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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Friday 2 December 2005
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Friday 2 December 2005
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Friday 2 December 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 Friday 2 December of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Friday 2 December see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 1
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many persons paid income tax at the higher rate in each financial year since January 1995; and how much was raised by the higher rate in current prices in each year. | | (34588) | 2
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to reduce air passenger duty. | | (34589) | 3
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many manufacturing jobs have been lost since May 1997. | | (34590) | 4
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what percentage of breast cancer patients lived for at least five years after treatment in the last period for which figures are available; and what the average such percentage is in the European Union. | | (34591) | 5
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) male and (b) female employees were engaged in (i) manufacturing and (ii) agriculture and fishing in Southend West constituency in (A) 1979, (B) 1983, (C) 1987, (D) 1997, (E) 2001 and (F) the last year for which figures are available. | | (34603) | 6
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was paid in direct and indirect taxation by companies with (a) fewer than 200 employees and (b) fewer than 100 employees in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. | | (34674) | 7
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the tax allowances which are operative. | | (34675) | 8
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total cost was of tax allowances in terms of revenue foregone in each year since 1997. | | (34676) | 9
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what tax allowances have been abolished since 1997. | | (34677) | 10
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average percentage increase was in net income in the UK over the past three years; and what the rate of inflation was over the same period. | | (34678) | 11
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people earned (a) less than £5,000, (b) between £5,000 to £10,000, (c) between £10,000 to £13,000, (d) between £13,000 to £17,500, (e) between £17,500 to £27,000 and (f) over £27,000 in (i) 1988-89 and (ii) in each year from 2001 to 2004. | | (34679) | 12
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average rate of inflation was in each year since 1978-79. | | (34680) | 13
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of all tax relief was received by persons in the top tax bracket in the last year for which figures are available. | | (34786) | 14
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the surplus or deficit in the National Insurance Fund is; what proportion of UK gross domestic product that figure represents; and what the projected figures are in each case for (a) 2010, (b) 2020, (c) 2030, (d) 2040 and (e) 2050. | | (34864) | 15
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the net cost of tax relief on private pensions was in the last year for which figures are available; what proportion of UK gross domestic product that figure represents; and what the projected figures are in each case for (a) 2010, (b) 2020, (c) 2030, (d) 2040 and (e) 2050. | | (34865) | 16
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cost of the contracted-out rebate was in the last year for which figures are available; what proportion of UK gross domestic product that figure represents; and what the projected figures are in each case for (a) 2010, (b) 2020, (c) 2030, (d) 2040 and (e) 2050. | | (34866) | 17
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on company stakeholders of the non-implementation of the Operating and Financial Review; and if he will make a statement. | | (34839) | 18
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the cost to businesses in preparing for the implementation of the Operating and Financial Review; and if he will make a statement. | | (34840) | 19
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consultation he undertook with stakeholders before revoking the regulations covering the implementation of the Operating and Financial Review for FTSE listed companies; and if he will make a statement. | | (34841) | 20
N | Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact of making the Office of National Statistics independent on its staff working at the Titchfield office. | | (34117) | 21
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much corporation tax was raised from business in Northamptonshire in each year since 1997. | | (34434) | 22
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many £5 notes were in circulation in each of the last 10 years. | | (34436) | 23
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the merits of replacing the £5 note with a (a) plastic coated note and (b) £5 coin; and if he will make a statement. | | (34437) | 24
| Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the level of UK VAT on the volume of (a) compact disks and (b) digital versatile disks sold on line and delivered within the UK by UK-listed trading entities. | | (34568) | 25
| Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the level of UK VAT on the volume of (a) compact disks and (b) digital versatile disks smuggled into the UK. | | (34570) | 26
| Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 29th November 2005, Question reference 31568, what the cost of the travel of the two officials from his Department who accompanied him on his return from Israel was. | | (34580) | 27
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal measures his Department is taking to encourage the use of vegetable oil as an alternative fuel. | | (34611) | 28
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what legal advice his Department has received on whether pure vegetable oil should qualify for the lower biodiesel rate of duty. | | (34612) | 29
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the fuels that are classed as biofuels. | | (34613) | 30
N | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Paymaster General will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 5th October. | | (34238) | 31
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will revise the rules governing the assessment of self-employed income for evaluating eligibility for tax credits to take into account actual income in the preceding year. | | (34112) | Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 32
| Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will make a statement on the work of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat in relation to terrorism. | | (34506) | 33
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, whether the Better Regulation Task Force contributed to the decision not to implement the Operating and Financial Review; and if he will make a statement. | | (34833) | 34
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what matters the Civil Contingency Secretariat has discussed recently. | | (34691) | Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 35
| Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what plans she has for a specialist domestic violence court in Ribble Valley. | | (34521) | 36
| Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what proportion of the magistrates sitting at Ribble Valley magistrates' courts are female. | | (34522) | 37
| Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many applications for gender recognition certificates (a) she has received, (b) have been approved, (c) have come from overseas and (d) have come from overseas and have been approved. | | (34654) | 38
| Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if she will place in the Library a copy of the good practice guidance published by the Magistrates' Association and the Justices' Clerks Society in 1999 on the demand/needs test for licensing applications. | | (34503) | 39
| Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, whether victims in cases covered by the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill are included in the proposals made in the consultation document Hearing the Relatives of Murder and Manslaughter Victims; and if she will make a statement. | | (34419) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 40
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many businesses in Kettering constituency are exempt from requiring a television licence under the exemption scheme for people aged over 75 years. | | (34435) | 41
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the merits of linking London's 2012 Olympic Games with celebrations for Her Majesty the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. | | (34438) | 42
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what preparations and planning her Department has undertaken in connection with events to mark Her Majesty the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012. | | (34439) | 43
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a statement on Government support for the UK film industry. | | (34803) | 44
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what financial assistance is available to film makers from the UK Government to fund film production. | | (34804) | 45
| Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when the UK will ratify the International Convention Against Doping in Sport recently adopted by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation; and if she will make a statement. | | (34721) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 46
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the meetings he held with Crown Prince Abdullah and other officials in July 2005 on his visit to Saudi Arabia were attended by employees of BAE Systems; and if he will make a statement. | | (34837) | 47
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the meetings he held with Crown Prince Abdullah and other officials in July 2005 on his visit to Saudi Arabia included discussions on (a) Saad al-Faqih and (b) Mohammed al-Masari; and if he will make a statement. | | (34838) | 48
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to ensure that the plans for the AWE Orion Laser development at Aldermaston are tested by the normal planning process and that Crown immunity is not applied; and if he will make a statement. | | (34765) | 49
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 17th November 2005, Official Report, column 1409W, on HMS Sheffield, whether the departmental files that are under review also contain all the reports that were written by the HMS Sheffield veterans on board the tanker British Elsk while on passage from the Falkland Islands to Ascension Island; and if he will make a statement. | | (34849) | 50
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will amend the 25 year contract for the running of AWE Aldermaston, in relation to the number of shares held by each member of the consortium. | | (34868) | 51
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total cost to public funds has been to date of the court case Flight Lieutenant Macdonald vs Ministry of Defence. | | (34426) | 52
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what percentage of the value of the aircraft carrier programme will be given to Swan Hunter. | | (34514) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 53
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many and what percentage of households in each London borough were on the housing register on 1st April. | | (34663) | 54
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many and what proportion of households accepted as unintentionally homeless and in priority need (a) contained (i) one, (ii) two and (iii) three or more children and (b) consisted of an applicant who was 16 or 17 years old in each quarter since 2002; and how many households in temporary accommodation contained (A) dependent children and (B) an expectant mother in (1) London and (2) each London borough in each quarter. | | (34664) | 55
| Colin Challen (Morley & Rothwell):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many new houses were built in the last accounting period; and how many of these were built to Ecohomes standards, broken down by Ecohomes category. | | (34482) | 56
N | Mary Creagh (Wakefield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when the results of the research study commissioned by his Department, project ID 11476, completed by the Construction Industry Research and Information Association on 31st December 2004, are expected to be published. | | (33845) | 57
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policy on housing of private landlords requiring a guarantor prior to agreeing a new tenancy; and whether he attributes this practice directly to the policy of paying housing benefit to tenants rather than directly to landlords. | | (33780) | 58
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will conduct a survey of the number of local authorities reporting that private landlords require a guarantor before agreeing to a tenancy. | | (33781) | 59
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what inter-operability will exist at local level between the emergency services following the decision of his Department to contract O2 to undertake the provision of Firelink. | | (33782) | 60
N | James Duddridge (Rochford & Southend East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when the Government will publish its final response to the Barker Review of housing supply; and if he will make a statement. | | (34160) | 61
N | James Duddridge (Rochford & Southend East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on progress towards the Government's target of 80 per cent. home ownership. | | (34161) | 62
N | Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he expects to publish proposals to amend the law on planning and travellers. | | (34111) | 63
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what (a) back-up facilities and (b) secondary sites are available for each fire regional control centre; and if he will make a statement. | | (34586) | 64
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the budgets are for setting up the regional fire control centres located at (a) Belmont Business Park, Durham, (b) Lingley Mere Business Park, Warrington, (c) Cambridge Research Park, (d) Willow Farm Business Park, Castle Donnington, (e) Wolverhampton Business Park, (f) Paragon Business Park, Wakefield, (g) Blackbrook Business Park, Taunton and (h) Kite's Croft, Fareham; and if he will make a statement. | | (34587) | 65
N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Wigan of 24th November 2005, Official Report, column 2238W, on social services funding, if he will extend the table to include the relevant data for Wirral local authority. | | (34139) | 66
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many individuals were homeless in each district authority in Northamptonshire in each year since 1997. | | (34432) | 67
| Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many people in Gravesham are waiting to be found suitable accommodation by the local authority while living in accommodation judged unacceptable by social services. | | (34666) | 68
| Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether (a) local authorities and (b) social services have responsibility for housing vulnerable people; and if he will make a statement. | | (34667) | 69
N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whose complaint gave rise to the decision by the National Audit Office on the Objection to the Accounts for year ended 31st March 2004 of Colchester Borough Council; what estimate he has made of the costs of investigating this complaint; and to whom the costs will fall. | | (33995) | 70
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what (a) legislative and (b) other measures are in place to prevent private landlords discriminating against letting to tenants in receipt of housing benefit; and if he will make a statement. | | (34579) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 71
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which local education authorities operate a middle school system; how many middle schools there are; and which of these are for children aged nine to 13 years. | | (34604) | 72
| Ed Balls (Normanton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much money has been spent on the provision of extended school care for children with disabilities in each year since 1997 in (a) West Yorkshire, (b) Wakefield district and (c) Normanton constituency; and how much has been allocated in these areas in each of the next three years. | | (34540) | 73
| Ed Balls (Normanton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how extended schools will cater for children with disabilities in (a) England, (b) Wakefield district and (c) Normanton constituency. | | (34541) | 74
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when she expects to publish information collected under the provisions of section 12 of the Children Act 2004. | | (34657) | 75
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when her Department plans to issue interim advice regarding an influenza pandemic to local emergency planners in respect of schools. | | (34726) | 76
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 8th November 2005, Official Report, column 463W, on social care staff, what arrangements have been made to collect information about the numbers of staff working for private and voluntary sector organisations. | | (34736) | 77
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, why the regulations governing school toilets in day and residential schools are different. | | (34822) | 78
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans she has to audit the availability of mains-linked water coolers in schools; and if she will make a statement. | | (34824) | 79
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what work the Department's School Building and Design Unit has undertaken to review the regulations governing toilets in day schools. | | (34825) | 80
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans she has to review the regulations governing the design and maintenance of day school toilets to take account of her plans for extended schools. | | (34826) | 81
| James Duddridge (Rochford & Southend East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of pupils in Southend-on-Sea achieved level 4 or above in 2005 in (a) English and (b) Mathematics at Key Stage 2. | | (34814) | 82
| James Duddridge (Rochford & Southend East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of pupils in Southend-on-Sea achieved level 5 or above in 2005 in (a) English and (b) Mathematics at Key Stage 3. | | (34815) | 83
| James Duddridge (Rochford & Southend East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many pupils in Southend-on-Sea achieved five or more A*-C grades at GCSE in 2005. | | (34816) | 84
| James Duddridge (Rochford & Southend East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average A level point score per candidate was in Southend-on-Sea local authority for each year from 1997 to 2005. | | (34817) | 85
N | Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will list the names of the special advisers who have served in her Department since 2001; what the dates of service were of each; and what policy areas each covered. | | (33851) | 86
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many reading recovery teachers are employed in schools in England (a) in total and (b) broken down by local education authority; and how many schools are involved. | | (34744) | 87
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the (a) mean and (b) median total point score in England was at (i) Key Stage 2, (ii) Key Stage 3 and (iii) GCSE in each year since 1995. | | (34745) | 88
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 21st October 2005, Official Report, column 1265W, on geography, whether she has received the report from the Geography Focus Group. | | (34832) | 89
N | Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the foundation stage profile results were for (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004, broken down by (i) local education authority and (ii) socio-economic group. | | (34118) | 90
| Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps are being taken to ensure that the removal of the right to appeal of international students who apply for initial entry clearance will not disadvantage UK universities when competing in the overseas market of the UK higher education sector. | | (34564) | 91
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what guidance her Department issues to schools to encourage children to report acts of bullying. | | (34790) | 92
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what action her Department is taking to prevent sexual abuse involving children. | | (34792) | 93
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what guidance is given to schools to encourage children to report acts of sexual abuse. | | (34793) | 94
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what recent discussions she has had with children's charities about child sex abuse. | | (34794) | 95
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment she has made of the effect on (a) the science and knowledge base of regions and (b) regional development of the system for allocating research funding to higher education institutions. | | (33849) | 96
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions she has had with Ministerial colleagues at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on the links between university research funding and tackling regional productivity differences; and if she will make a statement. | | (33850) | 97
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what guidance she has issued to schools on teachers using sweets to reward pupils' good behaviour or work. | | (34487) | 98
| John Penrose (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether the Government has approved the Son-Rise programme for public funding for the treatment of autism. | | (34571) | 99
N | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when she will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 17th October. | | (34239) | 100
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans she has for AS level examinations; and if she will make a statement. | | (34500) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 101
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many abattoirs are (a) EU-approved and (b) non-approved but operating with a derogation. | | (34598) | 102
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the gifts received by (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department in each of the last two years for which information is available; what the approximate value of each was; and how many were (i) accepted and (ii) returned. | | (34749) | 103
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list all official overseas visits undertaken by officials in her Department, broken down by Directorate, in each year since May 2001; what the cost in cash and real terms was; how many official engagements and meetings were undertaken on each visit; how many officials took part in each visit, broken down by grades; and if she will make a statement. | | (34750) | 104
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department giving evidence to (i) Scottish Parliament, (ii) Welsh Assembly and (iii) Northern Ireland Assembly committees; and to what categories of document she gives (A) full access, (B) restricted access and (C) no access to (1) Scottish Parliament, (2) Welsh Assembly, (3) Northern Ireland Assembly and (4) House of Commons select committees. | | (34751) | 105
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) building and (b) refurbishment projects are planned by her Department in (i) 2005-06 and (ii) 2006-07; and what the expected costs are of each project. | | (34752) | 106
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) letters from hon. Members, (b) letters from members of the public and (c) parliamentary questions from (i) hon. Members and (ii) Members of the House of Lords were dealt with by her Department in each year since 1995; what percentage took (A) more than one month and (B) more than three months to provide a substantive answer; and if she will make a statement. | | (34753) | 107
| Colin Challen (Morley & Rothwell):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will re-assess the 60 per cent. by 2050 target for reducing UK carbon dioxide emissions. | | (34480) | 108
| Jim Dowd (Lewisham West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of animals likely to need re-homing as a result of the introduction of the new welfare offence in the Animal Welfare Bill; and what percentage change she expects in the number of animals in need of re-homing. | | (34592) | 109
| Jim Dowd (Lewisham West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many animal sanctuaries she estimates are open to the public in England. | | (34593) | 110
| Jim Dowd (Lewisham West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent estimate she has made of the number of animal sanctuaries there are in England. | | (34594) | 111
| Jim Dowd (Lewisham West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what process her Department undertakes to estimate the number of animal sanctuaries; and what definition of a sanctuary is used. | | (34595) | 112
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much residential household refuse was collected in each year since 1997; and what proportion of refuse was recycled in each year. | | (34440) | 113
| Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the impact on the environment of turning high grade agricultural land into low grade park and scrub land. | | (34565) | 114
| Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to ensure the Forestry Commision works closely with local farmers. | | (34566) | 115
| Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidelines for working in co-operation with local farming interests her Department follows; and if she will make a statement. | | (34567) | 116
| Mr David Jones (Clwyd West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the United Kingdom's derogation from EU Council Regulation 21/2004 on identifying sheep and goats will continue after December 2005. | | (34858) | 117
| Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the recent statement by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation concerning culling wild birds in countries affected by avian influenza; and if she will make a statement. | | (34722) | 118
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding has been allocated to the Bee Health programme in each of the last 10 years. | | (34608) | 119
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will set out the criteria by which funding decisions for the Bee Health programme are made. | | (34609) | 120
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department (a) has taken and (b) is planning to take to safeguard bee health against the threat of the varroa mite. | | (34610) | 121
N | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Parliamentary Under Secretary will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 5th October. | | (34242) | 122
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to promote the consumption of poultry this Christmas season accompanied by clear guidance that its consumption does not pose risks in regard to avian influenza. | | (34494) | 123
N | Mark Williams (Ceredigion):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will support the launch of a brand of fair trade milk in England. | | (31429) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 124
N | Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to ascertain whether flights being used for the extraordinary rendition of suspected terrorists to countries that practise torture are making use of UK airports. | | (33844) | 125
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government is required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish its response to advice from. | | (34681) | 126
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. | | (34682) | 127
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of its members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. | | (34683) | 128
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18th October 2005 to the hon. Member for North East Fife, Official Report, column 909W, on the United States (deportation), whether the Answer applies to UK overseas territories. | | (34421) | 129
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23rd November 2005, Official Report, column 2135W, on St Helena, on which dates (a) the Legislative Council in St Helena disapplied the UK Freedom of Information Act 2000, (b) the notice of intent to disapply the Act was gazetted and (c) the disapplication became effective. | | (34114) | 130
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23rd November 2005, Official Report, column 2135W, on St Helena, what mechanisms are available to enable the Public Solicitor to be available to members of the public in the light of his being retained by the proposed developers, Shelco; and if he will make a further statement. | | (34115) | 131
| John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he intends to answer the hon. Member for Buckingham's letter of 18th November. | | (34422) | 132
| Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Myanmar government over the extended detention under house arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. | | (34719) | 133
| Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of progress in the UN-led talks on the future status of Kosovo; and if he will make a statement. | | (34720) | 134
| Mr Chris Mullin (Sunderland South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on what dates President Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo has visited the UK in the last four years. | | (34516) | 135
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance the UK is providing to the government of Liberia to reform and strengthen the (a) justice and (b) civil security structure in Liberia; and if he will make a statement. | | (34730) | 136
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the level of resources available to UN human rights officials tasked with investigating reports of trial by ordeal in Liberia; and if he will make a statement. | | (34731) | 137
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) whereabouts, (b) medical condition and (c) reason and conditions of detention of Sanjar Umarov; and if he will make a statement. | | (34732) | 138
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers of his Department and (c) other members and representatives of the UK Government have had with members and representatives of the government of Uzbekistan concerning the (i) arrest and (ii) detention of Sanjar Umarov on 22nd October; and if he will make a statement. | | (34733) | 139
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether policy changes in relation to victim and family support from his Department are being considered following the Sharm el-Sheikh bombing. | | (34493) | 140
| Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on how many occasions since his appointment the Minister for Europe has met (a) Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat and (b) representatives of the UK's Greek Cypriot community. | | (34449) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 141
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether general practitioners who overspend their annual budget are penalised by her Department; and if she will make a statement. | | (34527) | 142
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioners had (a) an underspend and (b) an overspend in their budget in each primary care trust area in each of the last two years for which figures are available. | | (34528) | 143
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will place on her Department's website a copy of her speech to the annual dinner of Royal Obstetricians and Gynaecologists on 25th November; and if she will make a statement. | | (34529) | 144
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many statutory instruments introduced by her Department had to be (a) withdrawn, (b) amended by a further statutory instrument and (c) reprinted because of defective drafting in each session since 1997; and what steps she (i) is taking and (ii) plans to take to prevent further such instances. | | (34530) | 145
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what training is given to (a) policy officials and (b) lawyers in her Department responsible for drafting statutory instruments; and if she will make a statement. | | (34531) | 146
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many diseases were cured as a result of (a) adult and (b) embryonic stem cell research in each year since 2002; and if she will make a statement. | | (34532) | 147
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will list the ongoing projects using embryonic stem cells; and if she will make a statement. | | (34533) | 148
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make it her policy to oppose the Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill [Lords]; and if she will make a statement. | | (34572) | 149
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many residential care and nursing (a) homes and (b) places she estimates there will be in (i) 2005, (ii) 2006 and (iii) 2007. | | (34599) | 150
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) general practitioners, (b) consultants and (c) nurses have retired early in each of the last five years for which figures are available. | | (34600) | 151
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when her Department last undertook an evidence review into the use of (a) RU486 (mifepristone) and (b) the morning-after pill that drew on (i) UK and (ii) international research; and if she will make a statement. | | (34601) | 152
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many abortions for overseas residents took place after 18 weeks' gestation in 2004-05; and whether her Department requires an anaesthetic or pain killer to be administered to the unborn child before a late abortion takes place. | | (34687) | 153
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans she has to (a) commission and (b) evaluate research on the relationship between poverty and ill health; and if she will make a statement. | | (34689) | 154
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many women who underwent (a) in vitro fertilisation and (b) ovulation induction in England were hospitalised due to (i) serious and (ii) minor complications in each of the last five years for which information is available. | | (34760) | 155
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many women who underwent (a) in vitro fertilisation and (b) ovulation induction in England suffered (i) a miscarriage, (ii) bleeding, (iii) ectopic pregnancy and (iv) ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in each of the last five years for which information is available. | | (34761) | 156
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions her Department has had with (a) the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, (b) the British Medical Association and (c) the Royal College of Nursing about the complications of in vitro fertilisation; and if she will make a statement. | | (34762) | 157
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many publications were issued by her Department in each of the last five years; and what the production cost of each was. | | (34763) | 158
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans she has to review compliance with section 4 of the Abortion Act 1967. | | (34785) | 159
| James Brokenshire (Hornchurch):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have (a) successfully claimed and (b) tried to claim compensation (i) having contracted MRSA and (ii) having had a member of their family contract MRSA at an NHS hospital in each of the last five years. | | (34518) | 160
| Mr Jeremy Browne (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what protection the smoking legislation in the Health Bill will give to (a) domestic servants and (b) au pairs in their places of work. | | (34584) | 161
| Mr Jeremy Browne (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons the Health Bill proposes to ban smoking in public houses which serve food where the owners do not employ any staff. | | (34585) | 162
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 7th November 2005, Official Report, column 261W, on Medicine Reviews (Older People), what methodology was used to make the assessment that good progress has been made. | | (34524) | 163
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 7th November 2005, Official Report, columns 265-6W, on neurological conditions, what the planning recommendations to strategic health authorities were. | | (34525) | 164
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 7th November 2005, Official Report, column 266W, on NHS finance, what role the Department's recovery support unit plays in assessing recovery plans. | | (34526) | 165
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she expects to make a decision concerning a new data collection procedure for waiting times for scans and tests. | | (34614) | 166
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of the impact on the stability of local health economies of her plan to penalise overspending NHS organisations. | | (34658) | 167
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the hepatitis C FaCe it campaign. | | (34659) | 168
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how compliance with section 15 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 is monitored; and which NHS organisations (a) have reached, (b) are below and (c) have exceeded the cap applied under that section. | | (34660) | 169
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of the assets and liabilities of each private finance project approved by her Department is recorded on the Government balance sheet. | | (34665) | 170
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 7th November 2005, Official Report, column 273W, on residential care, on what legal basis local authorities can set cash limits on the amount they will pay for residential placements to meet assessed needs. | | (34712) | 171
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many training commissions there were for (a) radiographers and (b) speech and language therapists in each strategic health authority in each year since 2002. | | (34713) | 172
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire of 8th November 2005, Official Report, column 407W, on radiotherapy, if she will make a statement on her plans for an 18-week waiting time target. | | (34735) | 173
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how compliance with the directions on continuing care and delayed discharge issued on 27th February 2004 is monitored. | | (34823) | 174
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of progress by NHS and social care organisations in developing integrated paediatric continence services. | | (34827) | 175
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans she has to respond to the findings of the Royal College of Physician's Clinical Effectiveness and Evaluation Unit in its audit of continence services for older people. | | (34828) | 176
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Education and Skills concerning the implementation of the National Service Framework for Children in respect of paediatric continence services. | | (34829) | 177
| Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many operations were cancelled by Lancashire Hospital Trust (a) for medical reasons and (b) because of lack of beds at (i) Royal Preston Hospital and (ii) Queen's Park Hospital in each month between January 2004 and September 2005. | | (34523) | 178
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will take steps to make the general public aware of the symptoms of fibromyalgia. | | (34492) | 179
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children have suffered observable damage as a result of their mothers smoking during pregnancy in each year for the last 10 years. | | (34425) | 180
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations she has received on tackling smoking in pregnancy. | | (34427) | 181
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many women have smoked during pregnancy in each of the last 10 years. | | (34428) | 182
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much public money has been spent on smoking cessation schemes for pregnant women in each of the last 10 years. | | (34429) | 183
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average length of stay in hospital is after delivery for women who have given birth. | | (34430) | 184
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps her Department is taking to encourage implementation of World Health Organisation guidelines on smoking in pregnancy. | | (34431) | 185
| Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans she has to make extra resources available for primary care trusts to fund the provision of Herceptin for women with early stage breast cancer. | | (34569) | 186
| Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) average and (b) longest waiting time for outpatient appointments at Darent Valley Hospital. | | (34578) | 187
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what powers she proposes to give to strategic health authorities to allow them to intervene in the running of primary care trusts; whether she intends to give powers to strategic health authorities to insist that primary care trusts outsource and market-test services; and if she will make a statement. | | (33846) | 188
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions she has had on giving strategic health authorities the powers to remove the chief executives and board members of trusts; and if she will make a statement. | | (33847) | 189
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make a statement on the mechanisms for matching medical graduates to training slots in the NHS. | | (34854) | 190
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what rules apply to the length of time that should elapse before a consultant employed by her Department, involved in awarding a contract to a company, can work for that company or receive payment from it; and how such rules are enforced. | | (34855) | 191
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what mechanisms are in place to monitor possible conflicts of interest when commissioning is carried out by a private sector organisation appointed by a tendering mechanism. | | (34856) | 192
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what criteria are used to judge potential conflicts of interest when a company bidding for an NHS contract has an employee who has been engaged or employed by her Department within the past two years; and if she will make a statement. | | (34857) | 193
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of the likely impact of the decision of York and Selby Primary Care Trust to delay referrals of all non-urgent cases for up to six months or more; and if she will make a statement. | | (34517) | 194
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations she has received on the decision of Selby and York NHS Primary Care Trust to delay the treatment of non-urgent cases. | | (34716) | 195
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of the impact on the York Hospital NHS Trust of the cancellation of non-urgent operations; and if she will make a statement. | | (34717) | 196
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the financial situation is of the Selby and York NHS Primary Care Trust. | | (34718) | 197
| Dr Richard Taylor (Wyre Forest):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the oral statement of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health of 15th November 2005, Official Report, column 226WH, on Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust, when she will write to the hon. Member for Wye Forest on trusts that are in the upper quartile in relation to length of stay. | | (34690) | 198
N | Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many letters her Department has received regarding the proposed reconfiguration of Frenchay and Southmead hospitals; and how many of these supported the retention of Frenchay as a major acute hospital site. | | (34205) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 199
| Adam Afriyie (Windsor):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans the Government has to increase the number of UK ports which are manned by immigration staff 24 hours a day. | | (34714) | 200
| Adam Afriyie (Windsor):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures the Government has in place to record people who leave the UK through (a) UK ports, (b) UK airports and (c) the Channel Tunnel. | | (34715) | 201
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) section 18 and (b) section 20 offences were committed in Essex in each year since 2000; and how many convictions were secured in each year. | | (34504) | 202
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effects of taser use on individuals that have been fired at in England and Wales since 2003. | | (34661) | 203
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received from (a) the Police Federation, (b) the Association of Chief Police Officers, (c) Taser International and (d) other interested parties regarding possible changes governing the deployment of tasers. | | (34662) | 204
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his latest estimate is of the (a) one-off and (b) recurring costs associated with the introduction of stand-alone identity cards. | | (34728) | 205
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to evaluate the effectiveness of the Border Management Programme. | | (34729) | 206
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of criminal record checks were completed within (a) one month, (b) two months, (c) three months, (d) six months and (e) one year in (i) 2005-06 and (ii) 2004. | | (34639) | 207
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how priorities are determined in making criminal records checks; what priority schools have; and whether a distinction is made between different types of school. | | (34640) | 208
| Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) role, (b) remit and (c) structure the Preventing Extremism Together working groups will have following the submission of their reports. | | (34583) | 209
| Helen Goodman (Bishop Auckland):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the review of the possible introduction of a scheme to provide compensation for UK victims of terrorism abroad will be completed. | | (34641) | 210
N | Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the likely cost of the proposed police force restructuring (a) in England and Wales and (b) in Gloucestershire. | | (34265) | 211
N | Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how the police force restructuring will be funded. | | (34266) | 212
N | Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the financial payback period for the police force restructuring. | | (34267) | 213
N | Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance his Department has issued to chief constables on the distribution of (a) police officers and (b) resources. | | (34268) | 214
| Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how long it took to process applications for naturalisation in (a) the most recent period for which figures are available, (b) 1997 and (c) 2001; and if he will make a statement. | | (34653) | 215
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of the prison population are serving their first custodial sentence. | | (34423) | 216
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the security implications of internet websites which show disused stations and shafts on the London Underground. | | (34791) | 217
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance on dealing with victims of rape has been given to police forces in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. | | (34802) | 218
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will examine the case of the hon. Member for Shrewsbury's constituent, Mr Steven Shingler, with a view to allowing Mr Shingler's Russian wife to join him in the UK. | | (34582) | 219
N | Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reply to the letter of 10th August from the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham about Mr and Mrs Bloxham of Sompting, West Sussex. | | (34197) | 220
| Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consideration he has given to the inclusion of the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran in the list of proscribed organisations under the Terrorism Acts; whether this list will be reviewed regularly; and if he will make a statement. | | (34563) | 221
| Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 29th November 2005, Question reference 30422, what is the evidential base for his statement that police restructuring should be implemented as quickly as possible. | | (34581) | 222
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on his proposals to restructure the police force in North Yorkshire. | | (34646) | 223
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research he has commissioned on the level of crime committed in South Wales by those based outside Wales in relation to the proposals for merger of police forces in Wales. | | (34486) | 224
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals residing in Scotland have been (a) issued with deportation orders and (b) subject to forced returns to Iraq in each month since May 2003; and if he will make a statement. | | (34737) | 225
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects the pilot scheme on hand-held computers for police officers on the beat to be completed; and if he will make a statement. | | (34495) | 226
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research he has evaluated on the number of people who die as a consequence of police forces not attending an incident in time. | | (34496) | 227
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff were on establishment in the Essex Police Force in each of the last five years. | | (34497) | 228
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which police forces have a policy of visiting every crime. | | (34498) | 229
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what conditions need to be met by a life prisoner to enable him or her to be considered for parole. | | (34499) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 230
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many (a) males and (b) females are employed by the United Nations Population Fund in India; and what their core duties are. | | (34747) | 231
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether the United Nations Population Fund is involved in sex selection abortions in India; and if he will make a statement. | | (34748) | 232
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment was made of the potential to operate feeder services from Ascension Island to St Helena in deciding the optimum size of the proposed airport at St Helena. | | (34113) | 233
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 21st November 2005, Official Report, column 1600W, on St Helena, if he will instruct the government of St Helena to withdraw the requirement for members of the Planning and Development Board to sign the Official Secrets Act on the grounds of disproportionality. | | (34116) | 234
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 9th November 2005, Official Report, column 473W, on the Millenium Development Goals, by how much each of the targets are likely to be achieved or missed. | | (34734) | 235
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government has taken to hasten the release of aid containers for the areas affected by earthquake from retention by Pakistani customs. | | (34542) | 236
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much and what proportion of his Department's spending on bilateral aid has been allocated to (a) Africa, (b) Sub-Saharan Africa, (c) Iraq and (d) Afghanistan in each year since 1997. | | (34842) | 237
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much and what proportion of his Department's spending has been allocated to humanitarian and reconstruction assistance in (a) Africa, (b) Sub-Saharan Africa, (c) Iraq and (d) Afghanistan in each year since 1997. | | (34843) | 238
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps he is taking to encourage the EU to reform its agricultural policies to remove the trade barriers affecting developing countries. | | (34441) | 239
| Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many projects his Department is engaged in; in which developing countries; and at what total cost. | | (34656) | 240
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the development assistance which will be required by Darfur in the next (a) five and (b) 10 years. | | (33848) | 241
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent progress has been made in the relief effort for the areas affected by the Asian tsunami of December 2004; and if he will make a statement. | | (34543) | 242
N | Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer to question 33131, what proportion of the funding for the airstrip on St Helena will be provided by his Department. | | (34409) | Questions to the Leader of the House 243
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Leader of the House, if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government is required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish its response to advice from. | | (34671) | 244
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Leader of the House, which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. | | (34672) | 245
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Leader of the House, which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. | | (34673) | 246
N | Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):To ask the Leader of the House, how many different salary levels may be paid to hon. Members, including those for select and standing committee chairmen; and how many hon. Members are in each band. | | (34264) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 247
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government is required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish its response to advice from. | | (34684) | 248
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. | | (34685) | 249
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. | | (34686) | 250
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the seat belt wearing rate was in each province in Northern Ireland (a) in the last period for which figures are available and (b) in each month since 1990. | | (34754) | 251
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list the gifts received by (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department in each of the last two years for which information is available; what the approximate value was of each; and how many were (i) accepted and (ii) returned. | | (34755) | 252
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list official overseas visits undertaken by officials in his Department, broken down by Directorate, in each year since May 2001; what the cost in cash and real terms was; how many officials attended in each case, broken down by genre; how many official engagements and meetings were undertaken on each visit; and if he will make a statement. | | (34756) | 253
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what his policy is with regard to (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department giving evidence to (i) the Scottish Parliament, (ii) the National Assembly for Wales and (iii) Northern Ireland Assembly committees; and to what categories of document he gives (A) full access, (B) restricted access and (C) no access to (1) the Scottish Parliament, (2) the National Assembly for Wales, (3) Northern Ireland Assembly and (4) House of Commons select committees. | | (34757) | 254
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what (a) building and (b) refurbishment projects are planned by his Department in (i) 2005-06 and (ii) 2006-07; and what the costs will be of each project. | | (34758) | 255
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) letters from hon. Members, (b) letters from members of the public and (c) parliamentary questions from (i) hon. Members and (ii) Members of the House of Lords were dealt with by his Department in each year since 1995; what percentage took more than (A) one month and (B) three months to provide a substantive answer; and if he will make a statement. | | (34759) | 256
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the impact on health inequalities of implementing the proposed ban on smoking in enclosed public places in Northern Ireland. | | (34723) | 257
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of proper ventilation in achieving the aims of the ban on smoking in enclosed public places in Northern Ireland. | | (34727) | 258
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what account the Equality Commission takes of recent recruitment when examining the religious breakdown of the public sector workforce in Northern Ireland. | | (34424) | 259
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what buildings in Northern Ireland are designated as Government buildings for the purposes of flying the Union Flag on designated days; on what date Churchill House was removed as a Government building for that purpose; and what other recent changes have been made to the list of Government buildings so designated. | | (34769) | 260
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which cross-border bodies have put the minutes of their board meetings on their websites; on what date each did so; and what steps are being taken to require those cross-border bodies which did not so publish their minutes to do so. | | (34770) | 261
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to reconstitute the membership of the Ulster Scots Agency Board. | | (34771) | 262
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the decision to establish a sports academy at the University of Ulster has been subject to an equality impact assessment; and if he will make a statement. | | (34607) | 263
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate he has made of the number of individuals aged 16 years and above in the Province with autistic spectrum disorders; and how many of these are estimated to be deemed of school age. | | (34648) | 264
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what provision is made in the Province for those aged 16 years and above who suffer from autistic spectrum disorders. | | (34649) | 265
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people have been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy in the Province in the last five years, broken down by age. | | (34650) | 266
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate he has made of the number of individuals who have travelled from the Province to St George's Hospital in London for (a) assessment and (b) treatment for eating disorders in each of the last five years. | | (34651) | 267
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the National Service Framework recommendations on sudden cardiac death; and what plans he has to implement them in the Province. | | (34652) | 268
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he has taken to assist first time homebuyers in Northern Ireland. | | (34547) | 269
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate he has made of how many cash machines in Northern Ireland charge customers to withdraw money. | | (34548) | 270
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people in Northern Ireland have been prosecuted for driving while not insured in each of the last 10 years, broken down by constituency. | | (34549) | 271
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many schoolchildren in Northern Ireland are (a) eligible for free school meals and (b) in receipt of free school meals, broken down by (i) constituency and (ii) council area. | | (34550) | 272
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average cost was of a school meal in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years, broken down by education and library board. | | (34551) | 273
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to promote apple production in County Armagh. | | (34552) | 274
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people in Northern Ireland under the age of 20 years have been found to have (a) high cholesterol levels, (b) high blood pressure, (c) heart conditions and (d) diabetes in each of the last 10 years. | | (34553) | 275
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to tackle obesity in (a) adults and (b) children in Northern Ireland. | | (34554) | 276
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the cost of home heating oil in Northern Ireland. | | (34555) | 277
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much was allocated to the (a) Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, (b) Northern Ireland Equality Commission, (c) Northern Ireland Parades Commission and (d) Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland in each year since the inception of each. | | (34556) | 278
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the Police Information Technology Organisation's roll out of the Violent Offender and Sex Offender Register in Northern Ireland. | | (34557) | 279
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average waiting time was for a (a) new passport, (b) replacement passport, (c) new full or provisional driving licence and (d) replacement driving licence in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. | | (34558) | 280
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average waiting time is in Northern Ireland for a taxi licence plate to be issued following a successful public service vehicle test. | | (34559) | 281
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) improvement on its predecessor of the Child Support Agency system introduced in 2003. | | (34560) | 282
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he expects Northern Ireland residents on the old Child Support Agency system to be transferred on to the new system. | | (34561) | 283
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what meetings he has had with the Controller of BBC Northern Ireland. | | (34562) | Questions to the Prime Minister 284
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Prime Minister, what the value of his ministerial pension is expected to be at the end of (a) November 2005, (b) December 2005 and (c) December 2006; and if he will make a statement. | | (34810) | 285
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Prime Minister, what the total cost of contributions to his ministerial pension has been since 1997. | | (34811) | 286
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Prime Minister, how much from public funds has been used to fund his ministerial pension in each month since 1997. | | (34812) | 287
N | Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):To ask the Prime Minister, how many salary bands there are for Ministers; and how many Ministers are in each band. | | (34263) | 288
N | Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer to Question 33139, on how many occasions and in what locations he has visited UK military personnel in hospital who have been wounded in Iraq. | | (34410) | Questions to the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission 289
| Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission, when the National Audit Office last examined expenditure on the BBC website. | | (34577) | Questions to the Solicitor General 290
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Solicitor General, how many sentences were challenged for being unduly lenient in each year since 2000; and what the result was in each case. | | (34505) | 291
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Solicitor General, how many United Kingdom cases are awaiting hearing before the European Court of Human Rights. | | (34534) | 292
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Solicitor General, how many statutory instruments introduced by the Law Officers' Department were (a) withdrawn, (b) amended by a further statutory instrument and (c) reprinted because of defective drafting in each Session since 1997; and what steps he (a) is taking and (b) plans to take to prevent further such instances. | | (34535) | 293
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Solicitor General, what training is given to (a) policy officials and (b) lawyers in the Law Officers' Department responsible for drafting statutory instruments; and if he will make a statement. | | (34536) | 294
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Solicitor General, what his policy is with regard to (a) Ministers and (b) officials in the Law Officers' Department giving evidence to the (i) Scottish Parliament, (ii) National Assembly for Wales and (iii) Northern Ireland Assembly committees; and to what categories of document he gives (A) full access, (B) restricted access and (C) no access to the (1) Scottish Parliament, (2) NAW, (3) Northern Ireland Assembly and (4) House of Commons select committees. | | (34537) | 295
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Solicitor General, what (a) building and (b) refurbishment projects are planned by his Department in (i) the current and (ii) the next financial year; and what the estimated costs are of each project. | | (34538) | 296
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Solicitor General, how many (a) letters from hon. Members, (b) letters from members of the public and (c) parliamentary Questions from (i) hon. Members and (ii) Lords were dealt with by the Law Officers' Department in each year since 1995 in respect of what percentage his Department took (A) more than one month and (B) more than three months to provide a substantive answer; and if he will make a statement. | | (34539) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 297
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many (a) households were in fuel poverty and (b) vulnerable households were in fuel poverty in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what proportion each represented of all households in (i) London and (ii) each London borough. | | (34724) | 298
| Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps his Department is taking to encourage women to start their own businesses. | | (34693) | 299
| Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the number of companies with women on their boards. | | (34694) | 300
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which post code areas in Westmorland and Lonsdale do not have access to broadband; and on what date broadband will be available in each of those areas. | | (34128) | 301
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if his Department will ensure that the all post offices that want to provide vehicle licensing services are able to do so; and what plans his Department has to make rural post offices more economically viable. | | (34145) | 302
| Michael Gove (Surrey Heath):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the EU's average applied tariff rate on (a) agricultural and (b) non agricultural imports from the rest of the world was on the last date for which figures are available; and what the average rates would be if the EU's current offer in the World Trade Organisation is accepted. | | (34764) | 303
N | Justine Greening (Putney):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many gerontologists are on the boards of the (a) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and (b) Biotechnology and Biology Science Research Council; and if he will make a statement. | | (34228) | 304
N | Justine Greening (Putney):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much Government funding has been made available for the Biotechnology and Biology Science Research Council programme of Experimental Research on Ageing Programme for the years 2002 to 2005; if he will list the (a) organisations and (b) projects to which grants have been made in each year; and if he will make a statement. | | (34233) | 305
N | Justine Greening (Putney):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether he has made an assessment of the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report Ageing: Scientific Aspects, published on 21st July; and if he will make a statement. | | (34411) | 306
| Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many ventures have been backed by the South West Regional Venture Capital Fund; and what funds have been committed. | | (34420) | 307
N | Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, for what reasons it was decided to exclude the financial information regarding student loans from data sharing arrangements between financial institutions. | | (34120) | 308
| Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the retirement age for existing public sector workers will remain at 60 years. | | (34655) | 309
| Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of 8th November 2005, Official Report, column 296W, on the national minimum wage, whether the 1.3 million figure quoted for those benefiting from the increase in the minimum wage refers to (a) individuals and (b) jobs. | | (34642) | 310
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on current coal production in the United Kingdom. | | (34796) | 311
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent assessment he has made of coal-powered power stations' emissions. | | (34797) | 312
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on integrated gasification combined cycle power stations. | | (34798) | 313
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the use of clean coal technology. | | (34799) | 314
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent (a) discussions he has had and (b) representations he has received about flue gas desulphurisation at existing power stations. | | (34800) | 315
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many claims for vibration white finger have been (a) processed and (b) settled in each year of the scheme. | | (34801) | 316
N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, who will chair the Energy Review; when it will deliver its preliminary findings; whether they will be published; when he expects it will be completed; and when he expects its findings to be made public. | | (34181) | 317
N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will seek a cross-party consensus on the recommendations of the Energy Review before they are published. | | (34182) | 318
N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the Energy Review will consider (a) the (i) level and (ii) targeting of research and development funding in the energy sector and (b) the role of (A) Government and (B) Ofgem in ensuring (1) security of supply, (2) affordable energy and (3) progress towards environmental targets. | | (34183) | 319
N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether his Department plans to publish a White Paper following completion of the Energy Review; how representations should be made to the Review; whether there will be public hearings; and whether the Review will consider the (a) operation of energy markets and (b) incentives for long-term investment in the energy sector. | | (34184) | 320
| Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action the Government plans to take at the World Trade Organisation talks in Hong Kong to ensure fair treatment for the world's poorest farmers. | | (34501) | 321
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether steps are being taken by the Government to prevent profit-taking by third parties with no obligations under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. | | (34647) | 322
N | Mr Jim McGovern (Dundee West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what regulations the Government plans to implement to transpose the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive 2002/96/EC into domestic law; and when he will publish such regulations. | | (34119) | 323
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on liberalisation of the energy market in the EU. | | (34644) | 324
N | John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, in how many miners' hearing loss claims his Department has paid for more than one medical examination. | | (34208) | 325
N | John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much has been paid in medical costs under the miners' compensation scheme (a) in total and (b) in hearing loss claims; and in respect of how many claims in each case. | | (34209) | 326
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will take steps to recover from solicitors monies paid from the public purse following the judicial ruling of October in the case of Walker v UK Coal. | | (34863) | 327
| John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many hearing loss claims involving Vendside Ltd have been (a) registered and (b) paid out since the beginning of the Summer Parliamentary Recess 2005. | | (34867) | 328
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what guidance he has issued to successor companies to British Coal on their position under exemptions in relation to restoring open cast coal working on their sites. | | (34484) | 329
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what level of bond operators of open cast sites are required to hold to enable restoration of sites to be carried out. | | (34488) | 330
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the impact on former coal areas of British Coal being exempt from providing restoration bonds since it was privatised. | | (34489) | 331
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will increase maternity payments to adopters in line with those paid to natural parents. | | (34490) | 332
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has made within the EU on banning the import of cat and dog fur from China into the EU. | | (34605) | 333
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether he plans to ban the import of cat and dog fur from China; and what penalties he has power to impose on those found to have breached such a ban. | | (34606) | 334
| Paul Rowen (Rochdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what research the Department is funding into clean coal; and if he will make a statement. | | (34636) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 335
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) morning and (b) afternoon or evening (i) peak number of trains, (ii) number of passengers, (iii) number of passengers in excess capacity and (iv) proportion and total number of passengers in excess capacity was for each of the last five years for each train operating company service to and from London terminals. | | (34725) | 336
| Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding the Government is providing to improve the condition of Bedfordshire's road network; and if he will make a statement. | | (34450) | 337
| Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding the Government will provide to support the delivery of the Bedfordshire Local Transport Plan for 2006-07 to 2010-11; and if he will make a statement. | | (34483) | 338
| Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funds the Government has allocated to (a) road maintenance and (b) improvement of the road network in Bedfordshire in the next three years; and if he will make a statement. | | (34502) | 339
| Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) pedestrians, (b) cyclists, (c) drivers and (d) car occupants were (i) injured and (ii) killed in road accidents in Lancashire in each of the last six years for which figures are available. | | (34520) | 340
N | Justine Greening (Putney):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the Department's latest estimate is of the projected costs of the Crossrail project, broken down by (a) central government funding and (b) London-generated funding; what assessment he has made of the local government funding mechanisms that might be used to raise London-generated funds; and if he will make a statement. | | (34262) | 341
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11th October 2005, Official Report, column 242W, on rail services, what the timetable is for (a) the publication of the results of the South West Trains route utilisation strategy and (b) public consultation; and if he will make a statement. | | (34850) | 342
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on capacity on the rail freight network. | | (34692) | 343
| Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the effect is of an individual having obstructive sleep apnoea on their eligibility for (a) a driving licence and (b) an heavy goods vehicle licence. | | (34451) | 344
| Paul Rowen (Rochdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average age is of the rolling stock of each of the heavy rail franchises; and whether the new contracts include plans to replace old rolling stock. | | (34637) | 345
| Paul Rowen (Rochdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on his plans to regulate bus services outside the London area. | | (34638) | 346
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the impact of the returned rolling stock to the c2c Fenchurch Street line on the availability of seats for commuters entering the line at Benfleet Station; and if he will make a statement. | | (34818) | 347
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the return of rolling stock to the c2c Fenchurch Street line; and when stock will be available to commuters. | | (34819) | 348
N | Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what financial value is placed by his Department on the saving of a human life for the purposes of undertaking cost-benefit anlysis of transport projects. | | (34335) | Questions to the Minister for Women and Equality 349
N | Mr Jim McGovern (Dundee West):To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, whether the provision of student loans for postgraduate students will be covered by the clauses of the Equality Bill on age discrimination. | | (33959) | 350
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, what steps she is taking to assist women in reaching more senior positions on company boards. | | (34645) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 351
| Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Minister for Women on the future of women's pensions. | | (34635) | 352
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total cost of (a) the basic state pension, (b) state second pension and (c) pension credits was in the last year for which figures are available; what percentage of gross domestic product that figure represents; and what the projected figures are in each case for (i) 2010, (ii) 2020, (iii) 2030, (iv) 2040 and (v) 2050. | | (34787) | 353
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the total costs in 2004-05 of (a) basic state pension, (b) second state pension and (c) other benefits paid to UK pensioners in other countries of the European Union. | | (34788) | 354
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate expenditure on state pensions with the winter fuel allowance and pension credit being abolished, state second pension being retained and the basic state pension being raised to the level of the guaranteed credit and increased in line with earnings thereafter for (a) 2006, (b) 2010, (c) 2020, (d) 2030, (e) 2040 and (f) 2050 as a percentage of gross domestic product. | | (34789) | 355
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate expenditure on state pensions with the winter fuel and pension credit being abolished, state second pension being abolished and the basic state pension being raised to the level of the guaranteed credit and increased in line with earnings thereafter for (a) 2006, (b) 2010, (c) 2020, (d) 2030, (e) 2040 and (f) 2050 as a percentage of gross domestic product. | | (34848) | 356
N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in respect of how many (a) new scheme, new computer, (b) old scheme, new computer, (c) old scheme, old computer and (d) backlogged child support cases the Child Support Agency has no record of the address of the non-resident parent. | | (34143) | 357
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with (a) Ofgem, (b) the Health and Safety Commission and (c) the Council of Registered Gas Installers on the proposals from the Health and Safety Commission in 2000 for a levy on the gas industry to fund (i) a watchdog to promote carbon monoxide awareness and (ii) equipment for gas emergency services to test for carbon monoxide; and if he will make a statement. | | (34746) | 358
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the terms of reference were for the research carried out by the Health and Safety Executive in relation to the risks of exposure to asbestos when removing textured coatings; and if he will make a statement. | | (34767) | 359
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will ask the Health and Safety Executive to carry out further tests on the proposed new methods of work when undertaking the removal of textured coatings to assess the risk of exposure to asbestos before taking a decision on whether to remove textured coatings from the list that only licensed contractors are able to remove. | | (34768) | 360
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the minimum income guarantee was for pensioners in each of the five years before it was replaced; and what the value of the pension credit has been in each year since its inception. | | (34491) | 361
| Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received about improving the pension provision of women who have stayed at home to bring up their children; and if he will make a statement. | | (34433) | 362
| Chris Huhne (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of mean average earnings the single person's basic state pension represented in each year since the link between uprating and earnings was broken. | | (34643) | 363
| Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, why the automated response on the (a) income support and (b) incapacity benefit telephone helpline was in Welsh only on 30th November. | | (34596) | 364
N | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 26th September. | | (34240) | 365
N | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it is the Government's policy for the Child Support Agency to give priority in a financial settlement to the children of a new partnership where the father is not the biological parent over the children of his original marriage. | | (34241) | 366
| Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people living in (a) Wakefield and (b) Hemsworth constituency (i) left and (ii) joined the register of persons in receipt of incapacity benefit in the last 10 years. | | (34668) | 367
| Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of people in each (a) parliamentary constituency in England and (b) English local authority area are in receipt of incapacity benefit. | | (34669) | 368
| Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people living in (a) the Wakefield area and (b) Hemsworth constituency were in receipt of incapacity benefit in each of the last 10 years. | | (34670) | 369
N | Hywel Williams (Caernarfon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time taken is for (a) callback and (b) interview under the Customer Management System for customers who contact Jobcentre Plus through the medium of (i) Welsh and (ii) English; and what the average time taken was in each of the last three months. | | (34172) | 370
| Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what percentage of pensioners in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Scotland are (i) entitled to and (ii) receiving one or more of pension credit, council tax benefit and housing benefit; and if he will make a statement. | | (34738) | 371
| Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what percentage of pensioners in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Scotland have levels of income which are above the level of entitlement to pension credit by (i) £5, (ii) £10 and (iii) £20; and if he will make a statement. | | (34739) | 372
| Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people claiming pension credit have (a) enrolled with Jobcentre Plus services, (b) joined welfare-to work programmes and (c) moved into work with Jobcentre Plus support in (i) the UK, (ii) England, (iii) Wales and (iv) Scotland; and if he will make a statement. | | (34740) | 373
| Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people aged over 50 years claimed jobseeker's allowance (JSA) in (a) 2001-02, (b) 2002-03, (c) 2003-04 and (d) 2004-05, broken down by region; what percentage in each region (i) remained on JSA, (ii) found work, (iii) moved on to income support and (iv) moved on to incapacity benefit in each year; and if he will make a statement. | | (34741) | 374
| Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people aged over 50 years who claimed jobseeker's allowance (JSA) were eligible for the New Deal 50 Plus in (a) 2001-02, (b) 2002-03, (c) 2003-04 and (d) 2004-05, broken down by region; what percentage in each region (i) remained on JSA, (ii) found work, (iii) moved onto income support and (iv) moved onto incapacity benefit in each year; and if he will make a statement. | | (34742) | 375
| Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people aged over 50 years participated in New Deal 50 Plus in (a) 2001-02, (b) 2002-03, (c) 2003-04 and (d) 2004-05, broken down by region; what percentage in each year (i) remained on jobseeker's allowance, (ii) found work, (iii) moved onto income support and (iv) moved onto incapacity benefit in each year; and if he will make a statement. | | (34743) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 376
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many infant deaths there were in the UK in (a) the latest year for which records exist and (b) each of the preceding three years; and what the rate per 10,000 was for the last four years for which figures are available. | | [Transferred] (34688) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 377
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessments are required to be conducted prior to an agreement being reached for the diversion of a river to enable the extension of open cast mining; and what ongoing monitoring of river quality is then required. | | [Transferred] (34485) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 378
| Colin Challen (Morley & Rothwell):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will require local authorities to follow the example of Woking Borough Council in reducing energy consumption. | | [Transferred] (34481) | 379
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will introduce a requirement that the pharmaceutical industry use a completely non-animal method to confirm the potency of finished products containing botulinum toxin; and if she will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (34766) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 380
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what prosecutions of abattoirs for breaches of legislation on standards of hygiene have (a) taken place and (b) succeeded in each year since 1985 in which proceedings are complete. | | [Transferred] (34597) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 381
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment he has made of the availability to children of newspapers and magazines in retail stores that contain sexually explicit material. | | [Transferred] (34795) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 382
| Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans he has to take forward the Africa Commission's work on Ethiopia; what account he will take in his plans of (a) the participation of President Meles Zenawi, (b) the killing of demonstrators in Ethiopia by Ethiopian security forces and (c) the detention without charge of demonstrators; what plans he has to promote good governance in Ethiopia; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (34519) |
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