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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Friday 3 March 2006
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Friday 3 March 2006
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Friday 3 March 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 3 March of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Friday 3 March see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 1
| Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the relocation plans for the London site of the Office for National Statistics meet the requirements of the impact assessment conducted under the terms of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. | | (56507) | 2
| Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what funds have been allocated by the Department for (a) redundancy, (b) relocation, (c) recruitment, (d) training and (e) travel costs in connection with the relocation of Office for National Statistics London-based staff. | | (56508) | 3
| Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether options to retain skilled London-based staff were considered when deciding on the relocation of staff from the Office for National Statistics. | | (56509) | 4
| Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Office for National Statistics has spent on modernisation in the last five years; and what assessment has been made of the impact of such modernisation. | | (56510) | 5
| Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate the Office for National Statistics has made of the number of people it requires to deliver key outcomes in (a) 2006 and (b) 2007; and at what (i) grades, (ii) salary and (iii) sites. | | (56511) | 6
N | Mr Stephen Byers (North Tyneside):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of (a) the percentage of those entitled to claim child benefit who do not do so and (b) the amount that went unclaimed in each of the last five years. | | (56160) | 7
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in Northern Ireland he estimates have completed their Inland Revenue annual returns via the internet in each of the last five years. | | (56167) | 8
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many births there were to women resident in the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority (a) in maternity hospitals, (b) in midwife-led units, (c) at home and (d) at other locations in each year since 2000. | | (56404) | 9
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the population of each (a) Lancashire constituency and (b) Ribble Valley ward was according to (i) figures from the 2001 Census, (ii) the most recent electoral rolls and (iii) the most recent figures for health service users; and what projections he has made for the next five years. | | (55882) | 10
| Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies which report to him. | | (56545) | 11
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average life expectancy is for people in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland. | | (56418) | Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 12
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, from what date and for what reason it became the practice that Ministers Without Portfolio no longer answer written questions. | | (55796) | 13
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what properties are held by his Department; and what the (a) square footage and (b) purpose to which the property is being put is in each case. | | (55798) | 14
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, when the Office of the Civil Service Commissioners will (a) acknowledge and (b) answer the e-mail of 21st January 2006 from Mr Michael Canton, a constituent of the hon. Member for Yeovil. | | (56389) | Questions to the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners 15
N | Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside):To ask the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will list th (a) companies and (b) countries to which the Church's policy on disinvestment is being applied. | | (55696) | 16
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a statement on the policy on Isreal of the Ethical Investment Advisory Group of the Church of England. | | (56241) | Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 17
| Mr Philip Dunne (Ludlow):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what representations she has received from citizens advice bureaux in (a) England and (b) Shropshire on the decision of the Legal Services Commission to withdraw funding for specialist advice on complex cases. | | (56265) | 18
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many decisions to hold a coroners' post-mortem have resulted in delays to the release of bodies to (a) Jewish, (b) Muslim and (c) Hindu families living in Lancashire such that funerals have not been possible within 24 hours in each of the last five years. | | (55881) | 19
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if she will place in the Library the correspondence exchanged in the period June to September 2004 between the Head of Information Policy and Legislation Unit, National Archives and (a) the Deputy Information Commissioner and (b) the Assistant Information Commissioner, on (i) access to Census records under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and (ii) 1911 Census records. | | (56518) | 20
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if she will list the dates of the meetings held since 1st January 2005 between (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department and representatives of the Information Commissioner's Office; where each meeting was held; who attended on each occasion; and if she will make a statement. | | (56519) | 21
| Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if she will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) her Department and (ii) public bodies which report to the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs. | | (56533) | 22
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what estimate she has made of the cost to the burial authorities of testing the safety of headstones in the last five years. | | (56388) | 23
| Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 27th February 2006, Official Report, column 110W, on cemetery safety, under what legal authority burial authorities test private cemetery memorials; what penalties are imposed on burial authorities which do not check the safety of memorials; and what percentage of burial authorities have not yet taken steps to check memorials. | | (56459) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 24
| Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 19th December 2005, Official Report, columns 2532-3W, on the Licensing Act, what the current position is regarding a councillor who has made a representation on a licensing application on his own behalf as a resident attending and speaking at a licensing committee on that application. | | (56432) | 25
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many addresses in the UK are on the database of TV Licensing as having a television set on the premises. | | (56414) | 26
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent representations she has received from local authorities concerning decisions by magistrates on the awarding of costs in cases considered under the Licensing Act 2003. | | (56331) | 27
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many appeals of refusals to grant licences by local authorities under the Licensing Act 2003 have been considered by magistrates' courts; how many have been upheld; and on how many occasions costs have been awarded against the local authority. | | (56332) | 28
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which of the stadium venues for this year's football World Cup she has visited. | | (56344) | 29
| Ian Lucas (Wrexham):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the community radio licences which have been granted in England and Wales following the enactment of the Communications Act 2003. | | (56525) | 30
| Ian Lucas (Wrexham):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the proportion of television viewers in (a) the UK, (b) Wales and (c) Wrexham with satellite television. | | (56526) | 31
N | Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent representations she has received from voluntary groups on the Licensing Act 2003. | | (56172) | 32
| Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by her Department. | | (56534) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 33
N | Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 6th February 2006, Official Report, column 836W, on the Territorial Army, how many of those specialists that have reported for mobilisation more than once in the past five years have been deployed more than once in the last three years. | | (56067) | 34
N | Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27th February 2006, Official Report, column 19W, on infantry deployments, if he will list the (a) deployments and (b) length of time between deployments for each company in those battalions that have been deployed more than once in the past five years. | | (56068) | 35
N | Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the recruitment figures for each of the Scottish infantry regiments were for each month in 2005; and how many of those who completed their training went to the regiment of their choice. | | (55909) | 36
N | Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the recruitment targets were for each division of infantry (a) as at 1st January 2003 and (b) in each quarterly since January 2003; and what percentage of the targets have been met. | | (55910) | 37
N | Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the results were of the brand recognition survey of Scottish infantry regiments; and what the recognition rates were within (a) the city of Dundee and (b) the counties of (i) Angus, (ii) Fife and (iii) Perthshire. | | (55911) | 38
N | Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department has had with the Scottish Executive on the decision to amalgamate the Scottish regiments. | | (55912) | 39
| Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies which report to him. | | (56535) | 40
| Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost was of maintaining winter sport teams for each of the services in the last three years. | | (56450) | 41
| Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which UK ports are being adapted to accommodate nuclear submarine berths. | | (56451) | 42
| Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what research and development work is being undertaken by his Department on landmines; and if he will make a statement. | | (56452) | 43
| Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many munitions containing depleted uranium were deployed by UK forces in Iraq in (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004. | | (56462) | 44
| Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of whether the use of munitions containing depleted uranium in Iraq has contributed to an increase in uranium levels in other countries. | | (56463) | 45
| Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what criteria the Department used in taking the decision on how to treat Child Support Agency claims on service personnel in relation to deduction of earnings. | | (56481) | 46
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many servicemen have been (a) killed and (b) seriously injured as a result of attacks on Warrior vehicles in each of the last five years. | | (56387) | 47
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British servicemen have been (a) killed and (b) injured in Iraq as a result of attacks on military vehicles since the start of the conflict; and how many of those injured in such attacks were discharged from the armed forces as a result of their injuries. | | (56421) | 48
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British soldiers were (a) killed and (b) seriously injured in Iraq when travelling in (i) armoured and (ii) unarmoured Land Rovers. | | (56465) | 49
| Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of warship numbers to meet the tasks of the Fleet. | | (56445) | 50
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether, following his meeting with the French Defence Minister, consideration is being given to the possible purchase of the Rafale Aircraft as an option to equip the proposed new aircraft carriers; and if he will make a statement. | | (56498) | 51
N | Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Meteorological Office has changed the date on which spring is recognised as beginning. | | (55751) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 52
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what proportion of new social housing is (a) built to and (b) easily adapted to the high wheelchair standard. | | (56285) | 53
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many local authorities maintain an accessible housing register. | | (56286) | 54
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate his Department has made of the carbon dioxide emissions resulting from (a) new house-building and (b) the retrofitting and reuse of buildings; and if he will make a statement. | | (55797) | 55
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment his Department has made of the population growth and immigration assumptions used in the Barker Report on future housing needs. | | (55695) | 56
| Mr Fraser Kemp (Houghton & Washington East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether he plans to review the legislation which introduced directly elected mayors. | | (56359) | 57
| Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies which report to him. | | (56542) | 58
| Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many empty homes there were in Suffolk in each year since 1997. | | (56361) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 59
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which Sector Skills Councils are (a) fully compliant, (b) in the process of being compliant and (c) not compliant with their licence obligations as to the proportion of private sector funding they receive; and if she will make a statement on action she is taking to achieve such compliance. | | (56244) | 60
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on developments during the recent British EU Presidency in meeting the five education and skills benchmarks under the Lisbon goals. | | (56324) | 61
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on recent international initiatives involving her Department, with particular reference to (a) India, (b) China and (c) Africa. | | (56325) | 62
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what (a) secretariat and (b) follow-up resources her Department has provided toward implementation of commitments made under the Bologna Process. | | (56336) | 63
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what progress her Department has made in consultation with professional interests in improving the transparency and recognition of learning outcomes (a) within the EU and (b) in the wider international community. | | (56337) | 64
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if her Department will revise the education maintenance allowance criteria to include students who are an academic year in advance of their peers. | | (56410) | 65
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students under the age of 16 years who have entered further education a year in advance have (a) applied for and (b) been granted the education maintenance allowance. | | (56411) | 66
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of the total numbers undertaking (a) engineering, (b) construction, (c) motor industry, (d) plumbing and (e) electro-technical sector (i) Advanced and (ii) Foundation Modern Apprenticeships in England in 2005 were women. | | (56269) | 67
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many women applied for scientific and technical positions in (a) Advanced and (b) Foundation Modern Apprenticeships in the latest period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. | | (56270) | 68
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many men undertook Modern Apprenticeship courses in (a) early years care and (b) education in the latest period for which figures are available. | | (56271) | 69
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans her Department has to increase the number of women undertaking Modern Apprenticeships in 2006. | | (56272) | 70
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many heavy vehicle fitting apprenticeships were available in England in (a) 2003, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005. | | (56274) | 71
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if her Department will assess the merits of extending the age limit to 24 years for Modern Apprenticeships. | | (56275) | 72
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps her Department is taking to provide careers advice for older workers looking to retrain. | | (56276) | 73
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) boys and (b) girls in England gained five or more GCSE grades A* to C in each of the last three years. | | (56425) | 74
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many girls undertook GCSE courses in England in 2005; and what proportion did not achieve a graded result. | | (56426) | 75
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what guidance her Department issues to encourage more girls to undertake A Level science subjects. | | (56427) | 76
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) girls and (b) boys undertook A Level physics in each of the last four years; what assessment she has made of the reasons for the difference in takeup of such courses between boys and girls; and if she will make a statement. | | (56428) | 77
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on the Skills Passport scheme. | | (56429) | 78
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on the Employer Training Pilot programmes. | | (56430) | 79
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many and what proportion of pupils achieved (a) five GCSEs A*-C and (b) GCSEs A*-C including English and mathematics in grammar schools which were (i) community schools, (ii) foundation schools, (iii) voluntary aided schools and (iv) voluntary controlled (A) with and (B) without a specialism in the last year for which figures are available. | | (56474) | 80
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps her Department has taken to raise awareness of identity fraud amongst its staff. | | (55883) | 81
| Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when she will reply to the letter to her dated 19th January from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Labour Party branches. | | (56257) | 82
| Mr Sadiq Khan (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what research she has conducted into under-achievement in schools by ethnic minority pupils. | | (56442) | 83
| Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) her Department and (ii) agencies which report to her. | | (56536) | 84
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps her Department is taking to provide counselling services to young people. | | (56422) | 85
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much has been spent on counselling services in schools in each of the last 10 years. | | (56423) | 86
| Anne Snelgrove (South Swindon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which schools in South Swindon have received grants for improving school food; and how much each received. | | (56553) | 87
| Anne Snelgrove (South Swindon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which local authorities have received a targeted school meals grant; and how much each received. | | (56555) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 88
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people were employed in the Pesticides Safety Directorate in each of the last 12 months; and how many vacancies there were in each month. | | (56424) | 89
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will extend the range of health issues dealt with by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides. | | (56345) | 90
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will require the Advisory Committee on Pesticides to publish full statements of their deliberations. | | (56346) | 91
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received on the administration of the Single Farm Payments Scheme in Lancashire. | | (55884) | 92
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reasons (a) chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis and (b) multiple chemical sensitivity are not included in the Advisory Committee on Pesticides' risk assessment process when setting exposure limits for pesticides and other environmental chemicals. | | (56327) | 93
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will take steps to create a tool to allow advisory committees to deal consistently with risk assessment. | | (56328) | 94
| Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answers of 8th February 2006, Official Report, columns 1285-6W, on departmental transport; what further steps the Department is taking to stop IBM contractors parking in residential roads in light of IBM contractors ignoring the site-wide notice. | | (56496) | 95
| Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answers of 2nd February 2006, Official Report, column 630W, on IBM Guildford, if she will place in the Library a copy of the official representations made to IBM. | | (56497) | 96
| Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) her Department and (ii) agencies which report to her. | | (56537) | 97
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what compensation is provided for farmers on farms contaminated by radioactive fallout from Chernobyl who cannot move or sell their sheep for human consumption. | | (56367) | 98
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effect of radioactive contamination from Chernobyl on the market value of the farms where restrictions still apply; and if she will make a statement. | | (56368) | 99
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the average farm income for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. | | (55648) | 100
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will increase the amount of compensation payable for premium cattle which have contracted TB to standard compensation level; and if she will make a statement. | | (55649) | 101
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the basis is of the calculation of the Natural Reserve; and if she will make a statement. | | (55650) | 102
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects this year's single payment will be made to farmers; and if she will make a statement. | | (55651) | 103
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effects of the ban on burning carcases; and if she will make a statement. | | (55652) | 104
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many miles of permissible bridleways exist under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme; how she expects this figure to alter by the end of the scheme; and if she will make a statement. | | (56514) | 105
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to provide a second TB test for farmers whose cattle have tested positive to the TB reactor test and are prepared to pay for a further test. | | (55885) | 106
| Dr Gavin Strang (Edinburgh East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which institution carried out each piece of research commissioned by her Department into the effectiveness and reliability of varietal genetic use restriction technologies; what the expected duration of the work was in each case; and if she will place a copy of the report of each project in the Library. | | (56443) | 107
| David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps have been taken since 1997 to promote the use of reusable nappies amongst new parents. | | (56453) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 108
N | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his Department's policy is regarding the deadline of the end of 2006 set by the EU Presidency for Turkey to recognise Cyprus. | | (56066) | 109
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of Chinese-Venezuelan relations; whether he has received representations from Venezuela concerning oil export policies; and if he will make a statement. | | (56264) | 110
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on licensing commercial flights between St Helena and Ascension Island if the former were to build an airport. | | (56563) | 111
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on granting licences for commercial ventures on Ascension Island. | | (56564) | 112
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss with the Pakistani authorities the progress made in recovering foreign nationals from madrassas in Pakistan. | | (56347) | 113
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the (i) use of torture and (ii) number of political prisoners in Tibet; and if he will make a statement. | | (56527) | 114
| Mr Doug Henderson (Newcastle upon Tyne North):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) estimate his Department has made and (b) authoritative estimate his Department has received on the value of (i) poppy growth to the farming community in Afghanistan and (ii) the trade based on poppy farming to the Afghan economy. | | (56466) | 115
N | Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what response he has received to the representations he made to the Israeli Government in November 2005 concerning the anti-semitic harassment of the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, by an Israeli official at Tel-Aviv airport. | | (55795) | 116
N | Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to allow British Overseas Territories to veto the choice of governor appointed by the UK Government. | | (55880) | 117
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that all representatives of British overseas territories are able to place a wreath on the Cenotaph on Remembrance Day. | | (56503) | 118
N | Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made in the Royal Gibraltar Police's investigation into the complaint that officers of the Gibraltar Services Police unlawfully removed papers from the premises of the Transport and General Workers Union in Gibraltar; and if he will make a statement. | | (56159) | 119
| Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies which report to him. | | (56538) | 120
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans have been presented to the UN Security Council regarding the (a) size and nature and (b) mandate of a UN mission to Darfur; and if he will make a statement. | | (56439) | 121
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the UK's contribution to the planned UN mission to Darfur; and if he will make a statement. | | (56440) | 122
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the African Union mission on (a) the security situation in Darfur and (b) the activities of the Janjaweed; and if he will make a statement. | | (56441) | 123
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) (i) members and (ii) representatives of the government of Sudan, (b) leaders of African Union States and (c) members of the UN Security Council on the planned handover of the African Union mission to Darfur to the United Nations; and if he will make a statement. | | (56468) | 124
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what contingency plans have been drawn up by the United Nations for the planned handover of the African Union mission to Darfur to the United Nations; and if he will make a statement. | | (56469) | 125
| David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many meetings officials in his Department have had with their counterparts in the Defence Export Services Organisation at the Ministry of Defence since 18th March 2003. | | (56322) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 126
| Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment has been made of the maximum waiting time for an NHS inpatient operation. | | (56467) | 127
| Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15th February 2006, Official Report, column 2110W, on colon cancer, when the bowel screening programme as described in paragraph 4.64 of the Health White Paper, Our Health, Our Care, Our Say, will be fully operational; what the timetable is for the implementation of this programme from April 2006; what proportion of the population aged 58 to 69 years will have a test made available to them; what plans she has to extend the programme to people aged 50 to 58 years; and how many screening centres are to be established to support the programme. | | (56552) | 128
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people are working in (a) the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority and (b) Southport and Ormskirk Hospital Trust; how many were working in each (i) in October 2005 and (ii) at its inception; and what the associated staff costs were for each organisation in each case. | | (56401) | 129
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether further ward closures are planned at Southport and Ormskirk Hospital Trust sites in the next 12 months. | | (56402) | 130
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average percentage level of bed utilisation was in (a) Southport and Ormskirk Hospital Trust and (b) all acute hospitals in the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority area in the last period for which figures are available. | | (56403) | 131
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what clinical negligence payments were made by hospitals trusts within the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority in 2004-05. | | (56405) | 132
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many successful clinical negligence claims were made against hospitals trusts in the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority in 2004-05. | | (56406) | 133
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the financial position is of each hospital in the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority. | | (56407) | 134
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding was allocated to stoma services in (a) England and (b) West Lancashire between 1997 and 2005. | | (56408) | 135
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much and what percentage of the NHS budget was spent on stoma services in the last year for which figures are available. | | (56409) | 136
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps her Department is taking to address the financial deficit of Southport and Ormskirk Hospital Trust. | | (56512) | 137
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate she has made of the likely number of posts to be (a) made redundant and (b) restructured in (i) the Southport and Ormskirk Hospital Trust and (ii) each other hospital in the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority if mergers are implemented. | | (56557) | 138
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate she has made of the likely cost of redundancies in (a) Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority and (b) primary care trusts within Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority as a result of planned hospital mergers. | | (56558) | 139
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what date the interim chief executive posts for the new strategic health authorities are planned (a) to become operational and (b) to end. | | (56559) | 140
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what job descriptions her Department has produced for the interim chief executive post of the new strategic health authorities. | | (56560) | 141
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the appointments of the interim chief executive posts for the new strategic health authorities were announced. | | (56561) | 142
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will take steps to introduce the use of colloidal silver as the standard treatment for MRSA infections. | | (56242) | 143
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what public consultation measures primary care trusts are obliged to carry out prior to the changes to dental commissioning due to the change of contract in April 2006; and if she will make a statement. | | (56520) | 144
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make a statement on the availability of NHS dentists in Hampshire. | | (56521) | 145
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS dentists there were in each (a) local authority area and (b) primary care trust in Hampshire in (i) 1997, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2005. | | (56522) | 146
| Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make a statement on plans to extend services provided by (a) community hospitals and (b) health centres in the area covered by the Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority. | | (56246) | 147
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discretion her Department has to waive penalty charges imposed where a patient has incorrectly claimed an exemption from prescription charges. | | (55693) | 148
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what part of her Department is responsible for establishing if a prescription charge exemption has been claimed incorrectly and for imposing appropriate penalties. | | (55694) | 149
| Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations she has received from adult and childrens' hospices on funding; and if she will make a statement. | | (56513) | 150
| Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children in (a) the Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority area and (b) the Greater Peterborough Primary Care Partnership area have been diagnosed with cerebral palsy in the last five years. | | (56577) | 151
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will provide additional funding to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital to tackle MRSA. | | (56504) | 152
| Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) her Department and (ii) agencies which report to her. | | (56539) | 153
| Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate she has made of the number of people immunised against hepatitis B since 1988 who have subsequently suffered from (a) chronic fatigue syndrome, (b) multiple sclerosis and (c) rheumatoid arthritis. | | (56363) | 154
| Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate she has made of the number of people working in the NHS immunised against hepatitis B since 1988 in each of the categories recommended by the NHS who have subsequently suffered from (a) chronic fatigue syndrome, (b) multiple sclerosis and (c) rheumatoid arthritis. | | (56364) | 155
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make a statement on the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's draft guidelines on prescribing Aricept, Exelon, Reminyl and Ebixa for the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. | | (56240) | 156
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research she has commissioned on the main health factors affecting differences in life expectancy in different regions. | | (56419) | 157
| Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent on works of art by NHS organisations in Suffolk in each of the past five years. | | (56360) | 158
| Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the numbers of obese patients held on registers by general practitioners under the provisions of the new General Medical Services Contract will be collected centrally; and whether she intends to collect information on the numbers and percentages of such patients who are given advice, counselling, treatment or appropriate referrals by those practices. | | (56460) | 159
| Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of the merits of rewarding practices covered by the General Medical Services contract for offering patients advice on weight loss and management. | | (56461) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 160
| Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is his policy to make details of protocols employed by his Office for the clinical governance of medical and dental services provided at detention centres for asylum seekers available under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. | | (56505) | 161
| Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with (a) the Healthcare Commission and (b) the National Patient Safety Agency on clinical governance and monitoring of the quality of medical services commissioned by his Department in detention centres for asylum seekers. | | (56506) | 162
| Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will re-examine the law on anonymity prior to conviction with respect to individuals who are the subject of allegations of sex offences. | | (56384) | 163
| Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent representations he has received from members of the public wrongly accused of sex offences with regard to anonymity prior to conviction. | | (56385) | 164
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what provision is available in the Stroud constituency to deal with domestic violence. | | (56329) | 165
| Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding was provided to Dorset police in relation to the introduction of the Licensing Act 2003; and what period this covered. | | (56238) | 166
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his policy is on the coterminosity of probation areas with (a) police basic command units, (b) local authorities, (c) Crown Prosecution Service areas and (d) magistrates' courts areas of jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement. | | (56457) | 167
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he plans to start the consultation process on the amalgamation of probation areas. | | (56458) | 168
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what provisions are contained in the National Offender Management Service's 5 Year Strategy for the introduction of outside suppliers of probation services; what the planned (a) budget and (b) timetable is for the introduction of such suppliers; and whether he plans to introduce such suppliers without primary legislation. | | (56499) | 169
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he last met the German Interior Minister to discuss measures designed to prevent hooliganism by English fans at this year's World Cup. | | (56338) | 170
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many meetings he has had with the German Interior Minister since the German election to discuss the potential for hooliganism at this year's World Cup by English fans. | | (56339) | 171
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he plans to introduce new legislative measures to combat potential hooliganism from English fans at this year's football World Cup. | | (56341) | 172
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has visited stadia to be used for this year's football World Cup in Germany to discuss security and combating hooliganism. | | (56342) | 173
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he proposes to take to prevent known English football hooligans from travelling to Germany for this year's football World Cup. | | (56343) | 174
| Mr Eric Illsley (Barnsley Central):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the Intelligence Management Prioritisation Analysis Co-ordination Tasking (IMPACT) Initiative 2005; and if he will list the component parts of (a) IMPACT and (b) IMPACT 2005. | | (56330) | 175
| Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many posts there are in the Probation Service establishment in (a) the Thames Valley Criminal Justice Board area and (b) each local criminal justice board area within the Thames Valley; how many and what proportion of such posts in each area were vacant on the most recent date for which figures are available; how many posts in each area were filled by probation officers with less than two years' experience on the most recent date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. | | (56528) | 176
| Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many offenders were brought to justice in the Thames Valley Criminal Justice Board area in each 12 month period since 31st March 2002; how many and what proportion of those cases were brought to justice as a result of (a) conviction, (b) caution, (c) fixed penalty notice and (d) offences taken into consideration; and if he will make a statement. | | (56529) | 177
| Patrick Mercer (Newark):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many arrests have been made of members of the British National Party in the last 12 months for inciting (a) violence and (b) murder. | | (56562) | 178
| Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies which report to him. | | (56540) | 179
| Margaret Moran (Luton South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fixed penalty notices have been issued by Luton Council under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. | | (56548) | 180
| Mr John Spellar (Warley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research his Department has evaluated on the impact of burglary on elderly victims; and whether this included research on the impact on life expectancy. | | (56490) | 181
| Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many instances of vandalism were reported in (a) Suffolk and (b) England in each year since 1997. | | (56362) | 182
| Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many licensing applications were received by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) in each month since January 2005; how many licences were issued; how many applications were returned to the individual for (a) correction, (b) further information and (c) other reasons; and if he will make a statement on the performance of the SIA in handling licensing applications. | | (56444) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 183
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much aid the United Kingdom provides to the Mano River Region countries; and what assessment he has made of the extent to which these countries are complying with the conditions of their debt relief packages. | | (56266) | 184
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans he has to fund political education in the South of Sudan in advance of elections there. | | (56315) | 185
| Ian Lucas (Wrexham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what measures he is taking to promote good governance in Lesotho. | | (56236) | 186
| Ian Lucas (Wrexham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment he has made of the availability of anti-retroviral drugs in Lesotho. | | (56237) | 187
| Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) his Department and (ii) public bodies which report to him. | | (56541) | 188
| Anne Snelgrove (South Swindon):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the trade in small guns on developing countries. | | (56554) | 189
| Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether the Department has incurred costs for employing private security companies in Iraq since April 2003. | | (56420) | Questions to the Leader of the House 190
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Leader of the House, if he will arrange for answers to hon. Members' written Parliamentary Questions to be provided electronically. | | (56251) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 191
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what measures are being considered at rural based primary schools in Northern Ireland for the safe passage of children to and from schools. | | (56163) | 192
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will take steps to ensure that free travel for senior citizens in Northern Ireland is available to people of both sexes at the same age. | | (56164) | 193
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much has been spent on (a) the improvement and (b) the maintenance of safety measures at unmanned crossing points on the rail line between Ballymena and Londonderry in each of the last five years. | | (56165) | 194
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) accidents and (b) deaths and injuries resulting from them have occurred on the rail line between Ballymena and Londonderry in each of the last five years. | | (56166) | 195
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what policy each acute hospital in Northern Ireland has regarding smoking within the precincts of their premises. | | (56353) | 196
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many empty houses owned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive were demolished in each of the last three years. | | (56354) | 197
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many cases the Northern Ireland Assembly Ombudsman has investigated in each of the last three years; and in what percentage of cases there was a finding in favour of the complainant in each year. | | (56355) | 198
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what percentage of ambulance emergency callouts from each main ambulance station in Northern Ireland during 2005 was accounted for by bogus telephone calls. | | (56356) | 199
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many pupils were enrolled in Northern Ireland at (a) controlled, (b) maintained and (c) integrated primary schools as at December 2005. | | (56357) | 200
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average transport to school cost was per pupil in Northern Ireland for pupils enrolled at (a) controlled, (b) maintained and (c) integrated primary schools as at December 2005. | | (56358) | 201
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many meetings the Political Affairs Officer of the Equality Commission of Northern Ireland has had with each of the Northern Ireland political parties since being appointed in October 2004. | | (56412) | 202
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list the 10 highest paid Chief Commissioner and equivalent posts in non-departmental public bodies in Northern Ireland in 2005; and what the remuneration was of each. | | (56413) | 203
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, on how many occasions new train sets operated by Northern Ireland Railways broke down whilst in service during 2005. | | (56415) | 204
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the extent to which the population in Northern Ireland is aware of the (a) existence, (b) role and (c) remit of the Equality Commission. | | (56416) | 205
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average percentage increase was in standard fares on (a) buses and (b) trains under the auspices of Translink in each of the last five years. | | (56417) | 206
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what account the consultation of the New Strategic Direction for Alcohol and Drugs (2006-2011) will take of the recent consultation on liquor licensing reform; and if he will make a statement. | | (56446) | 207
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what meetings (a) the Minister for Social Development and (b) officials from the Department for Social Development have had on liquor licensing in the past 12 months; if he will list the participants; and if he will place the minutes in the Library. | | (56447) | 208
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the removal of the surrender requirement in respect of liquor licensing on (a) anti-social behaviour and (b) under-age drinking; what research he has commissioned on this subject; and if he will make a statement. | | (56448) | 209
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the removal of the surrender requirement in respect of liquor licensing on (a) the homeless, (b) refugees, (c) asylum seekers, (d) ethnic minorities, (e) sex workers, (f) ex-offenders, (g) older people dependent on alcohol or drugs, (h) people with mental health problems and (i) vulnerable young people, with particular reference to (i) looked-after children, (ii) young offenders, (iii) the young homeless, (iv) young people excluded from schools and (v) children with alcohol or drug using parents. | | (56449) | 210
| Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what economic importance the Government attaches to tourism and the work of regional tourism organisations. | | (56349) | 211
| Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make the costs involved in using a continuous positive airway pressure machine at home refundable to the patient. | | (56350) | 212
| Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Police Ombudsman investigates complaints of (a) criminal and (b) disciplinary wrongdoing by MI5 officers in Northern Ireland. | | (56351) | 213
| Mark Durkan (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to maximise the potential social and economic opportunities for the community presented by the release of the Lisanelly Barracks site in Omagh. | | (56352) | 214
| Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he has taken to raise awareness of identity fraud amongst employees in his Department. | | (56326) | 215
| Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people were given help under the Key Persons Protection Scheme in each year between 2001-02 and 2004-05; how many have been given such help in 2005-06; what the cost of the scheme (i) was in each year and (ii) has been in 2005-06; and if he will make a statement. | | (56530) | 216
| Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies which report to him. | | (56532) | 217
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what further steps he is taking to increase the number of Catholics in the Police Service of Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. | | (56547) | 218
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people have been prosecuted for illegal (a) selling and (b) use of fireworks in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. | | (56365) | 219
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people have been prosecuted for aggravated burglary in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. | | (56366) | 220
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which Government Department in Northern Ireland has responsibility for biofuels. | | (56393) | 221
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what (a) pre-testing and (b) other research has been carried out on the proposed diesel emission test to be introduced into Northern Ireland. | | (56394) | 222
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what representations he has received on the new diesel emissions test to be introduced into Northern Ireland. | | (56395) | 223
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much funding has been allocated to energy surveys and courses in Northern Ireland over the last four years; how much of this was spent on consultants based in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Great Britain; and if he will use more Northern Ireland based consultants for such work. | | (56396) | 224
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps Invest NI are taking to raise the level of local employment in consultancy (a) in general and (b) in relation to energy issues. | | (56397) | 225
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to ensure that landfill tax changes are revenue neutral to businesses in Northern Ireland. | | (56398) | 226
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many children in Northern Ireland have been educated at home in each of the last 10 years. | | (56399) | 227
| David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what criteria are used to determine where local enterprise centres are located; what mechanisms are in place to ensure that local enterprise centres are located proportionately between Nationalist and Unionist areas of Northern Ireland; and how many local enterprise centres are located in predominantly (a) Unionist and (b) Nationalist areas. | | (56400) | Questions to the Prime Minister 228
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Prime Minister, when he last raised human rights in Tibet with the Chinese government. | | (56464) | 229
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will visit flood defences in Shrewsbury. | | (56500) | Questions to the Solicitor General 230
| Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Solicitor General, what research he has commissioned on the effect on the number of successful prosecutions for rape of the provisions in the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1976 which granted anonymity prior to conviction for individuals who were the subject of allegations. | | (56383) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 231
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what percentage of the labour market were women in 2005. | | (56267) | 232
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what percentage of those employed in (a) manager and senior postions, (b) process, plant and machine operations and (c) skilled trade in 2005 were women. | | (56268) | 233
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will seek to legislate against the use of counterfeit packaging. | | (56316) | 234
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps his Department takes to regulate the export of components from UK companies which are or could be used for military equipment supplied to a recipient to whom the UK has resolved not to export military equipment. | | (56550) | 235
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what was the value of timber imported into the UK in (a) 1980 and (b) 2003. | | (56501) | 236
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent representations he has received from industry regarding the UK's implementation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. | | (56454) | 237
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will introduce an enforceable recycling charge for electrical and electronic equipment under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. | | (56455) | 238
N | Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what his Department's policy is on potash anti-dumping measures. | | (56069) | 239
| Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has received from consumer groups on the use of premium rate telephone numbers for telephone hotlines. | | (56531) | 240
| Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies which report to him. | | (56543) | 241
| David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many meetings officials in his Department have had with their counterparts in the Defence Export Services Organisation at the Ministry of Defence since 18th March 2003. | | (56323) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 242
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will raise the age for provisional driving licences to 18 years. | | (56239) | 243
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what criteria were used by his Department to determine the marine areas for designation as marine environmental high risk areas. | | (56551) | 244
| Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the levels of passenger satisfaction for each train operating company; how this information informs decisions on (a) the shape of railway franchises and (b) the assessment and award of franchises; and if he will make a statement. | | (56492) | 245
| Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of railway stations are covered by closed circuit television equipment; if he will list the stations so covered; what plans are in place to provide CCTV equipment for the remainder; and if he will make a statement. | | (56494) | 246
| Ian Lucas (Wrexham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of journeys in (a) the UK, (b) Wales and (c) Wrexham were taken by car in the last period for which figures are available. | | (56523) | 247
| Ian Lucas (Wrexham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many open access rail licences have been granted since 1997; and for which routes. | | (56524) | 248
| Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the (a) 0800, (b) 0845 and (c) 0870 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies which report to him. | | (56544) | 249
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what restrictions he has placed on increases in the number of trains run by train operating companies; and which of these restrictions apply to trains running to and from Gloucestershire. | | (56515) | 250
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what subsidy was given to (a) all train operating companies and (b) train operating companies running to and from Gloucestershire in each of the last five years for which figures are available; what he expects the subsidy to be in the next three years; and if he will make a statement. | | (56516) | 251
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the (a) reliability, (b) punctuality and (c) frequency of trains running to and from Gloucestershire; what plans he has to improve those services; and if he will make a statement. | | (56517) | 252
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, why his Department's tender document for the West of England franchise specifies a reduction in the number of trains calling at Totnes; and if he will make a statement. | | (55974) | 253
| Mr Edward Vaizey (Wantage):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will assess the merits of exempting the heritage railway sector from the Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006. | | (56493) | 254
N | Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from Kent County Council on road safety, on Jenkins Hill in Sheppey. | | (55692) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 255
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost has been of lowering the qualifying age limit for the mobility component of disability living allowance from five to three years of age in each year since the change was made. | | (56279) | 256
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the pay scales are for staff employed by Jobcentre Plus; and how many staff were paid at each level in the latest period for which figures are available. | | (56280) | 257
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the cost of disregarding for all benefits earned income up to the value of £80.80 from therapeutic work activity undertaken by claimants of incapacity benefit. | | (56281) | 258
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost is to date of the Pathfinders pilots of local housing allowance in each pathfinder area; and how much of this cost was met (a) by the Benefit Authority and (b) from central funds. | | (56282) | 259
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) housing benefit and (b) local housing allowance claimants there are in each Pathfinder area; and how many in each category have private tenancies. | | (56283) | 260
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many housing benefit claimants there were in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many claimants in each country had private tenancies. | | (56284) | 261
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the cost of changing the housing benefit taper disregard for earned income only to (a) 30 per cent. and (b) 40 per cent. | | (56287) | 262
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the cost of changing the council tax benefit income disregard for earned income only to 10 per cent. | | (56288) | 263
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were receiving carers allowance in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many (a) adult dependants and (b) children there were in each claimant's family. | | (56289) | 264
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the Department's compliance with accessibility targets for its public documentation. | | (56334) | 265
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress his Department has made in the introduction of the National Insurance Number Operating Business Model. | | (56335) | 266
N | Mr Stephen Byers (North Tyneside):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of (a) the percentage of those entitled to claim (i) housing benefit, (ii) income support, (iii) council tax benefit and (iv) pension credit who did not do so and (b) the amount that went unclaimed in each case in each of the last five years. | | (56161) | 267
N | Mr Stephen Byers (North Tyneside):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the amount and percentage that went unclaimed in respect of income-related benefits in (a) 1997-98 and (b) the latest year for which information is available. | | (56162) | 268
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of incapacity benefit claimants were women in the latest period for which figures are available. | | (56273) | 269
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of housing benefit there were in each local authority in England and Wales in the last three years for which figures are available; and what total amount was paid in each case. | | (56333) | 270
| Mrs Joan Humble (Blackpool North & Fleetwood):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Blackpool North and Fleetwood constituency use Post Office card accounts to receive benefits and pensions. | | (56556) | 271
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many hours a week Sir David Henshaw will spend as the Chair of the Child Support Agency Operational Improvement Plan. | | (56391) | 272
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many letters were received by (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05 and (c) 2005-06 to date; and how many and what proportion of these letters were (i) answered within (A) 10, (B) 20, (C) 30 and (D) 40 working days, (ii) answered after 40 working days and (iii) not answered. | | (56456) | 273
| Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the (a) 0800 and (b) 0845 telephone numbers for the public administered by (i) his Department and (ii) agencies which report to him. | | (56546) | 274
| Mr Alan Reid (Argyll and Bute):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15th February 2006, Official Report, columns 2187-8W, on Post Office Card Accounts, what was the outcome of the pilot schemes; and if he will make a statement. | | (56386) | 275
| Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 13th February 2006 to the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, Official Report, columns 1690-1W, on post office card accounts, when the three pilot schemes will be completed; and what plans he has to increase the number of people covered by these schemes. | | (56321) | 276
| Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many prosecutions there have been in each of the last five years for illegally obtaining a National Insurance number; and in how many cases the prosecution resulted in a conviction. | | (56435) | 277
| Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time Customer Compliance Officers there will be in 2006-07 to tackle low level fraud that cannot be taken through the criminal courts. | | (56436) | 278
| Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether new Customer Compliance Officers will be classified in his Department's accounts as full-time fraud investigators. | | (56437) | 279
| Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost was of employing full-time fraud investigators in each of the last three years. | | (56438) | 280
| Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what is the estimated cost of employing customer compliance officers in each of the next three years. | | (56473) | 281
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Health and Safety Executive is taking to ensure safety in graveyards from headstones; and what guidance the Health and Safety Executive has issued to burial authorities about the safety of headstones. | | (56390) | 282
| Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much of the increase in the estimated levy required by the Pension Protection Fund is accounted for by (a) increased longevity and (b) lower interest rates; and what assumptions were used to calculate each in (i) 2003 and (ii) 2005. | | (56392) | 283
| Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Wales who live in special accommodation receive (a) disability living allowance care component at the (i) lower rate, (ii) middle rate and (iii) higher rate and (b) attendance allowance at the (A) lower rate and (B) higher rate; and if he will make a statement. | | (56495) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 284
| Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to incentivise property owners and landlords to (a) return existing properties to housing use and (b) improve the quality of private housing stock by (i) reducing and (ii) removing VAT on household repairs. | | [Transferred] (56348) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 285
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what provision her Department's UK Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan makes for the operation of schools. | | [Transferred] (56243) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 286
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what average length of time local authorities in England took to make rights of way modification orders in 2004-05; how many orders (a) Gloucestershire, (b) Herefordshire and (c) Worcestershire have outstanding; and what percentage of orders were successful. | | [Transferred] (56486) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 287
| Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Argentinian counterpart on recent interference with Falkland Islands shipping. | | [Transferred] (56502) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 288
| Margaret Moran (Luton South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate she has made of the number of people in Luton South who are (a) paid and (b) unpaid carers for relatives. | | [Transferred] (56549) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 289
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of compliance by Government Departments with their duties under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (56245) | 290
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with the German Chancellor on combating potential hooliganism by English fans at this year's World Cup. | | [Transferred] (56340) | 291
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the steps which might be taken as a result of the experience of English football hooliganism during Euro 2000. | | [Transferred] (56431) |
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