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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Tuesday 13 June 2006
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Tuesday 13 June 2006
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 13 June 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 Tuesday 13 June of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Tuesday 13 June see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 1
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost in VAT revenue foregone of reclassifying sunscreen as a preventative medicine rather than a cosmetic. | | (77526) | Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 2
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, which Private Member's Bills were drafted by her Department, or the Cabinet Office, in each Session since 1997; and which of those received Royal Assent. | | (77499) | 3
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, which Government Bills sponsored by her Department are still to be introduced during the current Session; and when, and into which House, each will be introduced. | | (77500) | 4
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what plans she has for legislation in the next Session of Parliament; and if she will make a statement. | | (77501) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 5
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which Private Members' Bills were drafted by her Department, or predecessor Department, in each Session since 1997; and which of those subsequently received Royal Assent. | | (77496) | 6
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which Bills sponsored by her Department are still to be introduced during the current Session; and when, and into which House, each will be introduced. | | (77497) | 7
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans she has for legislation in the next Session of Parliament; and if she will make a statement. | | (77498) | 8
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much was spent on compulsory land purchases in Coventry in the last financial year. | | (76448) | 9
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will make a statement on the Mixed Communities Initiative. | | (76449) | 10
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to encourage community integration. | | (76450) | 11
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what funding her Department is providing towards Coventry Council's Cultural Strategy. | | (76451) | 12
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how the (a) quality and (b) accuracy of facts provided in home information packs will be monitored; and if she will make a statement. | | (77482) | 13
N | Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many civil service staff formerly working in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have been disciplined as a result of breaches of rules contained in the departmental staff handbook in each year since 2001; and if she will make a statement. | | (76238) | Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 14
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many copies of her Department's annual report (Cm 6820) were produced; at what cost; who was sent copies; at what cost; who was consulted on the text prior to publication; on what criteria the retail price was decided; and if she will make a statement. | | (77527) | 15
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, which official has lead responsibility for progress on each of the targets set out on pages 37 to 45 of the Departmental annual report (Cm 6820); to whom each such official reports; what recent discussions she has had on implementation of each target; and if she will make a statement. | | (77528) | 16
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what research her Department (a) has undertaken and (b) plans to undertake into the reasons for the slippage against Target 5, Measure 1 set out on page 134 of the Departmental annual report (Cm 6820); and if she will make a statement. | | (77529) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 17
| Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what (a) assessment she has made of and (b) research she has commissioned on the potential impact that a bed tax on tourist accommodation would have on the tourism industry. | | (77531) | 18
| Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assumptions she has made about the future growth of the number of households in assessing the level of the new BBC licence fee. | | (77533) | 19
| Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she will announce the new BBC licence fee settlement; and if she will make a statement. | | (77534) | 20
| Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what response she has made to the recommendations aimed at her Department in the London Assembly's report on the 7th July bombings. | | (77535) | 21
N | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps have been taken to ensure inclusion of blind and partially sighted people in progress towards digital switchover. | | (76555) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 22
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Government is taking to minimise any adverse impact on air sector jobs that may result as a consequence of the proposed re-structuring and rationalisation proposed in the Defence Industrial Strategy. | | (77537) | 23
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Government is taking to maintain UK capability within the air sector. | | (77538) | 24
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which dates were advertised in advance for live army firing in the Dartmoor National Park for the years ending (a) 31st December 2003, (b) 31st December 2004 and (c) 31st December 2005; on what dates firing actually took place on each of the firing ranges in the Dartmoor National Park in those years; and if he will make a statement. | | (76703) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 25
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what consideration he has given to the request from English Nature for him to close an area of 60 square miles off Lyme Regis to fishing; what consultations he has held with scallop fishermen on this request; if he will take into account the social and economic implications in his deliberations; when he expects to make a decision; and if he will commision research to determine density and location of scallop beds in relation to those of protected seabed fauna. | | (76702) | 26
N | Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of whales killed for scientific research in each year since the international moratorium on commercial whaling was introduced, broken down by species. | | (77385) | 27
N | Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the UK's objectives are for the next International Whaling Commission meeting. | | (77386) | 28
N | Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what changes to the present international whaling arrangements a majority of votes at the International Whaling Commission could achieve. | | (77387) | 29
N | Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who the member states are of the International Whaling Commission; and which are eligible to vote. | | (77388) | 30
| Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the impact on wast management of (a) the introduction of recycling facilities and (b) mandatory bottle return and recycling schemes in supermarkets. | | (77522) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 31
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which Private Member's Bills were drafted by her Department in each Session since 1997; and which of those subsequently received Royal Assent. | | (77491) | 32
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which Bills sponsored by her Department are still planned to be introduced during the current Session; and when, and into which House, each will be introduced. | | (77492) | 33
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans she has for legislation in the next Session of Parliament; and if she will make a statement. | | (77493) | 34
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what Foreign Affairs Committee recommendations the Department has (a) accepted and (b) implemented since 2001-02; and if she will make a statement. | | (77494) | 35
| Mr Jeremy Browne (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made by the Belgian authorities in identifying who bugged the UK mission in the Justus Lipsius Council of Ministers building in 2003; and if she will make a statement. | | (77520) | 36
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answers of 5th June 2006, Official Report, column 308W, on Ascension Island, what notice the Crown would need to give (a) residents of domestic dwellings on Ascension Island if it wished to take possession of those dwellings as the freeholder and (b) the Users of Ascension Island if it wished to take possession of their sites as the freeholder. | | (77478) | 37
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate she has made of the value of domestic properties on Ascension Island. | | (77525) | 38
| Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many British passport holders she estimates live abroad, broken down by country. | | (77479) | 39
N | Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Norwegian Foreign Minister on (a) Norway's expansion of its commercial whaling programme and (b) Norway's support for Japan's attempts to gain a simple majority at the International Whaling Commission; and if she will make a statement. | | (76993) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 40
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which Private Member's Bills were drafted by her Department in each Session since 1997; and which of those received Royal Assent. | | (77513) | 41
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which Government Bills sponsored by her Department are still to be introduced during the current session; and when, and into which House, each will be introduced. | | (77514) | 42
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans she has for legislation in the next session of Parliament; and if she will make a statement. | | (77515) | 43
N | Mr Peter Atkinson (Hexham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will take steps to resolve the dispute over lunch breaks between the North East Ambulance Trust and ambulance crews. | | (76992) | 44
N | Frank Dobson (Holborn & St Pancras):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how NHS Direct as an NHS Foundation Trust would be accountable to local communities. | | (76698) | 45
N | Frank Dobson (Holborn & St Pancras):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether NHS Direct as an NHS Foundation Trust would remain subject to Ministerial control. | | (76699) | 46
N | Frank Dobson (Holborn & St Pancras):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether NHS Direct as an NHS Foundation Trust would be able to outsource its call centres abroad. | | (76700) | 47
| Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what population is served by each primary care trust. | | (77519) | 48
N | Dr Richard Taylor (Wyre Forest):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral statement of 7th June 2006, Official Report, column 253, on NHS performance, in which areas of NHS activity the £765 million surplus that has reduced the gross NHS deficit from £1.27 billion to £512 million arose; and if she will make a statement. | | (77065) | 49
N | Dr Richard Taylor (Wyre Forest):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral statement of 7th June 2006, Official Report, column 253, on NHS performance, on what basis the gross deficit of £1.27 billion for the NHS financial year 2005-06 was calculated. | | (77066) | 50
N | John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of the potential risks to public health associated with the use of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether as an additive in gasoline. | | (76663) | 51
N | John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of whether Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether presents a greater risk to public health than alternative gasoline additives. | | (76664) | 52
| Lynda Waltho (Stourbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps she is taking to increase (a) access to and (b) capacity of specialist alcohol treatment services; and what plans she has (i) to respond to and (ii) to implement recommendations arising out of the departmental alcohol needs assessment research project. | | (77518) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 53
| Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the implications for open justice of granting anonymity to defendants in certain cases in some EU member states. | | (77477) | 54
N | Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what Criminal Records Bureau checks are made on applicants for taxi licences who have previously resided overseas. | | (76135) | 55
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many under 18 year olds were convicted of illegally carrying (a) knives and (b) other weapons in each year since 1990, broken down by police authority; and if he will make a statement. | | (77481) | 56
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners have (a) committed suicide and (b) been murdered whilst being in prison since 1997; and if he will make a statement. | | (77483) | 57
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals have received an incorrect assessment from the Criminal Records Bureau in each year since its inception; and if he will make a statement. | | (77484) | 58
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many mobile telephones have been found in each prison in the possession of inmates in each of the last seven years; and if he will make a statement. | | (77485) | 59
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times illegal drugs have been found in each prison in each of the last seven years, broken down by (a) type and (b) quantity of drug; and if he will make a statement. | | (77486) | 60
N | Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police raids on suspected terrorist sites in the past three years have been based on false information; and what the cost of the raids was. | | (75968) | 61
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action he is taking to avoid moving prisoners between establishments as a result of overcrowding, with particular reference to those who are participating in education programmes; and if he will make a statement. | | (77246) | 62
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to bring into use temporary pre-fabricated units to address prison overcrowding; and if he will make a statement. | | (77247) | 63
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of prison inmates are involved in training courses; how many were on training courses five years ago; and if he will make a statement. | | (77248) | 64
| Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reply to Question 68798, tabled by the hon. Member for Mid Worcestershire on 3rd May 2006, on guidance to staff escorting deported foreign nationals. | | (77245) | 65
N | Mr Robert Walter (North Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children have been detained for 21 days or more in immigration detention centres in each of the last 10 years. | | (75518) | 66
N | Mr Robert N. Wareing (Liverpool, West Derby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Minister of State will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby of 10th March in respect of the case of Ms Jane Okah Agwola. | | (76697) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 67
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which Private Member's Bills were drafted by his Department in each Session since 1997; and which of those received Royal Assent. | | (77505) | 68
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which Government Bills sponsored by his Department are still to be introduced during the current session; and when, and into which House, each will be introduced. | | (77506) | 69
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans he has for legislation in the next session of Parliament; and if he will make a statement. | | (77507) | 70
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what International Development Committee recommendations his Department has (a) accepted and (b) implemented since 2001-02; and if he will make a statement. | | (77508) | Questions to the Leader of the House 71
N | Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Leader of the House, when he expects to publish the Government's response to the Electoral Commission's report of December 2004 on the funding of political parties. | | (76559) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 72
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many therapeutic abortions were performed on women in Northern Ireland in each year since 1976, broken down by (a) age of the woman, (b) progress of the pregnancy and (c) health board area. | | (77495) | 73
N | Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the total value of the agricultural crop in Northern Ireland was in each of the past four years; and what the total value of agricultural subsidies was in each year. | | (75969) | Questions to the Prime Minister 74
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer to the hon. Member for Loughborough of 7th June 2006, Official Report, column 247, when he took part in the mile run in aid of Sports Relief; and between which points. | | (77244) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 75
N | Mr Robert N. Wareing (Liverpool, West Derby):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what notice of redundancies he has received in respect of Sayers Bakery, Lorenzo Drive, Liverpool; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement. | | (76696) | 76
N | Mark Williams (Ceredigion):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of 23rd May 2006, Official Report, columns 1635-6W on Offshore Petroleum Licensing; if he will publish the results of the Appropriate Assessment into the 24th Licensing Round; and what applications have been made in the 24th round of offshore petroleum licensing for production consents for field developments in the Cardigan Bay area. | | (77384) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 77
N | Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on his plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from road transport. | | (76594) | 78
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which 10 locations on (a) the A127 and (b) A13 between the M25 and Southend have had the highest incidence of traffic accidents in each of the last five years. | | (77502) | 79
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people have been (a) killed and (b) seriously injured on (i) the A127 and (ii) A13 between the M25 and Southend in (A) each of the last five years for which figures are available and (B) 2006 to date. | | (77503) | 80
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the seat belt wearing rate was among (a) males and (b) females on each motorway in each of the last five years, broken down by front and rear seats. | | (77504) | 81
N | Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd May 2006, Official Report, column 1288W, on Thameslink 2000, when he plans to make these reports available to the public. | | (76372) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 82
| Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects the review of Remploy to be completed; and if he will make a statement. | | (77480) | 83
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cases have been reported of (a) an individual using more than one national insurance number and (b) a national insurance number being used by more than one individual in each year since 1997. | | (77523) | 84
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many national insurance numbers there have been on (a) the Departmental Central Index and (b) National Insurance Recording Systems 1 and 2 in each year since 1997. | | (77524) | 85
N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average size of the caseload for personal advisers will be once Pathways to Work is fully rolled out. | | (77241) | 86
N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will break down by main budget heading the £360 million annual cost to roll-out Pathways to Work. | | (77242) | 87
N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what total headcount reductions in Jobcentre Plus staff are expected as a result of the Efficiencies Savings Programme, broken down by job title; how many personal advisers there are; and how many personal advisers there were when the agency was established. | | (77243) | 88
N | Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Child Support Agency is able to require mobile telephone companies to make known the addresses of parents not paying child support. | | (76940) | 89
| Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has spent on the provision of free television licences for over 75 year olds in each of the last five years. | | (77532) | 90
N | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much he estimates the Henshaw Review into the Child Support Agency will cost. | | (76556) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 91
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what practical assistance the Government is offering to BAE Systems to help secure export contracts. | | [Transferred] (77536) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 92
N | Mr Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many parents in England are under a shared care order. | | [Transferred] (76133) | 93
N | Mr Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many parents under a shared care order are required to pay maintenance. | | [Transferred] (76134) |
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