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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Wednesday 27 June 2007
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Wednesday 27 June 2007
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 27 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 Wednesday 27 June of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Wednesday 27 June see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 1
| Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many deaths there were with an alcohol-related underlying cause in (a) the North East, broken down by local authority area and (b) the UK, broken down by (i) region and (ii) country, in (A) 2004, (B) 2005 and (C) 2006; and what the death rate per head of population from alcohol-related causes was in each case. | | (146224) | 2
| Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library the Memorandum of Understanding with the British Venture Capital Association on the application of capital gains tax relief rules to venture capital companies. | | (146227) | 3
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many officials in his Department are (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations, (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission, (c) seconded to the European Commission, (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives, (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice. | | (146086) | 4
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Departmental responsibilities of the Paymaster General since May 1997 have included authorisation of any aspect of the Al Yamamah defence contract; and if he will make a statement. | | (146219) | 5
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much his Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period. | | (146326) | 6
| Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many claims made by members of HM Armed Forces for laundry allowance while on deployments and exercises were granted in each of the last five years; and what the (a) total value of the tax allowance and (b) average allowance per claimant was in each of those years. | | (146296) | 7
| Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons HM Revenue and Customs does not meet claims made by members of HM Armed Forces for laundry allowance while on deployments and exercises; and if he will make a statement. | | (146297) | Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 8
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how much the Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period. | | (146340) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 9
N | Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many dwellings were (a) constructed for private sale, (b) built by housing associations and (c) built by local authorities in each London borough in each of the last three years. | | (145491) | 10
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many officials in her Department are (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations, (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission, (c) seconded to the European Commission, (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives, (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice. | | (146083) | 11
| Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, from what point response times are measured for the Fire Service in each regional control centre area. | | (146154) | 12
| Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, on how many occasions (a) retained appliances have been off the run due to lack of staffing and (b) other appliances have then been mobilised as a result for each fire authority in each of the last five years. | | (146155) | 13
| Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will place in the Library copies of all valid operational guidance issued to fire and rescue authorities. | | (146156) | 14
| Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when the Centre of Excellence for the Fire Service will be created; and what consultation her Department has held with the Fire Brigades Union on the matter. | | (146157) | 15
| Judy Mallaber (Amber Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which local authorities met the deadline of 31st May 2007 to apply for directions to capitalise equal pay back pay from 2007-08. | | (146190) | 16
| Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many cases of squatting were reported by local authorities in England between June 2006 and June 2007. | | (146194) | 17
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will provide additional funding for local authorities to improve flood drains; and if she will make a statement. | | (146208) | 18
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what funds the Government has made available for local authorities to improve flood drains; and if she will make a statement. | | (146209) | 19
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with water companies on upgrading drainage systems to reduce the impact of flash flooding; and if she will make a statement. | | (146210) | 20
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what regulations govern the upgrading of drainage systems where incidents of flash flooding have taken place; and if she will make a statement. | | (146211) | 21
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the cost of upgrading drainage systems in the UK to tackle the consequences of flash flooding; and if she will make a statement. | | (146212) | 22
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the effects of building houses on run off and flash flooding areas; and if she will make a statement. | | (146213) | 23
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will consider making it a condition of section 106 planning agreements to improve drainage in order to reduce the effect of flash flooding in areas that have been affected; and if she will make a statement. | | (146214) | 24
| Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many shire counties moved to a rating for excellent in the comprehensive performance assessment by the Audit Commission in the last 12 months; and if she will list them. | | (146150) | 25
| Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which local authorities had their accounts qualified in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07. | | (146151) | 26
| Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the impact on coterminosity of boundaries between primary care trusts and local government areas will be a criterion for assessing new local government structure proposals. | | (146152) | 27
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many households do not have access to (a) mains power and (b) piped water supply. | | (146167) | 28
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the number of households in the UK are living in (a) boats, (b) caravans or camper vans, (c) tents and (d) makeshift accommodation; and if she will make a statement. | | (146216) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 29
| Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when the summary of responses to the consultation on the section 240 machine regulations under the Gambling Act 2005 will be published; and when the regulations will be laid. | | (146253) | 30
| Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 4th June 2007, Official Report, column 90W, on Departments: non-departmental public bodies, what the (a) capital costs and (b) revenue operating costs were of each of the non-departmental public bodies for which her Department is responsible in each of the last five years; and what change this represented in each case from the previous year. | | (146118) | 31
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much her Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period. | | (146341) | 32
| Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with devolved authorities on development of a single UK tourism strategy. | | (146204) | 33
| Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to publish a response to the Report of the Independent Licensing Fees Review Panel; and if she will make a statement. | | (146070) | 34
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with her European counterparts on the regulation of violent video games. | | (146111) | 35
| Jeremy Wright (Rugby & Kenilworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether an 80,000 seat stadium at the Olympic Park is required in order to fulfil the London 2012 host city contract. | | (146071) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 36
| Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether a representative of his Department has attended meetings on the Galileo project in the last six months; and if he will make a statement. | | (146205) | 37
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many officials in his Department are (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations, (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission, (c) seconded to the European Commission, (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives, (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice. | | (146099) | 38
| Mrs Joan Humble (Blackpool North & Fleetwood):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to provide independent advisory panels to oversee welfare provision for trainee soldiers; at which barracks panels have been created; what guidance he has given on (a) the terms of reference for and (b) recruitment of lay persons to serve on such bodies; how the composition of panels is monitored; and what steps he has taken to involve parents of service personnel in an oversight role. | | (146185) | 39
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the value was of the war disablement pension in each year since 1997. | | (146072) | 40
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many veterans are in receipt of a war disablement pension, broken down by percentage assessment of disability. | | (146073) | 41
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason military personnel have been transported by road from RAF bases in Scotland to Brize Norton for deployment to theatre; and how much rest time they have been granted on arrival in theatre before commencing air patrols. | | (144779) | 42
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what strategic (a) planning and (b) supervisory roles are currently assigned to the Chiefs of Staff (i) individually and (ii) as a committee; and if he will make a statement. | | (144780) | 43
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he intends that France will participate in the construction of the UK future aircraft carriers. | | (144781) | 44
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answers of 24th April 2007, Official Report, column 1013W, on armed forces: mass media, 2nd May 2007, Official Report, column 1665W, on service personnel: media and 8th May 2007, on detainees: Iran, and following the publication of the Fulton and Hall reports, whether he is now in a position to identify any instance of a second-hand account of military experiences being sold to the media by relatives of service personnel who have been refused permission to sell them directly. | | (145147) | 45
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, who the duty Minister was on the day the decision was taken to allow the service personnel released by Iran to sell their stories to the media. | | (145148) | 46
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period. | | (146339) | 47
| Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Ministry of Defence police were employed at Colchester Garrison in (a) May 1997, (b) May 2001 and (c) May 2005; and how many are now employed there. | | (146279) | 48
| Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the approved complement is of Ministry of Defence police at Colchester Garrison; and what plans he has to change this complement. | | (146280) | 49
| Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on levying laundry charges on soldiers participating in training exercises, with particular reference to those at Westdown Camp, Salisbury Plain. | | (146299) | 50
| Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much was collected in laundry charges from soldiers participating in training exercises at Westdown Camp, Salisbury Plain in 2006-07; and what the cost to each soldier is for the use of (a) washing and (b) drying facilities. | | (146300) | 51
| Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy to end charging for the use of laundry facilities for soldiers participating in training exercises at Westdown Camp, Salisbury Plain; and if he will make a statement. | | (146301) | 52
| Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it is a requirement that soldiers (a) participating in training exercises and (b) on active deployment should maintain their clothing in clean and hygienic condition, where facilities are available; and if he will make a statement. | | (146302) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 53
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many officials in his Department are (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations, (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission, (c) seconded to the European Commission, (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives, (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice. | | (146090) | 54
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much his Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since establishment; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million. | | (146324) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 55
| Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of procedures to evacuate pupils from school buildings in an emergency. | | (146217) | 56
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many officials in his Department are (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations, (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission, (c) seconded to the European Commission, (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives, (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice. | | (146098) | 57
| Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of adult education in Liverpool. | | (146063) | 58
| Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many Academy schools he expects to be opened in the next 12 months. | | (146065) | 59
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, on how many occasions he has met members of the University and College Union to discuss academic boycotts. | | (146158) | 60
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps the Government has taken to make clear its opposition to an academic boycott of Israel. | | (146159) | 61
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of universities' compliance with equality legislation, with particular reference to anti-semitism. | | (146160) | 62
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to collect information on the number of children educated at home. | | (146051) | 63
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to ensure that all individuals involved in providing home education are qualified teachers. | | (146052) | 64
| Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps are being taken to tackle homophobic bullying in schools. | | (146106) | 65
| Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps he is taking to improve drugs education in schools. | | (146107) | 66
| Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps he is taking to improve the educational attainment by children in care. | | (146108) | 67
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what funding was allocated to Sure Start, child care and early years in each of the last three financial years. | | (146317) | 68
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what total funding for Sure Start, child care and early years will be in each of the next three financial years. | | (146318) | 69
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what representations he has received on the implications of the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review for Sure Start, child care and early years funding. | | (146319) | 70
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much his Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period. | | (146338) | 71
N | Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford & Stortford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many employers have participated in the development of the (a) Construction and Built Environment Diploma, (b) Engineering Diploma, (c) Creative and Media Diploma, (d) Land-based Environmental Diploma, (e) Business, Administration and Finance Administration Diploma, (f) Hospitality and Catering Diploma, (g) IT Diploma and (h) Manufacturing and Produce Design Diploma. | | (144990) | 72
| Mr Shailesh Vara (North West Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps the Government is taking to increase levels of physical or sporting activity by children to help combat obesity. | | (146215) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 73
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many officials in his Department are (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations, (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission, (c) seconded to the European Commission, (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives, (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice. | | (146097) | 74
| Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will provide an update on a proposed National Ambient Noise Strategy. | | (146066) | 75
| Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many environment protection officers there are responsible for noise in each London borough. | | (146067) | 76
| Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he expects to implement section 84 and Schedule 1 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 relating to noise. | | (146068) | 77
| Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's policy is on neighbourhood noise. | | (146069) | 78
N | Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to increase the level of recycling of plastic in the UK. | | (145620) | 79
N | Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research has been conducted by the Department and its agencies on (a) the effectiveness of the Green Dot approach to recycling in the countries that have adopted this initiative and (b) assessing its feasibility in the UK. | | (145621) | 80
N | Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the proportion of households able to recycle plastic packing through doorstep collection. | | (145622) | 81
| Martin Horwood (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15th June 2007, Official Report, column 1371W, on waste management, which measures his Department (a) has introduced and (b) plans to introduce that are specifically designed to reduce the amount of waste that the UK produces. | | (146100) | 82
| Martin Horwood (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19th June 2007, Official Report, column 1659W, on domestic wastes: waste management, if he will provide statistics for the amount of waste produced per person in local authorities operating (a) alternate weekly collections and (b) traditional weekly collections, based on the data on which councils operate alternate weekly collections referred to in the Answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 16th April 2007, Official Report, column 77W on domestic waste. | | (146161) | 83
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much his Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period. | | (146337) | 84
| Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make a statement on the outcome of the 59th annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission. | | (146218) | 85
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many cars are (a) owned, (b) leased and (c) hired by the Environment Agency for use by its (i) staff and (ii) board members. | | (146292) | 86
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of miles of English water pipes which need replacing; and how many miles of pipes will be replaced in 2007-08. | | (146295) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 87
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many officials in her Department are (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations, (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission, (c) seconded to the European Commission, (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives, (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice. | | (146096) | 88
| Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if she will support the appointment of a special rapporteur with an ongoing mandate to publish regular and public reports on the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir and Azad Kashmir; and if she will make a statement. | | (146109) | 89
| Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the United Kingdom will support the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry into violations of international human rights and humanitarian law by Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir; and if she will make a statement. | | (146110) | 90
| Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations she has received on the prosecution in civilian courts in India of members of the army and other security forces implicated in rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir; and if she will make a statement. | | (146114) | 91
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18th June 2007, Official Report, columns 1481-2W, on Saudi Arabia: Terrorism, if she will list the Saudi Arabian based charities on the UN Consolidated List with respect to Al-Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden, the Taliban and other individuals, groups and entities associated with them; and if she will make a statement. | | (146116) | 92
N | Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the views of (a) language teaching staff in her Department and (b) staff in other departments were on the decision to outsource her Department's language teaching operation. | | (142085) | 93
N | Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what account was taken of the job requirements of staff (a) in her Department and (b) in other departments when making the decision to outsource her Department's language teaching operation. | | (142086) | 94
N | Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment she has made of the quality of the language teaching available from outside providers compared with that available from the in-house staff in her Department. | | (142087) | 95
N | Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what factors are taken into account by her Department when calculating the cost of an average hour of language teaching to (a) a single individual and (b) a group in a lesson provided by her Department's language teaching operation. | | (142088) | 96
N | Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the average cost is of an hour of language teaching to (a) a single individual and (b) a group in a lesson provided by (i) her Department's language teaching operation and (ii) external language providers contracted to her Department. | | (142089) | 97
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much her Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period. | | (146336) | 98
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in which areas will powers of national veto over European legislation and policy cease if the treaty agreed at the EU Council on 23rd June comes into effect. | | (146189) | 99
| Mr Shailesh Vara (North West Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many foreign diplomats were asked to leave their posts by the Government in each of the last 10 years; what the reasons were for the request; and from which countries' embassies each was expelled. | | (146121) | 100
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what campaigns her Department has commissioned to raise awareness of the effect of membership of the European Union for the United Kingdom amongst (a) ethnic minority and (b) immigrant groups in the United Kingdom. | | (146101) | 101
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the cost of a national referendum on an EU treaty. | | (146102) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 102
N | Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will make a statement on the future of maternity services at the Conquest Hospital in East Sussex. | | (145800) | 103
N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the most recent figures are for the financial position of (a) the Mid Essex Hospital Trust and (b) the Mid Essex Primary Care Trust. | | (145930) | 104
N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she expects (a) the Mid Essex Hospital Trust and (b) the Mid Essex Primary Care Trust to reach a break-even financial position. | | (145931) | 105
| Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans her Department has to trial the drug losartan for the treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. | | (146053) | 106
| Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of exon skipping as a potential therapy for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. | | (146054) | 107
| Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 11th May 2006, Official Report, column 554W, on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, what recent assessment has been made of progress of research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy administered by LGC Ltd; and if she will make a statement. | | (146057) | 108
| Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been paid to Care UK for the NHS walk-in centre at Jury's Inn, Newcastle; what the reasons were for the delay in opening the centre; what costs were incurred during the delay; when the days of opening were extended to include Sundays; and what consideration is being given to an extension of opening hours after 7 p.m. | | (146223) | 109
| Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which trust or organisation in the NHS (a) determined the cost and service standards of the NHS Walk-in centre at Jury's Inn, Newcastle and (b) is responsible for monitoring the contract; and how long the contract with Care UK for the NHS walk-in centre has to run. | | (146226) | 110
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding from the public purse was provided for cancer treatment research in each year since 1992. | | (145354) | 111
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding she provided for prison healthcare in each of the last three years. | | (145355) | 112
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what level of access to (a) prescription medicines and (b) psychiatric care prisoners have. | | (145356) | 113
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans her Department has for community healthcare services in Coventry. | | (145357) | 114
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many officials in her Department are (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations, (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission, (c) seconded to the European Commission, (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives, (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice. | | (146095) | 115
N | Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many midwifery training places there were in each English region in academic year 2006-07. | | (146010) | 116
N | Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of (a) midwives, (b) doctors, (c) nurses, (d) occupational therapists and (e) physiotherapists who have graduated or completed their training since May 2006 have (i) obtained and (ii) not obtained NHS jobs in the field in which they trained in each English region. | | (146011) | 117
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the trainers proposed in the 2004 White Paper, Choosing Health, Making Healthy Choices Easier will be trained to give advice on lifestyle changes and minimising the risks of cardiovascular disease; and if she will make a statement. | | (146117) | 118
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations she has received on the effects of cholesterol on the health of older people; and if she will make a statement. | | (146316) | 119
| Judy Mallaber (Amber Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans her Department has to increase funding allocated to research into the long-term care and rehabilitation of people who have had a stroke; and if she will make a statement. | | (146064) | 120
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much her Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period. | | (146342) | 121
N | Anne Milton (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps her Department is taking to assess dasatinib for the treatment of chronic lymphoblastic leukaemia (a) in the first instance and (b) after prior therapy with imatinib; how many representations she has received on dasatinib; and if she will make a statement. | | (145995) | 122
| Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many beds are available within the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Hospital Trust; and if she will make a statement. | | (146206) | 123
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the budgetary allocation is for expenditure by the Government on healthcare from private sector providers in 2007-08. | | (146191) | 124
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average cost has been of establishing an NHS hospital as a foundation trust. | | (146252) | 125
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will estimate the effect on the cost to the public purse of changing from current recruitment practices for nurses to an all graduate intake for new nurses. | | (146289) | 126
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent on management consultancy contracts by the NHS in 2006-07. | | (146291) | 127
| David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which (a) patient and public interest groups and (b) professional healthcare regulators have met (i) Ministers and (ii) officials from her Department to discuss the White Paper Trust, Assurance and Safety; and if she will publish written representations made. | | (146197) | 128
| David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of those attending her Department's Trust, Assurance and Safety event on 5th June 2007 were (a) from healthcare professional regulatory bodies, (b) lay members of healthcare professional regulatory bodies, (c) from public and patient representative organisations, (d) members of the public, (e) health officials, (f) from other health and social care regulators and (g) others. | | (146198) | 129
| David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of those attending her Department's Call for Ideas event on medical and non-medical professional regulation in autumn 2005 were (a) from healthcare professional regulatory bodies, (b) lay members of healthcare professional regulatory bodies, (c) from public and patient representative organisations, (d) members of the public, (e) health officials, (f) from other health and social care regulators and (g) others. | | (146199) | 130
| David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements she expects to make for (a) periods of pre-legislative consultation and (b) provision of information and technical support to consultees on (i) forthcoming primary legislation on professional healthcare regulation and (ii) Orders in Council under section 60 of the Health Act 1999. | | (146200) | 131
| David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much her Department expects to allocate to (a) the Healthcare Commission, (b) the National Patient Safety Agency, (c) the General Social Care Council and (d) the Commission for Social Care Inspection (i) to promote public engagement in their activities and (ii) for communication purposes in (A) 2007-08, (B) 2008-09 and (C) 2009-10. | | (146201) | 132
| David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much her Department expects to allocate to the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (a) for communication purposes and (b) to promote public engagement in their four country business plan, with particular reference to her Department's priority work themes arising from the White Paper Trust, Assurance and Safety. | | (146202) | 133
| David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will request the UK professional healthcare regulators to publish their recent research on the public's access to professional registers. | | (146203) | 134
| Mr Shailesh Vara (North West Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) adults and (b) children were classed as clinically obese, broken down by (i) strategic health authority and (ii) primary care trust in each year since 1997. | | (146119) | 135
| Mr Shailesh Vara (North West Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) adults and (b) children were diagnosed with diabetes, broken down by type, in each year since 1997. | | (146221) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 136
N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police are employed by Essex Police in the Chelmsford area. | | (145928) | 137
N | Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many outstanding asylum applications there are; and how many were first made (a) within the last (i) 12 months, (ii) two years and (iii) three years and (b) more than three years ago. | | (145492) | 138
N | Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average response time has been to an immigration enquiry from an hon. Member in 2007; and what the equivalent figure was in (a) 2006 and (b) 2005. | | (145493) | 139
| Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the general grant to the Northumbria Police was in each of the years 2003-04 to 2007-08; and what the percentage change was between each year and the succeeding year. | | (146305) | 140
| Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) special grants and (b) targeted initiatives were provided to Northumbria Police in each of the years 2003-04 to 2007-08; and what the percentage change in funding was for each scheme or initiative between each year and the succeeding year. | | (146306) | 141
| Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) special grants and (b) targeted initiatives for Northumbria Police were allocated to the City of Newcastle in each year from 2003-04 to 2007-08. | | (146307) | 142
| Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what grants were provided to the (a) Crime Reduction Partnership in Newcastle, (b) Newcastle City Council and (c) the Newcastle Local Strategic Partnership in respect of safety and policing in each year from 2003-04 to 2007-08. | | (146308) | 143
| Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many full-time equivalent staff were employed at the North Shields Enforcement Unit of the Border and Immigration Agency and its predecessor the Immigration and Nationality Department at the start of each year from 2003-04 to 2007-08; and how many site visits and inspections were made by them in each year from 2003-04 to 2006-07. | | (146309) | 144
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many officials in his Department are (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations, (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission, (c) seconded to the European Commission, (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives, (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice. | | (146094) | 145
| Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the section 9 pilot on removal of support to refused asylum seeker families was concluded; when the evaluation of the pilot was (a) conducted and (b) provided to Ministers; when he expects to publish the evaluation; and if he will make a statement. | | (146162) | 146
| Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people attending hearings before the Asylum Support Adjudicator were provided with overnight accommodation in each of the last three years. | | (146163) | 147
| Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of complaints about poor accommodation provided under (a) section 95 and (b) section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 have been (i) made, (ii) investigated and (iii) upheld since its introduction. | | (146164) | 148
| Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many accommodation providers under section (a) 95 and (b) 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 have been subjected to financial sanctions in each of the last three years. | | (146165) | 149
| Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases were referred to Ministers for review of the continued detention of children on immigration grounds beyond 28 days in each of the last three years; and in how many of those cases was detention not extended beyond 28 days. | | (146166) | 150
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many registered sex offenders in Wales are recorded as not living at their registered address. | | (146267) | 151
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many sex offenders are registered in Wales, broken down by police force area. | | (146268) | 152
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many registered sex offenders are being monitored by police in Wales, broken down by police force. | | (146298) | 153
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much his Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since establishment; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million. | | (146335) | 154
| John Penrose (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21st June 2007, Official Report, column 2078W, on Police: protective clothing, what guidelines his Department issues to chief officers of police on the selection, purchase and issue of body armour for on-duty police officers. | | (146105) | 155
| Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions his Department has had with the Romanian National Agency for the Protection of Minors on unaccompanied Romany minors entering the United Kingdom. | | (146195) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 156
| Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 22nd May 2007, Official Report, column 1251W, on international assistance: Group of Eight, if he will break down the figures on (a) total overseas development assistance and (b) debt relief as a proportion of gross national income by G8 member country. | | (146207) | 157
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many officials in his Department are (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations, (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission, (c) seconded to the European Commission, (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives, (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice. | | (146093) | 158
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much his Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period. | | (146334) | Questions to the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice 159
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, what progress she has made on plans to ensure that any young person detained will be detained in an exclusively young person's penal institution; and if she will make a statement. | | (145962) | 160
N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, how many prisoners are expected to be released from Chelmsford Prison under the recently announced planned early release initiative. | | (145929) | 161
| Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, how many and what percentage of (a) her Department's and (b) courts service staff in Newcastle-upon-Tyne are in each of the five new area related paybands; and how many are at, or above, the top of the new area related payband scales. | | (146225) | 162
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, how many officials in her Department are (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations, (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission, (c) seconded to the European Commission, (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives, (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice. | | (146092) | 163
| Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, in how many cases in each of the last three years the Legal Services Commission recommended exceptional funding for legal advice and representation for those making asylum support appeals; and how many of those recommendations were granted. | | (146112) | 164
| Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, when the Legal Services Commission pilot on frontloading legal advice and assistance in asylum cases will be (a) conducted, (b) evaluated and (c) published; and if she will make a statement. | | (146113) | 165
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, what arrangements have been made for providing food to prisoners held in (a) court cells and (b) police cells since January 2006. | | (146055) | 166
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, what the (a) total cost of providing food and (b) the average cost per prisoner per meal has been for prisoners housed in (i) police cells and (ii) court cells since January 2006. | | (146058) | 167
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, what arrangements have been made for (a) drug assessments and (b) drug treatment and detoxification for prisoners housed in (i) police cells and (ii) court cells; and what the (A) total cost and (B) average cost per prisoner has been of providing these services since January 2006. | | (146059) | 168
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, what arrangements have been put in place to ensure that prisoners housed in (a) police cells and (b) court cells are (i) subject to necessary mental health and other medical assessments upon entry, (ii) adequately supervised throughout custody in such cells in accordance with the needs of any medical condition and (iii) provided with any necessary medical treatment; and what the cost has been of such arrangements since January 2006. | | (146060) | 169
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, what arrangements have been made to ensure that prisoners housed in (a) police cells and (b) court cells have adequate access to showers and other necessary hygiene facilities; and what has been the (i) total cost and (ii) average cost per prisoner per night of providing these services in such cells since January 2006. | | (146062) | 170
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, how many law firms in Wales have (a) signed and (b) not signed new contracts with the Legal Services Commission. | | (146269) | 171
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, what estimate she has made of the number of magistrates expected to be recruited for Welsh courts in financial year 2007-08. | | (146270) | 172
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, what estimate she has made of the number of magistrates expected to leave the magistracy in Wales in financial year 2007-08. | | (146271) | 173
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, how many magistrates are employed in courts in Wales. | | (146272) | 174
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, what Ministerial visits have been made to prisons in Wales; and what the date of each such visit was. | | (146273) | 175
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, how many (a) men and (b) women are being held in (i) each prison and (ii) police cell accommodation in Wales. | | (146274) | 176
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, what the (a) maximum and (b) useable operational capacity is of each prison in Wales as at 19th June 2007. | | (146275) | 177
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, pursuant to the statement of 19th June 2007, Official Report, column 1241, on prison population, how many prisoners will be released from prisons in (a) Wales and (b) England where the prisoner's last known address was in Wales. | | (146304) | 178
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, what the cost of legal aid provision in family law cases was in each of the last three years. | | (146320) | 179
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, what the average cost of the provision of legal aid services in family law cases was in 2006-07; and what the average length of a legally-aided case was over the same period. | | (146321) | 180
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, how much the Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period. | | (146333) | 181
| Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, what measures will be put in place to monitor those prisoners who will be released early from prison. | | (146056) | 182
| Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, how many convicted criminals were returned to prison for breaking home detention curfews in the last three years for which figures are available. | | (146061) | 183
| Mr Shailesh Vara (North West Cambridgeshire):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, what the maximum capacity of young offender institutes was in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) male and (b) female accommodation. | | (146120) | 184
| Mr Shailesh Vara (North West Cambridgeshire):To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 26th June 2007, Official Report, column 2129W, on prisoners: young offender institutions, what the average (a) male and (b) female population was in young offender institutions in England and Wales in each year since 1997. | | (146153) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 185
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many officials in his Department are (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations, (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission, (c) seconded to the European Commission, (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives, (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice. | | (146091) | 186
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much the Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period. | | (146332) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland 187
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many officials in his Department are (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations, (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission, (c) seconded to the European Commission, (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives, (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice. | | (146089) | 188
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much the Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period. | | (146330) | Questions to the Solicitor General 189
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Solicitor General, how many prosecutions the Crown Prosecution Service has instigated for breaches of criminal anti-social behaviour orders since 2004. | | (146220) | 190
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Solicitor General, how much the Law Officers' Departments spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period. | | (146331) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 191
N | Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much funding was allocated to the Low Carbon Buildings Programme for 2006-07. | | (145802) | 192
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many officials in his Department are (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations, (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission, (c) seconded to the European Commission, (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives, (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice. | | (146088) | 193
| Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what studies the Post Office has undertaken into the impact on surrounding sub-post offices of establishing post offices in W H Smith branches. | | (146115) | 194
N | Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which UK banks the Office of Fair Trading (a) is monitoring and (b) plans to monitor, with respect to the bank charges levied against individuals who exceed their overdraft limit or where a cheque or direct debit is refused. | | (146012) | 195
N | Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to require banks to publicise their methods of calculating the penalty charges levied on customers when overdraft limits are exceeded or cheques or direct debits are returned. | | (146013) | 196
N | Susan Kramer (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the departmental annual report for 2006, page 188, J8, how much has been paid in fees to advisers in connection with the proposed restructuring of the post office network, broken down by (a) adviser and (b) category of advice; and what estimate he has made of the final overall expenditure in relation to such advice. | | (145996) | 197
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much the Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period. | | (146328) | 198
N | Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford & Stortford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which agencies of his Department maintain offices overseas; in which countries each agency maintains an office; how many staff work in each; and what the cost of each office was in 2005-06. | | (144921) | 199
| Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what support his Department has given to UK energy companies developing new energy resources in the Black Sea. | | (146196) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 200
N | Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the future of rail services from Brighton to Ashford International over the next five years. | | (145801) | 201
N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps are being taken to reduce overcrowding on trains between Chelmsford and Liverpool Street Station. | | (145932) | 202
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many officials in his Department are (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations, (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission, (c) seconded to the European Commission, (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives, (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice. | | (146087) | 203
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on tackling competitive distortions in the UK haulier market via a system of national road pricing. | | (146255) | 204
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is his policy to introduce electronic tagging of motorcycles. | | (146256) | 205
| Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he or other Ministers from his Department last met the Chairman of the Motorcycle Action Group to discuss policy issues; and when the next such meeting is planned. | | (146276) | 206
| Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Tannery bridge replacement project at Downton, Wiltshire is funded by his Department under the EU bridge strengthening programme; and what (a) the original scheme cost estimate, (b) the tender price agreed with the contractor and (c) the current estimated out-turn cost of the project are. | | (146277) | 207
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to monitor the change in the number of fixed speed cameras resulting from the new guidance effective from 1st April. | | (145767) | 208
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period. | | (146329) | 209
| Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent advice he has had from TRANSEC on current hand baggage restrictions, with particular reference to the number of pieces of hand baggage allowed for air travellers departing UK airports. | | (146278) | 210
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his policy is on single wagon marshalling for freight on the UK rail network. | | (146254) | 211
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many locomotives in use on the rail network are older than 10 years old. | | (146290) | 212
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average age is of public service buses in service in England. | | (146293) | 213
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average load factor is, expressed as a percentage of seats occupied, on passenger trains running on the UK rail network. | | (146294) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales 214
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many officials in his Department are (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations, (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission, (c) seconded to the European Commission, (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives, (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice. | | (146085) | 215
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much the Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period. | | (146325) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 216
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department has received from the Rent Service on the impact on housing benefit rates of the switch from using the median to the mean when calculating the relevant rates. | | (146047) | 217
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the introduction of the Local Housing Allowance on differences between housing benefit received and rent paid by claimants subject to a single room rent/shared room restriction. | | (146048) | 218
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether rent officers are required to take into account actual rent levels when setting (a) broad market rental area boundaries and (b) local housing allowance rates. | | (146049) | 219
| Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the ranking is of local authority housing benefit services by comprehensive performance assessment rating for each year since its introduction. | | (146050) | 220
| Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many officials in his Department are (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations, (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission, (c) seconded to the European Commission, (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives, (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice. | | (146084) | 221
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the longest repayment schedule for Child Support Agency (CSA) arrears is which has been agreed by the CSA to date; and if he will make a statement. | | (146136) | 222
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what powers the Child Support Agency has to recover arrears which are more than six years old; and if he will make a statement. | | (146137) | 223
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what limitations there are on the amount of Child Support Agency arrears which can be recovered by a deduction of earnings order from a non-resident parent; and if he will make a statement. | | (146138) | 224
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what duty of care the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission owes to parents with care in respect of maintenance entitlement; and if he will make a statement. | | (146139) | 225
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what obligations will be placed on non-resident parents to report changes of (a) employment, (b) income and (c) address under the new Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission; and if he will make a statement. | | (146140) | 226
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what target will be set for the time taken to secure an assessment under the new Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission; and if he will make a statement. | | (146141) | 227
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether private enforcement of maintenance debt will be permitted under the new Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission; and if he will make a statement. | | (146142) | 228
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of Child Support Agency liability orders contained inaccuracies in the most recent period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. | | (146143) | 229
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what restrictions there will be on (a) deduction orders and (b) lump sum deduction orders under the new Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. | | (146144) | 230
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the impact on child maintenance payments of new powers in respect of (a) curfews and (b) passport withdrawal; and if he will make a statement. | | (146145) | 231
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much Child Support Agency arrears have been contracted out for private sector collection in each month from January 2005 to June 2007; and if he will make a statement. | | (146147) | 232
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much Child Support Agency maintenance arrears are expected to be collected in each quarter between June 2007 to June 2012; and if he will make a statement. | | (146148) | 233
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate he has made of the number of non-resident parents owing arrears through the Child Support Agency who are now deceased. | | (146149) | 234
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the amount of Child Support Agency arrears which is recoverable; how much of that he expects to be recovered by (a) 2008, (b) 2010, (c) 2011, (d) 2012, (e) 2015 and (f) 2020; and if he will make a statement. | | (146168) | 235
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what expenditure by the Child Support Agency on solicitor legal costs was in each year since 2000-01. | | (146169) | 236
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on performance in relation to Child Support Agency work carried out by Vertex at its offices in Bolton. | | (146170) | 237
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of (a) all parents with care and (b) all lone parents with care were receiving child support payments from the non resident parent in the latest period for which information is available. | | (146171) | 238
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to pay compensation to parents with care who are owed large arrears through the Child Support Agency which may never be collected; and if he will make a statement. | | (146172) | 239
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the Department's latest forecast of the (a) winners and (b) losers under the new maintenance formula which will be used by the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, compared with the existing formula, broken down by (i) family size and (ii) income; and if he will make a statement. | | (146173) | 240
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many non-resident parents from whom the Child Support Agency is seeking to collect maintenance have arrears of over (a) £100,000, (b) £50,000, (c) £25,000, (d) £20,000, (e) £15,000, (f) £10,000, (g) £5,000 add (h) £1,000; and if he will make a statement. | | (146174) | 241
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the impact on poverty levels of non-resident parents on benefits of setting a £7 minimum child maintenance deduction from benefits; and if he will make a statement. | | (146175) | 242
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the time taken by the Child Support Agency to secure a liability order; and what the key factors are in determining that timescale. | | (146176) | 243
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the evidential basis is for the Department's view that, for child maintenance collection, historic tax income information is close enough to the current financial position of most non-resident parents at the time to be an acceptable and robust basis for assessment. | | (146177) | 244
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many liability orders the Child Support Agency has applied for in each month since January 2003; how many of these were inaccurate in any particular; and how many were (a) withdrawn and (b) dismissed. | | (146178) | 245
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the costs of setting a Child Support Agency maintenance disregard for those on benefits of up to (a) £10, (b) £20, (c) £30, (d) £40, (e) £50 and (f) £100 per week; and what estimate he has made of the effects on child poverty in each case. | | (146179) | 246
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make use of the key objectives of the new Child Maintenance Enforcement Commission on the recovery of existing maintenance arrears; and if he will make a statement. | | (146180) | 247
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the proportion of non-resident parents each year who would be eligible for an adjustment to their child maintenance under the new Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission to reflect their incomes being (a) higher and (b) lower than in the previous tax years if the threshold for re-assessment was set at (i) 10, (ii) 15, (iii) 20 and (iv) 25 per cent. | | (146181) | 248
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many requests have been made by the Child Support Agency to HM Revenue and Customs in each (a) month and (b) quarter since January 2003 in respect of access to information on the incomes of non-resident parents; and if he will make a statement. | | (146182) | 249
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the cost in (a) cash and (b) real terms of running the Child Support Agency and its successor for each year from 1996-97; what forecast of costs he has made for each year up to 2012-13; and if he will make a statement. | | (146183) | 250
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to introduce a general anti-avoidance rule in respect of payments of child maintenance by a non-resident parent. | | (146184) | 251
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will provide an estimate of the expected reduction in annual administration costs as a consequence of the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill, broken down by main budget heading; and if he will make a statement. | | (146186) | 252
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many curfew orders he estimates will be used each year under the powers in the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill. | | (146187) | 253
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of Child Support Agency cases involve use of a deduction of earnings order; and what change he expects in this proportion under the new Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. | | (146192) | 254
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the proportion of non-resident parents who will have their maintenance amended using the previous year's HM Revenue and Customs income data under the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. | | (146193) | 255
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost was of income support back to work bonus payments in each year since their creation. | | (146222) | 256
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over that period. | | (146327) | 257
| Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of how many jobseeker allowance recipients have refused jobs on grounds of (a) conscientious and (b) religious objections. | | (146251) | 258
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the average amount of benefits taken up by an immigrant from (a) a European Union country and (b) another country in the last 12 months. | | (146103) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 259
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what change there has been in (a) the proportion of immigrants arriving in the UK from the European Union since 1st May 2003 and (b) the countries of origin of those immigrants. | | [Transferred] (146104) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 260
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many Ministers took part in discussions of the Amending Treaty agreed at the June European Council in the two months prior to the agreement. | | [Transferred] (146188) | 261
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many meetings involving UK (a) officials and (b) Ministers with (i) officials and (ii) Ministers of other EU countries were held to discuss the EU Amending Treaty in the three months before 23rd June 2007. | | [Transferred] (146250) | Questions to the Solicitor General 262
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Solicitor General, whether he has requested a legal opinion from the Attorney General on the full implications of a single legal personality for the EU. | | [Transferred] (146146) |
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