Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2005 - 06
Publications on the internet
The Questions Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Thursday 15 June 2006

Notes:
* Indicates a Question for Oral Answer.
+ Indicates a Question not included in the random selection process but accepted because the quota for that day had not been filled.
[N] Indicates a Question for Written Answer on a named day, i.e. the Member has indicated under S.O. No. 22(4) the day on which he wishes the Question to be answered.
[R] Indicates that a relevant interest has been declared.

Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Thursday 15 June 2006
(the 'Questions Book')

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Thursday 15 June 2006

This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Thursday 15 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 Thursday 15 June of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Thursday 15 June see Part 2 of this paper.

Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

1
N Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what date the British Government returned gold bullion to Estonia which had been deposited by the Estonian government before the Soviet invasion of Estonia.

(77720)

2
Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the average tax credit overpayment in each region of the United Kingdom in 2005-06.

(78126)

3
Stephen Hesford (Wirral West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what measures his Department has taken to reduce poverty in Wirral West since 1997.

(78381)

4
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department's (a) efficiency reviews, (b) public service agreements and (c) spending reviews are applied to the block grant allocated to the Scottish Executive.

(78199)

5
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) procedures and (b) conventions are applied to the treatment of funds drawn down to the Scottish Consolidated Fund and subsequently (i) underspent and (i) overspent by the Scottish Executive.

(78218)

6
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions (a) officials and (b) ministers in his Department have had with the Scottish Executive on the treatment of underspends in the Scottish Consolidated Fund and its future distribution.

(78219)

7
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the responsibilities and operational duties are of his Department's devolved countries and regions team.

(78220)

8
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the birth rate was per 1,000 women aged (a) 19, (b) 18, (c) 17, (d) 16, (e) 15, (f) 14 and (g) under 14 years in (i) Peterborough constituency and (ii) Peterborough City Council area in each year since 1997.

(77911)

9
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many females aged (a) under 18 and (b) under 16 years became pregnant in each (i) parliamentary constituency and (ii) local authority area in the East of England in each year since 2001; what the pregnancy rate was in each area; and what percentage of pregnancies in under 18 year olds ended in abortions in each area in each year.

(77920)

10
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) death rate from heart disease, stroke and related illnesses and (b) death rate from all cancers was amongst (i) people aged 65 and under, (ii) people aged 75 and under and (iii) all people, in each year since 1970.

(78013)

11
N Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many investigations are ongoing into organised tax credit fraud; and if he will make a statement.

(76994)

12
N Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information on tax credit fraud his Department has made available to the National Audit Office since 1st January; and if he will make a statement.

(76995)

13
N Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff in his Department have been engaged in detecting and assessing tax credit fraud in each month since July 2005.

(76996)

14
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many construction industry services registration cards have been issued in each (a) year and (b) quarter since 1st April 2001; and if he will make a statement.

(77067)

15
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what checks are made of (a) immigration status and (b) nationality before issuing construction industry services registration cards; and if he will make a statement.

(77068)

16
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit awards were made to (a) people subject to immigration control, (b) asylum seekers, (c) foreign students, (d) illegal immigrants and (e) foreigners on expired visas in each quarter from April 2003 to June 2006; what the cost of these awards was in each case; and if he will make a statement.

(77895)

17
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost of the easement of tax credit verification rule 12 Residency Criteria not met between March 2003 and December 2004; and if he will make a statement.

(77897)

18
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit applications failed verification rule 12 Residency Criteria not met but were allowed to proceed to being processed in each month from April 2003 to January 2005; and if he will make a statement.

(77898)

19
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, in how many tax credit cases failures of verification rule 12 Residency Criteria not met were (a) investigated and (b) not investigated in each month since December 2004.

(77899)

20
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which categories of tax credit claimant fail verification rule 12 Residency Criteria not met; and if he will make a statement.

(77900)

21
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many applications for tax credits failed verification rule 12 Residency Criteria not met between April 2002 and April 2003; and if he will make a statement.

(77901)

22
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations (a) he and (b) the Paymaster General has received from the Citizens Advice Bureau about the complexity of tax credit award notices; and if he will make a statement.

(78092)

23
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of (a) the intra-year volatility of the incomes of low income households and (b) its implications for the design of the tax credits system; and if he will make a statement.

(78150)

24
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit overpayments involving official error have been made since April 2003; and in how many of these cases the overpayment has been written off.

(78151)

25
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will publish estimates of tax credit fraud and error for 2004-05; and if he will make a statement.

(78152)

26
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of (a) tax credit overpayments to migrant workers who have returned to their home country and (b) the proportion of these monies which will be recovered; and if he will make a statement.

(78153)

27
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what date he sent the National Audit Office estimates of tax credit fraud and error for 2003-04 based upon the assessment of a sample of 4,700 cases.

(78154)

28
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether (a) ministers and (b) special advisers have seen (i) drafts and (ii) a final version of the HM Revenue and Customs report into tax credit fraud and error which was due to be published in Spring 2006; and if he will make a statement.

(78155)

29
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit claims failed verification rules in each (a) month and (b) quarter since April 2002; and if he will make a statement.

(78159)

30
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many claimant compliance officers have been working on tax credits in each quarter since April 2002; and if he will make a statement.

(78375)

31
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many interviews at home about tax credit fraud have been carried out by claimant compliance officers in each quarter since April 2002.

(78376)

32
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many face-to-face interviews for Living Together as Husband and Wife tax credit claims have been held in each quarter by claimant compliance officers since April 2002.

(78377)

33
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people received a tax credit payment twice due to an error made by the Tax Credit Office in each month since January 2003; what the Department's policy is in relation to such payments; and if he will make a statement.

(78385)

34
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his latest estimate is of the breakdown between (a) fraud, (b) official error and (c) claimant error in the existing estimates for tax credit fraud and error; and if he will make a statement.

(78389)

35
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his latest estimate is of the number of arrests for tax credit fraud in each month since December 2005; and if he will make a statement.

(78391)

36
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations were made by Public and Commercial Services Union (a) officials and (b) members on the scope for fraud in the tax credits system in April 2005; and if he will make a statement.

(78392)

37
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what results were achieved by the tax credits office in Northern Ireland in reducing fraudulent cases of living together as husband and wife; and if he will make a statement.

(78405)

38
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate has been made of the number of multiple separate cases of tax credit claims from the same address; how much fraud has been uncovered; and if he will make a statement.

(78406)

39
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many reports on tax credit compliance (a) he and (b) the Paymaster General received in each quarter from April 2003 to May 2006; and if he will make a statement.

(78407)

40
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the report received by the Paymaster General in June 2005 on suspected fraudulent activity in the tax credits system; and if he will make a statement.

(78408)

41
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his latest estimate is of the amount of tax credit overpayments in (a) 2003-04 and (b) 2004-05 which will be recovered in each year from 2004-05 to 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

(78411)

42
Anne Main (St Albans):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his Ministerial responsibilities are in relation to tax credits.

(77906)

43
N John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the merits of changes to taxation on biodiesel.

(77617)

44
Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been raised through the Climate Change Levy.

(78070)

45
Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what total Government spending was in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

(78105)

46
Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the tax revenue from (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

(78106)

47
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how fixed odd betting terminals are taxed in (a) betting shops and (b) casinos; and what estimate the Government has made of the tax revenue from such terminals in the last 12 months.

(78303)

48
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Government has made of the effect on tax revenues of the implementation of the Gambling Act 2005.

(78304)

49
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Valuation Office Agency has purchased (a) software and (b) consultancy services from the company CDC Ltd in the last five years.

(78317)

50
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many submissions have been received on the Planning Gain Supplement in response to the consultation.

(78318)

51
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library a copy of the documents produced by the Valuation Office Agency Director of Modernisation for the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation conferences in (a) Spain in February 2005 and (b) Blackpool in May 2006.

(78319)

52
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many full-time equivalent communications, public relations and marketing staff were employed by the Valuation Office Agency at each grade in each year since 2001.

(78341)

53
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what war debt repayments have been made by the USA to the UK in respect of military assistance provided in conflicts over the last 30 years.

(78177)

54
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much, in today's prices, has been paid to the USA in respect of (a) First World War and (b) Second World War debt.

(78178)

55
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what sums are outstanding in relation to war debt repayments to the US; and on what dates repayments are due.

(78179)

56
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the USA has offered to cancel the UK's outstanding liability for repayment of Second World War debt.

(78180)

57
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what returns the average investor could expect from premium bonds in each year since 1997.

(78367)

58
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was lent to the Treasury by National Savings in each year since 1997.

(78368)

59
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what rate of interest the Treasury pays National Savings.

(78374)

60
Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent steps he has taken to improve UK competitiveness.

(77984)

61
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in Wales have received overpayents in (a) child tax credits and (b) working tax credits in (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005; what the average overpayment was to such people; and if he will make a statement.

(78289)

62
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in Wales have received underpayments in (a) child tax credits and (b) working tax credits in (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005; what the average underpayment was; and if he will make a statement.

(78297)

63
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many overpayments of (a) child tax credits and (b) working tax credits to people living in Wales were clawed back in (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005; and if he will make a statement.

(78298)

Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

64
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to the announcement by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry of 18th October 2005 on public service pensions, that all sector scheme negotiations would be completed by March 2006, when she will announce the details of the consultation on the proposed benefit structure for new entrants to the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme; whether the negotiations have been completed; and if she will make a statement.

(78009)

65
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what the total cost was of the conference on public services held on 6th June 2006 by the National School of Government.

(78269)

66
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if she will place in the Library a copy of the Cabinet Office Staff Handbook.

(78271)

67
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what (a) adult learning courses and (b) occupational and professional development courses the Civil Service makes available to its staff.

(78272)

68
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, on what date the Deputy Prime Minister first moved into the Admiralty Office at 26 Whitehall following the abolition of the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions.

(78295)

69
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what responsibility she has for (a) communities, (b) civic renewal and (c) the Respect agenda.

(78296)

70
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what the cost was of refurbishing the offices at 26 Whitehall in each year since 1997.

(78299)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

71
Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance is issued to local authorities on the desirable (a) size, (b) nature and (c) value per head of population of the non-housing properties and facilities owned by local authorities.

(77918)

72
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many children were removed from their parents by social services in each year since 1995.

(78338)

73
Stephen Hesford (Wirral West):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many new homes have been built by Wirral Borough Council in Wirral West since 1997.

(78382)

74
Stephen Hesford (Wirral West):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the average house price was in (a) Wirral West and (b) Wirral Borough area on 30th April in each of the last five years.

(78383)

75
Stephen Hesford (Wirral West):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what progress has been made towards the decent home standards for social housing in Wirral West; and if she will make a statement.

(78384)

76
Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will ring-fence for a period of two years the money received from the discretionary ending by local authorities of the council tax discount on empty properties for projects to bring empty properties back into use.

(77983)

77
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which local authorities currently in surplus have met the Decent Homes Standard.

(77896)

78
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the average level of council tax has been in rural areas in each year from 1997 to 2005.

(78207)

79
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 25th May 2006 to the hon. Member for Meriden, Official Report, column 2067W, on the sustainable communities plan, if she will place in the Library copies of the written submissions and responses by the water companies on planning for the growth areas and regional planning.

(78240)

80
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24th May 2006, Official Report, column 1816W, on regional government, how much funding is being allocated to the regional round tables in each of the two years.

(78241)

81
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 23rd May 2006, Official Report, column 1657W, on home information pack, if she will place in the Library a copy of the representation from the Valuation Office Agency made to her Department in relation to the database of home condition reports; and on what date the representation was made by the Agency.

(78242)

82
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 23rd May 2006, Official Report, on the register of home condition reports, if she will place in the Library a copy of the documentation, including the technical requirements, that has been prepared for those expressing an interest in providing the register.

(78246)

83
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22nd May 2006, Official Report, column 1444W, on the Valuation Office Agency, whether the Valuation Office Agency's council tax automated valuation model holds (a) data from the Index of Multiple Deprivation and (b) crime statistics in any form.

(78247)

84
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 15th May 2006, Official Report, column 751W, on EU Directive 2002/91/EC, what the timetable is for the implementation of Articles 7 to 10; and what the deadline is for implementation under the directive.

(78249)

85
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10th May 2006, Official Report, column 370W, on business rates, how many (a) hotels, (b) hostels and (c) bed and breakfasts were on the 2005 Rating List for each local authority area in England.

(78250)

86
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local authority wards, including the district tier in two-tier areas, there are in England.

(78252)

87
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 26th April 2006, to the hon. Member for Meriden, Official Report, column 1196W, on the automated valuation model, what data sources are used to compile the Valuation Office Agency's single dataset.

(78253)

88
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will place in the Library a copy of the scoping study produced by National Energy Services for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on the implementation of EU Directive 2002/91/EC.

(78254)

89
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how the 10,000 neighbourhoods in the Valuation Office Agency's automated valuation model were designated; and whether they correlate with existing territorial classifications.

(78255)

90
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether (a) local authorities will be funded under the New Burdens procedure for the implementation of Articles 7 to 10 to EU Directive 2002/91/EC and (b) the polluter pays principle will apply in relation to the implementation of these articles.

(78260)

91
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what her Department's definition is of underused land.

(78261)

92
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will place in the Library a copy of documents relating to the attendance of the Head of the Rating Policy Team at the Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation conference on post revaluation and current issues on maintaining the business rates system in Blackpool on 11th to 12th May 2006.

(78262)

93
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the total expenditure was of the Homeless and Housing Support Directorate's conference at Hampton Court Palace in May 2006; and how many (a) civil servants and (b) others attended the conference.

(78263)

94
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what criteria must be met for civil servants in her Department to claim back or have paid for them overnight accommodation in London; and what criteria applied to civil servants in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

(78274)

95
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which `best consideration' decisions for disposing of property at an under-value have been (a) refused and (b) permitted by the Secretary of State further to the Local Government Act 1972 in each year since 1977.

(78277)

96
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether non-councillor members of local strategic partnerships are (a) regulated by (i) local government codes of conduct and (ii) the Standards Board and (b) required to declare personal or prejudicial interests.

(78281)

97
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the additional council tax revenue raised by local authorities as a result of setting second home council tax discounts lower than 50 per cent. in 2005-06.

(78283)

98
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment the (a) Valuation Office Agency and (b) Valuation Tribunal Service has made of the potential effect of concerns over the effect of overhead power lines on the valuation of domestic properties for council tax; and what guidance each body has published on this.

(78284)

99
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 5th June 2006, Official Report, column 201W, on the Euro-preparation group, what the date of the autumn meeting is; and which local authorities have been invited.

(78315)

100
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the timetable is for planning guidance to be given to local authorities by her Department.

(78316)

101
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether her Department organises (a) adult learning courses and (b) occupational and professional development courses for its staff.

(78322)

102
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment Ordnance Survey has made of its potential use of the TerraSAR-X satellite once it is operational.

(78323)

103
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the technical limit is of the number of photographs that the Valuation Office Agency's digital photography application can hold.

(78324)

104
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the name is of the Valuation Office Agency's digital photography application.

(78325)

105
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which local authorities have land designated with area of great landscape value.

(78329)

106
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what changes have been made to planning (a) guidance, (b) circulars and (c) regulations relating to (i) allotments and (ii) building on land classified as open space since 1997.

(78331)

107
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether planning permission is required for (a) traffic cameras and (b) speed cameras; and whether each category of camera has permitted development rights.

(78333)

108
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the timetable is for the implementation of the National Land Use Database.

(78334)

109
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which ministers in her Department have private offices in 26 Whitehall.

(78335)

110
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many complaints of bullying were made in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in 2005-06; and how many cases were upheld.

(78336)

111
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many accredited Reduced Data Standard Assessment Procedure energy surveyors there are.

(78342)

112
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the expenditure has been on temporary overnight accommodation in London for civil servants in her Department and its predecessors in each year since 1997.

(78360)

113
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what responsibilities her Department has for tackling social exclusion.

(78361)

114
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans she has for her Department to organise further city region meetings.

(78362)

115
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the Audit Commission has amended its methodology for assessing Best Value Performance Indicator 199 in the last 12 months.

(78378)

116
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the Valuation Office Agency uses geocodes in its Automated Valuation Model.

(78380)

117
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, who the special advisers are to each Minister in her Department.

(78409)

118
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many civil servants from her Department work in 26 Whitehall; and which divisions are based there.

(78653)

119
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the Valuation Office Agency's Automated Valuation Model uses census data.

(78654)

120
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the Valuation Office Agency holds (a) dwellinghouse code and (b) value significant code data for (i) 10 Downing Street, (ii) 11 Downing Street, (iii) Flats 1-3, Admiralty House, Whitehall and (iv) Dorneywood.

(78655)

121
N Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will attend the St Mary's Church charity fund raising proms night on 15th June to observe the effect of the operation of the Licensing Act 2003.

(77642)

122
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will meet the hon. Member for Castle Point to discuss the extent to which the Licensing Act 2003 is being applied consistently by local authorities.

(78172)

123
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the performance of Castle Point Borough Council; what steps she is taking to improve the performance of the Council; and if she will make a statement.

(78176)

124
Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the merits of relocating a Government Department or agency to (a) The Thames Gateway growth area and (b) Kent Thameside; and if she will make a statement.

(77902)

125
N Mr Robert Walter (North Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many libraries have been closed in the last two years, broken down by region; and what estimate she has made of the number of libraries that will be closed in 2006.

(76889)

Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs

126
Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the retirement age is for magistrates.

(77940)

127
N Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if she will bring forward a Government New Clause to the Compensation Bill [Lords] to define `desirable activity'; and if she will make a statement.

(77723)

128
N Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if she will bring forward a Government New Clause to the Compensation Bill [Lords] to overturn the House of Lords judgement in the case of Barker; and if she will make a statement.

(77724)

129
N Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if she will provide an Explanatory Note to define the phrase `desirable activity' in the context of Clause 1 of the Compensation Bill [Lords].

(77725)

130
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the set-up costs were of the co-ordinated online record of electors (CORE); and what she estimates the running costs of CORE will be in the next three financial years.

(78221)

131
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the merits of allowing the National Identity Card database to be used for electoral registration; and if she will make a statement.

(78251)

132
Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15th May 2006, Official Report, column 732W, on county court judgment records, what advice was (a) sought and (b) received on the commercial implications of the existing provision of services in relation to the Register of Judgments Orders and Fines of the County Court.

(77941)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

133
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many libraries have (a) closed, (b) been scheduled for closure and (c) opened in each local authority in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(78074)

134
N Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting she has had with people severely injured in the London bombings.

(77712)

135
Mr John Greenway (Ryedale):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what account she will take of HM Treasury's forecast rate of growth of household income in determining the BBC's request for a licence fee increase of 2.3 per cent. above inflation.

(78112)

136
Mr John Greenway (Ryedale):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what account she will take of the licence fee increase agreed in 2001 in determining the appropriate level of the BBC licence fee in the future.

(78113)

137
Mr John Greenway (Ryedale):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how she plans to determine affordability in setting the appropriate future level of the BBC licence fee.

(78114)

138
Mr John Greenway (Ryedale):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what account she will take of commitments to ensure (a) efficiency savings and (b) the prevention of inflation of staff and talent costs at the BBC in determining the future level of the BBC licence fee.

(78232)

139
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which 10 tourist attractions in (a) Cambridgeshire, (b) Peterborough constituency and (c) Peterborough City Council area attracted the largest number of visitors in each year since 1997.

(77912)

140
Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent consideration she has given to seeking to amend the Licensing Act 2003 to allow cumulative effect to be considered in licensing decisions.

(78402)

141
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance the Government has issued to licensing authorities on their powers to regulate film licensing certificates following the introduction of the Licensing Act 2003.

(78300)

142
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what funding the Government is providing to local authorities to cover the (a) implementation costs and (b) ongoing costs associated with the Gambling Act 2005; and whether the New Burdens principle applies.

(78301)

143
N Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans her Department has to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Act of Union with Scotland in 2007.

(77618)

144
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the management of the BBC as part of the Charter Renewal process regarding the proposed re-location of BBC departments to Manchester.

(78147)

145
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether primary legislation is required to delist (a) the Commonwealth Institute building and (b) other Grade II* listed buildings.

(78148)

146
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many of the recommendations of the Goodison report she has implemented; which recommendations relating to direct taxation she has implemented; and what plans she has to implement the recommendations not implemented to date.

(78308)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence

147
N Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what records his Department holds of air sampling missions to measure emissions from foreign nuclear weapons testing carried out before 1980 by (a) the Strategic Reconnaissance Force and (b) other units of the Royal Air Force.

(77719)

148
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what dates his Department has met (a) employees and (b) consultants of Foresight Communications to discuss (i) the Defence Training Review and (ii) other matters, in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

(78110)

149
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to provide (a) training courses to military personnel from Indonesia and (b) other forms of military and security co-operation to that country; and if he will make a statement.

(78372)

150
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which Indonesian (a) military and (b) other official personnel will be attending the Farnborough Airshow in 2006.

(78373)

151
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to Answer question 57160, on defensive aids in Hercules aircraft, tabled by the hon. Member for Portsmouth South on 6th March 2006.

(78398)

152
Nick Harvey (North Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what factors were taken into account when deciding to omit from the Army Continuous Attitude Survey September-December 2005 (a) question 61a, (b) question 63a and (c) question 66 included in the June-September 2004 survey.

(78131)

153
N Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which countries will supply in future the items currently produced at Royal Ordnance (a) Bridgwater and (b) Chorley.

(77619)

154
N Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many casualties have been recorded on Operation Telic whilst using (a) Warrior and (b) Snatch armoured vehicles.

(77606)

155
N Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions helicopters have been grounded due to temperatures exceeding 45 degrees since the start of Operation Telic.

(77607)

156
N Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the trials which will allow RAF Merlin helicopters to land on naval ships are expected to be complete.

(77608)

157
N Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what criteria must be met for members of the armed forces to be able to claim Longer Separated Service Allowance.

(77612)

158
N Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what percentage of troops serving in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan have been issued with Osprey body armour.

(77613)

159
Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what work has been carried out to (a) locate and (b) monitor foreign subjects who are a potential terrorist threat to (i) the UK and (ii) British people living abroad.

(78200)

160
Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what evaluation his Department has made of the RG31 vehicle; and what assessment has been made of the possible advantages of this vehicle compared with the Snatch armoured landrover.

(78216)

161
Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what percentage of training courses for a Territorial Army Commission have been cancelled during university holidays because of lack of numbers in the last two years.

(78217)

Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister

162
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the size is of his private office in square feet.

(78222)

163
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether his wooden office furniture is made from sustainable timber.

(78223)

164
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what training courses he has attended in the last 12 months to assist him in his Ministerial role.

(78224)

165
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what official duties he undertook during the Prime Minister's recent absence abroad; and what official events he attended between 26th May and 2nd June in his capacity as Deputy Prime Minister.

(78225)

166
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the budget is of his new private office.

(78226)

167
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the role is in his private office of Sheree Dodd; what the cost to public funds has been to date for the employment of Ms Dodd; and if he will make a statement.

(78227)

168
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether he uses an e-mail account in the course of his duties.

(78228)

169
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many of his staff are part of the Cabinet Office; and how many are assigned to the Department for Communities and Local Government.

(78229)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills

170
Paul Clark (Gillingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what Government funding has been made available for post-16 learning in the Medway Towns local authority area for each year since 1997, broken down by education provider; and how many young people in the area have attended courses providing key skills for employability.

(78273)

171
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of the proportion of staff at the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority who will (a) relocate and (b) resign when it relocates; and if he will make a statement.

(78339)

172
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether he plans to hold research assessment exercises in 2008.

(77908)

173
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much was paid in tuition fees by students in (a) Peterborough constituency and (b) Peterborough City Council area in each year since fees were instituted.

(77913)

174
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students from (a) Peterborough constituency and (b) Peterborough City Council area are exempt from tuition fees.

(77914)

175
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many youth councils are in operation; and where each is located.

(77915)

176
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of secondary school aged children who normally reside in (a) Peterborough constituency and (b) Peterborough City Council area were educated outside the state sector in each year since 1997.

(77916)

177
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average (a) primary and (b) secondary school class size was in (i) Peterborough constituency, (ii) Peterborough City Council area and (iii) England in each year since 1997.

(77925)

178
Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when Ofsted will publish the July 2005 inspection report on St. Mark's Pre-School in Salisbury (Ofsted reference 146011) on its website; and if he will make a statement.

(78125)

179
N Hon Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps he is taking to broaden the curriculum for the teaching of science.

(77713)

180
N Hon Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps he is taking to increase the number of nuclear scientists and engineers.

(77714)

181
N Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether it is his policy that primary schools in England with fewer than 100 pupils should be closed.

(76843)

182
N Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many primary schools there are in England with fewer than 100 pupils.

(76844)

183
Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of school inspectors in the Office of Standards in Education (Ofsted) worked in a school prior to joining Ofsted.

(78275)

184
N Mr Robert Walter (North Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many university students he estimates will be unable to graduate (a) at all and (b) without a full record of performance of marks as a result of the recent industrial action.

(76704)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

185
N John Austin (Erith & Thamesmead):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel sources produced by (a) a gas-fired power station, (b) a coal-fired power station, (c) an oil-fired power station, (d) an electricity-only waste to energy incinerator and (e) a combined heat and electricity waste to energy incinerator.

(77252)

186
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the cost of achieving the target of increasing by 20 per cent. by 2010 the energy efficiency of residential accommodation in England pursuant to Section 217 of the Housing Act 2004; and if he will make a statement.

(77962)

187
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the likely impact of (a) home information packs and (b) the home condition report on improving energy efficiency.

(77963)

188
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, by what date the Gamma Interferon Working Group has been asked to report to Ministers; and what discussions members of the group have had with the Independent Scientific Group.

(78305)

189
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Gamma Interferon Working Group has been provided with the results of research by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency into the specificity of the gamma interferon test using the ESAT6 and CFP10 peptides in combination with the standard purified protein derivative.

(78306)

190
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department was first advised by the Independent Scientific Group to consider using the gamma interferon tuberculosis test in combination with the standard intra dermal skin test to identify bovine tuberculosis in the national herd.

(78307)

191
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when research was completed by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency into the specificity of the gamma interferon test using ESAT6 and CFP10 peptides in combination with the standard purified protein derivative; and what reports have been produced on the subject.

(78343)

192
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what cost-benefit assessment his Department has made of employing a gamma interferon test using ESAT6 and CFP10 peptides in combination with the standard purified protein derivative.

(78344)

193
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who the members of the Gamma Interferon Working Group are; and when each was appointed.

(78345)

194
Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the sustainability for dairy farmers of the price paid to them for milk.

(78386)

195
Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the National Audit Office on the single farm payment.

(78387)

196
N Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on how many days since May 1997 the St George's flag has been flown from his Department's buildings.

(77727)

197
N Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's policy is on flying the (a) St George's flag and (b) EU flag from departmental buildings.

(77728)

198
N Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will ensure the Union Flag is flown from his Department's buildings on every day the offices are open.

(77729)

199
N John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what changes there have been in the number of (a) subsidies farmers may claim for and (b) forms farmers have to submit to his Department in each of the last three years.

(77615)

200
Jessica Morden (Newport East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the likely impact on pigeon racing of restrictions which may be introduced to tackle avian influenza; and whether the Department plans to issue guidelines on this matter.

(78010)

201
Jessica Morden (Newport East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the likely effects of a deposit system for returnable cans and bottles on the amount of domestic and commercial waste; and if he will make a statement.

(78011)

202
N Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many farmers who have (a) valid claims, (b) part paid claims and (c) queried claims have yet to receive their full single farm payment.

(77653)

203
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many veterinary practices there were in (a) 2006 and (b) 1991.

(78209)

204
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether a Regulatory Impact Assessment will be published in relation to mitigation guidance for Special Protection Areas.

(78239)

205
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what statistics his Department collects from local authorities on (a) litter, (b) fly-tipping and (c) clean streets.

(78243)

206
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the likely effect of variable charging for rubbish collection on levels of fly-tipping.

(78244)

207
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether energy generated as a by-product of a mass-burn incineration plant is classed as a renewable energy source.

(78245)

208
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Environment Agency has made of the change in the level of fly-tipping since 2001.

(78248)

209
Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Department's policy is on whether doctors, veterinarians and farmers (a) are operators under the Environmental Liability Directive and (b) would consequently be considered liable for the remediation costs of environmental harm if it arose from their use of genetically modified vaccines, crops or other organisms unless UK implementing regulations define the operator otherwise.

(77927)

210
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many inquiries have been made to his Department about dealing with badgers causing damage in Castle Point in each of the last five years.

(78181)

211
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will visit Castle Point to examine the damage caused by the local badger population.

(78182)

212
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much his Department paid to the company Accenture in each year since 2002; and what sums his Department owes to the company.

(78370)

213
Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make a statement on the outbreak of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia at a fish farm on a tributary of the Ouse in Yorkshire; and what steps his Department is taking to prevent the spread of the disease.

(78188)

214
Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the locations are of fish farms on which the presence of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia has been detected in the UK.

(78189)

215
Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to instigate the compulsory slaughter of diseased fish reared on fish farms.

(78190)

216
Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will compensate those fish farm owners who have their stock compulsorily slaughtered as a result of disease; and if he will make a statement.

(78191)

217
Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the incidence and spread of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia amongst farmed fish populations.

(78192)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

218
N Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many individuals are employed in the Coalition Information Centre; and what the budget was for this unit in each year since 2001.

(77726)

219
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if she will make representations to the Vietnamese government to call for the release of imprisoned Hmong Protestant leader Ma Van Bay.

(77919)

220
Colin Burgon (Elmet):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans there are for Ministers in her Department to visit Venezuela.

(78054)

221
Colin Burgon (Elmet):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps have been taken to promote British commercial interests in Venezuela.

(78055)

222
Colin Burgon (Elmet):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effects of embassy closures on UK influence in Latin America.

(78056)

223
Colin Burgon (Elmet):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, at what level UK/Venezuela counter-narcotics co-operation is undertaken; and what recent assessment she has made of its effectiveness.

(78057)

224
Colin Burgon (Elmet):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of US democracy promotion in Latin America.

(78058)

225
Colin Burgon (Elmet):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment she has made of the activities of the US National Endowment for Democracy in Latin America.

(78059)

226
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment she has made of the progress of the Union of Islamic Courts in Somalia; and if she will make a statement on UK policy towards Somalia.

(77943)

227
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if she will make representations to the Palestinian authorities on the abduction of Christian children from their villages in the Punjab, Pakistan, by the militant Islamic group Jumait-ul-Daawa.

(78045)

228
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions she has had with Dr Ibrahim Mudawi of the Sudan Social Development Organisation on his appraisal of the situation in Darfur.

(78137)

229
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what arrangements she is negotiating with the (a) African Union and (b) United Nations to try to improve the security situation in Darfur.

(78138)

230
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment she has made of whether the Government of National Unity in Sudan will accept the introduction of UN troops in Darfur.

(78139)

231
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if she will make a statement on the attack on two Christian women in Nadia Village, Madhya Pradesh, India by Hindu extremists.

(78140)

232
Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information the Government has sought from the United States Administration in respect of the (a) cause and (b) circumstances of the deaths of three detainees held at the Guantánamo Bay military detention centre; and what information has been provided.

(78060)

233
Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what matters in respect of (a) Israel's possession of nuclear weapons and (b) the prospects for Israel joining the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty were raised during her meeting with her Israeli counterpart on 12th June.

(78061)

234
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment she has made of the reported use of forced labour of prisoners in Burma.

(78096)

235
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which countries have supplied military equipment to Burma in each of the last three years.

(78098)

236
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps she is taking to secure a binding resolution on Burma at the United States Security Council; and if she will make a statement.

(78100)

237
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions she has held with the governments of (a) Russia, (b) China and (c) Japan on (i) the political situation in Burma and (ii) a binding resolution about Burma at the UN Security Council.

(78101)

238
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment she has made of the comments made by European Commission staff to MEPs on 21st November 2005 that a UN Security Council Resolution on Burma would not be helpful to (a) the UK position and (b) the EU common position on Burma.

(78142)

239
N Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment has been made of the risk of terrorist activity by Methodist preachers who are United States citizens before adjudication following requests for entry clearance to the United Kingdom for the purpose of vocational religious education; and if she will make a statement.

(77611)

240
Mr Boris Johnson (Henley):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if she will make a statement on the case of Abdul Rahman, convicted in Afghanistan for apostasy.

(77942)

241
Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what her policy is on the United Nations' aim to deploy UN troops in the Sudan.

(77905)

242
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answers of 12th June 2006, Official Report, column 1000W, om departmental finance, what information she relied on for her statement that the Account Payable module closed promptly in April and May; why this information was not used to answer question 75958; and if she will make a statement.

(78193)

243
Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations have been made by her Department to Total Oil on their investments in Burma.

(78256)

244
Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions have taken place between her Department and Rolls Royce on its contracts with companies owned and controlled by the government of Burma.

(78257)

245
Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the value of frozen assets held under the EU Common Position on Burma were in (a) the UK and (b) all European Union member states.

(78258)

246
Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many people on the visa ban list under the EU Common Position on Burma have been (a) refused and (b) granted entry to Europe.

(78259)

247
Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether British officials monitored the recent elections in Colombia.

(77931)

248
Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made in (a) providing financial support and (b) improving information and logistical support for British citizens who are victims of terrorist attacks abroad; and if she will make a statement.

(78311)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Health

249
N Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many morning-after pills were distributed by each primary care trust in Gloucestershire in each of the last five years.

(77826)

250
N Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many consultants per capita there were in (a) Gloucestershire and (b) England in each year since 1997.

(77827)

251
N Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people resident in Stroud were treated at (a) Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, (b) Cheltenham General Hospital, (c) Frenchay Hospital, (d) Southmead Hospital, (e) John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, (f) Stroud Hospital and (g) Berkeley Hospital in each of the last five years, broken down by treatment received.

(77828)

252
N Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many babies were born at Stroud Maternity Hospital in each of the last three years, broken down by constituency of residence of the mother.

(77829)

253
N Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the criteria in the letter sent to strategic health authority chief executives of 16th February entitled `Moving care closer to home' apply to mental health and learning disability trusts.

(77830)

254
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, in what circumstances a local authority may refuse to pay carers' grant to (a) individuals and (b) organisations supporting carers.

(78062)

255
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether local authorities are permitted to use the carers' grant to support the provision of day centres.

(78063)

256
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether she plans to extend carers' grant beyond 2008.

(78064)

257
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding is planned to help with the provision of respite care.

(78065)

258
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what options are available to individuals for the use they make of carers' grant; and what role local authorities play in ensuring choice is available.

(78066)

259
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the process is for a young person visiting a country where tuberculosis is prevalent to obtain a vaccination on the NHS.

(78071)

260
Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) nursing and (b) residential care homes there were in the London Borough of Bexley in (i) 1997, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2005.

(78067)

261
Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in Bexleyheath and Crayford are diagnosed with autism; and how many of them are children.

(78068)

262
N Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) stroke and (b) heart attack patients have died on the way to hospital in an ambulance in each of the last five years; and how long the journey was in (i) miles and (ii) minutes on each occasion.

(77609)

263
N Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will list the major hospital building projects in London which (a) are under way and (b) have received building permission; and if she will make a statement.

(77488)

264
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to improve GP (a) initial and (b) continued training in dermatology; and if she will make a statement.

(77985)

265
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the announcement by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry of 18th October 2005 on public service pensions, that all sector scheme negotiations would be completed by March 2006, when she will announce the details of the consultation on the new proposed benefit structure for new entrants for the NHS Pension Scheme; whether the negotiations have been completed; and if she will make a statement.

(78008)

266
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of (a) children and (b) adults are (i) obese and (ii) overweight when measured by body mass index according to the Government's most recent health survey figures in (A) Peterborough constituency, (B) Peterborough City Council area, (C) the East of England and (D) England.

(77917)

267
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment her Department has made of the oral health of the population in (a) Peterborough constituency, (b) the East of England and (c) England.

(77921)

268
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what services for children who have been sexually abused are funded by her Department; and what mechanisms are in place to provide liaison between services funded by her Department and those provided by other funding streams.

(78215)

269
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS staff have been made redundant in 2006-07 to date, broken down by category of staff.

(78356)

270
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many newly qualified (a) nurses and (b) doctors have not been able to find relevant employment within six months of qualifying in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

(78357)

271
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what NHS facilities have been closed in 2006-07 to date, broken down by (a) primary care trust and (b) reason for closure; and if she will make a statement.

(78358)

272
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS posts have been vacant for more than three months since January, broken down by strategic health authority.

(78359)

273
Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will review and re-issue Health Service Circular 1999/176 to clarify her instructions to trusts.

(78312)

274
Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps an NHS clinician can take if funding for a treatment they deem to be most clinically appropriate is refused by their primary care trust.

(78313)

275
Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether a primary care trust may refuse funding for a treatment that has been deemed most clinically appropriate by an NHS clinician.

(78314)

276
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research she has commissioned on the clinical effectiveness of adopting a maximum 18-week waiting time target for all GP referrals.

(78012)

277
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the aggregate year-end financial position of (a) all primary care trusts and (b) all NHS trusts has been in each year since 2002.

(78014)

278
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) mean and (b) median waiting time was for an (i) inpatient and (ii) outpatient appointment in each year since 1990, broken down by region.

(78015)

279
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what public health screening programmes were introduced in England in each year since 1979.

(78016)

280
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps she is taking to encourage capital investment by NHS organisations.

(78017)

281
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) mean and (b) median waiting time for an inpatient procedure for the 50 most common specialties has been in each year since 1997.

(78018)

282
N Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she will reintroduce the Price Increase Mechanism for Part 9 of the Dry Tariff.

[R] (77654)

283
N Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether it is her policy that the removal of specified risk material from cattle is a public health protection measure the costs of which should be met by the Government as defined in recommendation 26 of the Meat Industry Red Tape Working Group Report of December 1999.

(77721)

284
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of NHS deficits on joint working with local authorities.

(78302)

285
Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding is available in 2006-07 for the treatment of alcohol dependency when that dependency is not secondary to class A drug misuse.

(77934)

286
Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which foundation trusts have (a) opt-in membership arrangements and (b) opt-out membership arrangements; in how many cases in each trust there have been contested elections to the governing body; what the turnout was at each; and what the (i) dates and and (ii) results of these elections were.

(78111)

287
N Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the new x-ray scanner will be (a) installed and (b) operational at Sheppey Community Hospital.

(77614)

Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department

288
N Adam Afriyie (Windsor):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many offenders Manor Lodge Approved Premises in Old Windsor could accommodate (a) before and (b) after refurbishment; and what percentage of sex offenders could be accommodated in each case.

(77655)

289
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times in the last 12 months the London Area Manager of the Prison Service, or his representative, has attended multi-agency public protection arrangements strategic management boards within his area.

(78088)

290
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the (a) timing and (b) conclusions of the most recent review by the Director of Personnel at HM Prison Service on the arrangements for dealing with investigations under Prison Service Order 1300.

(78089)

291
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Prison Service Management Board last reviewed the arrangements for investigations under Prison Service Order 1300; and what the conclusions of the Board were.

(78090)

292
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what role the Prison Service London Area Manager has in relation to the multi-agency public protection arrangements strategic management boards that fall within his area.

(78091)

293
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of whether access to (a) naltraczone, (b) subutex and (c) methadone would increase the exchange of illegal drugs within the prison estate; and if he will make a statement.

(78102)

294
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what procedures are in place within the Prison Service to advise the (a) police and (b) probation service of unexpected changes in prisoners' release dates brought about by restoration of remission boards; and if he will make a statement.

(78103)

295
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many inmates have had added days awarded to them by the independent adjudicator and subsequently also had days restored to them by prison governors in each prison in each of the last 12 months; how many days were (i) awarded by the independent adjudicator and (ii) restored by the governor in each case; what the reasons were for the restoration in each case; and if he will make a statement.

(78104)

296
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with drug counsellors in prisons on the relative effectiveness of different drug treatment and intervention programmes across the prison estate.

(78107)

297
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the (a) availability and (b) use of (i) naltraczone, (ii) subutex and (iii) methadone in dealing with drug addiction within the Prison Estate.

(78109)

298
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what checks are made by Prison Service area offices to ensure that data submitted for the purpose of performance management is correct; and if he will make a statement.

(78127)

299
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many independent adjudications were carried out in each prison establishment in each of the last 15 months.

(78128)

300
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost of independent adjudications was in each prison establishment for each of the last 12 months.

(78129)

301
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff are employed in the Prison Service Race and Equality Advisory Group; and if he will make a statement.

(78130)

302
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which prisons issue condoms to prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

(78132)

303
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prison officers have been reinstated after dismissal in each prison in each of the last three years.

(78133)

304
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the possible correlation between overcrowding and self-harm in the (a) male, (b) female and (c) juvenile prison estate; and if he will make a statement.

(78134)

305
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the impact on the overcrowding rate in female prison establishments of the re-roling of HM Prison (a) Bullwood Hall and (b) Brockhill; and if he will make a statement.

(78144)

306
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what forecast he has made of the prison population on 30th June.

(78146)

307
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what preparations have been made by the Prison Service for the introduction of custody plus and intermittent sentencing; what impact he expects the change to have on the prison population; and if he will make a statement.

(78149)

308
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who the head of Prisoner Escort and Custody Services at the National Offender Management Service is; how many people have held the position (a) permanently and (b) temporarily in the last four years; and if he will make a statement.

(78166)

309
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many civilian staff are employed at HM Prison Wandsworth.

(78167)

310
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Irish nationals have been deported to the Irish Republic from HM Prison Service establishments in the last 12 months.

(78168)

311
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Irish nationals are being detained for immigration purposes at prison establishments beyond their release date; and if he will make a statement.

(78169)

312
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what obligation is placed on the Prison Service to establish the nationality of prisoners during the reception process under Prison Service Order 0500.

(78170)

313
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff are employed in the Prison Service Security Group; and if he will make a statement.

(78184)

314
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost has been of the Tasker investigation commissioned by the Prison Service London area office; and if he will make a statement.

(78186)

315
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Irish nationals are being held in each prison establishment.

(78187)

316
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) maximum, (b) mean and (c) median amount of money is held in prisoners' private cash accounts at each prison establishment; and if he will make a statement.

(78194)

317
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) psychologists and (b) psychology assistants are employed (i) at each prison establishment and (ii) at Prison Service headquarters.

(78195)

318
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what checks are carried out by the Prison Service into the nationality of prisoners entering prison establishments who claim to be British; and if he will make a statement.

(78196)

319
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the investigation of the previous governor of HM Prison Brixton; what the nature was of the (a) allegation and (b) investigation; and what the reason was for the subsequent transfer to the Home Office.

(78197)

320
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the possible correlation between re-offending rates and participation by inmates in an enhanced thinking skills course in prison; and if he will make a statement.

(78198)

321
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what mechanisms exist to monitor inmates' cars parked at prison establishments to ensure that the vehicles are (a) legally registered as owned by the inmate claiming ownership and (b) displaying valid tax discs; and if he will make a statement.

(78210)

322
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of inmates at HM Prison Latchmere House are allowed to park their cars in the establishment's car park; and if he will make a statement.

(78211)

323
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many managed moves at senior operational level in the Prison Service there were in each of the last three years; and for what reasons policy was changed in July 2005 to require all such moves to be approved by the Director of Operations.

(78212)

324
N Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of the 10 to 17 year olds who received a custodial sentence for breach of an anti-social behaviour order received a (a) concurrent and (b) consecutive custodial sentence for other matters in the period between December 2003 and September 2005.

(77715)

325
N Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many 10 to 17 year olds received a custodial sentence for breach of an anti-social behaviour order in the period between December 2003 and September 2005.

(77716)

326
N Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) anti-social behaviour orders and (b) individual support orders were issued to 10 to 17 year olds in the period between December 2003 and September 2005.

(77717)

327
N Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders issued to 10 to 17 year olds were breached in the period between December 2003 and September 2005.

(77718)

328
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the results were of the airport-based Iris Recognition Immigration System pilots; what percentage of iris scans were successful; and if he will make a statement.

(78121)

329
Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria are used by police professional standards departments when conducting complaints into police conduct and behaviour; and if he will make a statement.

(78279)

330
Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria are used by the Independent Police Complaints Commission when conducting complaints into police conduct and behaviour; and if he will make a statement.

(78280)

331
Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures the Government has put in place to ensure that investigations into complaints of police behaviour and misconduct by (a) police professional standards departments and (b) the Independent Police Complaints Commission (i) follow due process and (ii) are conducted to high professional standards; and if he will make a statement.

(78282)

332
Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance is issued to serving police officers who are subject to investigations following a complaint as to their conduct during that investigation; what guidance is issued to local police force managers on these matters; and if he will make a statement.

(78285)

333
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what prosecutions have been successfully concluded for people trafficking; and what the nationality was of those convicted of this offence in cases where proceedings are complete.

(77907)

334
N Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what category of prisoners will be accommodated at HMP Bullwood Hall following the change of status from a female to a male prison; and if he will make a statement.

(77852)

335
N Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional security measures are planned at HMP Bullwood Hall to accommodate the change from female to male prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

(77853)

336
N Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the first male inmates are scheduled to be sent to HMP Bullwood Hall; and if he will make a statement.

(77854)

337
N Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the decision was taken to change the status of HMP Bullwood Hall from a female to a male prison; and if he will make a statement.

(77855)

338
N Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a risk assessment was undertaken prior to the decision to change the status of HMP Bullwood Hall from a female to a male prison; and if he will make a statement.

(77856)

339
N Nick Harvey (North Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in how many incidents a deactivated gun that has been reactivated was used in shootings and armed violence in England and Wales in the last five years; and which of these incidents resulted in murder.

(77610)

340
N Nick Herbert (Arundel & South Downs):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 8th June 2006, Official Report, column 819W, on prisons, what category of offences had been committed by each of the non-foreign national prisoners who absconded from Ford Prison in 2006; what the term of the prison sentence was in each case; on what date each escaped; and whether the prisoner remains at large in each case.

(77859)

341
N Nick Herbert (Arundel & South Downs):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 8th June 2006, Official Report, column 819W, on prisons, what categories of offences had been committed by each of the 33 foreign national prisoners who absconded from Ford Prison in 2006; what the term of the prison sentence was of each; whether the prisoner was (a) being considered for enforcement proceedings by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, (b) going to be deported and (c) remains at large in each case; and on what date each escaped.

(77861)

342
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many failed asylum seekers that have yet to be deported reside in (a) Peterborough constituency and (b) Peterborough City Council area.

(77922)

343
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many convictions there have been for drug offences in Peterborough City Council area in each of the last five years.

(77923)

344
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many letters of complaint were received by his Department relating to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate where the individual writing normally resides in (a) Peterborough constituency and (b) Peterborough City Council area in each year since 1997.

(77924)

345
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers there are in (a) Peterborough constituency, (b) Peterborough City Council area and (c) the East of England.

(77926)

346
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children under 14 years were recorded as experiencing sexual abuse in each of the last five years; what services for such children are funded by his Department; and what mechanisms are in place to provide liaison between services funded by his Department and those provided by other funding streams.

(78214)

347
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average cost of (a) keeping a non-violent young offender in prison, broken down by prison category, and (b) alternatives to custody of non-violent young offenders was in each of the last five years.

(78646)

348
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total cost to his Department of (a) keeping non-violent young offenders in prison and (b) alternatives to custody of non-violent young offenders was for each of the last five years.

(78647)

349
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of non-violent young offenders (a) sent to prison and (b) given alternatives to custody re-offended within two years of finishing their sentence in the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

(78648)

350
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research his Department has undertaken on comparative recidivism rates of alternatives to custody and imprisonment for (a) non-violent young offenders and (b) non-violent offenders.

(78649)

351
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of young people under 18 have been classed as serious and persistent offenders in each of the last five years.

(78650)

352
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of victims of crime have been under 18 years old in each of the last five years.

(78651)

353
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what alternatives to prison for convicted non-violent young offenders are available to the courts.

(78652)

354
Mr Piara S. Khabra (Ealing Southall):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of violent crime there were in Ealing Southall constituency in the most recent period for which figures are available, broken down by type of crime.

(78046)

355
Mr Piara S. Khabra (Ealing Southall):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people entered the UK with valid visas as visitors during the last 12 months; how many failed to return to their country of origin before the expiry of their permitted stay; and if he will make a statement.

(78047)

356
Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will withdraw the guidance to police forces contained in Annex C of his Department's circular 46/2004.

(77964)

357
Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will amend the guidance to police forces on reviewing injury pensions so that injured officers who were in receipt of such a pension prior to the introduction of the current guidance will not have their pension reviewed earlier than their state retirement age.

(77965)

358
Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effect of new legislation on age discrimination on the existing guidance to police forces on injury pensions contained in Annex C of Home Office Circular 46/2004.

(77966)

359
N Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will answer Questions (a) 62603, (b) 62604, (c) 62605 and (d) 62606, on the occupants of registered aircraft landing at airports in the UK, tabled on 27th March by the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk.

(76890)

360
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police stations have been closed in villages and towns with a population smaller than 10,000 inhabitants in each year since 1997.

(78201)

361
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) burglaries, (b) offences involving violence against the person, (c) sexual offences and (d) car and property crimes there were in rural areas in each year since 1997.

(78202)

362
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his policy is on action taken by groups of residents in response to anti-social behaviour in their locality; and if he will make a statement.

(78165)

363
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will visit Castle Point to discuss anti-social behaviour with local residents and the police.

(78183)

364
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) curfews, (b) exclusion orders and (c) parenting orders have been issued in the Essex police area in the last 12 months.

(78185)

365
N Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much will be made available to police through the Alcohol Misuse and Enforcement Campaign between (a) 9th June and 9th July and (b) 10th July and 10th August, broken down by constabulary.

(77652)

366
N Mr Robert Walter (North Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the police in Wiltshire use the LT120.20 mobile speed cameras.

(76705)

367
N Mr Robert Walter (North Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) crisis centres and (b) safe houses there are in England and Wales where child victims of trafficking can find refuge.

(76841)

368
N Mr Robert Walter (North Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of children trafficked into the UK in the last five years.

(76842)

369
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answers of 7th June 2006, Official Report, columns 741-2W, on the police, whether his strategic objectives in relation to West Mercia Police differ from those of his predecessor.

(78390)

370
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will provide a substantive reply to Question 69968, tabled by the hon. Member for Leominster for named day answer on 11th May; and what the reason was for the time taken to reply.

(78395)

371
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with representatives from the (a) African, (b) North African, (c) Arab and (d) Iranian communities since 7th July 2005.

(77986)

372
Mr Iain Wright (Hartlepool):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much additional funding has been made available to police forces during the period of the World Cup to help maintain law and order in town centres and other areas with high numbers of licensed premises.

(78327)

373
Mr Iain Wright (Hartlepool):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to increase the powers of crime and disorder reduction partnerships.

(78328)

374
Mr Iain Wright (Hartlepool):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what powers are available to minimise recrimination against victims of (a) criminal and (b) anti-social behaviour who give evidence to the police.

(78332)

375
Mr Iain Wright (Hartlepool):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been killed in England and Wales in each year since 1990 by the use of (a) a knife, (b) a gun and (c) another weapon.

(78337)

Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development

376
Colin Burgon (Elmet):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of his Department's funding for South America in 2006-07 is being channelled through the Inter-American Development Bank.

(78051)

377
Colin Burgon (Elmet):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment has been made of the compatibility of Inter-American Development Bank programmes with his Department's poverty objectives.

(78052)

378
Colin Burgon (Elmet):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what academic research is (a) being undertaken and (b) planned on the Department's South America policy.

(78053)

379
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of aid in the form of (a) food, (b) medical supplies and (c) shelter is being supplied to internally displaced Karen, Shan and Karenni people in Burma through mechanisms inside the country.

(78097)

380
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what cross-border aid has been provided to Karen refugees following the Burmese government's recent military offensive against civilians.

(78099)

381
Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the outcomes of the recent World Health Organisation's World Health Assembly.

(77930)

382
Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, for how long the UK will provide assistance to the area affected by the recent Indonesian earthquake.

(77932)

383
Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much non-financial assistance the Government has pledged to Indonesia in the aftermath of the recent earthquake.

(77933)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

384
Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what preparations his Department is making for the introduction of the restrictions on smoking in public places in Northern Ireland.

(78117)

385
Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assistance is offered to visually impaired people in Northern Ireland to ensure their access to services available to them.

(78118)

386
Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 5th June 2006, Official Report, column 455W, on prostate cancer, what percentage of males over the age of 85 years in Northern Ireland are estimated to have prostate cancer.

(78119)

387
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the expected cost savings are from the Government's plan to reduce the number of local authorities in Northern Ireland.

(78265)

388
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what funding has been made available by his Department for the work of the North Down and Ards Life Education Centre in each of the past five years; and what plans he has for future funding.

(78267)

389
Dr Alasdair McDonnell (Belfast South):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how the principles set out in A Shared Future were applied in (a) the Children and Young People Funding Package and (b) the rationalisation plans recently agreed by the South Eastern Education and Library Board.

(77904)

390
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department has published a regulatory impact assessment for the implementation of Articles 7 to 10 of EU in Northern Ireland Directive 2002/91/EC; and what the timetable is for the implementation of these Articles.

(78230)

391
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many cameras the Valuation and Lands Agency in Northern Ireland owns; and how many it has purchased in each of the last five years.

(78231)

392
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 8th June 2006, Official Report, column 798W, on the Valuation and Lands Agency, if he will place in the Library a copy of the technical documentation relating to the neighbourhood and estate code polygons.

(78320)

393
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 8th June 2006, Official Report, column 798W, on the Valuation and Lands Agency, how many census output areas there are in Northern Ireland.

(78321)

394
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Valuation and Lands Agency in Northern Ireland has purchased (a) software and (b) consultancy services from CDC Ltd in the last five years.

(78326)

Questions to the Prime Minister

395
Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Prime Minister, whether he had read (a) the Sustainable Development Commission's report Is Nuclear the Answer, dated March 2006, and (b) the Environmental Audit Select Committee's report Keeping the Lights on: Nuclear, Renewables and Climate Change HC584, dated 16th April 2006, prior to making his address to the Confederation of British Industry on 16th May.

(78094)

396
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Prime Minister, what the dimensions are of the garden at 10 Downing Street.

(78264)

397
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Prime Minister, which Government Minister is responsible for tackling social exclusion; and in which Government Department the civil servants responsible for this issue are located.

(78266)

398
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Prime Minister, which Government Department is responsible for tackling (a) extremism and (b) racial hatred in communities.

(78268)

399
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will offer to all back-bench hon. Members individual private meetings following his slot for oral questions.

(78213)

Questions to the honourable Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission

400
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the honourable Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how many (a) public relations and (b) marketing staff the Electoral Commission employs; what the annual wage costs were for staff in each category in the last year for which figures are available; and what the (i) job titles and (ii) functions are of each of these staff.

(78294)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

401
N John Austin (Erith & Thamesmead):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent representations he has received on the environmental (a) advantages and (b) disadvantages of energy from waste; and if he will make a statement.

(77616)

402
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions his Department has had regarding the future of Peugeot in the UK; and where and when those discussions took place.

(76997)

403
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions his Department has had with Peugeot management regarding the trade unions' alternative plan.

(76998)

404
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans his Department has to review the effect of the Government's Industrial Strategy on the West Midlands.

(76999)

405
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much electricity has been inputted through the inter-connector with France in each of the last five years; and what percentage of total UK electricity supply electricity so inputted represents.

(78171)

406
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the budget of the Government's Small Business Service was in each financial year since its establishment; how many staff it employs; how many offices it (a) owns and (b) rents; what the annual rent paid on rented properties was in each year; and to which Minister in the Department the Small Business Service reports.

(78164)

407
N Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the effect of spending on aerospace on the economy.

(77558)

408
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will meet the Chartered Institute of Marketing to discuss forthcoming legislation which will affect the marketing sector; and if he will make a statement.

[R] (78086)

409
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of industry marketing standards; and if he will make a statement.

[R] (78087)

410
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many post offices have been closed in villages and towns with a population smaller than 10,000 inhabitants in each year since 1997.

(78206)

411
N Hon Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the number of nuclear (a) scientists and (b) engineers available in the United Kingdom.

(77722)

412
N Jo Swinson (East Dunbartonshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on his Department's recent discussions on strengthening enforcement against unscrupulous lenders.

(77544)

413
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when the Department will announce whether the life of Wylfa nuclear power station will be extended beyond its planned closure date of 2010; and if he will make a statement.

(78286)

414
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the Department's projections are for (a) commericial, (b) retail, (c) household and (d) manufacturing energy bills in January (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) 2009, (iv) 2010 and (v) 2015; and if he will make a statement.

(78287)

415
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the Department's projections are for average commericial (a) gas and (b) electricity prices in January (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) 2009, (iv) 2010 and (v) 2015; and if he will make a statement.

(78288)

416
Mr Michael Wills (North Swindon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps his Department takes on receipt of an HR1 form under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.

(77909)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport

417
Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has held with Ministerial colleagues on the removal of roadside distractions.

(77939)

418
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made of the likely impact on (a) volunteers and (b) the general public's use of small boats of the operation of the Boatmaster's Certificate Scheme.

(78072)

419
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which individuals and organisations are on the Steering Group overseeing the introduction of the revised Boatmaster's Licence.

(78073)

420
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is legal to smoke while driving a car.

(78340)

421
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what account was taken of plans for future housing and infrastructure in the formulation of the new South West Trains franchise; and if he will make a statement.

(78365)

422
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the current operational performance of South West Trains; and how many complaints he has received from rail users' groups in Hampshire about failures to operate timetabled services; and if he will make a statement.

(78369)

423
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what criteria were used in making the decision to reduce services on the (a) Salisbury to Southampton and (b) Reading to Brighton lines.

(78371)

424
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assumptions about traffic growth up to 2021 are being used by his Department in discussions with the growth areas directorate in the Department for Communities and Local Government on housing expansion in the Peterborough Unitary Authority area.

(78394)

425
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many rural rail (a) services and (b) stations have ceased to operate in each year since 1997, broken down by location.

(78203)

426
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many rural bus services have (a) stopped and (b) been suspended indefinitely in each year since 1997.

(78204)

427
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many bus passenger miles in rural areas were undertaken in (a) 1997 and (b) 2005; and how many of these were supported by public funds.

(78205)

428
N Mr John Randall (Uxbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what use is being made of diffusion tube data in his Department's work assessing nitrogen dioxide levels in the Heathrow area.

(77650)

429
N Mr John Randall (Uxbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which methods of measuring concentrations of nitrogen dioxide are considered acceptable by the European Commission in order to demonstrate compliance with the relevant air quality directives.

(77651)

430
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to include Leominster train station on the Access for All Station List; and if he will make a statement.

(78366)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

431
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of cases recorded on the Child Support Agency old rules scheme would pay (a) increased and (b) decreased payments if migrated to the new rules scheme.

(77946)

432
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the average number of Child Support Agency staff who are involved in each case from first application to the establishment of regular payments.

(77947)

433
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of eligible parents received their first payment from the Child Support Agency within the target time of six weeks in each month of the last year for which figures are available.

(77948)

434
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many unprocessed cases were held by the Child Support Agency during each month of the last year for which figures are available.

(77949)

435
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his latest estimate is of the average time it takes the Child Support Agency to bring cases from first application to assessment.

(77950)

436
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his latest estimate is of the backlog of new claims held by the Child Support Agency.

(77951)

437
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of delays in the transfer of old cases to the new system by the Child Support Agency on progress towards the Government's child poverty reduction targets.

(77952)

438
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average administration cost per case on (a) the new and (b) the old Child Support Agency scheme was in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(77953)

439
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints have been made to the Child Support Agency in each year for which figures are available.

(77954)

440
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has spent on reducing benefit overpayments due to (a) fraud, (b) customer error and (c) official error in each year since 1997.

(77955)

441
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his latest estimate is of the average time taken to resolve complaints to the Child Support Agency about (a) old scheme cases and (b) new scheme cases.

(77956)

442
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time taken to process compensation payments made to Child Support Agency clients for administrative errors was in 2005-06.

(77957)

443
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the 10 largest total (a) compensation and (b) maladministration payments made by the Child Support Agency to a single individual have been since May 1997, including separate payments made in relation to a single case requiring compensation; and if he will make a statement.

(77958)

444
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total cost was of compensation payments made to clients of the Child Support Agency for administrative errors in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(77959)

445
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints of (a) harassment, (b) bullying and (c) discrimination in the workplace there were against Child Support Agency staff in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(77960)

446
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his latest estimate is of the proportion of sickness absence days taken in a year at the Child Support Agency which were due to stress and other mental health problems.

(77961)

447
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) absence rates due to sickness and (b) turnover rates for Child Support Agency staff were for each year since 1995-96.

(77967)

448
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many days training were provided to staff at the Child Support Agency in each year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(77968)

449
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the key performance metrics are for measuring the performance of the EDS contract with the Child Support Agency.

(77969)

450
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what bonuses relating to performance were paid to staff managing the EDS contract at the Child Support Agency in each of the last four years for which figures are available.

(77970)

451
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the impact of the failures of the new computer system at the Child Support Agency on the Government's ability to meet its poverty reduction target; and if he will make a statement.

(77971)

452
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library the latest list of change requests made to EDS by the Child Support Agency.

(77972)

453
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many telephone calls to the Child Support Agency (a) were received, (b) received an engaged tone and (c) were disconnected during the interactive voice response process in the period April 2002 to May 2006.

(77973)

454
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average bonus payment to the 10 most highly paid civil servants in (a) the Pensions Service, (b) the Child Support Agency and (c) Jobcentre Plus was in 2004-05.

(77974)

455
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his latest estimate is of the total pensions liability in respect of the 20 most highly paid civil servants at the Child Support Agency; and if he will make a statement.

(77975)

456
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria were used to determine performance-related bonus payments for senior civil servants at the Child Support Agency in each of the last four years.

(77976)

457
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency cases have been migrated from the old rules system onto the new rules system and then back onto the old rules system.

(77977)

458
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what policies are in place with regard to (a) migrating Child Support Agency cases on the old rules system to the new rules system and (b) migrating them back onto the old rules system.

(77978)

459
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to roll out the new Gateway to help parents resolve child support cases.

(77979)

460
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what total amount of outstanding debt is owed to parents with care via the Child Support Agency; and what proportion of this is deemed uncollectable.

(77980)

461
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the cost of the review of the Child Support System being carried out by Sir David Henshaw.

(77981)

462
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost of the Benefit Simplification Unit was in each year since its establishment.

(77982)

463
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the key performance targets are for the Benefit Simplification Unit; and if he will make a statement.

(77987)

464
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate (a) the number of people due to retire after 2010 who have paid voluntary national insurance contributions and who would otherwise have qualified for a full basic pension on the basis of 30 contribution years required for a full state pension and (b) the total amount of such overpayment.

(77988)

465
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much industrial injuries disablement benefit was underpaid in each year since 1997; and how much was underpaid due to (a) fraud, (b) customer error and (c) official error in each year.

(77989)

466
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much (a) pension credit, (b) disability living allowance and (c) carers' allowance was underpaid due to (a) fraud, (b) customer error and (c) official error in each year for which figures are available.

(77990)

467
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department and its predecessor spent on reducing benefit overpayments due to (a) fraud, (b) customer error and (c) official error in each year since 1997.

(77991)

468
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much benefit was underpaid in income support to (a) lone parents and (b) disabled people in each year for which figures are available; and what amount was underpaid due to (i) fraud, (ii) customer error and (iii) official error in each year.

(77992)

469
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate (a) the total amount of (i) incapacity benefit, (ii) income support, (iii) jobseeker's allowance, (iv) pension credit, (v) council tax benefit and (vi) housing benefit erroneously paid to prisoners in each year since 1997 and (b) the number of prisoners involved in each case.

(77993)

470
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what definition he uses of `the long term' on page 110 of the White Paper `Security in Retirement, Towards a New Pensions System'.

(77994)

471
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the number of (a) male pensioners currently aged over 65 years and (b) female pensioners currently aged over 60 years who will be claiming (i) the guarantee credit only, (ii) savings credit and guarantee credit and (iii) savings credit only in (A) 2010 and (B) 2012 under the proposals in the White Paper Security in Retirement, Towards a New Pensions System; and what estimate he has made of what these numbers would be under the current system.

(77995)

472
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his latest estimate is of how many people will qualify for support from the Financial Assistance Scheme at (a) the 80 per cent. rate, (b) the 65 per cent. rate and (c) the 50 per cent. rate.

(77996)

473
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate (a) the number of people affected by and (b) the total savings to the Treasury from the abolition of adult dependency increases, as proposed in the White Paper, Security in Retirement, Towards a New Pensions System in (i) 2020, (ii) 2030, (iii) 2040 and (iv) 2050.

(77997)

474
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the effect on retirement income for pensioners who are members of defined contribution schemes in (a) 2020, (b) 2030, (c) 2040 and (d) 2050 of a reduction equivalent to the value of the contracted-out rebate in contributions.

(77998)

475
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his latest estimate is of the number of women in the UK who will retire between 1st May 2005 and 31st April 2010 with (a) 30 years or more of Class 1 National Insurance contributions and (b) more than 30 but less than 39 years of National Insurance contributions.

(77999)

476
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the total change in revenue to the Treasury resulting from the cancellation of contracted-out rebates to defined contribution schemes in each year from 2012.

(78001)

477
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the savings that will be realised from the reforms to (a) the state second pension and (b) savings credit under the proposals in the White Paper Security in Retirement, Towards a New Pensions System in each year from 2008 to 2050.

(78002)

478
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the number of pensioners who will have an income, through the basic state pension and state second pension, before the addition of means tested benefits, that is higher than the basic state pension level and lower than the savings credit lower threshold in (a) 2010, (b) 2020, (c) 2030, (d) 2040 and (e) 2050 under the proposals in the White Paper Security in Retirment, Towards a New Pensions System.

(78003)

479
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the total number of pensioners who would receive savings credit under the current system but will not under the proposals in the White Paper Security in Retirement, Towards a New Pensions System in (a) 2010, (b) 2020, (c) 2030, (d) 2040 and (e) 2050.

(78004)

480
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library the data which supports the figures given in figure 9 of the White Paper `Security in retirement, towards a new pensions sytem' for each year between 2020 and 2050.

(78005)

481
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the administration cost was of each of the benefits administered by his Department and the agencies for which his Department is responsible in each of the last five years.

(78006)

482
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his latest estimate is of the number and proportion of (a) women pensioners and (b) disabled people living on (a) less than 60 per cent. of contemporary median income and (b) less than 60 per cent. of contemporary mean income in each year since 1997.

(78007)

483
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what aggregate amount was paid to senior civil servants in the Child Support Agency in bonus payments related to performance in 2005-06.

(78050)

484
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he will reply to Question 63316 from the hon. Member for Portsmouth South, tabled on 29th March, on Post Office Card Accounts.

(78095)

485
N Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will change his policy on ceasing carer's allowance on receipt of the state retirement pension at age 60; and if he will make a statement.

(77711)

486
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the take-up rate of council tax benefit was in (a) Peterborough constituency and (b) Peterborough City Council area in each year since 1996-97; and how many pensioners (i) were entitled to and (ii) received council tax benefit in each year.

(77910)

487
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Benefit Simplification Unit was established; what publications it has produced; and what assessment he has made of its performance against its objectives.

(77944)

488
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the level of fraud and error in housing benefit was in each year since 1996-97; and if he will make a statement.

(77945)

489
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the low take-up rate of council tax benefit; and if he will make a statement.

(78156)

490
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his estimate is of the value of all unclaimed benefits for each year since 1996-97; and if he will make a statement.

(78157)

491
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his latest estimate is of the total number of people (a) entitled to and (b) in receipt of (i) council tax benefit, (ii) housing benefit, (iii) pension credit and (iv) disability living allowance for each year from 1996-97 to 2005-06; and if he will make a statement.

(78158)

492
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his latest estimate is of the level of fraud and error in percentage terms for (a) child benefit, (b) income support, (c) incapacity benefit, (d) disability living allowance, (e) jobseeker's allowance, (f) housing benefit, (g) pension credit and (h) council tax benefit.

(78388)

493
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many temporary national insurance numbers have been issued in each (a) month and (b) quarter since April 2003; and if he will make a statement.

(78393)

494
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the take-up rates were for family credit for each year of its existence; and if he will make a statement.

(78410)

495
N Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on how many days since May 1997 the St George's flag has been flown from his Department's buildings.

(77733)

496
N Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department's policy is on flying the (a) St George's flag and (b) EU flag from departmental buildings.

(77734)

497
N Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will ensure the Union Flag is flown from his Department's buildings on every day the offices are open.

(77735)

498
Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects to let contracts with private and voluntary sector providers to manage Pathways to Work in new areas.

(77935)

499
Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Pathways to Work procurement process complies with the duties and other provisions established under the Equalities Act 2006.

(77936)

500
Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the likely effect on child poverty of proposals in A New Deal for Welfare: Empowering People to Work to introduce the Employment and Support Allowance.

(77937)

501
Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to consult on the review of employment services for disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

(77938)

502
Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the likely impact in each region of introducing a lower rate of benefit for young people under the age of 25 claiming the proposed employment and support allowance.

(78108)

503
Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the proposed criteria are for the reserved circumstances group of employment and support allowance claimants; and how these will be decided.

(78363)

504
Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he plans to take to ensure that employers are willing to recruit people who have been claiming incapacity benefit or employment and support allowance.

(78364)

505
Mr Robert Marshall-Andrews (Medway):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many National Insurance numbers are in operation for persons over 16 years old in England and Wales.

(77928)

506
Jessica Morden (Newport East):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the take-up rate of pension credit was amongst pensioners in Newport East in (a) 2003-04 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available.

(77903)

507
Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many potential recipients of assistance through the financial assistance scheme he estimates will also receive deemed buy-back of contracted out rebates.

(78309)

508
Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of Government liabilities in respect of the deemed buy-back of contracted out rebates.

(78310)

509
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many former Allied Steel and Wire workers are forecast to receive (a) 80 per cent., (b) 65 per cent., (c) 50 per cent. and (d) none of their expected occupational pension under the recently announced changes to the Financial Assistance Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

(78290)

510
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures the Department is putting in place to speed up payments to those eligible under the Financial Assistance Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

(78291)

511
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Department expects all those eligible under the Financial Assistance Scheme to have received payment; and if he will make a statement.

(78292)

512
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the cost to fully compensate, with index-linking, all former Allied Steel and Wire workers who lost occupational pension savings; and if he will make a statement.

(78293)

Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

513
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have been notified that they have incomplete National Insurance contribution records in each year since 1997.

[Transferred] (78000)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

514
Mr Iain Wright (Hartlepool):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to ensure that local strategic partnerships play a leading role in the reduction of (a) criminal and (b) anti-social behaviour in their areas.

[R] [Transferred] (78330)

Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs

515
Clare Short (Birmingham, Ladywood):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, whether the case of John Muhia (Home Office ref. M746233) is subject to reconsideration; and if she will make a statement.

[Transferred] (77929)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Health

516
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many abattoirs have been closed in each year since 1997.

[Transferred] (78208)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

517
Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will place in the Library copies of the presentation made to the Prime Minister on energy policy options by his Department's energy team on 15th May; which departmental officials were present at the presentation; and what reasons underlay the choice of graphs and bar charts posted on his Department's website on energy usage following the presentation.

[Transferred] (78093)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

518
Anne Main (St Albans):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many liability orders under Section 33 of the Child Support Act 1991 and Child Support Regulations 1992 have been sought (a) in the UK, (b) within Hertfordshire and (c) within St Albans in each year since 1995; and how many of these were successful.

[Transferred] (78401)

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Revised 15 June 2006