the tenant and subsequently repurchased by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive from the tenant, in each of the past five years. | | (27021) | 381
N | Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list (a) communications, (b) public relations and (c) media consultancy firms which have been contracted to each Northern Ireland Government Department and agency in the last 10 years; and how much each has been paid. | | (24787) | 382
N | Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much was spent by each Government Department in Northern Ireland on printing public documents in the last five years. | | (24788) | 383
| Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, why Deloitte MICS were replaced as financial advisors on the Civil Service electronic human resources contract by Grant Thornton. | | (26752) | 384
| Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when gateway reviews were carried out on the procurement process used for the Civil Service electronic human resources contract; by whom they were carried out; and on what terms. | | (26753) | 385
| Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many trainees entered electrical installation modern aprenticeships in each year between 2001-02 and 2005-06, broken down by (a) training provider and location and (b) council district in Northern Ireland. | | (26754) | 386
| Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which costs of the implementation of Agenda for Change will fall to local health and personal social service trusts; what additional resources the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety plans to provide to those trusts for that purpose; and if he will make a statement. | | (26755) | 387
| Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what services are provided in each Health Board Area in respect of sexually transmitted infections; and what the (a) budget, (b) staffing profile and (c) service level is in each. | | (26821) | 388
| Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will commission an independent peer review of the procurement process in respect of the Northern Ireland Civil Service Electronic Human Resources contract. | | (26822) | 389
| Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether an Equality Impact Assessment was carried out in respect of the proposal to outsource the Civil Service Electronic Human Resources work; and what assessment was made of the equality issues involved. | | (26823) | 390
| Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on (a) (i) pupil numbers and (ii) condition of the building at Eglinton Primary School and (b) the prospects for a new school building. | | (27243) | 391
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what his estimate is of the gross revenue to be raised in local domestic rates (a) in Northern Ireland and (b) in each council in Northern Ireland in (i) 2005-06 and (ii) 2006-07; and what revenue was raised in 2004-05 in each case. | | (26934) | 392
| Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what information his Department has collected about the extent to which the religious composition of the population of each ward in the province has changed in the last 30 years. | | (26959) | 393
N | Sammy Wilson (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many parents have been prosecuted for attacks on teachers in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. | | (25765) | Questions to the Prime Minister 394
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Prime Minister, who the attendees were at the meeting he held with representatives of the Muslim community following the London bombings of 7th July; if he will publish the notes of the meeting; and what action he plans to take as a result of that meeting. | | (26961) | 395
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the (a) occasions and (b) dates when he has raised human rights in (i) Tibet and (ii) China with members of the Chinese government in each of the last three years. | | (26879) | 396
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Prime Minister, whether, prior to giving his statement to the House of 24th September 2002, he communicated to (a) the then British Ambassador to the United States, Sir Christopher Meyer and (b) his then personal foreign policy adviser Sir David Manning that his policy in respect of Iraq was to achieve regime change. | | (27084) | 397
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will press President Hu Jintao to meet the Dalai Lama to discuss the Tibet conflict. | | (27073) | 398
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the situation in Tibet. | | (27074) | 399
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Prime Minister, what his assessment is of progress in the dialogue between the representatives of the Dalai Lama and the Chinese Government. | | (27075) | 400
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Prime Minister, when he last met non-governmental organisations working on human rights in (a) China and (b) Tibet. | | (27076) | 401
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Prime Minister, whether he plans to give a joint press conference with China's President Hu Jintao when he pays a state visit to the UK; and if he will make a statement. | | (27077) | 402
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Prime Minister, whether he discussed Tibet with (a) Chinese President Hu Jintao and (b) Premier Wen Jiabao during his meetings with them in September; and if he will make a statement. | | (27078) | 403
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions were held on Tibet prior to the agreement of the recent joint EU-China statement. | | (27079) | 404
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the speeches he has made regarding climate change since becoming Prime Minister. | | (26832) | Questions to the Solicitor General 405
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Solicitor General, whether the Government has asked the House of Lords to award costs in respect of the legal action from the Countryside Alliance in relation to the Parliament Act 1949; and how much was awarded. | | (26894) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 406
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the prospects for progress in the Doha trade talks. | | (26974) | 407
| Colin Challen (Morley & Rothwell):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many community projects receiving funding under his Department's Clear Skies programme. | | (27207) | 408
| Colin Challen (Morley & Rothwell):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has for ensuring continuity of support for school and other community projects under his Department's Clear Skies programme. | | (27208) | 409
| Colin Challen (Morley & Rothwell):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what funding will be available for school (a) hot water, (b) wind, (c) biomass and (d) ground-source heat pump projects after the final deadline for applications to his Department's Clear Skies programme. | | (27209) | 410
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many individual responses his Department has made in the last 12 months to (a) members of the public, (b) commercial organisations, (c) honourable Members and (d) other bodies in response to enquiries, questions and representations about (i) the grocery trade and (ii) Tesco; and if he will make a statement. | | (26877) | 411
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the proportion of company shareholders who would prefer to receive company communications in electronic form. | | (26992) | 412
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many staff hours the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has devoted to its inquiry into fees at independent schools; how the schools being investigated were selected for inclusion in the inquiry; and what proportion of the OFT's staff has been involved in the inquiry. | | (26993) | 413
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether (a) the Office of Fair Trading and (b) other Government Departments consulted the Charity Commission on the impact of the Competition Act 1998 on charities; and what advice the Charity Commission has given on the information-sharing provisions in the Act. | | (27252) | 414
| Mr David Jones (Clwyd West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether an application has been made by npower renewables in relation to the development of the Gwynt-y-Mor wind farm off the coast of North Wales. | | (27196) | 415
| Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the average level of subsidy given to companies applying for planning permission to erect (a) onshore and (b) offshore wind turbines has been since 1997. | | (27178) | 416
| Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many (a) sub-post and (b) post offices there were in North East Milton Keynes in each year since 1997. | | (27181) | 417
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many sofas were seized by consumer protection staff because of the presence of combustible foam in 2004-05, broken down by region. | | (26969) | 418
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many furniture manufacturers have ceased to trade over the last five years, broken down by region. | | (26981) | 419
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the levels of sofa imports with combustible foam content labelled as non-combustible foam. | | (26983) | 420
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many bankruptcies have been declared in each year since 2003. | | (27146) | 421
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what liquid natural gas importation facilities there are in the UK; and what sites are under consideration for development. | | (27199) | 422
N | Paddy Tipping (Sherwood):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent discussions he has had with the local authority about further financial support to Mines Reserve Services Ltd, in its role as a provider of the statutory Mines Reserve Scheme, for (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08. | | (25482) | 423
N | Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the UK Government will support European Commission proposals for the establishment of a European Institute of Technology. | | (26198) | 424
N | Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions he has had with the European Commission on establishing a European Institute of Technology. | | (26199) | 425
N | Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the UK Government would support a bid from Scottish universities to host all or part of the European Institute of Technology. | | (26200) | 426
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what progress he has made in drawing up a strategy for microgeneration promotion; and if he will make a statement. | | (26833) | 427
| Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, who is responsible for the costs incurred in his Department's sex discrimination case involving Mr Malcolm Hanney. | | (27049) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 428
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which local authorities have set targets for the overall level of road traffic in their area as part of their full local transport plans in each year since the Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997 came into force; and what targets were set in each case. | | (26750) | 429
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the major schemes (a) proposed and (b) approved under the second round of local transport plans; what the expected cost was of each scheme, including expected central government funding; and what estimate has been made of future levels of (i) traffic and (ii) carbon dioxide emissions under each scheme. | | (26751) | 430
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many targets have been set in each year since 1997 by the Department; and which have been (a) met, (b) nearly met, (c) not met, (d) changed and (e) dropped in each year. | | (26756) | 431
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list contractors based in other (a) EU member states and (b) states that (i) provided services to his Department between 1st September 2003 and 31st August 2004 and (ii) have provided services to his Department since 31st August 2005; and what the (A) nature and (B) cost of the work was in each case. | | (26757) | 432
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list contractors based in non-EU states that provided services to his Department between 1st September 2004 and 31st August 2005; and what the (a) nature and (b) cost of this work in each case was. | | (26758) | 433
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) prosecutions and (b) dismissals of staff there have been in the last two years as a result of incidents related to security breaches airside at (i) Heathrow, (ii) Gatwick and (iii) other airports serving London. | | (26759) | 434
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Home Office on the application of intelligent surveillance technology. | | (26760) | 435
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has spent in each of the last five financial years on intelligent surveillance technology; and what the (a) value and (b) nature is of contracts awarded by his Department. | | (26761) | 436
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Ispotek regarding the application of intelligent pedestrian video surveillance systems. | | (26762) | 437
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list trials which have taken place to date on the use of intelligent surveillance technology related to the transport network. | | (26763) | 438
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has for expanded application of intelligent surveillance technology related to the transport network; and if he will make a statement. | | (26764) | 439
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Highways Agency makes of the likely impact on traffic on Agency-controlled roads (a) before and (b) after construction of major schemes on surrounding roads which are not operated by the agency. | | (26765) | 440
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research he has commissioned on the impact on local residents' journey times of traffic calming measures to eliminate rat-runs, with particular reference to road closures. | | (26766) | 441
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10th October, Official Report, column 88W, on European contractors, what the title and value of the contracts were in each case. | | (26811) | 442
N | Mr Douglas Carswell (Harwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the Government to make an announcement regarding the proposed Bathside Bay port development. | | (25481) | 443
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average percentage change in annual rail fares over the previous year was in each year between 1997 and 2004; and if he will make a statement. | | (26945) | 444
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what percentage of train operating companies' total costs were represented by labour costs in each year between 1997 and 2004; and if he will make a statement. | | (26946) | 445
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) average and (b) total combined operating profit of train operating companies before interest and tax (i) without and (ii) including subsidies was in each year between 1997 and 2004; and if he will make a statement. | | (26947) | 446
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) average and (b) total combined amount of dividends paid by train operating companies to their parent companies was in each year between 1997 and 2004; and if he will make a statement. | | (26948) | 447
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many franchises were operated under a management only contract in each year between 1997 and 2004; and if he will make a statement. | | (26949) | 448
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many emergency bailouts of train operating companies there were in each year between 1997 and 2004; what the total cost of each bailout was; and if he will make a statement. | | (26950) | 449
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total amount of subsidies paid by the Strategic Rail Authority to train operating companies was in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001, (f) 2002, (g) 2003 and (h) 2004; and if he will make a statement. | | (26951) | 450
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the extent to which franchising agreements between Network Rail and train operating companies (a) ensure value for money, (b) encourage competition in the railway industry, (c) are in the interest of tax payers, (d) protect the interest of passengers and (e) transfer risk to the private sector. | | (26953) | 451
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on how many occasions the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising was forced to discharge its duty under section 30 of the Railways Act 1993 to ensure the continuity of railway services as the operator of last resort in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001, (f) 2002, (g) 2003 and (h) 2004; and if he will make a statement. | | (26954) | 452
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the availability to the public of contracts between the Government and the train operating companies. | | (26955) | 453
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the extent to which the 10 Year Plan for Transport of July 2000 has been implemented, with particular reference to the (a) 50 per cent. growth in passenger rail services and (b) 80 per cent. growth in freight by 2010. | | (26956) | 454
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much compensation was paid to passengers for poor services by train operating companies in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001, (f) 2002, (g) 2003 and (h) 2004; and if he will make a statement. | | (26957) | 455
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total amount of penalties awarded against each train operating company for poor performances by the (a) Office of Passenger Rail Franchising and (b) Strategic Rail Authority was in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. | | (26958) | 456
| Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) total liabilities are and (b) estimated asset base is of Network Rail; and whether all the (i) assets and (ii) liabilities are on the Government balance sheet. | | (27041) | 457
| Ms Diana R. Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what Highways Agency funding is triggered by recognition of the A63 as a trans-European network route by the European Commission. | | (26836) | 458
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effect on the number of additional deaths and serious injuries on roads each year of turning back the clocks in October. | | (27094) | 459
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what arrangements are made for using the revenue raised from speed cameras. | | (27116) | 460
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of how many commuters travelled on public transport in London in each month since January 2002. | | (27154) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales 461
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement on the development of regional airports in Wales. | | (27215) | Questions to the Minister for Women and Equality 462
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, what the average difference in pay was between full-time male and female company directors in each year since 2001. | | (26800) | 463
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, what the difference in pay was between (a) full-time and (b) part-time male and female workers in each year since 2001. | | (26801) | 464
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, what recent steps the Government has taken to reduce the pay gap between men and women; and what evaluation she has made of the effectiveness of these steps. | | (26802) | 465
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, what assessment she has made of the implications of the gender pay gap for levels of female employment. | | (26803) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 466
| Mr Alan Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether staff in his Department and its executive agencies have been required to remove from their offices (a) charity collection boxes and (b) charity appeal literature referring to Christmas and the birth of Jesus; and if he will make a statement. | | (27022) | 467
| Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints were registered with the Child Support Agency in each year from 1997 to 2005 in (a) England, (b) Northamptonshire and (c) Wellingborough. | | (26777) | 468
| Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what amount of arrears was written off by the Child Support Agency in each year from 1997 to 2005 in (a) England, (b) Northamptonshire and (c) Wellingborough. | | (26779) | 469
| Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency cases were in arrears in each year from 1997 to 2005 in (a) England, (b) Northamptonshire and (c) Wellingborough. | | (26798) | 470
| Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency cases there were in each year from 1997 to 2005 in (a) England, (b) Northamptonshire and (c) Wellingborough. | | (26799) | 471
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the introduction of quarterly interviews for lone parents of children over 14 years under the New Deal programme; how many departmental staff are involved in these interviews; and what funding has been allocated. | | (26817) | 472
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on compliance by his Department with service efficiency targets with particular reference to time taken to handle claims from jobseekers. | | (26818) | 473
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on reductions in departmental staffing to date in accordance with the Gershon efficiency targets, with particular reference to changes in the balance between (a) full-time and part-time staffing transfers from back-office to frontline functions and (b) natural wastage and redundancy. | | (26819) | 474
| Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many recipients of the UK state pension were resident in (a) Pakistan and (b) the Indian sub-continent in the last year for which figures are available. | | (26850) | 475
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Department has spent on ministerial cars in each of the last five years for which figures are available. | | (27149) | 476
| Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are claiming incapacity benefit in Milton Keynes. | | (27179) | 477
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the savings to his Department arising from ceasing to pay carers' allowance to carers on reaching pensionable age, broken down by region. | | (26984) | 478
| Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures he is taking to remove the barriers to work for people with caring responsibilities. | | (27007) | 479
| Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to raise awareness of benefits available to carers. | | (27008) | 480
| Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his estimate is of the number of carers (a) in England and (b) in the county of Devon, broken down by local authority area, who are not taking up their entitlement to benefits. | | (27051) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 481
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many suicides were recorded in the farming industry in each of the last five years. | | [Transferred] (26269) | 482
| Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the projected savings over the next 50 years from (a) the December 2004 proposed reforms of public service pensions and (b) the revised proposals for public service pensions announced on 18th October. | | [Transferred] (27050) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 483
| Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on what basis Mr Michael Fawcett was included in the process for the selection and purchase of official gifts given by HRH the Prince of Wales during his official visit to the US; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (26865) | 484
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place the matter of pensions that are frozen and not up-rated annually in line with inflation for British pensioners living in (a) Canada, (b) New Zealand, (c) Australia, (d) South Africa and (e) Zimbabwe on the agenda at the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta. | | [Transferred] (27129) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 485
| Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what her assessment is of the effects of the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004 on carers. | | [Transferred] (27006) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 486
| Mr Mark Field (Cities of London & Westminster):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will assess the contribution to the City of London's productivity of mobile communications; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (27262) | 487
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what statistics are kept by his Department in regard to wind farm applications in each region. | | [Transferred] (26991) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 488
| Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) a.m. peak and (b) p.m. peak figures for (i) passengers in excess capacity and (ii) the total number of passengers were for London commuting service trains servicing Milton Keynes as measured in the most recent survey. | | [Transferred] (27180) |
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