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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Monday 21 November 2005
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 21 November 2005
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Monday 21 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 Monday 21 November of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Monday 21 November see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 1
| Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was raised in (a) national insurance contributions and (b) income tax from 16 to 18 year olds during the 2004-05 financial year. | | (31026) | 2
| David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total net immigration from non-EU countries was in each year since 1997. | | (30795) | 3
N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit underpayments resulted from an error in which a child or children were no longer shown on an award notice. | | (30679) | 4
N | Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Government's key objectives are in the negotiations regarding the UK rebate from the EU Budget; and if he will make a statement. | | (30562) | 5
N | Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the UK's VAT contribution to the EU Budget was in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005; and what he expects it to be in 2006. | | (30563) | 6
N | Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money has been saved to UK public funds as a result of the UK rebate from the EU budget since 1984. | | (30564) | 7
N | Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what main agenda items are to be discussed at the Ecofin meeting on 24th November; and whether they will include the United Kingdom's EU budget rebate. | | (30565) | 8
N | Andrew George (St Ives):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects to reply to the Public Accounts Committee Report, `The Accounts of the Duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster', published on 28th July. | | (30088) | 9
N | Andrew George (St Ives):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the Public Accounts Committee Report, `The Accounts of the Duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster', which was published on 28th July; and if he will seek to vary the method of accountability which applies to the Duchies. | | (30165) | 10
N | Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints were made to the Financial Ombudsman Service in relation to life insurance policies in each year between 1997 and 2005; and how many were resolved (a) at the assessment stage, (b) after investigation by an adjudicator and (c) by final decision of an ombudsman in each case. | | (29874) | 11
N | Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, in what percentage of complaints submitted to the Financial Ombudsman Service resolved (a) after investigation by an adjudicator and (b) by final decision of an ombudsman the complaint was (i) found to be outside the FOS's jurisdiction, (ii) withdrawn by the customer, (iii) not treated fairly by the firm concerned, (iv) treated fairly by the firm concerned, (v) treated generally fairly but the firm had agreed a goodwill payment and (vi) been subject to an offer from the firm but the FOS negotiated an improved amount, broken down by stage at which the complaint was resolved. | | (29875) | 12
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) funding will be withheld from and (b) other action will be taken in his Department if public service agreement target number (i) 1, (ii) 2 and (iii) 3 is not met. | | (30634) | 13
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will (a) freeze the bank accounts and (b) seize the assets of members of the government of the Maldives in response to human rights abuses. | | (30906) | 14
| John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many calls were made by (a) his Department and (b) Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs in 2004-05 using predictive diallers; how many such calls resulted in contact being made with the recipient without a Government agent available to talk to them; and what assessment he has made of the likely impact of Ofcom's policy on silent calls on the use of predictive diallers by his Department. | | (30683) | 15
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to ensure the Department's websites attain the W3C AAA standard of accessibility for people with visual and other disabilities; and if he will set a target date for this standard to be achieved by. | | (30968) | 16
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what forecasts he has made of the proportionate share of world gross domestic product in (a) 2010, (b) 2025 and (c) 2050 which can be expected to be won by (i) the EU, (ii) the US, (iii) China and (iv) India. | | (30496) | 17
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i) integrating the proposed identity card scheme into his Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within his Department. | | (31117) | 18
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what public consultations his Department has undertaken in the last five years on changes to services provided to taxpayers who attend enquiry offices. | | (30538) | 19
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will write off all the credit overpayments caused by official error following the recent decision of her Majesty's Revenue and Customs to write off all overpayments to claimants who are subject to immigration control; and if he will make a statement. | | (30544) | 20
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) tax credit complaints and (b) other complaints relating to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs have been received by the Parliamentary Ombudsman in each month since March 2004; and if he will make a statement. | | (30546) | 21
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total number of overpayments due to official errors in the new tax credit system is; and what their value was in each year since April 2003. | | (30567) | 22
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, in how many cases HM Revenue and Customs, and its predecessor, (a) imposed a penalty under section 31 of the Tax Credits Act 2002 for making an incorrect statement or declaration or supplying incorrect information or evidence and (b) imposed a penalty under section 32(3) of the Tax Credits Act 2002 for failing to notify a specified change of circumstances in (i) 2003-04, (ii) 2004-05 and (iii) 2005-06 to date; and what the average penalty was in each case. | | (30661) | 23
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, in how many cases HM Revenue and Customs and its predecessors applied to the Appeals Service under section 32(1) and (2) of, and Schedule 2 to, the Tax Credits Act 2002 for a summons against an individual for failing to provide information or evidence or failing to comply with a requirement regarding a final notice in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05 and (c) 2005-06 to date. | | (30662) | 24
| Margaret Moran (Luton South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many companies in Luton have been (a) fined and (b) forced to cease trading for non-compliance with the national minimum wage since it was introduced. | | (30637) | 25
N | Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the additional cost was to public funds of his return from Israel on 9th November. | | (30170) | 26
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much public money has been spent in Wales in each year since 1997; and how much public money will be spent in Wales in each year until 2010. | | (31045) | 27
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much tax revenue has been received from Wales in each year since 1997; and how much tax revenue he expects to receive from Wales in each year until 2010. | | (31059) | 28
| Dr Tony Wright (Cannock Chase):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library the guidance provided to Government departments by his Department on what they should disclose in their 2005 autumn performance reports. | | (30682) | Questions to the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners 29
N | Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what relationship the General Synod of the Church of England has with (a) the Forces Synodical Council and (b) the Army Archdeaconry Synod; and if he will make a statement. | | (29656) | Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 30
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many individuals have (a) applied for and (b) been granted legal aid for action against (i) employers, (ii) transport providers and (iii) providers of goods and services for failure to comply with disability discrimination legislation. | | (31147) | 31
| Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many citizens of EU member states other than the UK exercised their right under Article 19 of the Treaty Establishing the European Community to vote at the last European, parliamentary and local elections within the United Kingdom. | | (31071) | 32
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the last valuation was of the Barry court house; and whether this was undertaken for (a) commercial and (b) residential purposes. | | (30980) | 33
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if she will list the (a) national, (b) regional and (c) area level reports published as part of the HM Courts Service National Estate Review. | | (31008) | 34
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what plans she has for the consultation process on the review of courts within South Wales, with particular reference to the Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Consultation. | | (31009) | 35
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the real terms percentage increase in allocated resources for her Department (a) was for the period 1997-98 to 2004-05 and (b) is estimated to be between 2005-06 and 2007-08 (i) for each period and (ii) for each year. | | (31043) | 36
| John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what guidance she has given the courts on the size of awards for compensation for breaches of the Data Protection Act 1998. | | (30684) | 37
| John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what assessment she has made of the deterrent effect of court awards for compensation for breaches of the Data Protection Act 1998. | | (30685) | 38
| John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if she will increase individuals' rights under the Data Protection Act 1998. | | (30686) | 39
| John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the (a) number and (b) average size of awards by the courts for compensation for breaches of the Data Protection Act 1998 was in the last year for which figures are available. | | (30687) | 40
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure the Department's websites attain the W3C AAA standard of accessibility for people with visual and other disabilities; and if she will set a target date for this standard to be achieved by. | | (30970) | 41
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what estimate she has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i) integrating the proposed identity card scheme into her Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within her Department. | | (31105) | 42
N | Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16th November to question 28150, on what date the Privy Council meeting was held at Balmoral; which Ministers attended; whether each (a) departed from and (b) returned to London; and what business was conducted. | | (30779) | 43
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what estimate she has made of the extent of postal vote fraud in (a) the last round of local elections and (b) the last general election. | | (30937) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 44
N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she will respond to the letter from the honourable Members for Croydon South and East Surrey dated 5th September regarding Kenley Airfield. | | (30474) | 45
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the contribution of London council tax payers will be to the 2012 Olympics. | | (30614) | 46
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the additional cost to the public purse would be of reducing the age at which a free television licence can be obtained to 65 years. | | (29963) | 47
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department took to celebrate and promote the events of (a) Ramadan, (b) Diwali and (c) Chinese New Year in 2005. | | (31167) | 48
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when the Olympic Delivery Authority is expected to (a) select its chairman and (b) be a functioning body. | | (31172) | 49
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the relationship is between the Olympic Delivery Authority and the Olympic Transport Authority; and to whom each is accountable. | | (31173) | 50
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the state is of negotiations between the London Development Agency and London and Continental Railways Limited regarding land needed for the 2012 Olympics over which London and Continental Railways Limited has development rights. | | (31174) | 51
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what measures have been taken to ensure that unemployed people in inner London constituencies benefit from increased employment opportunities connected to construction work prior to the 2012 Olympics. | | (31175) | 52
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the real terms percentage increase in allocated resources for her Department (a) was for the period 1997-98 to 2004-05 and (b) is estimated to be between 2005-06 and 2007-08 (i) for each period and (ii) for each year. | | (31035) | 53
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to ensure the Department's websites attain the W3C AAA standard of accessibility for people with visual and other disabilities; and if she will set a target date for this standard to be achieved by. | | (30963) | 54
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the number of people who are members of amateur dramatic organisations which receive public funding. | | (30465) | 55
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has received about music television channels which invite viewers to make a premium rate telephone call to choose a music video. | | (30772) | 56
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, under what regulations music television channels in the United Kingdom operate, with particular reference to music television channels that use a premium rate telephone number displayed on screen. | | (30774) | 57
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her policy is on requirements for (a) elected representatives and (b) members of the public most affected by applications for an extension of licensing hours under the Licensing Act 2003 to be notified of such applications. | | (30776) | 58
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a statement on the latest estimate of the costs of holding the Olympic Games in London in 2012. | | (30650) | 59
| David Mundell (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether Scotland will be represented on the proposed BBC trust. | | (30589) | 60
| John Penrose (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to enable Part 3 of the Gambling Act 2005 to be brought into force as soon as possible. | | (30936) | 61
N | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she will reply to the letter of 23rd September (Ref: 23821) from the honourable Member for West Worcestershire. | | (29793) | 62
N | Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she will reply to the letter of 4th October from the honourable Member for Manchester, Blackley, to her concerning the Licensing Act 2003. | | (30469) | 63
N | Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many written representations her Department has received since 1st October from honourable Members concerning commercial radio and the review of the BBC Charter. | | (30454) | 64
N | Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to ensure that all programmes funded through the BBC licence fee are made available free of charge only to UK citizens. | | (30616) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 65
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the South Atlantic Medal Association regarding commemorations for the 25th anniversary of the Falklands War; and if he will make a statement. | | (30914) | 66
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service medical personnel are deployed in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. | | (30929) | 67
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Fijian citizens have been recruited by the British Armed Forces since 1997; and if he will make a statement. | | (30931) | 68
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many RAF helicopters have been cannibalized over the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. | | (31027) | 69
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his Kenyan counterpart on the renewal of the agreement with Kenya and the UK allowing British soldiers access to local training fields in Nanyuki and Isiolo; and if he will make a statement. | | (31029) | 70
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the difference was between defence industry inflation and inflation in each year since 1997. | | (30912) | 71
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the real terms percentage increase in allocated resources for his Department (a) was for the period 1997-98 to 2004-05 and (b) is estimated to be between 2005-06 and 2007-08 (i) for each period and (ii) for each year. | | (31030) | 72
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many countries are members of the NATO Partnership for Peace programme and also the subject of an EU arms embargo. | | (30868) | 73
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to ensure the Department's websites attain the W3C AAA standard of accessibility for people with visual and other disabilities; and if he will set a target date for this standard to be achieved by. | | (30964) | 74
N | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 3rd November, Official Report, column 1264W, on warships, what services are being provided by Swan Hunter to BAE Systems for £62 million in support of the two Landing Ships Dock (Auxiliary) vessels being built; and if he will list the major items of lead yard equipment and services. | | (28333) | 75
N | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 3rd November, Official Report, column 1264W, on warships, how much of the £11 million for initial spares provisioning for the four Landing Ships Dock (Auxiliary) vessels is to be paid to Swan Hunter; and what the schedule for such payments is. | | (28334) | 76
N | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2nd November, Official Report, column 1073W, on warships, when his Department first received notice from (a) Swan Hunter and (b) BAE Systems that further cost increases to the Landing Ships Dock (Auxiliary) project were likely. | | (28335) | 77
N | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 3rd November, Official Report, column 1264W, on warships, when he expects discussions with Swan Hunter and BAE Systems over further cost increases to the Landing Ships Dock (Auxiliary) contract to be completed; and when he expects to be able to publish details of those further cost increases. | | (28336) | 78
N | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 3rd November, Official Report, column 1264W, on warships, when the decision was taken to make payments to Swan Hunter of £62 million in relation to BAE Systems' ships; and when these payments were made. | | (28337) | 79
N | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the capacity at the RAF's bases at (a) Cottesmore and (b) Marham to deal with a sudden increase in (i) Harrier and (ii) Tornado maintenance work. | | (29222) | 80
N | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the likely effect the closure of the fast jet business at the Defence Aviation Repair Agency St Athan will have on his Department's ability to meet a sudden increase in workload. | | (29223) | 81
N | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will break down the £2.8 billion of savings in defence logistics by area where savings will be made; and where the savings will be reinvested. | | (29224) | 82
N | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the UK's Warrior armoured vehicle fleet are unavailable for active service. | | (29225) | 83
N | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what savings were achieved by transferring maintenance work for (a) Harriers and (b) Tornados to RAF main operating bases; and where this money will be reinvested. | | (29226) | 84
N | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the decision was taken to replace the Integrated Project Team leader for the Landing Ships Dock (Auxiliary) project. | | (29781) | 85
N | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his reasons were for changing the Integrated Project Team leader for the Landing Ships Dock (Auxiliary) project. | | (29782) | 86
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i) integrating the proposed identity card scheme into his Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within his Department. | | (31106) | 87
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will ensure that the future aircraft carriers are in service before the retirement of the current aircraft carriers. | | (30823) | 88
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans the Royal Navy has to conduct joint exercises with the Polish Navy. | | (30824) | 89
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel from Shropshire are serving in Iraq. | | (30827) | 90
| Mr Fraser Kemp (Houghton & Washington East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when charges will be brought against the killers of the six Royal Military Police who died at Al Majarr Al Kabir in Iraq on 24th June 2003. | | (30734) | 91
| Mr Fraser Kemp (Houghton & Washington East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in the investigation into the deaths of the six Royal Military Police who were killed at Al Majarr Al Kabir in Iraq on 24th June 2003. | | (30735) | 92
| Mr Fraser Kemp (Houghton & Washington East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which organisation is in charge of the investigation into the deaths of the six Royal Military Police who were killed at Al Majarr Al Kabir in Iraq on 24th June 2003. | | (30736) | 93
| Mr Fraser Kemp (Houghton & Washington East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which UK organisations, including police forces, have been involved in the investigation into the deaths of six Royal Military Police who were killed at Al Majarr Al Kabir in Iraq on 24th June 2003. | | (30737) | 94
| Mr Fraser Kemp (Houghton & Washington East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the identities of the killers of the six Royal Military Police who died at Al Majarr Al Kabir in Iraq on 24th June 2003 are known by the British authorities. | | (30738) | 95
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the theatres for service in which General Service Medals and Clasps have ceased to be awarded, broken down by (a) date and (b) reasons for the decision in each case. | | (30535) | 96
| Mr Pat McFadden (Wolverhampton South East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the consortia bidding for the future defence training contracts. | | (30648) | 97
| Mr Pat McFadden (Wolverhampton South East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to make a decision regarding the future consolidation of defence training services. | | (30649) | 98
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to publish his report on airfields; and if he will make a statement. | | (30652) | 99
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people are employed in a (a) military and (b) civilian capacity at RAF Leeming. | | (30981) | 100
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when RAF Leeming first became operational for Royal Air Force purposes. | | (30982) | 101
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the implications for (a) employment at RAF Leeming and (b) the local economy of (i) the closure of the base and (ii) its conversion to an army base. | | (30983) | 102
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will undertake a comprehensive strategic review of the defence capability of the 50 national defence airfields. | | (30984) | 103
N | Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations the Government has received from the US Administration about the EU Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) satellite system; what assessment he has made of the implications of the system for the development of the European Security and Defence Policy; what use he expects British armed forces to make of GMES; and if he will make a statement. | | (30239) | 104
N | Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions (a) he and (b) his predecessor has had with his US counterpart on operations in Iraq since January 2004; whether ammunition used has been discussed; and if he will make a statement. | | (30718) | 105
N | Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what guidelines (a) he and (b) his predecessor has set out for UK armed forces on the use of white phosphorus; when these guidelines were last (i) reviewed and (ii) amended; and if he will make a statement. | | (30719) | 106
N | Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions (a) he, (b) his predecessor and (c) members of his Department have had since January 2004 with (i) the US Defence Secretary, (ii) members of the US Administration and (iii) members of the US Department of Defense on the use of white phosphorus (A) in Iraq, (B) in Falluja, (C) in Afghanistan and (D) in general; and if he will make a statement. | | (30720) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 107
| Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the criteria are for grant funding by English Partnerships, with particular reference to the use of private finance. | | (30621) | 108
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many vacant dwellings there were in (a) London and (b) each London borough in each of the last five years (i) in total and (ii) as a proportion of all dwellings. | | (30739) | 109
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when the results of the next English House Condition Survey will be available. | | (30741) | 110
| Colin Challen (Morley & Rothwell):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will introduce guidelines for town parish councils on spending; and if he will assess the merits of capping the expenditure of such councils if they exceed the limits he imposes on major authorities. | | (30850) | 111
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what measures his Department took to celebrate and promote the events of (a) Ramadan, (b) Diwali and (c) Chinese New Year in 2005. | | (31162) | 112
| Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the total cost to his Department of consultants used for the Firelink Project was; and how many consultants have been employed to date. | | (30630) | 113
| Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the estimated cost is of the installation of Firelink in the regional fire control centres. | | (30631) | 114
| Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the cost of maintaining existing radio systems used by the fire and rescue authorities was in each of the last five years. | | (30632) | 115
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether he has commissioned a risk assessment of the Firelink project. | | (31101) | 116
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list those areas of England and Wales that will not be covered by the Firelink project. | | (31102) | 117
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library the technical requirements for the Firelink project produced by the Firelink board. | | (31103) | 118
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many people are on the housing list waiting to be re-housed in Westmorland and Lonsdale. | | (29966) | 119
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will take steps to bring mobile telephone masts of all sizes under stricter planning control; if he will apply the precautionary principle in doing so; and if he will make a statement. | | (31166) | 120
| Mr Michael Foster (Worcester):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many council homes were sold under the right-to-buy scheme in Worcester in each year since 1980. | | (30591) | 121
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the real terms percentage increase in allocated resources for his Department (a) was for the period 1997-98 to 2004-05 and (b) is estimated to be between 2005-06 and 2007-08 (i) for each period and (ii) for each year. | | (31034) | 122
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will take steps to ensure the Department's websites attain the W3C AAA standard of accessibility for people with visual and other disabilities; and if he will set a target date for this standard to be achieved by. | | (30969) | 123
| Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will bring the maximum discount available under right-to-buy in areas of high demand for public sector rented accommodation into line with the £9,000 discount available to housing association tenants under their right to acquire. | | (30852) | 124
| Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Housing (Right to Buy) (Limits on Discount) (Amendment) Order 2005 in helping areas facing housing pressure. | | (30853) | 125
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i) integrating the proposed identity card scheme into his Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within his Department. | | (31121) | 126
| Margaret Moran (Luton South):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many affordable housing units expected to be built or procured through the Housing Corporation Approved Development Programme and Challenge Fund in the East of England Region will be (a) mixed funded social rented housing, (b) temporary social rented housing, (c) homebuy general market purchase, (d) homebuy general new build, (e) mixed funded low cost home ownership for sale, (f) miscellaneous works to Registered Social Landlord stock, (g) reimprovements to rented RSL stock, (h) works only rehabilitation of rented RSL stock, (i) works only rehabilitation of RSL stock for sale, (j) intermediate rent for key workers, (k) homebuy market purchase for key workers, (l) homebuy new build for key workers, (m) mixed funded sale for key workers, (n) right to acquire, (o) voluntary purchase grant, (p) starter home initiative, (q) do-it-yourself shared ownership and (r) temporary intermediate and market rent housing in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07 and (iii) 2007-08; and how much he expects to be spent on each category in each year. | | (30633) | 127
| Margaret Moran (Luton South):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many (a) local authority stock and (b) private sector empty homes there were in Luton in each of the last five years. | | (30635) | 128
| Margaret Moran (Luton South):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many compulsory purchase orders have been made on empty properties by (a) Luton Council and (b) the local authority recorded as the best performing in each of the last three years. | | (30636) | 129
| Mr Andrew Pelling (Croydon Central):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what proportion of the (a) neighbourhood management pathfinders, (b) neighbourhood wardens and (c) Community Learning Chest funding stream from the Government Office for London was made available to the London Borough of Croydon in 2004-05. | | (30536) | 130
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 11th November, Official Report, column 777W, on the Valuation Office Agency, what powers the Agency and its agents have to fine residents who refuse entry. | | (30665) | 131
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 11th November, Official Report, column 839W, on housing, what definition he uses of relevant proprietor. | | (30666) | 132
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much the Valuation Office Agency spent on digital cameras and related electronic equipment in the last five years for which figures are available; and how many cameras were purchased in each year. | | (30695) | 133
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the committees and working groups within the Valuation Office Agency that have been involved in the council tax revaluation in (a) Wales and (b) England. | | (30698) | 134
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what arrangements are in place for compensating a property owner if Valuation Office Agency inspectors accidentally damage property. | | (30700) | 135
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what guidance the Valuation Office Agency has issued to its staff and contractors on the personal safety of inspectors conducting a valuation of a property. | | (30701) | 136
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether a permanent (a) shed, (b) kennel, (c) outside lavatory and (d) rabbit hutch may be classed as an outbuilding for the purpose of the assessment of (i) dwellinghouse code 14 (Outbuildings) and (ii) value significant codes during a council tax valuation by the Valuation Office Agency. | | (30833) | 137
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency's (a) document Dwellinghouse Coding - An Illustrated Guide and (b) standard letters V07746, V07747 and V07748. | | (30834) | 138
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what guidance the Valuation Office Agency has given its staff on respecting religious and cultural traditions of householders and shopkeepers when conducting an internal inspection for council tax or business rate valuation purposes. | | (30835) | 139
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the (a) dwelling house codes and (b) value significant codes in use by the Valuation Office Agency for council tax valuation purposes. | | (30836) | 140
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether the presence of an (a) orchard, (b) vegetable patch, (c) fish pond and (d) attractive flower arrangement influence the Valuation Office Agency's assessment of value significant codes GG, GN, NA, PS and PL when conducting a council tax valuation. | | (30837) | 141
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what account the Valuation Office Agency takes of the presence of human or animal remains in making a valuation of a domestic property. | | (30838) | 142
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 9th November, Official Report, columns 495-6W, on town councils, what the reason is for the time taken by his office receiving a proposal for the creation of a new town council and his office making orders to implement the proposal. | | (30167) | 143
N | Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether former residents of a dwelling can be required to give information about that dwelling for the purposes of a valuation of a property for council tax purposes. | | (30658) | 144
N | Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many days' notice a valuation officer must give before visiting a property. | | (30660) | 145
N | Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the maximum penalties are for (a) refusing access to a valuation officer, (b) failing to give information about a house to a valuation officer and (c) giving wrong or misleading information about a house to a valuation officer. | | (30705) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 146
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 31st October, Official Report, column 821W, on information sharing protocols, which local authorities were `a bit behind' in (a) March 2004 and (b) July 2004. | | (30681) | 147
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when she plans to announce the details of annual funding arrangements for the promotion of music tuition in schools. | | (30696) | 148
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment she has made of the effects of vocational education on industry in Coventry. | | (29330) | 149
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans she has to expand skills training for disabled workers in Coventry; and if she will make a statement. | | (29331) | 150
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in England were without a permanent head teacher for a period in the past 12 months broken down by (i) region and (ii) local education authority. | | (30584) | 151
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate she has made of the number and proportion of (a) 16, (b) 17 and (c) 18 year olds not in full-time education or training, broken down by local education authority area. | | (30799) | 152
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school age children there were in each local education authority in (i) 1990, (ii) 1997, (iii) 2000 and (iv) 2005; what the forecasted figures are for each authority in each year from 2006 to 2016; and if she will list the assumptions behind those forecasts. | | (30803) | 153
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many surplus places there were in (a) primary, (b) middle and (c) secondary schools in each local authority area in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2005; how many there are forecast to be in each year from 2006 to 2010; and on what (A) basis and (B) assumptions those forecasts were made. | | (30839) | 154
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Westmorland and Lonsdale are expected to have a budget deficit in the 2005-06 financial year. | | (30462) | 155
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what definition she uses for (a) a trust school, (b) a foundation school and (c) a voluntary aided school under the changes proposed in the White Paper Higher Standards, Better Schools For All. | | (30938) | 156
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 2nd November, Official Report, column 1181W, on learning methods, whether learning multiplication facts up to 10x10 is identical to learning multiplication tables up to 10x10. | | (30939) | 157
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 2nd November, Official Report, column 1178W, on gifted and talented young people, how many and what proportion of schools to date have not nominated pupils to the National Academy of Gifted and Talented Youth, broken down by Local Education Authority. | | (31016) | 158
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 7th November, Official Report, column 118W, on gifted and talented youth, how many members of the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth there are in each school in West Sussex. | | (31017) | 159
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average A-level attainment has been of entrants to undergraduate courses leading to qualified teacher status in each year since 1995. | | (31104) | 160
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what action she (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to ensure that statutory agencies provide appropriate protection for children who have experienced domestic violence. | | (30721) | 161
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the real terms percentage increase in allocated resources for her Department (a) was for the period 1997-98 to 2004-05 and (b) is estimated to be between 2005-06 and 2007-08 (i) for each period and (ii) for each year. | | (31036) | 162
| John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the evidential basis was for the statement in her Department's guidelines Safeguarding Children in Whom Illness is Induced or Fabricated by Carers with Parenting Responsibilities, on the likelihood of it being the correct explanation for a child's symptoms is the involvement of carers and that the case should be referred to social services. | | (30688) | 163
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will take steps to ensure the Department's websites attain the W3C AAA standard of accessibility for people with visual and other disabilities; and if she will set a target date for this standard to be achieved by. | | (30962) | 164
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether the money previously delivered to secondary schools via the Leadership Incentive Grant will be made available to secondary schools via other budgetary mechanisms; and whether it is included in the Government's guarantee of a four per cent. annual funding increase. | | (31061) | 165
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate she has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i) integrating the proposed identity card scheme into her Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within her Department. | | (31107) | 166
| Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much was paid by her Department to (a) Buckinghamshire Local Education Authority and (b) Milton Keynes Local Education Authority under the ethnic minority achievement element of the Standards Fund in each year since 2003-04; how much is planned to be paid in each case in each year until 2007-08; and what the percentage change in (i) cash and (ii) real terms is between the amount paid in 2003-04 and the amount planned to be paid for 2007-08. | | (30607) | 167
| Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the Answer to the honourable Member for Worcester of 27th October, Official Report, column 478W, on post-16 funding, when she expects to make an announcement on the action she plans to take. | | (30717) | 168
| Mr Pat McFadden (Wolverhampton South East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the expenditure was per pupil in Wolverhampton in 1996-97; and what the equivalent figure was in 2004-05. | | (30653) | 169
N | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the criteria are for determining access to free school meals; when the definition of eligibility was last changed; and what the basis was for the change. | | (30467) | 170
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the actual expenditure was of the Learning and Skills Council in each year since its inception, broken down into (a) the categories in the grant letter of the relevant year and (b) the categories set out in the grant letter of November 2005. | | (30813) | 171
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what mechanism is used for providing funds to the Learning and Skills Council additional to those set out in the grant letter, with particular reference to funds for administrative costs. | | (30815) | 172
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of the £40 million her Department is making available for part-time students will be administered (a) through the Learning and Skills Council and (b) to students pursuing tertiary education through colleges of further education. | | (30816) | 173
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her most recent grant letter to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) in which funding blocks A to E replace the previous five funding blocks set out in the grant letter; and if she will break down the LSC budgets proposed in November 2004 by the same categories used for this year's budget. | | (30817) | 174
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many 16 to 19 year olds achieved five A*-C passes or the equivalent in 2004. | | (30818) | 175
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which GCSEs count as qualifications in (a) literacy and (b) numeracy. | | (30819) | 176
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of (a) 15 and (b) 16 to 19 year olds achieved a Level 2 qualification in literacy and numeracy in 2004. | | (30820) | 177
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many initial teacher training (ITT) students graduated in each of the last five years; how many newly qualified teacher (NQT) placement opportunities were available in each year; and how many ITT students failed to obtain NQT placements beginning in the September after achieving a post-graduate certificate in education (a) in England and (b) in each region. | | (30821) | 178
| Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions representatives of her Department had with US (a) educators and officials concerned with the Milwaukee charter schools programme and (b) policy institutes during their recent visit to the US; and what assessment they have made of the programme. | | (30628) | 179
| Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions her Department has held with representatives of the education sector in the state of Minnesota, US. | | (31015) | 180
| Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when she will reply to the letter of 10th October from the honourable Member for Walsall North regarding a school in Walsall North constituency. | | (30582) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 181
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many farmers have applied for entry to the Higher Level Stewardship scheme. | | (29876) | 182
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the relative suffering caused to badgers when they are killed by means of (a) carbon monoxide, (b) carbon dioxide and (c) other gases. | | (29877) | 183
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the rate of modulation will be in each year after 2006. | | (29878) | 184
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria are being applied to establishments exhibiting animals to decide which fall outside of the terms of Article 2 of the Zoo Directive 1999/22/EC. | | (30915) | 185
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what percentage of (a) closed and (b) operating landfill sites capture methane for electricity generation; what volume in total was captured in the last period for which figures are available; and what estimate she has made of savings in greenhouse gas emissions from (i) non-release of methane and (ii) displacement of fossil fuel generation, assuming all displacement came from such sources. | | (30924) | 186
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the availability of capacity within the rendering sector to cope with a potential outbreak of avian influenza; and if she will make a statement. | | (30928) | 187
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12th September, Official Report, columns 2313-4W, on pesticides, if she will express the quantities used in each year in terms of volume. | | (30952) | 188
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8th November, Official Report, columns 321-2W, on greenhouse gases, if she will publish a further table using the published provisional 2004 figures as the most recent available. | | (31157) | 189
| Sir Patrick Cormack (South Staffordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to enforce the rules governing the export of live animals. | | (30814) | 190
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the terms of reference for the investigation into agricultural levy boards. | | (30486) | 191
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on the EU-wide ban on the trade of wild caught birds as a response to the threat of avian influenza. | | (30487) | 192
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to change the quarantine arrangements involving (a) bird traders and (b) importers of birds. | | (30488) | 193
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to bring forward a ban on pet fairs. | | (30489) | 194
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will ask the Home Office to review the Custody Plus policy in advance of the forthcoming Animal Welfare Bill. | | (30490) | 195
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her response is to the recommendations of the independent working group on snares; if she will review her Department's Code of Practice on snares; and if she will bring forward proposals to make the code legally binding. | | (30491) | 196
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure that the contract to survey the use of snares will be subject to an open tender process. | | (30492) | 197
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of farmers and land owners who have failed to provide maps for parcels of land. | | (30792) | 198
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she will publish the arrangements for licensing of livery yards. | | (30829) | 199
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many households were helped by the Warm Front programme in the latest year for which figures are available. | | (30830) | 200
| Mr Michael Foster (Worcester):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many of her Department's staff have moved to Worcester from London since 1997. | | (30609) | 201
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to meet her Department's 2004 Public Service Agreement (PSA) number 4; what assessment she has made of the extent to which the indicators associated with PSA 4 relate to matters that fall within her Ministerial responsibilities; and what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on meeting PSA 4. | | (30675) | 202
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will redefine (a) decapod crustaceans and (b) cephalopods as animals to be included in the provisions of the Animal Welfare Bill. | | (30913) | 203
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the real terms percentage increase in allocated resources for her Department (a) was for the period 1997-98 to 2004-05 and (b) is estimated to be between 2005-06 and 2007-08 (i) for each period and (ii) for each year. | | (31037) | 204
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure the Department's websites attain the W3C AAA standard of accessibility for people with visual and other disabilities; and if she will set a target date for this standard to be achieved by. | | (30960) | 205
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made since 2001 in establishing a retirement scheme for tenant farmers in the livestock sector as stated in the Labour Party's 2001 General Election manifesto. | | (29787) | 206
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what tests have been applied to applications for the 2005 single farm payment scheme in England to ensure that the applicants are in legal occupation of the holdings used for their claim. | | (29788) | 207
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the forecast number of applicants for the 2005 single farm payment in England was; and how many farmers have applied. | | (29789) | 208
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what she expects to implement the recommendations of the Tenancy Reform Industry Group Report; and if she will make a statement. | | (29790) | 209
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the (a) extent and (b) effect of new agricultural tenancy agreements designed to take entitlement to single farm payments away from tenant farmers at the end of those agreements for less than the fair compensation specified within the Tenancy Reform Industry Group's code of practice. | | (29791) | 210
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the red squirrel population is estimated to be in Northamptonshire. | | (30854) | 211
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her latest assessment is of the most endangered species of (a) flora and (b) fauna in Northamptonshire; and what steps are being taken to reverse their decline. | | (30855) | 212
N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimates have been made of the (a) probabilities and (b) heights of tidal surges affecting the Essex coastline in each of the next five decades; and if she will make a statement. | | (30601) | 213
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i) integrating the proposed identity card scheme into her Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within her Department. | | (31108) | 214
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to prevent flooding in the Underdale area of Shrewsbury. | | (30825) | 215
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support she provides for English wine producers. | | (30954) | 216
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make representations to the Chanellor of the Exchequer to encourage more private sector ownership of forests by extending tax concessions to those purchasing forest land. | | (30992) | 217
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will visit Shrewsbury to discuss the need for further flood prevention measures. | | (30993) | 218
| Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) farmers, (b) cattle owners and (c) cattle keepers have had an application for at least one cattle passport rejected on the grounds of the late return of the form since September 2003. | | (30585) | 219
| Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for cattle passports have been made since September 2003; how many of those applications were rejected; and how many were refused on the grounds of the late return of the form in each month. | | (30586) | 220
| Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in how many cases where applications for cattle passports were refused on the grounds of late return of the form since September 2003 (a) a passport was subsequently issued after an appeal, (b) the animal concerned was slaughtered and (c) the animal concerned died; and if she will make a statement. | | (30587) | 221
| Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether eggs would be destroyed as part of the measures to deal with an outbreak of avian influenza; and what assessment has been made of the likely impact on (a) pharmaceutical and (b) other industries of reduced availability of eggs as a result of avian influenza. | | (30752) | 222
| Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7th November to the honourable Member for Brecon and Radnorshire, Offcial Report, column 6W, on avian influenza, where the suitably engineered commercial licensed landfills will be located; and what research has been evaluated on the safety of deep burial of avian-influenza-infected carcasses. | | (30753) | 223
| Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15th November, Official Report, column 1067W, on pigeons, what criteria will be used in the die-off assessment to calculate response times; and what assessment she has made of the capacity of the State Veterinary Service to deal with carcase collection. | | (30754) | 224
| Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15th November, Official Report, column 1067W, on pigeons, what discussions she has had with veterinary organisations on arrangements for carcase collection in the event of an outbreak; and what representations veterinary surgeons have made to her on the safety implications of transporting carcases to incineration sites. | | (30755) | 225
| Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15th November, Official Report, column 1067W, on pigeons, when she expects to present the outcome of the consideration to the House; in what form; and whether legislative changes are being considered. | | (30756) | 226
| Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15th November, Official Report, column 1048W, on avian influenza, what discussions she has had with (a) the National Farmers Union, (b) local authorities and (c) the Local Government Association on (i) the work that will be undertaken and (ii) funding for the work; what the timetable is for reaching decisions; and what estimate has been made of the likely costs to local authorities. | | (30763) | 227
N | Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what public service agreements are in place with local authorities in England for the management of sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) in their areas; and what funding has been allocated to each relevant local authority in relation to the management of SSSIs in 2005-06. | | (30638) | 228
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what procedures are undertaken at border inspection posts to ensure that the documentation accompanying imported captive birds is genuine. | | (30723) | 229
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether type A human influenza can be transmitted to poultry. | | (30724) | 230
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department has given to poultry workers and those working with live birds on the actions they should take in the event of their suffering from influenza-like symptoms. | | (30745) | 231
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on how many occasions in each of the last five years officers from her Department have inspected the quarantine facility in Essex from which isolates of H5N1 avian influenza virus have been isolated. | | (30746) | 232
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether highly pathogenic avian influenza virus is transmissable from bird to bird via (a) fomites and (b) other contamination passed by humans who have been in contact with those birds. | | (30747) | 233
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Written Statement of 15th November, Official Report, column 48WS, on avian influenza (epidemiology report), what species or sub-species the mesias from the quarantine facility in Essex were from; and whether that species or sub-species is indigenous to Taiwan. | | (30748) | 234
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the pooling of samples of different species and different origins delayed the determination of the source of the H5N1 avian flu virus detected from samples taken from dead birds in the quarantine facility in Essex. | | (30749) | 235
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the clade type was of the H5N1 isolate recovered from (a) the parrot/mesia pooled sample and (b) the mesia-only sample in Essex; and whether each clade type was within the same sub-grouping associated with the disease in humans. | | (30750) | 236
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether, for the purpose of determining the presence of H5N1 avian influenza in birds, Veterinary Laboratories Agency standard operating procedures (a) permit and (b) consider it good practice to pool samples for laboratory analysis from different (i) batches, (ii) species and (iii) origins of birds. | | (30770) | 237
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the reasons for the presence of H5N1 infection in mesia birds from two cages separated by five other cages and for the absence of infection in the birds of other species in the intervening cages. | | (30973) | 238
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, from what countries mesia species are imported into the UK; and what measures her Department has taken to ascertain the source of the mesias sampled at the quarantine facility in Essex, in whose samples the avian influenza virus H5N1 was isolated. | | (31062) | 239
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the conditions under which the mesias, in whose samples the avian influenza virus was isolated at the quarantine facility in Essex were imported into this country, with particular reference to (a) the form of transport and (b) other birds which were imported in the same cargo space. | | (31064) | 240
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many Surinam caiques were sampled by her Department's staff from the quarantine facility in Essex in which the avian influenza virus H5N1 was isolated. | | (31065) | 241
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to minimise the chances of the H5N1 virus entering the UK through the import of live birds; and what changes have been made to (a) the rules for the transport of live birds and (b) the procedures relating to the quarantine of birds. | | (31066) | 242
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in relation to the pooled sample of 30 mesias in which the presence of avian influenza virus H5N1 has been detected, how the exact date of death was determined; and how was the (a) time and (b) source of infection determined. | | (31067) | 243
| Sir Robert Smith (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19th October, Official Report, column 1054W, on energy efficiency (commercial sector), what (a) the cost effective potential and (b) the technical potential for carbon savings in the commercial and services sector through energy efficiency measures is by (i) 2010 and (ii) 2020, expressed in megatonnes of carbon. | | (30822) | 244
N | Paddy Tipping (Sherwood):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many households in the Nottinghamshire constituency have received assistance under the Warm Front scheme in each year since its introduction. | | (29328) | 245
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many refrigerators were recovered with their reservoir of chlorofluorocarbons gas (a) empty and (b) intact in each of the last 10 years. | | (30994) | 246
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what target her Department has set for the amount of chlorofluorocarbons that should be recovered from refrigerators in each year. | | (30995) | 247
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much chlorofluorocarbon has been (a) recovered and (b) released into the environment from (i) refrigerators and (ii) other sources in the UK in each year since 1997. | | (30996) | 248
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many recycling operations are recovering chlorofluorocarbons. | | (30997) | 249
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many investigations the Environment Agency is carrying out into the (a) mishandling and (b) failure to recover chlorofluorocarbons. | | (31001) | 250
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the average chlorofluorocarbon recovery levels were in each year since 2000. | | (31002) | 251
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what data the Environment Agency collects on (a) chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) recovery levels and (b) the quality of CFCs released. | | (31003) | 252
| Mr Iain Wright (Hartlepool):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how long it took for each eligible area to receive funding from her Department's Contaminated Land Capital Projects programme from the time that her Department was notified of payment of the funding to the affected area. | | (30569) | 253
| Mr Iain Wright (Hartlepool):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many contaminated land areas have been eligible for funding under her Department's Contaminated Land Capital Projects programme. | | (30573) | 254
| Mr Iain Wright (Hartlepool):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many contaminated land areas have been rectified by identified class A polluters without recourse to her Department's Contaminated Land Capital Projects programme in the last five years. | | (30575) | 255
| Mr Iain Wright (Hartlepool):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the criteria are for eligibility of contaminated land areas for funding under her Department's Contaminated Land Capital Projects programme. | | (30576) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 256
| Mary Creagh (Wakefield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Ugandan President following the arrest of the opposition leader Dr Kiiza Besigye on Monday 14th November. | | (30554) | 257
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department took to celebrate and promote the events of (a) Ramadan, (b) Diwali and (c) Chinese New Year in 2005. | | (31169) | 258
| Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of Turkish Cypriot proposals to protect the environment and provide sustainability by directives controlling building in North Cyprus, with particular reference to protecting Greek Cypriot-owned land from development; and if he will make a statement. | | (31080) | 259
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received on allegations of mistreatment of Christians in Xinjiang Province, China; and if he will make a statement. | | (30602) | 260
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the government of Niger concerning the reported persecution of Christians in Niger State since the imposition of Shariah law. | | (30603) | 261
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the government of Niger concerning the reported attack on and torture of the Christian convert Sardauna Anaruwa Sashi by police officers in Niger State in September. | | (30604) | 262
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the numbers of disappeared Sahawis following continuing Moroccan illegal occupation of the Western Sahara. | | (30605) | 263
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the implications of the arrest of Kiiza Besigye in Uganda. | | (30606) | 264
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which diplomats from Zimbabwe have been declared persona non grata in each of the last five years. | | (30547) | 265
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on what occasions in the last five years he has raised with the Zimbabwe government the activities of the Zimbabwe Central Intelligence Organisation in the United Kingdom; and what the result was in each case. | | (30548) | 266
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what issues he has raised with the Zimbabwe High Commission in the last 12 months; and what result was achieved in each case. | | (30549) | 267
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many (a) diplomats and (b) other staff have been located at the Zimbabwe High Commission in London in each of the last five years. | | (30550) | 268
N | Justine Greening (Putney):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the trial and conviction in Brazil of Craig Alden; and if he will make a statement. | | (29873) | 269
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to stop the supply of (a) arms and (b) other weaponry to the Maldives. | | (30908) | 270
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place an immediate travel ban on members of the government of the Maldives entering the United Kingdom. | | (30910) | 271
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the real terms percentage increase in allocated resources for his Department (a) was for the period 1997-98 to 2004-05 and (b) is estimated to be between 2005-06 and 2007-08 (i) for each period and (ii) for each year. | | (31042) | 272
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the BBC with regard to the ending of Central and Eastern European language radio broadcasts. | | (30670) | 273
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the exemption of Islam Karimov and his family from the list of Uzbek officials banned from travelling to the European Union. | | (30702) | 274
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the EU travel ban on Uzbek officials; and what assessment he has made of the implications for the ban of Uzbek Interior Minister Almatov's presence in Germany. | | (30869) | 275
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure the Department's websites attain the W3C AAA standard of accessibility for people with visual and other disabilities; and if he will set a target date for this standard to be achieved by. | | (30966) | 276
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the EU Commission to publish the minutes of EU trade policy meetings. | | (30497) | 277
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representation the United Kingdom has on the EU's Article 133 Committee. | | (30502) | 278
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many (a) embassies, (b) high commissions and (c) consulates the United Kingdom operates; and how many it operated in 1997. | | (30504) | 279
| 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 Angola. | | (30725) | 280
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had on the political situation in Zimbabwe. | | (30726) | 281
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has apologised to his Israeli counterpart for the incident involving General Almog at Heathrow Airport on 11th September. | | (31060) | 282
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i) integrating the proposed identity card scheme into his Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within his Department. | | (31109) | 283
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Chinese government on human rights in Tibet. | | (30826) | 284
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to visit Gibraltar. | | (31070) | 285
| Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of recent events in the Darfur area of Sudan on the prospects for peace in the region. | | (31048) | 286
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the criteria are for allowing (a) current and (b) former service personnel to (i) accept and (ii) wear medals offered by foreign governments in respect of past campaigns. | | (30618) | 287
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on ex-service personnel (a) receiving and (b) wearing the campaign medal being offered by the government of Malaysia. | | (30619) | 288
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether a previous decision by the Government to award a campaign service medal or clasp is a relevant factor in decisions taken subsequently to grant or refuse permission for a medal offered by a foreign government in respect of the same campaign to be (a) accepted and (b) worn. | | (30620) | 289
N | Mr Andrew Mackay (Bracknell):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who has been appointed as the UK's Ambassador to the Holy See; when the announcement was made public; how it was publicised; what the new Ambassador's (a) background and (b) experience is; and if he will make a statement. | | (29794) | 290
N | Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has received any complaint from the Assets Recovery Agency in respect of any overseas territory failing (a) to comply with requests from the Agency and (b) to legislate to facilitate the Agency's work; and if he will make a statement. | | (30086) | 291
N | Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance his Department has provided to Mr Andrew Gaudyn, whose daughter was abducted to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. | | (30751) | 292
N | Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the additional cost was to public funds of his return from Moscow on 9th November. | | (30168) | 293
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to persuade the Ethiopian government to implement the demarcation agreement on the border with Eritrea. | | (30657) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 294
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of whether the exemptions under the Freedom of Act 2000 apply to files held by her Department relating to (a) the Abortion (Amendment) Bill, 1979-80 Session, (b) the Abortion (Amendment) Bill 1987-88 Session and (c) the Unborn Children (Protection) Bills in sessions (i) 1984-85, (ii) 1985-86 and (iii) 1987-88; and if she will make a statement. | | (30506) | 295
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the Government has set targets for the diagnosis of hepatitis (a) B and (b) C on an annual basis. | | (30845) | 296
| Mr Richard Bacon (South Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made towards delivering the objectives set out in the Vision 2020 programme for eliminating avoidable blindness. | | (30896) | 297
| Mr Richard Bacon (South Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) parents understand the importance of eye examinations for children and (b) young people and adults have regular eye examinations. | | (30897) | 298
| Mr Richard Bacon (South Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Department is taking to facilitate the use by opticians of cameras which photograph the back of the eye; and if she will make a statement about diabetes retinopathy screening. | | (30902) | 299
| Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of the availability of Herceptin on prescription throughout the NHS. | | (30642) | 300
| Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what capital allocations she expects to be made available to the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority over the next three years; and for what purpose each allocation will be made. | | (30643) | 301
| Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) doctors and (b) nurses are working in the NHS in (i) Oxfordshire and (ii) Banbury constituency; and what the equivalent figures were in 1997. | | (30644) | 302
| Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her statement of 15th November, Official Report, column 851 on NHS Finance, what extra time the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority has been given to sort out its financial deficit; and what help the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority (a) has had and (b) will have (i) from the NHS Bank and (ii) other NHS organisations to sort out its financial deficit. | | (30762) | 303
| Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make a statement on the implementation of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance relating to photodynamic therapy for wet age-related macular degeneration. | | (30948) | 304
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the result of the consultation was on the proposed Independent Mental Capacity Advocate Service; and what pilot projects are planned ahead of its introduction. | | (30583) | 305
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she will implement the standard on continence services within the ill child module of the Children's National Service Framework. | | (29959) | 306
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what method she will use to measure progress towards the implementation of the standard on continence services within the ill child module of the Children's National Service Framework. | | (29960) | 307
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the waiting time is for (a) an urgent scan and (b) a non-urgent scan at Poole NHS Trust. | | (29961) | 308
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting time is for (a) an urgent scan and (b) a non-urgent scan in each NHS hospital in England. | | (29962) | 309
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 12th July, Official Report, columns 988-9W, on the Private Finance Initiative (PFI), what the amount of surcharges paid to PFI contractors was in each year to date. | | (30680) | 310
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) three month vacancy rate percentage, (b) three month vacancy number and (c) number of staff in post full-time equivalent was for (i) occupational therapy staff, (ii) speech and language staff, (iii) physiotherapists, (iv) district nurses and (v) health visitors in each strategic health authority in England in (A) 1997, (B) 2001, (C) 2004 and (D) 2005. | | (30742) | 311
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will place in the Library a copy of the results of the national audit of available alcohol services. | | (30743) | 312
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps her Department is taking to encourage the development of epilepsy networks within the NHS. | | (30744) | 313
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14th November, Official Report, columns 970-1W on obesity clinics, if she will list the services provided at each of the clinics; and what the (a) average waiting time, (b) the number of people waiting and (c) number of finished consultant episodes were in each year since inception. | | (31044) | 314
| Mr Kenneth Clarke (Rushcliffe):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of the population in the area served by Rushcliffe Primary Care Trust was registered with an NHS dentist in each year since 1997. | | (30873) | 315
N | Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the expenditure was on the Health Protection Agency for 2004-05; and what the planned expenditure is for (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07 in (i) cash and (ii) real terms, including the reductions proposed in the NHS non-departmental body review. | | (30458) | 316
N | Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the expenditure was on the Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority in 2004-05; and what the planned expenditure is for 2005-06 and 2006-07 in (a) cash and (b) real terms, including the reductions proposed in the NHS non-departmental body review. | | (30459) | 317
N | Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many full-time equivalent staff were employed by the (a) Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority and (b) Health Protection Agency (i) in total and (ii) in each (A) region, (B) country and (C) main office location in each of the last five years; and what job reductions are planned in each case. | | (30460) | 318
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) dental nurses, (b) dental hygienists and (c) dental therapists there are in Coventry South. | | (29329) | 319
N | Frank Dobson (Holborn & St Pancras):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the proposed changes to primary care trusts on the capacity of the NHS to respond to an influenza pandemic. | | (30095) | 320
N | Frank Dobson (Holborn & St Pancras):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which institutions in the NHS are responsible for surveillance of the accuracy and integrity of (a) breast and (b) cervical cancer screening arrangements. | | (30475) | 321
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people (a) were employed as midwives in the NHS for the first time and (b) left NHS midwife posts in each year since 1980. | | (30481) | 322
N | Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in each county of England suffer from secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. | | (29964) | 323
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of MRSA have been identified in hospitals within Cumbria in each year since March 2003, broken down by National Health Service trust. | | (29967) | 324
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will commission an independent study of epidemiology in relation to mobile telephone masts and their possible impacts on health; and if she will make a statement. | | (31165) | 325
N | Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15th November, Official Report, column 1170W, on healthcare professionals recruitment, what sanctions (a) are available and (b) have been used in cases in which a breach of the Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Healthcare Professionals has been identified. | | (30787) | 326
N | Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15th November, Official Report, column 1170W, on healthcare professionals recruitment, how many breaches of the Code of Practice have been identified by NHS employers; how many of these have led to penalties (a) after the Code of Practice was first published and (b) since it was revised in December 2004. | | (30788) | 327
N | Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15th November, Official Report, columns 1169-70W, on healthcare professionals recruitment, what discussions her Department has had with NHS employers on the effectiveness of the monitoring of compliance with the Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Healthcare Professionals; and what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of (a) systems of monitoring used and (b) steps taken by NHS employers to ensure compliance with the Code of Practice. | | (30791) | 328
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps she is taking to increase (a) men's and (b) women's awareness of possible risks of buying prescription-only medicines on the internet. | | (30722) | 329
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she expects to answer the Question on the emergency bed service (18771) tabled by the honourable Member for Romsey on 12th October. | | (30998) | 330
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she expects to answer the Question on private management of new primary care trusts (19208) tabled by the honourable Member for Romsey on 13th October . | | (30999) | 331
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she expects to answer the Questions (a) 21145, (b) 21220, (c) 21219 and (d) 21776 tabled by the honourable Member for Romsey on 19th and 20th October. | | (31000) | 332
N | Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what date her Department instructed strategic health authorities to review the financial stability of every hospital; and what deadline she has set to receive responses. | | (29969) | 333
N | Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will list the NHS trusts where in 2005 her Department has had to intervene in the financial management. | | (29970) | 334
N | Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will list the NHS bodies that have been issued with public interest reports in each year since 2001; and if she will make a statement. | | (29971) | 335
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether she intends to extend the ambit of her Department's 2004 public service agreement target number eight to include those persons supported by grant-funded organisations. | | (30801) | 336
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the timetable is for publication of the findings of the Mental Health Bill Race Equality Consultation; and if she will make a statement. | | (30911) | 337
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the real terms percentage increase in allocated resources for her Department (a) was for the period 1997-98 to 2004-05 and (b) is estimated to be between 2005-06 and 2007-08 (i) for each period and (ii) for each year. | | (31038) | 338
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what priority will be attached to drugs for cystic fibrosis sufferers during the review of NHS commissioning arrangements for specialised conditions. | | (30671) | 339
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS executives will be paid more than £200,000 in 2005-06. | | (30672) | 340
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will take steps to ensure the Department's websites attain the W3C AAA standard of accessibility for people with visual and other disabilities; and if she will set a target date for this standard to be achieved by. | | (30961) | 341
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make a statement on the provision of safe and effective medicines for the NHS at reasonable prices. | | (30991) | 342
N | Mr John Horam (Orpington):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether she has accepted the recommendations in the Report of the Shipman Inquiry on amending the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, with particular reference to the recommendations that the Government should (a) promote awareness of the role of whistleblowing and (b) ensure that people in whistleblowing dilemmas have access to confidential advice. | | (29083) | 343
N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 11th November, Official Report, column 816W, on gas and electricity supplies, which NHS sites in England have interruptible energy contracts; how many NHS sites there are in England; what the length is of the period of notice which the energy supplier must give NHS sites under the contracts concluded by the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency before supplies are interrupted; and if she will make a statement on the contingency plans her Department has made to maintain energy supplies to all NHS sites this winter. | | (30733) | 344
| Mr David Jones (Clwyd West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, to what services have the funds formerly provided to SANELINE been diverted. | | (30955) | 345
| Mr David Jones (Clwyd West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what provision her Department has made for a 24-hour telephone support service for the mentally ill and their families. | | (31063) | 346
| Mr David Jones (Clwyd West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps she is taking for the continued provision of the services provided by SANELINE. | | (31069) | 347
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions she has had with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence about drug treatment for Alzheimer's disease; and if she will make a statement. | | (29783) | 348
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what her policy is on the availability of drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. | | (29784) | 349
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations she has received from (a) patients and (b) carers on the availability of drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease; and if she will make a statement. | | (29785) | 350
| Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospital mergers have taken place over the last five years; what the projected effects on costs of each merger were; and what actual savings have been achieved in each case in the last relevant financial year. | | (30577) | 351
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate she has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i) integrating the proposed identity card scheme into her Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within her Department. | | (31110) | 352
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS dentists are foreign nationals, broken down by nationality. | | (29463) | 353
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) average cost and (b) total cost was of employing (i) consultants, (ii) registrars, (iii) other doctors in training, (iv) general medical practitioners excluding registrars, (v) general medical practitioner registrars, (vi) general practitioner retainers, (vii) qualified nurses, (viii) qualified allied health professionals, (ix) qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff, (x) qualified ambulance staff and (xi) all other professionally qualified clinical staff in England in (A) 2000 and (B) 2004; and how many full-time equivalent posts there were in each category in each year. | | (31005) | 354
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the estimated cost was of treating multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (a) per case and (b) in total in the last year for which figures are available. | | (31006) | 355
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of the overall cost to (a) the NHS and (b) other public funds of an untreated case of HIV infection. | | (31007) | 356
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of (a) tuberculosis and (b) multi-drug resistant tuberculosis there were in each year since 1997-98. | | (31010) | 357
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding has been provided to the NHS Confederation from (a) her Department's budget and (b) the NHS budget in each financial year since 1997-98. | | (31011) | 358
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which staff groups are represented on the professional executive committees of primary care trusts; whether she expects this composition to change following the reorganisation of primary care trusts; and if she will make a statement. | | (31012) | 359
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps she is taking to improve the standard of care offered to those suffering from hemicrania continua; what treatments are available for the condition; and what steps she is taking to ensure the most clinically appropriate treatment for the condition is offered to patients throughout England. | | (31013) | 360
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much each strategic health authority will be required to save in order to achieve her target of £250 million savings in management and administration; over what time these savings will need to be achieved to meet her target; and if she will make a statement. | | (31014) | 361
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, further to her statement of 15th November, Official Report, column 849, on NHS finance, if she will publish the analysis from which her statement was derived, with the cost increase between 1999-2000 and 2004-05 broken down by (a) medical secretaries, (b) record keepers, (c) health educators, (d) IT technicians, (e) financial managers, (f) caterers, (g) launderers, (h) cleaners and (i) all other staff; and what proportion of the total NHS budget was spent on administrative staff, as defined in her statement, in (i) 1999-2000 and (ii) 2004-05. | | (31098) | 362
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her statement of 15th November, Official Report, column 849, on NHS finance, if she will provide details on how she calculates administrative costs. | | (31099) | 363
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her annual lecture to the Faculty of Public Health, delivered on 16th November, if she will make a statement on the effectiveness of using fiscal incentives to change consumer behaviour in order to promote public health. | | (31100) | 364
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 7th November, Official Report, column 266W, on NHS finance, whether it is her intention that control totals for each stategic health authority are set so that the net sum of control totals nationally is £0; and from which budgets deficits are met when all the control totals set across England add up to a sum of less than £0. | | (31118) | 365
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many additional school nurses have been employed since the publication of the Public Health White Paper. | | (30785) | 366
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many acute beds have been closed in 2005-06 in each hospital trust in each strategic health authority. | | (30789) | 367
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make a statement on structural changes to health services in North Yorkshire. | | (30651) | 368
| Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she expects NHS Professionals to become completely self-funding. | | (30956) | 369
| Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average time taken was between an invoice being received and payment being made by users of services of NHS Professionals in the last year for which figures are available. | | (31068) | 370
| Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many statutory demands for payment NHS Professionals has received in each year since its creation. | | (31074) | 371
| Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much NHS Professionals has spent on external consultants in each year since its creation. | | (31077) | 372
| Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of suppliers of services to NHS Professionals are waiting for payment of services rendered (a) three months to six months ago, (b) six months to 12 months ago and (c) 12 months ago or longer. | | (31078) | 373
| Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total amount of payment made to suppliers of services to NHS Professionals has been to compensate for late payment and other associated legal costs since it became operational; and if she will make a statement. | | (31079) | 374
N | Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many letters she has received from members of the public in Hemel Hempstead constituency about (a) the proposed closure of the children's ward and (b) the closure of the intensive care unit at Hemel Hempstead Hospital; and if she will make a statement. | | (30259) | 375
N | Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will list the posts that will be lost at Hemel Hempstead Hospital under the proposed plans to close all acute services at the hospital; and if she will make a statement. | | (30260) | 376
N | Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans she has to close the children's ward at Hemel Hempstead Hospital; and if she will make a statement. | | (30261) | 377
N | Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans she has to reopen York Ward at Hemel Hempstead Hospital; and if she will make a statement. | | (30262) | 378
| John Penrose (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will take steps to bring payment by results for emergency procedures at Western General Hospital into force as soon as possible. | | (30935) | 379
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the proposed re-configuration of primary care trusts is still expected to deliver a 15 per cent. reduction in costs as set out in the letters of 28th July from Sir Nigel Crisp to primary care trusts. | | (30777) | 380
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether primary care trusts will (a) face financial penalties and (b) other disadvantages if they choose to remain direct providers of clinical services. | | (30778) | 381
| Paul Rowen (Rochdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many students have applied for bursaries for nursing courses which started in September; and to date how many applications have not been processed. | | (30574) | 382
| Paul Rowen (Rochdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many new personal dental service contracts were agreed for the Rochdale Primary Care Trust in financial year 2005-06. | | (30580) | 383
| Paul Rowen (Rochdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dentists have been recruited in the Rochdale Primary Care Trust area in the last five years. | | (30581) | 384
| Alison Seabeck (Plymouth, Devonport):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of HTLV-1 associated myelopathy have been recorded in each year since 1988. | | (30625) | 385
N | Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what administrative savings have been made by the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust since its inception; and what the forecast figures were for such savings. | | (30468) | 386
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will list in descending order the deficit or surplus of each (a) primary care trust and (b) strategic health authority at the most recent date for which the information is available; and what the change in funding per head of population since 2000 is in each case. | | (29956) | 387
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) chairmen and (b) chief executives of (i) strategic health authorities, (ii) special health authorities, (iii) primary care trusts and (iv) NHS (provider) trusts have been in post for (A) less than one year, (B) one to three years, (C) four to six years, (D) seven to nine years and (E) 10 or more years. | | (29957) | 388
| Lynda Waltho (Stourbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress her Department has made in reducing deaths from cancer since 1997. | | (30646) | 389
| Jeremy Wright (Rugby & Kenilworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of food additives being listed by name instead of by E numbers on food products, with particular reference to nursery and childcare facilities. | | (30945) | 390
| Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what opportunity cost analysis she has evaluated comparing the daily cost of proven drugs for Alzheimer sufferers with the cost of full-time caring if the drugs are unavailable. | | (30611) | 391
| Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, why the UK is not using the generic drug available for avian influenza; and what recent discussions she has had within the World Trade Organisation on the availability of that drug. | | (30617) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 392
N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many de-activated Lee Enfield Mark I, First World War rifles have been used in the commission of an offence in the last five years; and if he will make a statement on the effect of the Violent Crime Reduction Bill on ownership of such rifles. | | (30087) | 393
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what statistics he collects to monitor the work of independent custody visitors in each police authority area; and if he will make a statement. | | (30930) | 394
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to extend the installation of lifesigns monitoring equipment in custody detention suites; what each unit costs; and if he will make a statement. | | (30932) | 395
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance he has issued regarding the appropriate use of lifesigns monitoring equipment in custody suites; and if he will make a statement. | | (30933) | 396
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the occasions (a) before and (b) after 26th October on which the (i) Acting Chief Constable and (ii) other senior police officers of Norfolk constabulary contacted honourable Members representing constituencies in Norfolk about the Terrorism Bill; and what form that contact took. | | (30934) | 397
| Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the occasions (a) before and (b) after 26th October on which (i) the Chief Constable and (ii) other senior police officers of Greater Manchester Police contacted honourable Members representing constituencies in Greater Manchester about the Terrorism Bill; and what form that contact took. | | (30610) | 398
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 8th November, Official Report, column 351W, on taser stun guns, if he will provide the equivalent figures for the proceeding three years. | | (31047) | 399
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, why the Glass House Horticultural Operation at Leyhill Open Prison was discontinued; and what future use will be made of the empty glass house. | | (30596) | 400
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much the new visitor centre at Leyhill Open Prison cost; and why it is being closed. | | (30597) | 401
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training and employment opportunities are planned to replace the Glass House and visitor centre projects for prisoners at Leyhill Open Prison. | | (30598) | 402
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average salary paid to a community support officer is in 2005-06. | | (30793) | 403
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 10th November, Official Report, column 650W, on departmental spending, how much his Department paid to Annes Gate Property plc for the development of the new building at 2 Marsham Street. | | (31081) | 404
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures his Department took to celebrate and promote the events of (a) Ramadan, (b) Diwali and (c) Chinese New Year in 2005. | | (31163) | 405
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representation he has had from the West Yorkshire Police Force concerning the proposed merger of police forces in the area. | | (30951) | 406
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 7th November, Official Report, column 57W, on prisoners, if he will confirm that the figures provided for 2004-05 are for the first three quarters of the year; and when the figures for January to March 2005 will be available. | | (30985) | 407
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 7th November, Official Report, column 57W, on prisoners, if he will provide a breakdown of the (a) offences and (b) number of each offence committed included in the 'Other' category. | | (31119) | 408
| David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the recidivism rate was amongst (a) female, (b) male and (c) all prisoners within two years of release in each year since 1997. | | (30790) | 409
| David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many assaults there have been on (a) police officers and (b) probation officers in each year since 1997. | | (30794) | 410
| David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost of the e-Borders project has been to date; and what the total projected cost is. | | (30802) | 411
| David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to expand the Home Detention Curfew Scheme. | | (30807) | 412
| David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many offences have been committed by those released on home detention curfew, broken down by offence. | | (30808) | 413
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what percentage of animals used for experimentation were genetically modified, in the last year for which figures are available broken down by species . | | (30479) | 414
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applicants from Poland have outstanding applications for leave to remain under the one-off exercise announced on 24th October 2003. | | (30656) | 415
| Mr Michael Foster (Worcester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many recorded incidents of domestic violence there were in West Mercia in each of the last five years. | | (30590) | 416
| Helen Goodman (Bishop Auckland):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what investigations his Department has carried out into the reasons why Israeli Major General Almog has not been arrested following the issue of the warrant against him in London in September. | | (30668) | 417
| Helen Goodman (Bishop Auckland):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of how Israeli Major General Almog became aware of the issuing of an arrest warrant against him by Bow Street Magistrates' Court in September. | | (30669) | 418
| Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act during the Countryside Alliance protests in Parliament Square on 15th September 2004. | | (30476) | 419
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the real terms percentage increase in allocated resources for his Department (a) was for the period 1997-98 to 2004-05 and (b) is estimated to be between 2005-06 and 2007-08 (i) for each period and (ii) for each year. | | (31031) | 420
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures (a) have been and (b) will be taken to ensure Uzbek officals banned from travelling to the European Union do not enter the United Kingdom. | | (30870) | 421
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take steps to ensure the Department's websites attain the W3C AAA standard of accessibility for people with visual and other disabilities; and if he will set a target date for this standard to be achieved by. | | (30967) | 422
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i) integrating the proposed identity card scheme into his Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within his Department. | | (31111) | 423
| Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance has been provided to secure training centres about use of handcuffs on trainees. | | (31058) | 424
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers use helmet-mounted video cameras; in which police forces such equipment is used; and what the cost thereof was for each constabulary in each of the last five years. | | (29464) | 425
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of female asylum seekers were pregnant on application for asylum in each of the last five years. | | (31004) | 426
N | Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many child deaths there have been in penal custody in each year since 1997. | | (30453) | 427
N | Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what evidential base there is for the figures of 4,000 officers and 6,000 staff as the minimum size of a police force. | | (30505) | 428
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many successful prosecutions there have been for burglary in each of the last seven years. | | (30477) | 429
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of (a) burglaries and (b) crimes against individuals resulted in a conviction in each year since 1997; and what percentage resulted in custodial sentences. | | (30570) | 430
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking (a) to tackle rural crime and (b) to improve detection rates in rural areas. | | (30571) | 431
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the level of detection of burglaries was in each of the last eight years. | | (30572) | 432
| Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the occasions (a) before and (b) after 26th October, on which the Chief Constable or other senior police officers of Derbyshire Constabulary contacted honourable Members representing constituencies in Derbyshire about the Terrorism Bill; and what form of contact that took. | | (30478) | 433
N | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects a new Chief Constable to be appointed to the Thames Valley Police Force. | | (30466) | 434
| Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many arrests were made by the British Transport Police for (a) selling alcohol or attempting to sell alcohol to a person who is drunk, (b) selling alcohol or attempting to sell alcohol to an individual under 18 years, (c) being drunk and disorderly, (d) being drunk and incapable and (e) violence against the person, broken down by British Transport Police area in each year for which figures are available. | | (31170) | 435
| Patrick Mercer (Newark):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the occasions (a) before 26th October and (b) after 26th October, on which the (i) Chief Constable and (ii) other senior police officers of Nottingham Police contacted honourable Members representing constituencies in Nottinghamshire about the Terrorism Bill; and what form that contact took. | | (30872) | 436
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Criminal Records Bureau checks in Wales have given incorrect or inappropriate information on criminal records for individuals applying for an enhanced disclosure award broken down by regions. | | (30781) | 437
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what requirements there are for further Criminal Records Bureau checks for individuals providing private tuition to young people where the tutor is not a teacher and holds an enhanced disclosure certificate. | | (30782) | 438
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress has been made in negotiations with (a) Algeria, (b) Egypt, (c) Tunisia, (d) Morocco, (e) Libya, (f) Pakistan, (g) Sri Lanka and (h) India, regarding deportation and exclusion powers relating to those suspected of terrorism. | | (31046) | 439
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he takes if a deportee is discovered to have suffered an unfair trial, torture or ill treatment, in contravention of the UK's agreement with the receiving country. | | (31155) | 440
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what responsibility he has for deportees after the expiry of the three year period in the Memorandum of Understanding with Jordan. | | (31156) | 441
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of his proposed deportation policy with Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. | | (31171) | 442
| David Mundell (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which domestic laws have been amended following judgment against the UK by the European Court of Human Rights and the European Court of Justice in the last 10 years. | | (30844) | 443
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the occasions (a) before and (b) after 26th October on which (i) the Chief Constable and (ii) other senior police officers of Cheshire Constabulary contacted honourable Members representing constituencies in Cheshire about the Terrorism Bill; and what form that contact took. | | (30693) | 444
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the occasions (a) before and (b) after 26th October on which (i) the Chief Constable and (ii) other senior police officers of Merseyside Police contacted honourable Members representing constituencies in Merseyside about the Terrorism Bill; and what form that contact took. | | (30694) | 445
N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the occasions (a) before 26th October and (b) after 26th October on which (i) the Chief Constable and (ii) other senior police officers of Cambridgeshire Constabulary contacted honourable Members representing constituencies in Cambridgeshire about the Terrorism Bill; and what form that contact took. | | (30238) | 446
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the average time failed asylum seekers have been detained under the Asylum and Immigration Act 2004 before being deported; how many people are being detained under the Act; and if he will make a statement. | | (29786) | 447
| Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average length of the curfew period was for those released under the Home Detention Curfew scheme in each year from 1999 to 2000 and 2004-05. | | (30947) | 448
| Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what arrangements are in place to carry out a public consultation after police authorities have submitted their proposals in response to the O'Connor Report. | | (30972) | 449
N | Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the police forces which made individual recommendations to his Department on the extension of the maximum pre-charge detention period for suspected terrorists. | | (30337) | 450
N | Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the implications for national security of recently retired senior police officers (a) commenting in the media about ongoing operational matters and (b) revealing intelligence to which they had access while serving as police officers. | | (30338) | 451
N | Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received about allowing the questioning of suspected terrorists after charge. | | (30339) | 452
| Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the occasions (a) before 26th October and (b) after 26th October, on which the (i) Chief Constable and (ii) other senior police officers of Hertfordshire Constabulary contacted honourable Members representing constituencies in Hertfordshire about the Terrorism Bill; and what form that contact took. | | (30871) | 453
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff at the Immigration and Nationality Office in Sheffield are assigned to processing applications for leave to remain under the provisions of the European Community Association Agreement. | | (30940) | 454
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the target processing time is for an application for leave to remain under the provisions of the European Community Association Agreement; and what the average processing time achieved for such applications was in the most recent period for which figures are available. | | (30941) | 455
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people are awaiting decisions on applications for leave to remain under the provisions of the European Community Association Agreement. | | (30942) | 456
N | Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated relating to homophobic crime. | | (28328) | 457
N | Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidelines for police forces his Department has published on (a) homophobic-related crime and (b) racially motivated crime. | | (28329) | 458
N | Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions he has had on homophobic crime; and if he will make a statement. | | (28330) | 459
N | Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what duty is placed on police forces to (a) collect and (b) publish statistics related to reported incidences of homophobic crime. | | (28331) | 460
N | Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidences of crime involving an element of homophobia were reported in each year between 1999 and 2004, broken down by police authority. | | (28332) | 461
| Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate his Department has made of the number of private firms that have a licence to operate wheel clamps in England and Wales, broken down by constituency. | | (30667) | 462
N | Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make enquiries of the Parole Board whether it is intended to release Learco Chindamo from prison in the near future; and if he will make a statement. | | (30493) | 463
N | Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make enquiries into the reasons why the widow of Mr Philip Lawrence was asked questions by the Probation Service regarding the possible release of the person convicted of his killing; and if he will make a statement. | | (30494) | 464
N | Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications have been received for the Fresh Talent Working in Scotland Scheme; how many of these (a) were successful, (b) were unsuccessful and (c) are yet to be considered, broken down by (i) country of origin of applicant and (ii) month of application. | | (29587) | Questions to the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission 465
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Oral Answer of 18th October, Official Report, column 699, on cleaners' pay and conditions, if the Commission will meet the Transport and General Workers Union and the employers of the contract cleaners employed on the Parliamentary Estate; and if he will make a statement. | | (30840) | 466
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many enquiries the House of Commons Information Office has received in each of the last three years; how many members of staff it employs; and what the cost has been of providing the service in each of the last three years. | | (30166) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 467
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the (a) International Monetary Fund and (b) World Bank is more transparent and accountable in its operations. | | (29392) | 468
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when he expects malaria to be eliminated from Sub-Saharan Africa at the present rate of progress of disease eradication; and if he will make a statement. | | (30480) | 469
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the contribution of the Commission for Africa to the objectives of achieving (a) conflict resolution, (b) good governance and (c) transparent and accountable government structures in African countries since the Commission reported in March. | | (30712) | 470
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what ongoing contribution the Commission for Africa is making to help deliver the recommendations of its report. | | (30713) | 471
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 7th November, Official Report, column 3-4W, on Niger, what discussions he has had with his foreign counterparts about the need to strengthen the existing international early warning systems used for the prediction of food crises. | | (30974) | 472
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 7th November, Official Report, columns 3-4W, on Niger, what representations his Department received before June regarding a food crisis in Niger from (a) the government of Niger, (b) other African governments and (c) non-governmental organisations. | | (30975) | 473
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 7th November, Official Report, columns 3-4W, on Niger, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation Global Information and Early Warning System. | | (30976) | 474
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many contracts have been awarded by his Department to external consultancies in each year since 1997; and what the total value of such contracts was in each year. | | (31153) | 475
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which contracts let to external consultants in each of the last five years included strategies for (a) local knowledge transfer and (b) capacity building. | | (31154) | 476
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness and speed of its response to the food crisis in Malawi in 2002. | | (31158) | 477
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many and what proportion of the contracts let by his Department to external consultants for work under the value of £100,000 (a) have and (b) have not been let competitively in each of the last five years. | | (31159) | 478
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will list the contracts awarded in each of the last five years to (a) Maxwell Stamp plc, (b) HTS Consultants, (c) the British Council, (d) Adam Smith International Ltd and (e) the Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Administrations Ltd; and what (i) the purpose for which the contract was awarded, (ii) the total value of the contract and (iii) the total expenditure on hosting consultants in the recipient country for the project was in each case. | | (31160) | 479
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many external consultants used by his Department since 2001 have been based in (a) the recipient country for the project and (b) other countries. | | (31161) | 480
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of his Department's ability to influence the matters covered by his Department's 2004 Public Service Agreement targets. | | (30639) | 481
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will cease all non-humanitarian aid to the Maldives in response to the human rights abuses there. | | (30907) | 482
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the real terms percentage increase in allocated resources for his Department (a) was for the period 1997-98 to 2004-05 and (b) is estimated to be between 2005-06 and 2007-08 (i) for each period and (ii) for each year. | | (31039) | 483
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will take steps to ensure the Department's websites attain the W3C AAA standard of accessibility for people with visual and other disabilities; and if he will set a target date for this standard to be achieved by. | | (30958) | 484
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the impact of EU regulations on trace elements of the chemical aflatoxin on African producers of (a) nuts, (b) cereals and (c) dried fruits. | | (30501) | 485
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what progress is being made in developing economic action plans to help Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean affected by changes to the EU's sugar regime. | | (30503) | 486
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions his Department has had with the government of (a) Lesotho, (b) Swaziland and (c) Somalia on HIV/AIDS infection, prevention and treatment. | | (30768) | 487
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what Lesotho's remaining debt to the international community is; and if he will make a statement. | | (30769) | 488
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much financial aid the United Kingdom government has given to Lesotho since 1997; and if he will make a statement. | | (30771) | 489
| Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations he has made to the Government of Ethiopia on the recent shootings of civilians. | | (31025) | 490
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what measures the UK Presidency of the EU has taken to achieve a favourable outcome for developing countries from the Doha development round. | | (30977) | 491
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the European Commission's Africa Communication. | | (30978) | 492
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the UK presidency has taken (a) to follow up and (b) to monitor implementation of EU commitments on aid to developing countries. | | (30979) | 493
| Mr Iain Wright (Hartlepool):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what role his Department is playing in restricting the production of (a) cocaine and (b) heroin in developing countries for sale in the UK. | | (30537) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 494
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who would be responsible for co-ordinating responses across the Health Board areas in Northern Ireland in the event of an avian influenza pandemic. | | (30089) | 495
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many drivers were prosecuted during 2004 in Northern Ireland for driving without (a) vehicle insurance and (b) motor tax. | | (30090) | 496
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much compensation has been paid in personal injury claims by members of the public against the Department for Regional Development in Northern Ireland in each of the past three years. | | (30091) | 497
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the peformance of the Foyleview sub-unit at Magilligan Prison since its opening in dealing with those prisoners eligible to be housed there. | | (30092) | 498
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average daily travel time by train was between Belfast and (a) Coleraine and (b) Londonderry in each month between January and October. | | (30470) | 499
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what energy efficiency measures have been taken by Government department offices in Northern Ireland in 2005. | | (30471) | 500
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many animals taken into care by the responsible authorities in Northern Ireland were destroyed in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available. | | (30472) | 501
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the effect of the forthcoming Reform of Public Administration on capital expenditure projects by local councils in Northern Ireland. | | (30473) | 502
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which body is responsible for the issuing of arms movement certificates; how many have been issued; and what criteria are applied in deciding whether such a certificate should be issued. | | (30784) | 503
N | Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the financial position of the Fisheries Conservancy Board in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. | | (30759) | 504
N | Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what has been the total cost of the Stephens Inquiry into allegations of police collusion in Northern Ireland; and what assessment he has made of the progress made by the inquiry to date. | | (30760) | 505
N | Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to introduce free travel on public transport for those aged 60 years and over in Northern Ireland. | | (30761) | 506
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the real terms percentage increase in allocated resources for his Department (a) was for the period 1997-98 to 2004-05 and (b) is estimated to be between 2005-06 and 2007-08 (i) for each period and (ii) for each year. | | (31040) | 507
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will take steps to ensure the Department's websites attain the W3C AAA standard of accessibility for people with visual and other disabilities; and if he will set a target date for this standard to be achieved by. | | (30959) | 508
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress is being made in promoting Northern Ireland as a tourist destination. | | (30464) | 509
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate he has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i) integrating the proposed identity card scheme into his Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within his Department. | | (31112) | 510
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what changes there have been in levels of water consumption in Northern Ireland over the last three years. | | (30624) | 511
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when the Government plans to upgrade the road route from Belfast International Airport to Belfast city centre. | | (30629) | 512
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on major road schemes in South Antrim constituency; and what the estimated cost of the schemes are for each year between 2005 and 2008. | | (30673) | 513
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps the Government is taking further to improve the services of Belfast International Airport. | | (30674) | 514
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many houses are planned to be built for social housing over the next 12 months in each Northern Ireland constituency. | | (30689) | 515
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many court cases in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years have not been proceeded because of the unwillingness of witnesses to give evidence. | | (30690) | 516
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many prosecutions were brought against (a) public houses and (b) nightclubs in Northern Ireland for supplying alcohol to under-age purchasers in each of the last three years. | | (30691) | 517
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what opportunities he has identified in Northern Ireland for significant water savings by consumers. | | (30692) | 518
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which Northern Ireland departments have installed video-conferencing facilities; how many units have been installed in total; and at what cost. | | (30699) | 519
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the change in greenhouse gas emissions has been in each year since 1997 in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. | | (30704) | 520
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to use incineration in waste management policy in Northen Ireland. | | (30765) | 521
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what powers the Northern Ireland Assembly would have to (a) amend and (b) to delete (i) Green Belt designations, (ii) areas of outstanding natural beauty designations and (iii) sites of special scientific interest after area plans have been adopted. | | (30766) | 522
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many working days were lost due to sickness absence in the Department of Health and Personal Social Services in each of the last five years. | | (30767) | 523
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to deliver sustainable development in (a) South Antrim and (b) Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. | | (30806) | 524
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list payments made in Northern Ireland from the Supporting People programme in each of the last three years. | | (30809) | 525
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many senior citizens units have been built by housing associations in the Antrim Borough Council area in each of the last five years. | | (30810) | 526
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many senior citizens units have been built by housing associations in the Newtownabbey Borough Council area in each of the last five years. | | (30811) | 527
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many single person dwellings have been built by housing associations in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. | | (30812) | 528
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans the Government has for the retirement age in Northern Ireland. | | (31028) | 529
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many acute hospital beds in Northern Ireland are to be taken out of service within the next six months. | | (31049) | 530
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many acute hospitals are proposed for closure in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. | | (31050) | 531
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many drivers were prosecuted for driving (a) without insurance and (b) while banned in each Westminster constituency in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years. | | (31051) | 532
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to reform the Child Support Agency in Northern Ireland. | | (31052) | 533
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what action the Government has taken to promote healthy eating in primary schools in South Antrim. | | (31053) | 534
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people there are in Nothern Ireland who have been identified as suffering from malnourishment. | | (31054) | 535
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many deaths have been associated with hospital acquired infections in Northern Ireland in the last five years. | | (31055) | 536
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what his most recent estimate is of the number of locum doctors working in the NHS in Northern Ireland. | | (31056) | 537
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what statistical evidence he has collated on whether binge drinking is affecting the number of mouth cancer cases in Northern Ireland. | | (31057) | 538
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what proportion of South Antrim housing stock has been sold under the right-to-buy scheme since 1990. | | (31072) | 539
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he has taken since becoming Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to promote the export of Ulster (a) pork, (b) lamb and (c) beef. | | (31073) | 540
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many speeding fines in South Antrim remain unpaid. | | (31075) | 541
| Dr William McCrea (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many new staff started employment in the (a) Office of the First and Deputy First Minister, (b) Department for Social Development, (c) Department of Education, (d) Department of the Environment, (e) Department for Agriculture and Rural Development and (f) Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety during 2004; and how many of these were (i) Protestant and (ii) Roman Catholic. | | (31076) | 542
N | Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent additional security measures have been put in place at the Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust to protect staff since an attack on four nursing staff at the Accident and Emergency department by a member of the public on the weekend of 12th/13th November; and if he will make a statement. | | (29795) | 543
N | Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the extent was of the injuries sustained by the nursing staff at the Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust Accident and Emergency department as a result of the attack by a member of the public on the weekend of 12th/13th November. | | (29796) | 544
N | Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the present strength is of the Police Service for Northern Ireland; and what percentage of its members are (a) Roman Catholic, (b) Protestant and (c) of other affiliation. | | (29632) | 545
N | Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the deviation from community balance was in the composition of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and Police Service of Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. | | (29633) | 546
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Valuation and Lands Agency plans to employ extra staff for the domestic rates revaluation in Northern Ireland. | | (30663) | 547
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 8th November, Official Report, column 428W, on property valuations, if he will place in the Library (a) the final Integrated Impact Assessment for the Draft Rates (Capital Values, etc) (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 and (b) the responses to the consultation which has taken place. | | (30664) | 548
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the estimated cost to the Valuation and Lands Agency is of conducting the domestic rates revaluation in Northern Ireland. | | (30706) | 549
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will place in the Library the instructions and advice documents prepared by the Valuation and Lands Agency for the Northern Ireland domestic rates revaluation and introduction of discrete capital values. | | (30707) | 550
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Valuation and Lands Agency plans to use contractors for the domestic rates revaluation in Northern Ireland. | | (30708) | 551
| Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what guidance the Valuation and Lands Agency has issued to its staff on the personal safety of inspectors conducting a valuation of a property in Northern Ireland. | | (30709) | 552
| Mr Ben Wallace (Lancaster & Wyre):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list the individuals who are on the run for terrorist offences after conviction; and how many individuals are wanted for questioning in connection with offences relating to terrorism in Northern Ireland. | | (30953) | 553
| Sammy Wilson (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many children in Northern Ireland are (a) in public care, (b) living with foster carers and (c) waiting for adoptive families. | | (30539) | 554
| Sammy Wilson (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many children in Northern Ireland for whom adoption was planned have not been adopted in each of the last five years. | | (30540) | 555
| Sammy Wilson (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many children have left care in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years; and how many of these had no formal qualifications. | | (30541) | Questions to the Prime Minister 556
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Prime Minister, what measures his Office took to celebrate and promote the events of (a) Ramadan, (b) Diwali and (c) Chinese New Year in 2005. | | (31164) | 557
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Prime Minister, when he last travelled on the London Underground on official business. | | (30703) | 558
N | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence regarding the eligibility of Swan Hunter to bid for inclusion in the CVF programme. | | (27689) | 559
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will review the rules under which Ministers who resign receive lump sum payments in cases where (a) their resignation is caused by an error of judgment or by a failure of policy and (b) they return to Government within a period of two years; and if he will make a statement. | | (30543) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland 560
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimate he has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i) integrating the proposed identity card scheme into his Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within his Department. | | (31113) | 561
N | Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many meetings of the Scottish Grand Committee there (a) were in 2004 and (b) have been in 2005; where the meetings were held; and what the subject matter of debate was in each case. | | (29792) | Questions to the Solicitor General 562
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Solicitor General, how many domestic violence prosecutions were undertaken in Wales in each year since 2002, broken down by region. | | (30786) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 563
| Mr David Anderson (Blaydon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will break down by law firm the number of service claims made (a) as a total for each firm and (b) as a percentage of their case holding. | | (30797) | 564
| Mr David Anderson (Blaydon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will break down by law firm the number of group three denials that have been overturned (a) as a total for each firm and (b) as a percentage of their case holding. | | (30798) | 565
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the (a) technical, (b) economic and (c) environmental effects of operating an offshore wind facility in conjunction with a wavepower facility. | | (30916) | 566
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much has been spent in each year from 1980 to date on the research and development of wavepower; and what further sums are planned to be spent. | | (30923) | 567
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what research he has evaluated on turning captured carbon dioxide back into calcium carbonate. | | (30925) | 568
N | Gordon Banks (Ochil and South Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much Scottish Coal received from the Coal Aid Scheme in each month of 2001; and whether any of this assistance was ring-fenced for redundancy assistance. | | (30608) | 569
| Gordon Banks (Ochil and South Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much coal mined in Scotland was transported by (a) rail and (b) road freight in each of the last five years. | | (30894) | 570
| Gordon Banks (Ochil and South Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how the £9.7 million allocated to Scottish Coal (Opencast) to develop rail freight facilities for the transport of coal by rail has been spent. | | (30895) | 571
| Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which British companies are expected to participate in the construction of the EU Global Monitoring for Environment and Security satellite system; what representations the Government is making on their behalf at an EU level; what funds the Government expects to contribute for the system's construction; and if he will make a statement. | | (30612) | 572
N | Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps he is taking during the UK Presidency of the EU (a) to extend to Pakistan the benefits of inclusion in its Generalised System of Preferences plus scheme and (b) to suspend anti-dumping duties imposed on the export of bedlinen from Pakistan to the EU. | | (30457) | 573
N | Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Central Ayrshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what conclusions he has reached following the review of his Department's administration of the health compensation scheme for claims by ex-coal miners; and if he will make a statement. | | (30654) | 574
N | Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Central Ayrshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate his Department has made of the costs incurred as a result of the fraudulent handling of claims under the health compensation scheme for ex-miners; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure adequate safeguards are in place in the future administration of the scheme. | | (30655) | 575
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when was the final deadline for community applications to the Department's Clear Skies programme; and from which date community applications to the Low Carbon Buildings programme will be accepted. | | (30482) | 576
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many (a) schools and (b) other educational institutions received funding under the Clear Skies programme. | | (30483) | 577
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps he is taking to support (a) schools and (b) other community ventures with regard to renewable energy projects. | | (30484) | 578
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what funding the Government plans to continue to allocate to facilitate the operation of post offices after 2008. | | (29965) | 579
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which objectives from the Counter Revolution Report published in 2000 the Government has achieved. | | (29968) | 580
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will remove textured coatings from the list of licensed materials that only licensed, trained and insured asbestos contractors are authorised to remove. | | (30909) | 581
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the real terms percentage increase in allocated resources for his Department (a) was for the period 1997-98 to 2004-05 and (b) is estimated to be between 2005-06 and 2007-08 (i) for each period and (ii) for each year. | | (31041) | 582
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will take steps to ensure the Department's websites attain the W3C AAA standard of accessibility for people with visual and other disabilities; and if he will set a target date for this standard to be achieved by. | | (30965) | 583
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the average tariff levied on (a) agricultural and (b) non-agricultural products (i) from the UK to the US and (ii) from the US to the UK was in 2004-05. | | (30498) | 584
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions he has had with the Department for International Development on the effects of EU anti-dumping measures on developing countries. | | (30499) | 585
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the development of tidal lagoon facilities in United Kingdom waters to generate electricity. | | (30764) | 586
N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the total capacity of electricity generating plant that will need to be constructed by 2015; what projections his Department has made of the type of plant that will be constructed; and what estimate he has made of the average time required to construct a (a) coal-fired and (b) gas-fired power station. | | (30600) | 587
N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the gas-fired power stations in the UK with interruptible contracts for gas supplies this winter. | | (30710) | 588
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i) integrating the proposed identity card scheme into his Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within his Department. | | (31114) | 589
N | John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many staff each Regional Development Agency employs; what the total salary bill was of each agency in the last year for which figures are available; what the average salary per employee was in each region; and what the average staff salary per thousand head of population was in each region. | | (29003) | 590
| Mr Shahid Malik (Dewsbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of 16th November to Question 27471, if he will use the EU presidency to press for Pakistan to be included in the Generalised System of Preferences scheme. | | (30780) | 591
| Mr Alan Meale (Mansfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the levels of (a) North Sea and (b) Irish Sea gas production were in each of the past five years. | | (30898) | 592
| Mr Alan Meale (Mansfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list contracts in place for the import of live energy into the UK. | | (30899) | 593
| Mr Alan Meale (Mansfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether he plans to extend the operational life cycles of current UK based (a) oil, (b) gas, (c) coal and (d) nuclear power stations. | | (30900) | 594
| Mr Alan Meale (Mansfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the projected levels are of liquefied gas scheduled to be imported into the UK for the next three years. | | (30901) | 595
| Mr Alan Meale (Mansfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the levels of coal produced were in the UK in each of the past five years. | | (30903) | 596
| Mr Alan Meale (Mansfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much coal was imported into the UK in each of the past five years. | | (30904) | 597
| Mr Alan Meale (Mansfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what contingency plans his Department has developed for providing power this winter to homes and businesses heated solely by electricity in the event of electricity shortages. | | (30905) | 598
N | Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he expects to reply to Mr Tony Humphrey's letter to him of 3rd November on his announcements on public sector pensions. | | (30728) | 599
| John Robertson (Glasgow North West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment his Department has made of the availability of gas supplies in the event of a failure of the continental gas interconnector this winter. | | (30534) | 600
| John Robertson (Glasgow North West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment his Department has made of the level of carbon dioxide emissions in (a) a nuclear power station and (b) a similar capacity gas fired power station. | | (30773) | 601
| John Robertson (Glasgow North West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent assessment he has made of the proportion of electricity demand in the United Kingdom in (a) 2006, (b) 2010, (c) 2015 and (d) 2020 that will be met by electricity generated using (i) gas, (ii) coal, (iii) nuclear power and (iv) renewable fuels. | | (30775) | 602
N | Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what consultations he undertook with (a) local councils, (b) community groups and (c) honourable Members before deciding to extend the time period to permit construction of the Langage Power Station in Plymouth beyond five years. | | (30500) | 603
| Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he expects the Medical Reference Panel to decide on the eligibility claims for carpal tunnel syndrome associated with vibration white finger claims where the diagnosis followed the initial medical examination. | | (30828) | 604
N | Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many post offices have run out of cash to pay benefits in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. | | (30627) | 605
| Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the conduct of private wheel clamping firms in England and Wales. | | (30659) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 606
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the (a) practicality of converting aircraft to run on bio-ethanol and (b) carbon emission implications of such a switch. | | (30085) | 607
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much extra carbon dioxide in tonnes per annum he estimates arose from the driving of road vehicles in excess of 70 mph in each of the last five years. | | (30926) | 608
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was spent by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency on advertising at the Argentina versus England football match held in Geneva on 12th November. | | (30599) | 609
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) fatal and (b) serious road accidents there were in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many in each year involved (i) drunk driving, (ii) a stolen vehicle, (iii) a driver without a valid driving licence, (iv) a foreign national driver and (v) a combination of these factors. | | (30592) | 610
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department took to celebrate and promote the events of (a) Ramadan, (b) Diwali and (c) Chinese New Year in 2005. | | (31168) | 611
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many responses were received to the consultation on applications of conspicuity markings to heavy vehicles; and how many were (a) for and (b) against change. | | (30804) | 612
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17th October, Official Report, column 678W, on heavy goods vehicles, why the United Kingdom opposed the proposal made at the GRE Committee of the UNECE to make ECE 104 retro-reflective tape mandatory on the side and rear of heavy goods vehicles; and how many countries (a) supported and (b) opposed the United Kingdom's position. | | (30805) | 613
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he intends to take to address issues raised by the operation of pedicabs. | | (30841) | 614
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward amendments to the Road Safety Bill [Lords] to regulate the operation of pedicabs; and if he will make a statement. | | (30842) | 615
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will discuss with (a) Transport for London, (b) the Association of London Government, (c) the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association and (d) other interested parties the operation of pedicabs. | | (30843) | 616
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the extent of compliance with public service requirements of buses planned to serve Olympic and Paralympic venues outside London in 2012. | | (30986) | 617
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will amend the public service vehicle access regulations such that public service vehicles will be equipped by 2012 to be accessible to people with a range of different disabilities. | | (30987) | 618
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Olympic Delivery Authority is taking to ensure that transport for spectators and Olympic family members will be fully accessible by those with disabilities. | | (30988) | 619
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funds are available to pay for any cost over-run in the construction of transport infrastructure and services in connection with the 2012 Olympics. | | (30989) | 620
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to improve transport in South East London. | | (30990) | 621
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much in subsidy was paid to London and Continental Railways Limited by the Government in each year between 1994 and 2004. | | (31176) | 622
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much Network Rail spent in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005; and how much it will spend in 2006 on testing new and existing trains in a test track setting. | | (30094) | 623
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) pedestrians, (b) cyclists, (c) drivers and (d) car occupants have been (i) injured and (ii) killed in Cumbria in each of the last six years for which figures are available. | | (30463) | 624
N | Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many kilometres of motorway received quiet surfacing in all lanes in (a) 2004, (b) 2003 and (c) 2002; and what percentage of the highway network each figure represents. | | (30093) | 625
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which environmental specialists he has consulted in relation to proposed limit values for environmental noise produced by motorways. | | (30640) | 626
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what limit values for environmental noise produced by motorways have (a) been proposed and (b) are under consideration. | | (30641) | 627
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of noise reduction on sections of motorways when (a) all lanes are resurfaced and (b) some lanes are resurfaced; and if he will make a statement. | | (30647) | 628
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the real terms percentage increase in allocated resources for his Department (a) was for the period 1997-98 to 2004-05 and (b) is estimated to be between 2005-06 and 2007-08 (i) for each period and (ii) for each year. | | (31032) | 629
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to ensure the Department's websites attain the W3C AAA standard of accessibility for people with visual and other disabilities; and if he will set a target date for this standard to be achieved by. | | (30957) | 630
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much public subsidy First Great Western Trains Ltd has received in each year since 1997; how much has been awarded against the company in penalties in each year; and if he will make a statement. | | (30727) | 631
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for high speed train passenger safety of passengers standing; and if he will make a statement. | | (30729) | 632
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with train operating companies on passenger safety on late night services. | | (30730) | 633
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of punctuality of services on First Great Western services from Paddington to Swansea since January. | | (30731) | 634
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with train operating companies on passenger health and safety during periods of overcrowding on trains. | | (30732) | 635
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i) integrating the proposed identity card scheme into his Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within his Department. | | (31115) | 636
N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the stretches of the M40 across which all lanes have been resurfaced with a noise suppressing surface; and what the length of the stretch involved is in each case. | | (30083) | 637
N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of motorway in England have been resurfaced across their entire width with a noise suppressing surface. | | (30084) | 638
N | John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what costs have been incurred in respect of the tendering process of the Greater Western Franchise; and what the expected final costs are. | | (28423) | 639
| Laura Moffatt (Crawley):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he will announce conclusions on the future of the Gatwick Express. | | (30697) | 640
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to ensure that adaptation of buses to facilitate wheelchair access does not involve incorporating steep steps. | | (30783) | 641
| Gwyn Prosser (Dover):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost to his Department has been of (a) the tendering process of the Integrated Kent Franchises and (b) franchise tendering since May 1997; and what the expected final costs are. | | (30613) | 642
| Paul Rowen (Rochdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects to make an announcement on the funding of Crossrail. | | (30579) | 643
| Alison Seabeck (Plymouth, Devonport):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the South West Regional Planning Assessment to start; and which organisations will be consulted. | | (30626) | 644
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent research his Department has undertaken on the coefficient of friction of stone mastic asphalt with regard to motorbikes. | | (30867) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales 645
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimate he has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i) integrating the proposed identity card scheme into his Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within his Department. | | (31116) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 646
N | Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 9th November, Official Report, column 372W, on Housing Benefit, what estimate he has made of (a) the cost of limiting a 10 per cent. reduction in the housing benefit taper to earned income and (b) the cost of limiting a five per cent. reduction in the council tax benefit taper to earned income. | | (29779) | 647
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many non-resident parents in Scotland are paying the £5 flat rate of child support per week in the latest period for which figures are available; and in how many cases these payments are being deducted from social security payments by the Child Support Agency. | | (31122) | 648
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will break down the Child Support Agency's compliance figures by the income band of the non-resident parent for all Scottish claims. | | (31123) | 649
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many requests for information Child Support Agency staff made in each month since 2001 in relation to Scottish claims; and what the average time taken to receive a response was. | | (31124) | 650
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many requests to HM Revenue and Customs for information regarding the income of non-resident parents for Scottish claims were made by the Child Support Agency in each month over the last three years; and what the average time taken to respond was. | | (31125) | 651
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the proportion of time staff working on Scottish claims at the Child Support Agency spent (a) assessing levels of maintenance, (b) on enforcement activity and (c) on compliance activity in (i) 1998 and (ii) the latest period for which figures are available. | | (31126) | 652
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of Scottish claims under the Child Support Agency old scheme have been reassessed in the last three years. | | (31127) | 653
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many penalties the Child Support Agency has issued in Scotland for (a) failure to provide information and (b) providing false information in each of the last eight years. | | (31128) | 654
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Scotland have been non-compliant with their Child Support Agency assessment in each quarter since the first quarter of 1996. | | (31129) | 655
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time was in Scotland between receipt of an application by the Child Support Agency and the granting of a warrant from a magistrate in each of the last five years. | | (31132) | 656
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many changes of circumstance have been reported by non-resident parents in Scotland on the (a) old and (b) new Child Support Agency scheme in each month of the last three years. | | (31133) | 657
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the compliance rate for the self-employed in cases with the Child Support Agency in Scotland. | | (31134) | 658
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many compensation payments have been made in Scotland by the Child Support Agency for maladministration since 1st January 1998; and how many of these exceeded (a) £1,000, (b) £10,000 and (c) £50,000. | | (31135) | 659
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Scottish claims were awaiting processing under the new Child Support Agency scheme calculation in each month since June 2003. | | (31137) | 660
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Scottish Child Support Agency claims operating under the old scheme of calculation due to transfer to the new scheme, but where the transfer had not yet taken place, there were in each month since March 2003. | | (31138) | 661
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of parents with care in Scotland on income support and income-based jobseeker's allowance has received Child Support Agency maintenance in each reporting period since 1999-2000. | | (31139) | 662
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints relating to Scottish claims have been made to the Child Support Agency in each month since January 2003. | | (31140) | 663
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the latest estimate is of the time taken to take action on a Scottish Child Support Agency claim clerically. | | (31141) | 664
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on how many occasions payments have been made in Scotland under the authority of the (a) Chief Executive and (b) the Deputy Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency but without their personal written authorisation; how much these payments have amounted to; and for what reasons they were made. | | (31142) | 665
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have (a) been sent to prison and (b) lost their driving licence for a period of time for refusing to comply with the Child Support Agency in regard to Scottish claims in each quarter since 1995-96. | | (31143) | 666
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of assessed Child Support Agency claims in Scotland had maintenance collected via deduction of earnings orders in each quarter since 1994. | | (31144) | 667
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many potential child support cases in Scotland are awaiting processing at the point of entry for benefit cases via the Jobcentre Plus interface. | | (31145) | 668
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff handling Scottish claims (a) were employed by the Child Support Agency and (b) left the Child Support Agency in each of the last six years. | | (31146) | 669
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has for Child Support Agency staff numbers handling Scottish claims for the period 2005 to 2008. | | (31148) | 670
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of Child Support Agency staff handling Scottish claims have been working for the Agency for (a) less than one year and (b) less than two years; and if he will make a statement. | | (31149) | 671
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his estimate is of the number of non-resident parents for Scottish Child Support Agency claims who (a) make maintenance payments under the Child Support Agency (CSA) rules, (b) cannot be traced to pay under the CSA, (c) are assessed to have a zero liability due to low income, (d) are assessed to make payments but do not do so regularly, (e) have made alternative maintenance arrangements outside the CSA and (f) make no payments and are not referred to the CSA. | | (31150) | 672
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his estimate is of the number of Scottish Child Support Agency claims (a) received and (b) cleared in each month between January 2004 and October 2005. | | (31151) | 673
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the Child Support Agency's Scottish caseload has been in each quarter from 1997 to the third quarter of 2005; and if he will make a statement. | | (31152) | 674
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what action the Government is taking to ensure children's rights are fully and appropriately addressed in the final text of the forthcoming UN convention on the rights of people with disabilities. | | (29958) | 675
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what arrangements his Department has made to publicise the arrangements for claiming the £200 council tax rebate amongst those not eligible for winter fuel payment. | | (30740) | 676
| Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to change the current law affecting pensions entitlement for British pensioners living in Commonwealth countries. | | (30615) | 677
N | Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the level of the basic state pension in the United Kingdom is as a percentage of gross domestic product; and what assessment he has made of how this compares with other European Union countries. | | (30757) | 678
N | Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will restore the link between the state pension and average earnings; and if he will make a statement. | | (30758) | 679
N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of the total number of job entries by claimants of incapacity benefit and severe disability allowance in the UK (a) returned to incapacity benefits and (b) claimed jobseeker's allowance within (i) one month, (ii) two months, (iii) six months and (iv) 12 months, in the latest period for which data is available. | | (30676) | 680
N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the retirement pension forecast team has been able to supply Rachel Scully, a constituent of the honourable Member for Birkenhead, with a forecast of her pension which takes into account (a) her underlying entitlement to carer's allowance and (b) the awarding of credits for her second state pension. | | (30677) | 681
N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of the total number of recorded job entries through the New Deal for disabled people, excluding pathways to work pilot areas, (a) returned to incapacity benefits and (b) claimed jobseeker's allowance within (i) one month, (ii) two months, (iii) six months and (iv) 12 months in (A) 2003-04 and (B) 2004-05. | | (30678) | 682
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what average amount was paid in each month since the Child Support Agency new scheme came into effect to parents whose cases are (a) on the old scheme and (b) on the new scheme. | | (30593) | 683
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what factors he took into account when setting the case compliance target for the Child Support Agency new scheme for 2004-05 and 2005-06. | | (30594) | 684
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what factors he took into account when setting the accuracy target for the Child Support Agency new scheme for 2004-05 and 2005-06. | | (30595) | 685
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the real terms percentage increase in allocated resources for his Department (a) was for the period 1997-98 to 2004-05 and (b) is estimated to be between 2005-06 and 2007-08 (i) for each period and (ii) for each year. | | (31033) | 686
| John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will revise the habitual residence test to take into account the length of time claimants paid tax in the UK before moving abroad. | | (30711) | 687
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate the Health and Safety Executive has made of the number of public firework displays held in England in October and November in each of the last 10 years. | | (30495) | 688
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i) integrating the proposed identity card scheme into his Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within his Department. | | (31120) | 689
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the performance of the new case management system for Jobcentre benefit claims. | | (30545) | 690
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he takes to monitor the proportion of parents with care on income support or income-based jobseekers allowance who are receiving child support maintenance for their children; and if he will make a statement. | | (30566) | 691
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which contracts of his Department and its agencies are being bid for by DNA Bioscience; and if he will make a statement. | | (30568) | 692
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15th November, Official Report, column 1152W, on the Child Support Agency, what the single largest compensation payment made since 1st January 1997 was. | | (30971) | 693
N | Mr Jim McGovern (Dundee West):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what provision there is for members of pension schemes to claim ill health pensions from the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) (a) whilst their scheme is in the assessment period and (b) once it has been accepted into the PPF. | | (30578) | 694
| David Mundell (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Scotland receive a social security benefit. | | (30588) | 695
| Sir Malcolm Rifkind (Kensington & Chelsea):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people claimed incapacity benefit on the grounds of poor mental health in each year since 1997. | | (30846) | 696
| Sir Malcolm Rifkind (Kensington & Chelsea):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate he has made of the number of people claiming incapacity benefit who were claiming jobseekers' allowance immediately prior to claiming incapacity benefit. | | (30847) | 697
| Sir Malcolm Rifkind (Kensington & Chelsea):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people aged 25 years or under claimed incapacity benefit in each year for which figures are available since 2000. | | (30848) | 698
| Sir Malcolm Rifkind (Kensington & Chelsea):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the Department's expenditure on research activities was in each year since 2000. | | (30849) | 699
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the difference between the average amount of housing benefit awarded and the average costs of rent in (a) Huddersfield and (b) the UK. | | (30831) | 700
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information is taken into account when making decisions about the levels of housing benefit. | | (30832) | 701
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has carried out research into awareness of the implications of the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 for recruitment and employment of disabled people among (a) small, (b) medium-sized and (c) large businesses; and what steps he is taking to increase awareness among such businesses with particular reference to enabling access to workplaces. | | (30943) | 702
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many disabled people are seeking employment, as measured by the number of people consulting a disability employment adviser; and how many of these have been seeking employment for (a) six months or more, (b) one year or more and (c) 18 months or more. | | (30944) | 703
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many parents who wish to migrate to the new calculation system for child support have been advised by the Child Support Agency to contact their Member of Parliament so that their concerns can be passed to Ministers; how many honourable Members have raised concerns on behalf of their constituents with Ministers about the new and old calculation systems running concurrently; and what assessment he has made of the effect of representations made by honourable Members on behalf of their constituents on Government policy on migrating existing child support cases to the new system. | | (30461) | 704
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many approaches have been made by the Pensions Service offering a benefits entitlement check (a) by letter, (b) by telephone, (c) by home visit and (d) in total in each year for which information is available; what follow-up takes place where no reply is received to letters or telephone calls; how many people requested a home visit in each year; what the cost has been of the initiative; and what assessment he has made of the extent of increased access to benefits as a result thereof. | | (30542) | 705
| Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the cost to business of the decision to allow into the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) the schemes of companies which had experienced an insolvency event before the PPF was launched. | | (30645) | 706
N | Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Pension Regulator regarding the Kvaerner pension fund. | | (30796) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 707
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the division of departmental responsibilities for biomass and biofuels is between the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Transport; and what reallocations of responsibility have occurred in 2005. | | [Transferred] (30927) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 708
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time spent by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal in adjudicating a complaint was in the last period for which figures are available. | | [Transferred] (30555) | 709
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what procedures are adopted by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal on receiving a complaint in order to ascertain whether it is a legitimate complaint. | | [Transferred] (30556) | 710
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to review the functions and procedures of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal. | | [Transferred] (30557) | 711
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many public hearings the Investigatory Powers Tribunal has held since its inception. | | [Transferred] (30558) | 712
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Investigatory Powers Tribunal has taken to publicise its functions. | | [Transferred] (30559) | 713
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) staffing level and (b) cost of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal has been in each calendar year since its inception. | | [Transferred] (30560) | 714
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many complaints have been received by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal in each calendar year since its inception; and how many were adjudicated on in each year, broken down by result. | | [Transferred] (30561) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 715
| Colin Challen (Morley & Rothwell):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much the Government has spent on nuclear fusion research and development over the last 10 years; and how much it plans to spend over the next 10 years. | | [Transferred] (30851) | 716
| Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what his Department's estimate is of the amount of capital grant support required to deliver the Government's White Paper commitments to a 10 year solar photovoltaics programme in line with Germany and Japan. | | [Transferred] (30946) |
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