Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2006 - 07
Publications on the internet
The Questions Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 8 October 2007

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 Monday 8 October 2007
(the 'Questions Book')

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 8 October 2007

This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Monday 8 October 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 Monday 8 October of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Monday 8 October see Part 2 of this paper.

Questions to the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform

1
N Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what plans he has to raise awareness amongst householders about the safe disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment.

(154343)

2
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will make a statement on the guidance issued to government departments on the steps to be taken to dispose of redundant information technology equipment.

(154030)

3
Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what the budgets were for each regional development agency in each year of their operation.

(156652)

4
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many applications the Tradeshow Access Programme received in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07; how many it has received in 2007-08; and how many his Department forecasted for the financial year 2007-08.

(155860)

5
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what proportion of the Tradeshow Access Programme budget was used by the end of August 2007; how many applications were made in this period; and how many applications have been refused.

(155861)

6
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what the total budget was of the Tradeshow Access Programme for the financial year (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07 and (c) 2007-08.

(155862)

7
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what environmental criteria are taken into account before the Export Credits Guarantee Department offers guarantees for projects to commence.

(156355)

8
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many approved independent and environment consultants the Export Credit Guarantee Department uses when assessing the environmental impact of a project; how these consultants are selected; and what safeguards are in place to ensure their assessments are impartial.

(156356)

9
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what the average price of oil was in each of the last 15 years; and what assessment he has made of the effect of trends in oil prices on business.

(154093)

10
N Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what assessment he has made of the likely costs of implementing a universal service obligation on communications providers to ensure all customer requests for broadband connections are met.

(156451)

11
N Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what discussions he has had with OFCOM and the communications industry about a universal service obligation which would include broadband as well as narrowband services.

(156452)

12
Jon Cruddas (Dagenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what information Ofgem took into account on the customer satisfaction performance indicators for the gas distribution networks in compiling its initial proposals for the Gas Distribution Price Control Review for 2008 to 2013; what steps Ofgem took to assess the implications of its proposals for the service provided to customers prior to their publication; and what factors Ofgem took into account in assessing the implications of its proposals for customer satisfaction.

(154289)

13
Jon Cruddas (Dagenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what additional allowance Ofgem made in its initial proposals for the Gas Distribution Price Control Review for 2008 to 2013 to allow the gas distribution network operators to recruit and train new employees to carry out emergency, repair and maintenance activities.

(154290)

14
Jon Cruddas (Dagenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many gas distribution networks made representations to Ofgem prior to it publishing Document 125/07, initial proposals for the Gas Distribution Price Control Review for 2008 to 2013; and how many sought an additional allowance to allow them to recruit new employees to carry out emergency, repair and maintenance activities.

(154291)

15
Jon Cruddas (Dagenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what factors Ofgem took into account in compiling its initial proposals for the Gas Distribution Price Control Review for 2008 to 2013, with particular reference to the allowances granted to allow gas distribution network operators to recruit new employees to carry out emergency, repair and maintenance activities.

(154292)

16
Jon Cruddas (Dagenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what Ofgem considers to be the implications to the consumer of the gas distribution networks being unable to replace their ageing and highly-skilled workforces by recruiting and training a sufficient number of new employees to carry out vital emergency, repair and maintenance activities.

(154293)

17
Jon Cruddas (Dagenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what factors Ofgem took into account on the safety performance indicators for the gas distribution networks in compiling its initial proposals for the Gas Distribution Price Control Review for 2008 to 2013.

(154294)

18
Jon Cruddas (Dagenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what steps Ofgem took to assess the safety implications of its proposals for (a) the consumer and (b) employees of the gas distribution networks prior to publishing Document 125/07, containing its initial proposals for the Gas Distribution Price Control Review for 2008 to 2013.

(154295)

19
Jon Cruddas (Dagenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what factors Ofgem took into account in assessing the safety implications of its proposals prior to developing its initial proposals for the Gas Distribution Price Control Review for 2008 to 2013.

(154296)

20
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how much funding was made available to the Civil Nuclear Constabulary in each year since its establishment.

(156349)

21
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many arrests were made by the Civil Nuclear Constabulary in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007; and how many of these resulted in successful prosecutions.

(156350)

22
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how much was spent on training for the Civil Nuclear Constabulary in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007; and how much is proposed to be allocated in each of the next five years.

(156351)

23
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how much was allocated for training for the Ministry of Defence Police in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what the projected funding is to be made available for each of the next five years.

(156352)

24
Clive Efford (Eltham):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, whether alternative locations for post offices that Royal Mail propose for closure will be required to comply with disability discrimination legislation; and if he will make a statement.

(155604)

25
Clive Efford (Eltham):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will make it his policy to ensure that alternative locations for post offices that Royal Mail propose for closure will not result in a deterioration in standards of access for people with disabilities.

(155605)

26
Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how he plans to recover from the private sector the full costs of managing any new nuclear waste resulting from the operation of any new nuclear power stations.

(153957)

27
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by the (a) Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, (b) Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council, (c) East Midlands Development Agency, (d) Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and (e) Postwatch.

(154678)

28
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by the South West Development Agency.

(154420)

29
Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, pursuant to the Answer of 20th February 2007, Official Report, column 658W, on oil: reserves, from which countries he expects the UK to derive its future requirements for oil in the next (a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 15 years.

(154350)

30
Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, pursuant to the Answer of 20th February 2007, Official Report, column 658W, on oil: reserves, what estimate he has made of the duration of future (a) oil and (b) natural gas supply from all known sources from UK-based extractive sources.

(154351)

31
Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, pursuant to the Answer of 20th February 2007, Official Report, column 658W, on oil: reserves, if he will assess the merits of reviewing the analysis of those who promote a peak oil perspective of future oil supply.

(154352)

32
Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, pursuant to the Answer of 20th February 2007, Official Report, column 658W, on oil: reserves, what assessment he has made of the implications of recent increases in crude oil prices for his Department's calculations of oil supply.

(154353)

33
Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, pursuant to the Answer of 20th February 2007, Official Report, column 658W, on oil: reserves, what challenges he has assessed as representing the greatest impediment to affordable oil supply to the UK in the next (a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 15 years.

(154354)

34
Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, pursuant to the Answer of 20th February 2007, Official Report, column 658W, on oil: reserves, how many years of oil supply the Government has estimated are available to (a) the international community and (b) the UK in the forthcoming (i) five, (ii) 10, (iii) 15 and (iv) more than 15 years at present rates of usage.

(154355)

35
Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, pursuant to the Answer of 20th February 2007, Official Report, column 658W, on oil: reserves, what assessment he has made of the affordability of oil supplies to the UK in the next (a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 15 years.

(154356)

36
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by the Competition Commission.

(154633)

37
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by Advantage West Midlands.

(154729)

38
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by Postcomm.

(154730)

39
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by the Certification Office for Trade Union and Employers' Associations.

(154731)

40
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by Companies House.

(154732)

41
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by Ofcom.

(154665)

42
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

(154667)

43
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by the (a) UK Atomic Energy Authority, (b) North West Regional Development Agency, (c) Ofgem and (d) Small Business Service.

(154481)

44
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what assessment he has made of the TG4 Group proposals for a pan-European sub band of spectrum for mobile use; and if he will make a statement.

(154411)

45
Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what estimate he has made of the likely change in (a) export sales and (b) research and development spending as a result of moving the Defence Export Services Organisation from the Ministry of Defence to UK Trade and Investment.

(156169)

46
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by Yorkshire Forward.

(154158)

47
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

(154161)

48
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by the East of England Development Agency.

(154171)

49
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, which private consultancy firms (a) his Department and (b) agencies which report to his Department engaged in each of the last three years; which programmes or projects each firm worked on; and what the approximate cost to the Department or agency concerned was of each engagement.

(155874)

50
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what his Department's projected spending is on advertising and promotional campaigns for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by cost relating to (i) television, (ii) radio and (iii) print media.

(155889)

51
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many new VAT registrations there were in the City of Peterborough in each year since 1997.

(154689)

52
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many VAT registered businesses there were in the City of Peterborough in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(154690)

53
Mr Fraser Kemp (Houghton & Washington East):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will make a statement on the future of the post office network in Houghton and Washington East constituency.

(154306)

54
Mr Fraser Kemp (Houghton & Washington East):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many domestic wind turbines were granted planning permission on land designated as green belt for each of the previous three years for which figures are available.

(156572)

55
Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how he plans to determine whether the corporate social responsibility assistance provided by each energy supplier to help vulnerable consumers is adequate and proportional; and if he will make a statement.

(156361)

56
Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, whether he has set a deadline for energy companies to put into place the programmes of assistance described at paragraph 2.1.21 of Meeting the Energy Challenge - A White Paper on Energy; and if he will make a statement.

(156362)

57
Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what steps his Department is taking to help rural households to overcome planning issues to implement alternative sources of energy, including microgeneration, and to become more energy efficient.

(156365)

58
Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what steps he is taking to assist those households living in fuel poverty that are not connected to the mains gas network.

(156368)

59
Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what steps he is taking to assist households off the mains gas network to take full advantage of a competitive energy market.

(156369)

60
Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what steps his Department is taking to assist households and communities not connected to the mains gas network.

(156370)

61
Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what representations he has received from energy suppliers on their programmes of assistance to vulnerable consumers; and if he will make a statement.

(156371)

62
Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what discussions he has had with Ministers at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the energy needs of households not connected to gas mains.

(156372)

63
Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many rural households in England are in fuel poverty; and if he will make a statement.

(156373)

64
Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, which consumer groups will be targeted by the winter 2007-08 cross-Government communications campaign on energy-related assistance for vulnerable and low-income households.

(156374)

65
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will make a statement on the planned location of new outreach post offices within West Dorset constituency.

(153867)

66
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, whether those served by outreach post offices and non-commercial post office outlets will count as part of the 90 per cent. of the population to be within one mile of their nearest post office outlet in the access criteria set by Post Office Ltd.

(153868)

67
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what proportion of post offices planned for closure within West Dorset constituency are in (a) rural and (b) urban areas.

(153870)

68
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what the timescale is for planned post office closures within West Dorset constituency in the period up to the end of 2009.

(153871)

69
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many outreach post offices will open in West Dorset constituency during the planned post office closure programme.

(153872)

70
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many post offices are planned for closure within West Dorset constitutency.

(153895)

71
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what minimum level of service provision will be required of post office outlets for the 90 per cent. of the population who are to be within one mile of their nearest outlet.

(153896)

72
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, whether Post Office Ltd is considering the use of church premises for new post offices to replace some of the post offices that are to be closed in rural communities.

(153931)

73
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what the (a) opening times and (b) services of the new Outreach post offices will be, with particular reference to the post offices to be located in the West Dorset parliamentary constituency.

(153932)

74
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what the timescale is for the opening of new Outreach post offices within the West Dorset parliamentary constituency; and if he will make a statement.

(153933)

75
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what accounts directions were issued by his Department's predecessors in financial year (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

(156626)

76
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will list his Department's and its predecessors' (a) executive agencies, (b) executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), (c) advisory NDPBs, (d) tribunal NDPBs, (e) trading funds and (f) public corporations in each financial year since 2005-06.

(156627)

77
John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what plans he has to introduce a duty on employers to provide flexible working arrangements.

(154311)

78
Mr Andrew Mackay (Bracknell):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by the Regional Development Agencies National Secretariat.

(154466)

79
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what measures have been taken to ensure that (a) employers and (b) employees are aware of the changes in statutory holiday entitlements and what the statutory holiday entitlements are, and during what dates, during the transitional period of their introduction.

(155806)

80
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many private cars or other non-liveried or dedicated vehicles are used by the Royal Mail in the dispatch of mail.

(154194)

81
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what assessment he has made of the level of usage of private cars or other non-liveried or dedicated vehicles by the Royal Mail to relay mailbags to postmen and women in the course of their rounds; and what guidance applies to the Royal Mail in terms of the security of such vehicles.

(154195)

82
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many (a) phone calls and (b) meetings took place between (i) Ministers and (ii) civil servants and (A) the Union of Democratic Mineworkers and (B) Vendside in (1) 1998, (2) 1999, (3) 2000 and (4) 2001.

(155595)

83
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many records there are of (a) gifts and (b) hospitality received by civil servants from his Department and its predecessors from solicitors acting for (i) the Union of Democratic Mineworkers and (ii) Vendside in cases concerning miners' industrial diseases in (A) 1998, (B) 1999, (C) 2000 and (D) 2001.

(155596)

84
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how much the East Midlands Development Agency paid for the Coats Viyella site in Worksop; and how much has been spent on security for the site.

(155602)

85
N John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, whether he intends to send an observer from his Department to the disciplinary tribunal misconduct hearings against (a) Wake Smith and Berefords and (b) Raleys solicitors.

(156576)

86
Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what discussions his Department (a) has had and (b) plans to have with (i) RNIB, (ii) RNID, (iii) Age Concern and (iv) Help the Aged on the implications of the transfer of Crown post office services to WH Smith branches for people with disabilities.

(154534)

87
Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what discussions his Department plans to have with the Post Office Ltd and WH Smith on changes to chip and pin services in WH Smith branches to meet the needs of blind and visually impaired customers.

(154535)

88
Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, whether the agreement between Post Office Ltd and WH Smith involves WH Smith assuming a responsibility to publish a disability equality scheme and carry out a disability equality impact assessment.

(154536)

89
Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what the total estimated annual cost is of (a) expenses, (b) salary, (c) office space, (d) administrative support and (e) special advisers for the new minister of state in his Department.

(154628)

90
Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many television signal reception installers had signed up to the Registered Digital Installer scheme at 30th June 2007, broken down by ITV television region.

(154084)

91
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many responses he has received to the consultation on the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2007 Directive; and if he will make a statement.

(153779)

92
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will inform hon. Members, local residents and local authorities contemporaneously of consultations on post office closure plans; and if he will make a statement.

(153780)

93
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, whether any local authority or hon. Member has been formally contacted on the consultation on post office closure plans; and if he will make a statement.

(153781)

94
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, when he expects the Office of Fair Trading to make a decision on the approved scheme to run an estate agent redress scheme from April 2008.

(155912)

95
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, whether he expects the Office of Fair Trading to approve only one scheme to run an estate agent redress scheme from April 2008.

(155913)

96
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many applications or expressions of interest the Office of Fair Trading has received to run an approved estate agent redress scheme from April 2008.

(155914)

97
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many people declared themselves bankrupt in Cambridgeshire in each of the last five years.

(153768)

98
John Penrose (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what estimate he has made of the percentage of electronic games publishers that include warnings on their products that they could trigger a photosensitive epileptic seizure.

(153978)

99
John Robertson (Glasgow North West):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what assessment he has made of the effect of retail price competition through the application of regulation in broadband on the range and price of services available to consumers; and what assessment he has made of the merits of applying similar openness of access to the market for premium content and pay TV.

(155936)

100
Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will take steps to prevent the exploitation of vulnerable people by home credit companies.

(154386)

101
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what percentage of new television sets sold in the UK have a screen blanking feature.

(153782)

102
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will make it his policy to ensure that all new television sets have a screen blanking feature.

(153783)

103
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by the South East England Development Agency.

(154121)

104
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by (a) the British Nuclear Group and (b) British Nuclear Fuels Limited.

(154124)

105
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.

(154126)

106
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by the Office of Fair Trading.

(154142)

107
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by the One Northeast Communications Team.

(154148)

108
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many press officers are employed by the Equal Opportunities Commission, including its Northern Ireland office.

(154149)

109
Jo Swinson (East Dunbartonshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what estimate he has made of the amount of electricity that could be generated through the capture and use of gas produced from landfill; and what proportion of the UK's total electricity supply this would represent.

(156040)

110
N Mr Paul Truswell (Pudsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what evaluation he has made of the abuse of accommodation address agencies by perpetrators of (a) consumer fraud and (b) other criminal activity relating to the responsibilities of his Department.

(156592)

111
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many meetings have taken place between his Department and its predecessor and the Scottish Executive's (a) Enterprise, Energy and Tourism Directorate and (b) Marine Directorate since May regarding the devolution of further powers for the Scottish Parliament under UK marine legislation.

(155753)

112
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how much has been committed for the installation of (a) wind turbines, (b) wood fuelled boiler systems, (c) solar thermal hot water, (d) solar photovoltaics, (e) small hydro projects, (f) heat pumps, (g) ground source heat pumps and (h) biomass room heaters and stores under phase one of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme (i) in total and (ii) in each region to date in each month since the scheme began; and if he will make a statement.

(156258)

113
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how much funding has not yet been committed under phase one of the the Low Carbon Buildings Programme; and if he will make a statement.

(156259)

114
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how much has been committed under phase one of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme (a) in total and (b) in each region in each month since the scheme began; and if he will make a statement.

(156260)

Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

115
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Government's policy is on the use of tendering processes as part of the awarding of commercial contracts.

(154035)

116
N John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the contribution to the economy of grandparents who undertake childcare roles.

(153934)

117
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the effective rate of tax is for bingo played in a licensed bingo premises.

(154443)

118
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the effective rate of tax is for player-to-player poker played in a casino.

(154444)

119
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much VAT was paid by licensed bingo clubs in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(154615)

120
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much VAT was paid by casinos in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(154616)

121
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of its amnesty for offshore account holders based in the UK on the number of non-domicile tax claimants; and if he will make a statement.

(153859)

122
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many investigations his Department instigated into claimants of non-domicile tax status in the last 12 months for which information is available; and if he will make statement.

(153860)

123
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many investigations instigated by his Department into claimants of non-domicile tax status resulted in claimants being (a) fined and (b) imprisoned for wrongfully claiming non-domicile status in the last year for which information is available; and if he will make a statement.

(153861)

124
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the value of suspected terrorist funds frozen and then unfrozen was in each of the last 10 years for which information is available; and if he will make a statement.

(153863)

125
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people (a) successfully and (b) unsuccessfully applied for non-domicile tax status in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(153864)

126
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many investigations were undertaken into the income and assets held overseas by non-domiciled UK taxpayers in the last year for which information is available; and if he will make a statement.

(153936)

127
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people claiming non-domicile tax status in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

(153937)

128
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the suitability of (a) European and (b) non-European candidates for the post of Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund; and if he will make a statement.

(155773)

129
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions his Department has held on nominating a non-European candidate for the post of Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund; and if he will make a statement.

(155774)

130
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what criteria his Department uses to assess candidates for nomination for the post of Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund; and if he will make a statement.

(156317)

131
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 25th July 2007, Official Report, column 62WS, on tax credit administration, how many awards HM Revenue and Customs will be reviewing from people living in (a) Scotland and (b) Orkney and Shetland in 2003-04 and 2004-05; and how many households in (i) Scotland and (ii) Orkney and Shetland will be contacted about their 2005-06 awards.

(154059)

132
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of the value of deposits in dormant bank accounts in (a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom.

(154453)

133
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many awards of tax credits were adjusted in-year due to excess payments in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05, (c) 2005-06 and (d) 2006-07; whether excess payments are included in the annual supplement on payments figures; what the average value was of the excess payment; what the total amount recovered in-year was; and how many and what proportion of these cases were disputed.

(155939)

134
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the increase in average earnings in (a) the whole labour market, (b) the private sector and (c) the public sector has been since 1997.

(155940)

135
Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact of City bonuses on (a) London's housing market and (b) increases in housing prices in London in the last five years.

(155607)

136
Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will undertake an evaluation of the adequacy of the tax rate on City bonuses.

(155608)

137
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many 18 to 24 year olds were not in full-time education, employment or training in each (a) local authority area and (b) parliamentary constituency in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of the population of 18 to 24 year olds this represented in each case.

(155992)

138
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 18th July 2007, Official Report, column 440W, on departments: legislation, which parts of the 60 Acts have not been brought into force.

(154204)

139
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the European Central Bank allocated to help banks or other share companies or institutions during the recent share market downturn; and what the UK's contribution was for this purpose.

(155789)

140
Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was (a) overpaid and (b) underpaid to recipients of tax credits in Bournemouth in (i) 2005-06 and (ii) 2006-07.

(155775)

141
N Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the guarantee announced for deposits in Northern Rock covers unlimited new deposits into existing accounts; and for how long it is expected to continue.

(155740)

142
N Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will set out the terms on which he has engaged Goldman Sachs to advise him on Northern Rock.

(155741)

143
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) alcohol-related and (b) drug-related deaths there were in London in each of the last five years.

(154810)

144
N Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12th July 2007, Official Report, column 2163W, on lone parents, how many lone parents there were in each local authority at the 1981 Census, expressed as a proportion of the working age population, broken down by five year age cohort.

(156252)

145
N Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12th September, Official Report, column 2163W, on manufacturing industries: manpower, how many people were employed in the manufacturing industries, as a proportion of the working age population, in each local authority in each year for which figures are available, broken down by five year age cohorts.

(156269)

146
N Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12th September 2007, Official Report, column 2163W, on lone parents, how many lone parents there were in each local authority, expressed as a proportion of the working age population, in each year for which figures are available, broken down by five year age cohorts.

(156270)

147
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assumptions his Department has made regarding the behavioural changes necessary in order for receipts from remote gaming duty to equal those anticipated in the 2007 Financial Statement and Budget Report.

(156521)

148
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue he expects to receive from remote gaming duty in each of the next five years.

(156522)

149
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many press officers are employed by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

(154686)

150
N Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of VAT registration applications have been processed within the target time in 2007-08.

(153424)

151
N Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average processing time was for VAT registration applications for each of the VAT registration units in the latest period for which figures are available.

(153425)

152
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many press officers are employed by the Valuation Office Agency.

(154421)

153
N Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 23rd July 2007, Official Report, columns 665-6W, on VAT: registration, how many and what proportion of VAT registration applications were processed within 15 working days in 2006-07.

(154438)

154
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many press officers are employed by National Savings and Investments.

(154636)

155
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many estates in 2006-07 were not liable to inheritance tax as a consequence of the exemption available for (a) spouses and (b) civil partners.

(155724)

156
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many recipients of child tax credits receive child support agency payments or child maintenance payments which are not taken into account in assessing the recipient's income.

(155725)

157
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the average proportion of household income spent on water bills in each county in the South West.

(154767)

158
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many press officers are employed by the Royal Mint.

(154721)

159
Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department commissioned the review and report undertaken by Messrs Attwood (International Division) and Bishop (Large Business Office) of Inland Revenue in August 1999.

(154040)

160
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of disabled people were in work in each year since 1997.

(154673)

161
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people aged (a) 50 to 55, (b) 55 to 60, (c) 60 to 65, (d) 65 to 70 and (d) over 70 years were in work in each year since 1997.

(154674)

162
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the tax changes announced in the 2007 budget due to be implemented in 2008 on a woman pensioner aged between 60 and 65; and if he will make a statement.

(156453)

163
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of HM Revenue and Customs cigarette seizures were of (a) counterfeit cigarettes and (b) contraband cigarettes, in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

(154483)

164
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many confiscation orders concerning suspected illicit tobacco were (a) requested and (b) given in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

(154484)

165
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people convicted of using violence against an HM Revenue and Customs officer were given (a) a fine, (b) a community sentence and (c) a custodial sentence in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

(154485)

166
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people were (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted of using violence against an HM Revenue and Customs officer in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

(154486)

167
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people convicted of using their premises for the sale of unmarked tobacco products were fined in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

(154487)

168
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people convicted of trading in illicit tobacco not bearing a UK duty-paid fiscal mark were (a) given a fine and (b) prohibited to sell tobacco products for up to six months in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

(154488)

169
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people convicted of (a) tobacco smuggling and (b) handling smuggled tobacco were given a (i) fine, (ii) community sentence and (iii) custodial sentence in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

(154489)

170
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many scanners were in operation as part of the national network of scanners to detect high volume tobacco and cigarette smuggling in freight containers in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

(154490)

171
N Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many calls were received to the confidential hotline Customs Confidential in each year since 2000; how many resulted in charges being issued; and if he will make a statement.

(154491)

172
N Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many fiscal liaison officers there were in each year since 2000, broken down by the location in which they were based; and if he will make a statement.

(154492)

173
N Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much hand-rolled tobacco bound for the UK was seized overseas by HM Revenue and Customs overseas officers and their host agencies in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

(154493)

174
N Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many illegal cigarettes bound for the UK were seized overseas by HM Revenue and Customs overseas officers and their host agencies in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

(154494)

175
N Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress has been made in reaching the operational target for hand-rolled tobacco of reducing the size of the UK illicit market by 1,200 tonnes by 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

(154495)

176
N Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the (a) revenue loss, (b) illicit market share and (c) cross-border shopped share of the illicit hand-rolled tobacco market in each year from 2004; and if he will make a statement.

(154496)

177
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) counterfeit and (b) contraband cigarette seizures there were of (i) 0-250,000, (ii) 250,001-500,000, (iii) 500,001-750,000, (iv) 750,001-1,000,000, (v) 1,000,001-2,000,000, (vi) 2,000,001-3,000,000, (vii) 3,000,001-4,000,000, (viii) 4,000,001-5,000,000, (ix) 5,000,001-6,000,000 and (x) 6,000,001 or more cigarettes in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

(154497)

178
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was spent in each year on the publicity campaign launched in March 2000 to increase public awareness of tobacco smuggling; and if he will make a statement.

(154498)

179
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people were employed to tackle tobacco smuggling in each year since 2000, broken down by job description; and if he will make a statement.

(154499)

180
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what average time was taken to confirm or deny that seized (a) cigarettes and (b) hand-rolled tobacco was counterfeit before charges could be made in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(154500)

181
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average time was between seizure of suspected illicit tobacco and cigarettes and criminal charges being issued for (a) tobacco smuggling and (b) handling of smuggled tobacco in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(154501)

182
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) seizures, (b) prosecutions and (c) convictions there were for the use of premises for the sale of illicit tobacco in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(154502)

183
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) seizures, (b) prosecutions and (c) convictions there were for trading in illicit tobacco in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(154503)

184
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) seizures, (b) prosecutions and (c) convictions there were for the handling of smuggled tobacco in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(154504)

185
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) seizures, (b) prosecutions and (c) convictions there were for smuggling tobacco in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(154505)

186
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was spent on tackling hand-rolled tobacco and cigarette smuggling communication campaigns in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

(154506)

187
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings his Department had with tobacco manufacturers to discuss tobacco smuggling in each year since 2000; what the dates were of the meetings; and if he will make a statement.

(154507)

188
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what level of the financial remissions set out in the departmental annual report his Department made by (a) recoverable debts caused by official error, (b) recoverable debts not pursued on the grounds of value for money and (c) irrecoverable debts in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

(154532)

189
Justine Greening (Putney):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the market share of illicit cigarettes of cross border marketing and smuggling in each year since 2003; and if he will make a statement.

(154533)

190
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the 20 most expensive training courses provided to Ministers and civil servants in his Department were in 2006; and what the cost was of each per participant.

(153918)

191
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) value and (b) number was of bonus payments made to staff at (i) HM Revenue and Customs, (ii) his Department, (iii) the Office for National Statistics, (iv) the Debt Management Office, (v) the Royal Mint, (vi) the Office for Government Commerce, (vii) the Government Actuary's Department and (viii) the Valuation Office Agency in each of the last five years.

(153919)

192
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was spent on managing his Department and its agencies' corporate identities in each year since 1997-98.

(153920)

193
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much (a) HM Revenue and Customs, (b) his Department, (c) the Office for National Statistics, (d) the Debt Management Office, (e) the Royal Mint, (f) the Office for Government Commerce, (g) the Government Actuary's Department and (h) the Valuation Office Agency spent on (i) sponsoring newspaper or publication supplements and (ii) funding advertorials in newspapers and other publications in the last year for which figures are available.

(153921)

194
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what training courses were attended by staff from (a) HM Revenue and Customs and (b) his Department in each of the last three years; how many staff attended each course; and what the cost was of each course to his Department.

(153922)

195
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cost to the public purse was of staff responsible for (a) brand management and (b) marketing at (i) HM Revenue and Customs, (ii) his Department, (iii) the Office for National Statistics, (iv) the Debt Management Office, (v) the Royal Mint, (vi) the Office for Government Commerce, (vii) the Government Actuary's Department and (viii) the Valuation Office Agency in 2006-07.

(153923)

196
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many full-time equivalent staff are responsible for (a) brand management and (b) marketing at (i) HM Revenue and Customs, (ii) his Department, (iii) the Office for National Statistics, (iv) the Debt Management Office, (v) the Royal Mint, (vi) the Office for Government Commerce, (vii) the Government Actuary's Department and (viii) the Valuation Office Agency.

(153924)

197
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effects of the trend in the UK household savings ratio over the period 1997 to 2006; and if he will make a statement.

(153925)

198
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to publish estimates of total public service pension liabilities on a regular basis in the future.

(153926)

199
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total liability of unfunded public service pension schemes was as at 31st March in each year since 1997.

(153927)

200
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much (a) HM Revenue and Customs, (b) his Department, (c) the Office for National Statistics, (d) the Debt Management Office, (e) the Royal Mint, (f) the Office for Government Commerce, (g) the Government Actuary's Department and (h) the Valuation Office Agency spent on (i) stationery, (ii) business cards and (iii) building signs in each year since 1997.

(153929)

201
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidelines issued to staff maintaining his Department and its agencies' corporate identity; and what the estimated cost of (a) producing and (b) complying with such guidelines is.

(153930)

202
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was spent on training away days for staff of his Department and its agencies in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

(153960)

203
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many days' training on average were provided to each member of staff at (a) HM Revenue and Customs, (b) his Department, (c) the Office for National Statistics, (d) the Debt Management Office, (e) the Royal Mint, (f) the Office for Government Commerce, (g) the Government Actuary's Department and (h) the Valuation Office Agency in each of the last five years.

(153961)

204
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total cost was of visits abroad by staff in his Department and its agencies in 2006-07.

(153962)

205
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library copies of his Department's evaluations of media coverage of departmental activities since May 2005.

(153963)

206
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library copies of the last 12 editions of the staff magazines for his Department and each of its agencies.

(153964)

207
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was overpaid in tax credits to deceased claimants in each of the last three years.

(153965)

208
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what mechanisms he has put in place to track the amount of tax credits paid erroneously to illegal immigrants.

(153979)

209
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average annual number of absent days per employee was in his Department and its executive agencies in each year since 1997; what percentage of person-days were lost through absenteeism; and what the estimated total cost to the Department and its agencies was in each year.

(153980)

210
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of people who were underpaid tax credits in 2005-06 were living on incomes of less than 60 per cent. of UK median earnings.

(153981)

211
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people downloaded HM Revenue and Customs podcasts in each month since their inception.

(153982)

212
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cost was of producing HM Revenue and Customs podcasts in each month since their inception.

(153983)

213
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken to measure the effectiveness of HM Revenue and Customs podcasts.

(153984)

214
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Tax Evasion hotline cost to administer in each month since its inception.

(153985)

215
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many calls the Tax Evasion hotline received in each month since its inception.

(153986)

216
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of calls received by the Tax Evasion hotline resulted in prosecutions for tax evasion in each month for which figures are available.

(153987)

217
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of levels of staff satisfaction at HM Revenue and Customs in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

(153988)

218
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what processes he has in place to measure staff satisfaction at HM Revenue and Customs.

(153989)

219
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what processes he has in place to measure staff productivity at HM Revenue and Customs.

(153990)

220
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total running costs were of each of the offices of HM Revenue and Customs in each of the last five years.

(153991)

221
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit claimants had their entitlements wrongly calculated in each year for which figures are available.

(153992)

222
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 25th June 2007, Official Report, column 393W, on public sector pensions, when he will publish his latest estimate of the total liabilities of unfunded public service pension schemes as at 31st March 2006.

(154018)

223
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 25th June 2007, Official Report, column 365W, on child benefits: overseas residence, whether all such cases are handled by a single centralised processing unit.

(154058)

224
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of stamp duty on (a) the London Stock Exchange's competitiveness and (b) the value of equities; and if he will make a statement.

(154282)

225
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of stamp duty on the housing market; and if he will make a statement.

(154283)

226
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of small businesses which will benefit from the introduction of the new annual investment allowance in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10.

(154284)

227
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) aggregate gross value of the total expected cash payments under all current and approved future private finance initiative contracts and (b) estimated current capital value of all existing and future private finance initiative contracts is.

(154285)

228
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the review of external contracts at HM Revenue and Customs will report.

(154288)

229
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was underpaid in child benefit in each year since 1997.

(154316)

230
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answers of 25th June 2007, Official Report, column 365W, on child benefit: overseas residence, for what reason his Department does not hold information on the amount of child benefit and child tax credit paid in respect of children living abroad.

(154326)

231
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many consultants' contracts were terminated early in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and at what cost in each year.

(154341)

232
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many press officers are employed by the Bank of England.

(154432)

233
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many press officers are employed by the Financial Services Authority.

(154433)

234
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what border controls HM Revenue and Customs exercise on (a) uncanalised yachts and (b) pleasure craft traffic, (i) entering and (ii) leaving the UK; and how many seizures of articles subject to an import prohibition have been made by HM Revenue and Customs in each year since 2003, broken down by category of item; and if he will make a statement.

(156377)

235
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment HM Revenue and Customs has made of the threat to the UK, of the smuggling of (a) firearms, (b) other items subject to an import prohibition, through uncanalised yacht and pleasure craft traffic; and if he will make a statement.

(156566)

236
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what account is taken of past quantities of heroin and cocaine seized by HM Revenue and Customs in setting targets for future seizures; for what reason equivalent seizure targets are not set for (a) ecstasy and (b) cannabis; and if he will make a statement.

(156607)

237
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) records and (b) estimates have been made of the number of uncanalised yacht and pleasure craft entering the UK each year since 2003; and how many challenges have been made in respect of such craft by HM Revenue and Customs or other UK authority since 2003.

(156608)

238
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Customs officers were permanently attached to (a) seaports, (b) airfields in (i) Cornwall, (ii) Devon, (iii) Dorset, (iv) Isle of Wight and (v) Hampshire in (A) 2001 and (B) 2007; and if he will make a statement.

(156682)

239
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what quantity of (a) heroin, (b) cocaine, (c) ecstasy, (d) cannabis and (e) firearms has been seized by Customs officers in (i) seaports and (ii) airfields in (A) Cornwall, (B) Devon, (C) Dorset, (D) Isle of Wight and (E) Hampshire in (1) 2001, (2) 2002 and (3) in the last year for which records are available; and if he will make a statement.

(156693)

240
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to increase the permanent presence of customs officers at (a) seaports and (b) airfields in (i) Cornwall, (ii) Devon, (iii) Dorest, (iv) Isle of Wight and (v) Hampshire, with particular reference to land-based officers doing uncanalised work; and if he will make a statement.

(156694)

241
Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) women, (b) single parents and (c) people were in work in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) the UK in each year since 1997.

(156033)

242
Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the level of (a) adult and (b) youth unemployment was in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) the UK in each year since 1997.

(156035)

243
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 4th July 2007, Official Report, column 1066W, on Departments: departmental reorganisation, what account his Department takes of the Information Commissioner's guidance that no internal review should take longer than 40 days; and how many requests for internal review have exceeded this deadline.

(154087)

244
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which private consultancy firms (a) his Department and (b) agencies which report to his Department engaged in each of the last three years; which programmes or projects each firm worked on; and what the approximate cost to the Department or agency concerned was of each engagement.

(155880)

245
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his Department's projected spending is on advertising and promotional campaigns for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by cost relating to (i) television, (ii) radio and (iii) print media.

(155897)

246
Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons VAT is charged on child cycling helmets.

(155636)

247
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his latest estimate is of the cost to the public purse of the Child Trust Fund in each year from 2007-08 to 2020-21 for which an estimate exists; and if he will make a statement.

(154007)

248
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his estimate is of the increase in the annual entitlement to tax credits as a result of increasing the income disregard from £2,500 to £25,000; what the margin of error is in that calculation; and if he will make a statement.

(154621)

249
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimates of the number of tax credit compliance staff have been made public since 1st March 2003; and if he will make a statement.

(154622)

250
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce new, free ATMs in Yeovil constituency as part of the Working Group initiative to improve access in low income communities; and if he will make a statement.

(154624)

251
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library a copy of the latest version of the National Statistics Postcode Directory.

(156003)

252
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list all accounts directions issued by his Department between 2001-02 and 2005-06.

(156004)

253
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 2nd July 2007, Official Report, column 932W, on Defence: Finance, what the Ministry of Defence's upper limit for non-cash to near cash switches was for financial years 2001-02 to 2007-08.

(156005)

254
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what accounts directions were issued by his Department in financial year (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

(156675)

255
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list his Department's (a) executive agencies, (b) executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), (c) advisory NDPBs, (d) tribunal NDPBs, (e) trading funds and (f) public corporations for each financial year since 2005-06.

(156678)

256
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Security and Intelligence Agencies' (a) administrative expenditure, (b) other current expenditure, (c) grant expenditure, (d) operating appropriations in aid (A in A), (e) capital and (f) non-operating A in A outturn, broken down in (i) near cash and (ii) non-cash terms was for financial years 2001-02 to 2006-07.

(156680)

257
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will break down in (a) near cash and (b) non-cash terms columns 1 to 8 of the subhead detail tables for the Security and Intelligence Agencies contained in the (i) main estimate, (ii) winter supplementary estimate and (iii) spring supplementary estimate for financial years 2001-02 to 2007-08.

(156681)

258
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Chairman of HM Customs and Revenue expects to reply to the letter of 19th July from the hon. Member for Aylesbury on the tax credit case of Mr and Mrs D. of Aylesbury (ref. JE875300A); and if he will make a statement.

(156223)

259
Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact of the Law Enforcement Business Plan on seizures of controlled drugs and illegal firearms smuggled into the UK made in (a) the South West region and (b) across the UK since it was implemented.

(155846)

260
Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many customs officers were employed by HM Revenue and Customs in each English region in each of the last five years.

(155847)

261
John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what quantities of (a) heroin, (b) cocaine, (c) ecstasy and (d) cannabis were seized as a result of HM Revenue and Customs operations in each of the last four years.

(156024)

262
John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the seizure quantity targets were for (a) heroin, (b) cocaine, (c) ecstasy and (d) cannabis in each of the last four years.

(156025)

263
John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the travelling and subsistence costs for mobile detection teams within the detection directorate of HM Revenue and Customs were in each of the last four years.

(156026)

264
John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment HM Revenue and Customs has made of the threat presented to the UK of smuggling firearms and other items subject to an import prohibition through uncanalised yacht and pleasure craft traffic.

(156027)

265
John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many uncanalised yacht and pleasure craft are estimated to have entered the UK in each year since 2003; and how many interventions or challenges have been made on yacht and pleasure craft by HM Revenue and Customs or other UK authorities since 2003.

(156028)

266
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of whether the banking and financial sector of Bermuda is (a) sufficiently transparent and (b) regulated and subject to oversight that meets European and other international norms designed to combat financial and white collar crime; and if he will make a statement.

(155823)

267
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much his Department paid through the tax credit system to clients as compensation in lieu of any bank charges incurred on their personal accounts whilst involved with the tax credit system in the last 12 month period for which figures are available.

(156294)

268
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which professional football clubs have gone into administration leaving an unpaid debt to HM Revenue and Customs since 2000.

(155598)

269
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) tax and (b) National Insurance revenue has been (i) lost and (ii) written off in relation to each professional football club which has entered into adminstration since 2000.

(155599)

270
Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total estimated annual cost is of (a) expenses, (b) salary, (c) office space, (d) administrative support and (e) special advisers for the new Exchequer Secretary.

(154699)

271
Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his estimate is of the value of garments manufactured in China that were imported into the UK from Bangladesh in the latest period for which figures are available.

(154083)

272
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which groups are being consulted as part of his Department's review of the needs of over 85 year-olds.

(154649)

273
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many HM Revenue and Customs front-line detection staff with primary responsibility for detecting illegal imports of products of animal origin were employed in each year since 2001-02.

(153767)

274
Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what Government policy is on a (a) plastic bag and (b) chewing gum tax.

(153819)

275
Mr Greg Pope (Hyndburn):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects the Paymaster General to reply to the letter dated 28th June 2007 from the hon. Member for Hyndburn on Ms M. Hartley-McGough.

(153791)

276
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the timetable is for the introduction of the zero rate of stamp duty for zero carbon homes.

(153802)

277
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what records (a) his Department, (b) HM Revenue and Customs and (c) the Valuation Office Agency will collate on the number of house sale transactions that received the zero rate of stamp duty on zero carbon homes.

(153803)

278
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether staff of the Valuation Office Agency who undertake inspections of domestic dwellings for council tax valuation purposes are required to have (a) basic and (b) enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks.

(153804)

279
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) gross and (b) net revenue from domestic rates in Northern Ireland was in each year since 1997-98; and what the estimated figures are in each case for 2007-08.

(153805)

280
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the presence of double or treble glazing in a domestic dwelling may affect its capital valuation for valuation purposes by the Valuation Office Agency.

(153806)

281
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what data the Valuation Office Agency has purchased from the Landmark Information Group in the last five years; and for what purposes.

(153807)

282
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Valuation Office Agency has made representations to have access to the energy performance certificate register.

(153808)

283
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether Sir David Varney's review of taxation policy and economic growth in Northern Ireland will review the new system of domestic rates and the policy for domestic rate revaluations.

(153809)

284
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many neighbourhood geo-codes recorded by the Valuation Office Agency to assist with domestic valuation purposes there are in (a) England and (b) Wales.

(153810)

285
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his Department's definition of a zero carbon residential dwelling is for the purposes of stamp duty.

(153812)

286
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what purpose the Valuation Office Agency joined PISCES; on what date; and at what cost.

(156598)

287
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much remains unspent in Environmental Trust bank accounts unable to be released due to the withdrawal of the education and research C and CC categories.

(154197)

288
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to facilitate the release of monies deposited in Environmental Trust accounts originally earmarked under Entrust's categories C and CC for education and research.

(154198)

289
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what total amount derived from landfill tax revenues is held in the largest 12 environmental trust accounts.

(154199)

290
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he (a) has taken and (b) is taking to make the bank accounts of environmental trusts which receive landfill tax monies more accountable.

(154200)

291
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many press officers are employed by the Office of Government Commerce.

(154122)

292
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many press officers are employed by the Office of National Statistics.

(154129)

293
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many press officers are employed by HM Revenue and Customs.

(154136)

294
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the net effect on revenues to the Exchequer would have been of reforming capital gains tax taper relief for business assets so that the proportion of gains chargeable was 100 per cent. after two years or less, 90 per cent. after three years, 80 per cent. after four years, 70 per cent. after five years, 60 per cent. after six years and 50 per cent. after seven years or more in the most recent year for which figures are available.

(155848)

295
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the net effect on revenues to the Exchequer would have been of reforming capital gains tax taper relief for non-business assets so that the proportion of gains chargeable was 100 per cent. after two years or less, 90 per cent. after three years, 80 per cent. after four years, 70 per cent. after five years, 60 per cent. after six years and 50 per cent. after seven years or more in the most recent year for which figures are available.

(155849)

296
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of the cost of capital gains tax taper relief was due to (a) business assets and (b) non-business assets in the most recent year for which figures are available.

(155850)

297
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people are registered as non-domiciled for tax purposes; how many of them are (a) resident, (b) ordinarily resident and (c) non-resident; and what (i) UK and (ii) foreign income was declared by each group in the most recent year for which figures are available.

(155851)

298
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects figures for the number of individuals indicating non-domicile tax status through their self-assessment returns in 2005-06 to be available.

(155853)

299
Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much landfill tax was paid by (a) waste disposal authorities and (b) other local authorities in each of the last 10 years.

(156502)

300
Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much landfill tax was hypothecated to local authorities via the Revenue Support Grant Settlements in each of the last four financial years.

(156503)

301
Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average (a) annual incomes and (b) annual gross disposable household incomes were in (i) each parliamentary constituency in Cornwall, (ii) the South West, (iii) England and (iv) the UK in 2006.

(156664)

302
Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money was received into the public purse from people in Cornwall by (a) Pay As You Earn, (b) national insurance, (c) VAT, (d) corporation tax and (e) road tax in each year since 1979.

(156665)

303
Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the level of personal debt incurred by people living in Cornwall was in each year since 1979.

(156666)

304
Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the gross value added was for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in each year since 2004.

(156667)

305
Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the economic review of trading funds will include a consultation process with public and private sector stakeholders.

(154391)

306
N Mr Paul Truswell (Pudsey):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what evaluation he has made of the abuse of accommodation address agencies by perpetrators of fraud relating to (a) taxes, (b) customs and excise and (c) other criminal activity relating to the resonsibilities of his Department.

(156594)

307
Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what advice is given to claimants when there is a significant delay in amending a claimant's award notice following a change in their circumstances to enable them to calculate their tax credit entitlement when payments continue.

(155749)

308
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the figures are that underly the chart at the web address http://csr07.treasury.gov.uk/spending-by-age/.

(156597)

309
Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many applications for VAT registration were processed within (a) 14, (b) 30, (c) 60, (d) 90 and (e) more than 90 days after their sumbission to HM Revenue and Customs in the 12 month period ending 31st March.

(154440)

310
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of personal debt is (a) secured and (b) unsecured; and if he will make a statement.

(156261)

311
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the level of (a) total, (b) secured and (c) unsecured personal debt in the UK is as a percentage of gross disposable income; and if he will make a statement.

(156262)

312
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the level of (a) total, (b) secured, (c) average secured, (d) unsecured and (e) average unsecured personal debt is in (i) the UK and (ii) each region; and if he will make a statement.

(156263)

313
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Treasury has raised in duty from the sale of National Lottery tickets in each year since the Lottery was established; and if he will make a statement.

(156264)

314
Mike Wood (Batley & Spen):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what process is followed by HM Revenue and Customs when dealing with appeals against the decisions they make in calculating child and working tax credit entitlement.

(155973)

315
Mike Wood (Batley & Spen):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many appeals have been (a) lodged and (b) heard, broken down by outcome, in relation to the calculation of child and working tax credit entitlements.

(155974)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families

316
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will make it his policy to require all major new-build for schools to meet a minimum BREEAM rating of excellent in accordance with the Common Minimum Standards; and if he will make a statement.

(153858)

317
N Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what assessment he has made of the likely effectiveness of the use of guardians in place of Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service officers to represent children's interests; and if he will make a statement.

(156655)

318
N Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what assessment his Department has made of the role voluntary organisations can play in ensuring that parents and guardians become more involved in their children's reading tuition.

(153855)

319
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what support his Department provides to parents in areas with high levels of gang and gun-related crime to help ensure that children do not become involved in criminal activity.

(154095)

320
Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what estimate he has made of the proportion of children educated at home who were entered for GCSEs/A levels in each of the last three years; and what assessment he has made of how their results compared with those educated at school.

(154756)

321
David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of (a) primary and (b) secondary school children in England are foreign nationals.

(156311)

322
Clive Efford (Eltham):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps his Department and the Learning and Skills Councils are taking to ensure the learning and skills sector meets the needs of young women; and if he will make a statement.

(154445)

323
Clive Efford (Eltham):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps his Department and the Learning and Skills Councils are taking to ensure equality of access leading to equality of work opportunities for young women.

(154446)

324
Clive Efford (Eltham):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will make a statement on sector skills councils' targets to increase diversity.

(154447)

325
Clive Efford (Eltham):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how sector skills councils will ensure that young women who want to go into industry can gain entry to apprenticeships and skills training; and if he will make a statement.

(154448)

326
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many press officers are employed by the Children and Families Court Advisory and Support Service

(154677)

327
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many press officers are employed by the Children's Commissioner for England.

(154553)

328
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many press officers are employed by Ofsted.

(154556)

329
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whether the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority classifies the new secondary curriculum as (a) outcomes-based and (b) child-centred.

(154335)

330
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, where the programmes of study for the new secondary curriculum rejects (a) constructivism, (b) whole language teaching and (c) fuzzy maths as stated by the Chief Executive of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in his speech on the launch of the new secondary curriculum.

(154340)

331
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what assessment he has made of health and safety implications of the use of interactive whiteboards in classrooms.

(154520)

332
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, for what reasons mature students born before 1st September 1979 are required to have a GCSE at grade C or above (or recognised equivalent) in science in order to begin initial teacher training; and if he will make a statement.

(154521)

333
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what criteria the review of primary and early years mathematics teaching led by Sir Peter Williams will adopt for giving weight to submissions received.

(154606)

334
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many and what proportion of pupils attained (a) Level 2 or above, (b) Level 2A or above and (c) Level 3 or above in the Key Stage 1 assessments in (i) mathematics, (ii) reading and (iii) writing in each year between 1995 and 2007.

(155591)

335
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the average pupil mobility rate was in schools in (a) England and (b) each English local authority area in (i) 2005 and (ii) 2006.

(155606)

336
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many and what proportion of pupils who attained level 5 or below in the 2007 Key Stage 3 tests in (a) English, (b) mathematics and (c) science in each year since 1997 had previously attained level 5 or above at Key Stage 2.

(155901)

337
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, in which month secondary schools receive Key Stage 2 test results data for each of the pupils entering the school in year 7.

(155966)

338
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many and what proportion of pupils who took the Key Stage 3 tests in (a) English, (b) mathematics and (c) science in each year since 1997 attained the same level or below the level they attained at Key Stage 2 (i) in total and (ii) for pupils who attained (A) level 3, (B) level 4 and (C) level 5 at Key Stage 2.

(156041)

339
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, when he will answer Question 148140, on the Building Schools for the Future programme, tabled on 3rd July by the hon. member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton.

(156239)

340
Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many complaints have been made to him about the marking of the Key Stage 3 English SATs in 2007.

(156007)

341
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the average (a) duration and (b) cost of an Ofsted inspection of a (i) primary and (ii) secondary school was in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(154782)

342
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many press officers are employed by the Adult Learning Inspectorate Agency.

(154725)

343
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many fixed period exclusions there were per pupil in 2005-06.

(154279)

344
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many pupils took unauthorised absences at least once in each of the last five school years.

(154280)

345
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much the Government has spent on anti-truancy measures since 1997.

(154281)

346
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many press officers are employed by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.

(154428)

347
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many press officers are employed by the Training and Development Agency for Schools.

(154429)

348
Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many (a) males and (b) females aged between 16 and 25 were not in education, employment or training in (i) 1997, (ii) 2001, (iii) 2005 and (iv) 2007.

(156164)

349
Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much was spent by local education authorities on the provision of special educational needs education at facilities (a) outside the relevant local authority area and (b) run by the independent sector.

(156165)

350
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will make it his policy to advise schools to check the credentials of any (a) religious and (b) other organisations they choose to work with; and if he will make a statement.

(156606)

351
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, pursuant to the Answer of 16th July 2007, Official Report, column 126W, on teachers: assessments, to which part of Key Stage 4 of the national curriculum the qualified teacher status skills tests equate.

(154103)

352
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what role the (a) academy sponsor and (b) local authority plays in deciding whether an academy should be a new-build or refurbishment project.

(154104)

353
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, pursuant to the Answer of 16th July 2007, Official Report, column 91W, on Building Schools for the Future: private finance initiative, whether he plans to use PFI schemes for the procurement of academies.

(154116)

354
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, which private consultancy firms (a) his Department and (b) agencies which report to his Department engaged in each of the last three years; which programmes or projects each firm worked on; and what the approximate cost to the Department or agency concerned was of each engagement.

(155877)

355
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what his Department's projected spending is on advertising and promotional campaigns for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by cost relating to (i) television, (ii) radio and (iii) print media.

(155885)

356
Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many (a) competition managers and (b) sports co-ordinators for schools have been appointed.

(155759)

357
Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much funding from the Building Schools for the Future initiative has been spent on modern sports facilities.

(155760)

358
N Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many academies have charitable investment funds established by their sponsors following changes to the programme announced in March 2006; and what information his Department collects on the use to which such funds are put.

(156255)

359
N Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many academies have begun sharing their facilities with (a) other schools and (b) the local community following the changes to VAT announced in the 2007 Budget.

(156436)

360
N Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, when he intends to publish the fourth report by PriceWaterhouseCoopers into the academies programme.

(156437)

361
N Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many and which academies appoint an elected teacher or staff representative to their governing bodies.

(156438)

362
N Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many and which academies have reached recognition agreements with (a) teaching unions and (b) unions representing other members of staff.

(156439)

363
Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of teachers with training in severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties.

(154607)

364
Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what estimate he has made of the likely number of children with complex educational needs arising from learning difficulties entering (a) primary and (b) secondary education in each of the next five years.

(154608)

365
N Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what qualifications are required to be an examiner for (a) A levels and (b) GCSEs.

(156524)

366
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many teachers are qualified to teach (a) Mandarin and (b) Urdu.

(153820)

367
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what level of qualification teachers will need to teach (a) Mandarin and (b) Urdu.

(153821)

368
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much is planned to be spent on training of (a) Mandarin and (b) Urdu teachers in 2007-08.

(153822)

369
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps are being taken to recruit speakers of Mandarin and Urdu into the teaching profession.

(153823)

370
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many new teachers of (a) Mandarin and (b) Urdu are expected to be recruited over the next five years.

(153824)

371
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what new languages other than Mandarin and Urdu will be available in schools under the changes to the national curriculum.

(153825)

372
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many sponsors of academies have (a) not paid and (b) delayed paying their full contribution.

(153826)

373
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much is owed to the Government by academy sponsors.

(153827)

374
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many work experience schemes are run by schools in each (a) Government region and (b) local education authority.

(153828)

375
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what experiments were banned in science lessons in secondary schools in each year since 1997.

(153829)

376
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps are being taken to improve co-operation between academies and the Specialist Schools and Academy Trust; and what assessment he has made of those levels of co-operation.

(153830)

377
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what his assessment is of the new sponsorship arrangements for academies, with particular reference to co-sponsorship by local authorities; and to what extent academies will remain independent under such arrangements.

(153831)

378
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of children's centres in targeting the most disadvantaged children and families; and if he will make a statement.

(153832)

379
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps his Department is taking to ensure children's centres are father friendly; and if he will make a statement.

(153833)

380
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what assessment he has made of children's centres' effectiveness in working with community organisations.

(153834)

381
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many school trips were made by (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in each (i) Government region and (ii) local education authority in each of the last 10 years.

(153835)

382
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many school trips abroad were made by schools in each (a) Government region and (b) local education authority in each of the last 10 years.

(153836)

383
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the average cost of insurance for school trips was in each year since 1997.

(153837)

384
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what average length of time per week children at Key Stage 1 spend on free play.

(153838)

385
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much was spent on careers advice for those under 19 years of age in each of the last 10 years.

(153839)

386
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what minimum academic qualifications are required of school (a) teaching assistants, (b) technicians, (c) unqualified teachers and (d) other school support staff.

(153878)

387
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the incidence of sexual abuse of children was in England in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

(153938)

388
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the incidence of physical violence against children by parents and carers was in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

(153939)

389
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many children were on the Child Protection Register in each local authority area in England in each year since 1985-86; and if he will make a statement.

(153940)

390
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what his latest estimate is of the proportion of child sexual abuse committed by family members or carers of the victim; and if he will make a statement.

(153942)

391
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of the teaching workforce was aged over (a) 40, (b) 50, (c) 55 and (d) 60 years in each year since 1990-91.

(153943)

392
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of newly qualified teachers left the profession in each year since 1990-91; and if he will make a statement.

(153944)

393
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the (a) target and (b) outturn numbers of recruits to initial teacher training in each secondary school subject were in each year since 2001-02; what the target is for 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

(153945)

394
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps the Government is taking in relation to subject areas where there are teacher shortages; and if he will make a statement.

(153946)

395
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many and what proportion of headteacher posts were vacant in each reporting period since 1996-97.

(153947)

396
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, which 10 local authorities had the highest vacancy rates for (a) teachers and (b) headteachers in each year since 1996-97; and if he will make a statement.

(153948)

397
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of new (a) primary and (b) secondary school teachers had a degree level qualification in each year since 1996-97.

(153949)

398
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of school classroom assistants have no GCSE qualifications; and if he will make a statement.

(153950)

399
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of teachers in secondary schools were on long-term sick leave in each year since 1985-86; and if he will make a statement.

(153951)

400
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of curriculum time was devoted to (a) sport, (b) art, (c) music and (d) languages in secondary schools in each year since 1997.

(153952)

401
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of children in secondary schools were taught in classes with (a) streaming and (b) setting in each year since 1996-97; and if he will make a statement.

(153953)

402
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what number and proportion of children in care were educated in state boarding schools in each year since 1996-97; and if he will make a statement.

(153954)

403
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what funding his Department has allocated for a nationwide summer residential programme for school students in (a) 2007 and (b) 2008; and if he will make a statement.

(153955)

404
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what plans he has to increase the share of national income spent on education from 2005 levels over the period 2007 to 2011; and if he will make a statement.

(153956)

405
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many incidents there were in schools involving the use of (a) knives and (b) firearms in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(153968)

406
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many pupils there were in (a) pupil referral units and (b) other out-of-school units in each year from 1996 to 2007; and if he will make a statement.

(153969)

407
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many parenting orders were issued as a consequence of pupil non-attendance at schools in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(153970)

408
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that all 16 to 19 year olds in employment have access to training; and if he will make a statement.

(153971)

409
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the minimum GCSE requirements to be a teacher are; what they were in each year since 1986-87; and if he will make a statement.

(154002)

410
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of teachers were (a) full-time, (b) part-time, (c) occasional, (d) unqualified and (e) on employment-based routes for each year group and for each year from 1996-97 to 2006-07; and what the equivalent expected figures are for 2007-08.

(154003)

411
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many unqualified teachers taught in state-funded schools in each year from 1996-97 to 2006-07; how many are expected to teach in such schools in 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

(154004)

412
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many pupils in secondary schools were taught by a teacher without specialist educational qualifications in the subject being taught in (a) physics, (b) chemistry, (c) mathematics, (d) modern foreign languages, (e) technology and (f) music in 2006-07; and if he will make a statement.

(154005)

413
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what his latest estimates are of the pupil-teacher ratios in (a) all secondary schools and (b) academies; and if he will make a statement.

(154006)

414
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps he is taking to bring funding levels for 16 to 18 year olds in further education colleges up to the funding levels in schools; and if he will make a statement.

(154008)

415
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what estimate he has made of the annual cost of bringing per capita funding of pupils aged 16 to 18 years old in further education colleges in line with funding levels in secondary schools.

(154337)

416
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what information his Department collects on the proportion of pupils aged 16 to 18 years in (a) further education colleges and (b) school sixth forms from highly deprived groups.

(154338)

417
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will make a statement on the development of the (a) 14-19 curriculum and (b) vocational education.

(154517)

418
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whether he plans to raise the minimum standards required to teach in the state-funded sector.

(154522)

419
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many assaults there were on school teachers in 2005-06 which led to exclusions, broken down by (a) by category of assault and (b) local education authority; and if he will make a statement.

(154523)

420
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will publish the latest figures for funding per pupil in each English school; and if he will make a statement.

(154524)

421
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will make a statement on his plans to reform deprivation-related funding for schools.

(154525)

422
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what plans he has to require all academies to accept local authority governors onto their governing bodies; and if he will make a statement.

(154526)

423
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what plans he has to bring forward proposals to levy fines on 17 and 18 year olds who are not in education or training; and if he will make a statement.

(154527)

424
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whether he plans to give schools complete control over non-selective admissions policy.

(154528)

425
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will extend the freedoms available to academies to all state schools which meet minimum performance criteria; and if he will make a statement.

(154529)

426
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will abolish the right of appeal to local education authorities in respect of pupils who have been permanently excluded from school; how many permanent exclusions were overturned on appeal in each year since 1996-97; and if he will make a statement.

(154530)

427
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the total cost was of performance related pay in (a) his Department and (b) schools in each year since 1990-91; how much it is expected to be in 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

(154531)

428
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whether he plans to bring forward proposals to use criminal sanctions against (a) parents and (b) children who do not stay in education in the future to age 18 years; and if he will make a statement.

(154538)

429
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what his latest estimate is of total expenditure on outstanding private finance initiative transactions relating to schools and early years for each year from 2007-08 to 2020-21; and if he will make a statement.

(154539)

430
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whether he plans to bring forward proposals to withhold driving licences from people below the age of 18 years who do not participate in education or training; and if he will make a statement.

(154541)

431
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of (a) girls and (b) boys gained five GCSEs at grade A to C in each year since 1987-88; and if he will make a statement.

(154601)

432
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what assessment he has made of the effects of performance-related pay on (a) teaching quality and (b) pupil attainment; and if he will make a statement.

(154602)

433
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whether he has changed his policy on the promotion of parental choice in relation to schools; and if he will make a statement.

(154611)

434
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will take steps to allocate higher levels of funding to school pupils from deprived backgrounds; and if he will make a statement.

(154612)

435
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whether he has made an analysis of the potential use of school vouchers in the primary and secondary school system; and if he will make a statement.

(154613)

436
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what his latest estimate is of the level of inflation in private sector school fees; and if he will make a statement.

(154617)

437
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what his policy is on establishing academies in areas where local authorities object; and if he will make a statement.

(154706)

438
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, when his (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers briefed journalists at the Financial Times on his statement on 10th July 2007; and if he will make a statement.

(154707)

439
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what benchmarking analysis he has conducted of the average level of annual fees for schools in the private sector in England, broken down by (a) (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools and (b) (i) boarding and (ii) non-boarding schools in each year since 1990-91; and if he will make a statement.

(154708)

440
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the pupil to teacher ratio was in English (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in (i) 2006 and (ii) 2007.

(154710)

441
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of GCSE students achieved (a) five GCSEs at A-C and (b) English and mathematics GCSEs at A-C since 1995-96; and if he will make a statement.

(154711)

442
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps he is taking to support (a) families and (b) marriage through his policies; and if he will make a statement.

(154712)

443
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what his policy is on greater diversity of school choice for parents and pupils; and if he will make a statement.

(154713)

444
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will set a target for 80 per cent. of pupils to pass five or more GCSEs at A-C grade by 2020; and if he will make a statement.

(154714)

445
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will break down the public cost of raising the education leaving age to 18 years by main subheading.

(154715)

446
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what his policy is on the relationship between school standards and structural reforms; and if he will make a statement.

(154757)

447
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what his policy is on phasing the raising of the education leaving age to 18; and if he will make a statement.

(154758)

448
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what sanctions he plans for children over the age of 16 who fail to attend school or take up training should the education leaving age be raised to 18; and if he will make a statement.

(154759)

449
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the supply of speech therapists for pupils in schools.

(154760)

450
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many schools provide a school meals service; what estimate he has made of the number of pupils eating school meals; what assessment he has made of the financial viability of the school meals service in secondary schools; and if he will make a statement.

(154785)

451
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what assessment he has made of whether absolute A-level standards have changed over the last 20 years, pursuant to the comments of the Chair of the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education; and if he will make a statement.

(154786)

452
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, pursuant to the Answer of 17th July 2007, Official Report, columns 287-8W, on academies, if he will extend to all schools the freedoms available to academies; and if he will make a statement.

(154791)

453
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will list the planned changes to school meal standards in England in each year from 2007 to 2011; and if he will make a statement.

(155979)

454
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many school lunches were served in England in each year from 1996-97 to 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

(155980)

455
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will make a statement on the Government's progress towards its target of increased take-up of school meals.

(155981)

456
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whether it is his policy that academies should follow local authority admissions procedures; and if he will make a statement.

(155982)

457
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, for what reasons his Department has decided to require academies to follow the National Curriculum programmes of study in English, Maths and IT; and if he will make a statement.

(155983)

458
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of the improvement in GCSE results at academies, compared to their predecessor schools, is due to the increased uptake of GNVQ exams; and if he will make a statement.

(155984)

459
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what accounts directions were issued by his Department's predecessors in financial years (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

(156623)

460
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will list his Department and its predecessors in (a) executive agencies, (b) executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), (c) advisory NDPBs, (d) tribunal NDPBs, (e) trading funds and (f) public corporations for each financial year since 2005-06.

(156646)

461
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what estimate he has made of the number of publicly run play areas for children available in (a) 1997 and (b) 2007.

(154787)

462
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what advice he has issued to local authorities on the commercial sponsorship of children's play facilities.

(154788)

463
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) primary and (b) secondary school age children undertaking two hours physical exercise per week in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2007.

(154789)

464
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many youth clubs are funded by his Department.

(154790)

465
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much has been spent on youth clubs by his Department in the last 12 months.

(154792)

466
Mr Andrew Mackay (Bracknell):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many press officers are employed by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust.

(154467)

467
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, which are the 200 schools with the highest number of permanent and temporary exclusions over the last 10 years.

(156633)

468
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many primary schools in each local education authority area primarily occupy buildings built before 1930.

(156634)

469
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, which 200 secondary schools had the lowest post-16 staying-on rate in full-time education at the most recent date for which figures are available.

(156635)

470
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many climbing walls there are in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools.

(156685)

471
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, which are the 200 lowest performing primary schools in terms of (a) SATs results and (b) value added over the last 10 years.

(156691)

472
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, which are the 200 lowest performing secondary schools in terms of (a) GCSE results, (b) value added and (c) the number of pupils leaving with no GCSE grade A to C passes over the last 10 years.

(156692)

473
Julie Morgan (Cardiff North):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many posts have been vacant in the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service for more than three months.

(153997)

474
Julie Morgan (Cardiff North):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the average number of reports prepared by each caseworker in (a) public and (b) private law was in the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service in each of the last five years.

(153998)

475
Julie Morgan (Cardiff North):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whether there has been an effect on the timing of preparation of child protection cases arising from staff (a) turnover and (b) shortages in the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service in the 2006-07 financial year.

(153999)

476
Julie Morgan (Cardiff North):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whether any damages have been paid by local authorities to parents in care proceedings because of poor service delivery in the last 12 months.

(154000)

477
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what assessment he has made of whether all the incentives created by the five per cent. levy on school budget surpluses are in line with the objectives of that policy; and if he will make a statement.

(156274)

478
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what provisional costing he has made in relation to the redistribution of funding through the five per cent. levy on school budget surpluses.

(156275)

479
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many schools he expects to be liable for the five per cent. levy on school budget surpluses.

(156278)

480
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what estimate he has made of the number of schools that were flooded in England in June and July 2007.

(153844)

481
Mr Siôn Simon (Birmingham, Erdington):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what means local authorities have used to finance public transport discount schemes for those aged 18 years and under; and at what cost.

(153758)

482
Mr Siôn Simon (Birmingham, Erdington):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many local authority children and young people plans refer to transport planning for those aged 18 and under, with particular reference to ensuring access for them to (a) education and (b) recreational opportunities.

(153760)

483
Mr Siôn Simon (Birmingham, Erdington):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of section 6 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 promoting greater access by local authorities to (a) educational and (b) recreational leisure time opportunities; and if he will make a statement.

(153761)

484
Ms Gisela Stuart (Birmingham, Edgbaston):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the work underway in the UK in relation to language and social inclusion through the Asset languages programme and UK Languages Ladder initiative (a) is better known across the European Union and (b) is taken into consideration as arrangements are made to operationalise the European Indicators Project as agreed by the Council of Ministers in Barcelona (2002).

(154196)

485
Ms Gisela Stuart (Birmingham, Edgbaston):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps his Department is taking to ensure full participation in the European Indicators Project by official bodies and UK assessment organisations.

(154220)

486
Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of primary and secondary schools are rural in (a) England, (b) Cornwall, (c) the South West and (d) each parliamentary constituency in Cornwall.

(156313)

487
Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the average distance travelled to school by (a) primary and (b) secondary school pupils was in (i) England, (ii) Cornwall, (iii) each of the parliamentary constituencies in Cornwall and (iv) the South West in the most recent period for which figures are available.

(156318)

488
Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what funding (a) is and (b) is planned to be made available for initiatives that encourage parents to assist their children in learning to read.

(154017)

489
Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, pursuant to the Written Statement on 25th July 2007, on the electronic common assessment framework, whether Criminal Records Bureau checks and other checks made to personnel authorised to use the system will also be applied to those who are commissioned to service and maintain the system.

(154081)

490
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many secondary school places were maintained in each year since 1997.

(154449)

491
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many schools have been opened since 1997, broken down by local education authority.

(154450)

492
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much was spent on training teachers' assistants in each year since 1997, broken down by local education authority.

(154451)

493
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many teaching assistants became higher level teaching assistants in each year since 1997.

(154454)

494
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many teaching assistants have reached NVQ level (a) 2 and (b) 3 of the Training Development for School programme.

(154455)

495
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what recent assessment he has made of the literacy attainment of looked-after children.

(154596)

496
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what programmes are in place to ensure that looked-after children have access to one-to-one reading tuition when necessary.

(154599)

497
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that looked-after children do not fall behind with their reading skills.

(154600)

498
Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, when the executive responsible for the federated academy on the Isle of Sheppey expects to publish its consultation plans on which specialism will be available for each school site.

(155664)

499
Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, who sits on the Children's Plan 8-13 working group; and how frequently it meets.

(155921)

500
Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, who will act as the accounting agency for Building Schools for the Future budgets in each local authority.

(156023)

Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

501
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will list the Government-approved auction houses.

(153875)

502
Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how much grant funding was given to third sector organisations by (a) the Active Community Directors' and (b) the Social Enterprise Unit in each year of their operation.

(154474)

503
N Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what the Government's policy is on paying foregone interest when money owed or promised to charities is delayed.

(154537)

504
N Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what the purpose is of the review of the Office of the Third Sector; and how long it is planned to take.

(154540)

505
N Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, whether the results of the review of the Office of the Third Sector will be made publicly available.

(154603)

506
N Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what the cost was of redesigning the FutureBuilders logo.

(154604)

507
N Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what record has been kept of charities and social enterprises launched as part of Government initiatives since 1997.

(154605)

508
Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what budget has been allocated to the commissioning of social enterprise think pieces as announced by the Office of the Third Sector on 8th Februrary.

(155626)

509
Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what assessment has been made of the impact of the Charities Act on (a) the workload and (b) the adequacy of funding of the Charity Commission.

(155627)

510
Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what meetings Cabinet Office ministers have held with representatives of the Smith Institute since May 2005.

(155628)

511
Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what steps were taken by the Office of the Third Sector to inform the voluntary sector and the general public about the reduction in the rate of gift aid that resulted from the change in income tax rates in the last Budget; and when those steps were taken.

(155629)

512
Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what target the Government has set to increase charitable donations in real terms over the 10 year period to 2014; and what steps the Government is taking to monitor and report on progress towards meeting this target.

(155630)

513
Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, whether the winners of the contract to host the Centre of Excellence for Charitable Giving will also be able to bid for research work commissioned by the Centre.

(155631)

514
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many (a) bowsers and (b) portaloos the public sector has access to for utilising in a national emergency situation; whether there are plans to increase those numbers; and if he will make a statement.

(154345)

515
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many press officers are employed by the Charity Commission.

(154419)

516
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what estimate he has made of the (a) percentage of software by value procured using Open Source and (b) percentage of software projects procured using Open Source in each of the last five years for which information is available.

(154773)

517
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what plans he has to promote the use of Open Source IT by Government bodies; and what targets exist for the use of Open Source.

(154774)

518
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what assessment his Department has made of the potential of Open Source software to produce efficiency savings.

(154775)

519
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what steps have been taken following his Department's publication of Open Source Software Use Within UK Government in 2004; and if he will make a statement.

(154776)

520
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, which of the seven next steps listed on page six of his Department's publication Open Source Software Use Within UK Government published in 2004, have been implemented; and if he will make a statement.

(154777)

521
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what advice has been issued by the Office of Government Commerce to departments on the use of Open Source information technology.

(154778)

522
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what changes he has made to No. 10 Downing Street since 27th June 2007 to make it more environmentally friendly.

(154088)

523
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, which private consultancy firms (a) his Department and (b) agencies which report to his Department engaged in each of the last three years; which programmes or projects each firm worked on; and what the approximate cost to the Department or agency concerned was of each engagement.

(155878)

524
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what his Department's projected spending is on advertising and promotional campaigns for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by cost relating to (i) television, (ii) radio and (iii) print media.

(155884)

525
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will list his Department's (a) executive agencies, (b) executive Non-Department Public Bodies (NDPBs, (c) advisory NDPBs), (d) tribunal NDPBs, (e) trading funds and (f) public corporations for each financial year since 2005-06.

(156614)

526
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what accounts directions were issued by his Department in financial years (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

(156615)

527
Mr Andrew Mackay (Bracknell):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many press officers are employed by the Independent Complaints Reviewer to the Charity Commission.

(154461)

528
Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what the total estimated annual cost is of (a) expenses, (b) salary, (c) office space, (d) administrative support and (e) special advisers for the Minister for the Olympics.

(154700)

529
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit report on variable charging for domestic rubbish collection.

(153811)

530
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for North East Hertfordshire of 26th March 2007, Official Report, column 1393W, on Departments: publications, if he will place in the Library a copy of the July 2007 edition of the Central Office of Information's White Book.

(153889)

531
Mr John Spellar (Warley):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what the declared individual political affiliations are of the Civil Service Commissioners.

(156719)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

532
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many (a) enforcement notices were served and (b) prosecutions were brought as a result of non-compliance with the energy efficiency requirements in Part L of the Building Regulations in each year between 2002 and 2007.

(153856)

533
N John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what European Union assistance is available to help rebuild communities damaged by floodwater; and if she will make a statement.

(153309)

534
N John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans the Government has to apply for EU funding assistance to help communities rebuild after the recent flooding; and what the deadline is for applying for any such assistance.

(153310)

535
Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the ability of key workers in London to buy property in London.

(155609)

536
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 23rd July 2007, Official Report, column 745W, on housing: immigration, how many of the additional households projected by each of the sets of household projections referred to in that Answer were projected to be in (a) London and (b) each region of England.

(154029)

537
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many individuals obtained a tenancy of social housing without holding an existing social housing tenancy in each year since 1997.

(155989)

538
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many A8 accession state nationals have (a) obtained a social housing tenancy from a local authority, (b) obtained a social housing tenancy from a registered social landlord and (c) have purchased social housing from either a local authority or a registered social landlord in each year since 2004.

(155994)

539
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 12th September 2007, Official Report, column 2129W, on Housing: low incomes, if she will give a break down by region of the number of social lettings let to foreign nationals in 2005-06.

(156010)

540
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 12th September 2007, Official Report, column 2129W, on housing: low incomes, what estimate she has made of the number of foreign nationals obtaining general needs lettings in 2005-06, broken down by nationality; and what recent estimate she has made of the total number of foreign nationals who are tenants of social housing.

(156250)

541
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the proportion of total housing demand which would result from the Office of National Statistics' assumption of long-term net migration of 190,000 each year for the number of years for which forecasts are available; and what number of housing units this proportion would represent.

(156472)

542
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24th July 2007, Official Report, column 957W, on departments: legislation, which (a) sections and (b) schedules of the specified acts have (i) been repealed and (ii) not been brought into force.

(154205)

543
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will make a statement on the future of fire control at the TriService Emergency Headquarters in Quedgeley.

(156298)

544
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the UK Government has received a reasoned opinion from the European Commission on the implementation of the Race Equality Directive (2000/43/CE); and if she will make a statement.

(154013)

545
Jon Cruddas (Dagenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the merits of changing the building regulations to require all new build homes to be built to lifetime home standards.

(155968)

546
Jon Cruddas (Dagenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the merits of requiring 10 per cent. of all new build housing to be wheelchair accessible throughout.

(155969)

547
Jon Cruddas (Dagenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities with housing responsibilities in England have an adapted homes register.

(155970)

548
Jon Cruddas (Dagenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the merits of requiring all local authorities with housing responsibilities to maintain an adapted homes register.

(155971)

549
Jon Cruddas (Dagenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the merits of the creation of a nation-wide adapted homes register.

(155972)

550
Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what financial provision has been made for local authorities which are conducting pay and grading reviews in order to comply with the Equal Pay Act 1974.

(156020)

551
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many private developments have met the 50 per cent. affordable housing target since its inception, broken down by London borough.

(154055)

552
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many and what percentage of people were (a) homeless and (b) on the council housing waiting list in each London borough in each of the last 10 years.

(154806)

553
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local authority houses were (a) sold and (b) demolished in each London borough in each of the last five years.

(154811)

554
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what percentage of new homes were built on brownfield sites in each London borough in each of the last five years.

(154812)

555
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many new homes were built in each London borough in each of the last five years.

(154813)

556
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the average waiting time was for council housing in each London borough in each of the last 10 years.

(154814)

557
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many press officers are employed by the Housing Corporation.

(154423)

558
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, on how many occasions in each of the last 10 years fire-fighting operations involved the use of materials containing perfluoro octane sulphanate.

(155722)

559
N Damian Green (Ashford):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, from which local authorities her Department has received representations on the Government's estimation of their populations; and if she will make a statement.

(156395)

560
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 23rd July 2007, Official Report, column 752W, on rights of way, whether the Independent Planning Commission will be required to undertake consultation with (a) the public and (b) user groups to ascertain whether alternative rights of way are being provided or the current rights of way are not needed.

(154348)

561
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans she has (a) to offer financial support to local government for equal pay between men and women and (b) to promote equal pay in local government; and if she will make a statement.

(154408)

562
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with other Ministerial colleagues on the provision of policy guidance for the needs of existing homes for energy improvement in any forthcoming policy papers; and if she will make a statement.

(155744)

563
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to make changes to the Merton Rule on renewable energy in new developments; and if she will make a statement.

(155745)

564
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to respond to the recommendations in the Communities and Local Government Committee Report on council tax benefits (HC 718) ; and if she will make a statement.

(156695)

565
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what council tax benefits were paid in each local authority in Hampshire in each year since 2000-01; what estimate she has made of the number of eligible people failing to claim such benefits in each local authority; and if she will make a statement.

(156696)

566
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many press officers are employed by the South East England Regional Assembly.

(154157)

567
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many press officers are employed by the Ordnance Survey Agency.

(154178)

568
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what her Department's projected spending is on advertising and promotional campaigns for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by cost relating to (i) television, (ii) radio and (iii) print media.

(155886)

569
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which private consultancy firms (a) her Department and (b) agencies which report to her Department engaged in each of the last three years; which programmes or projects each firm worked on; and what the approximate cost to the Department or agency concerned was of each engagement.

(155898)

570
Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the council tax collection rates of (a) Gravesham, (b) other councils in Kent and (c) other councils in the South East Government Office in the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement.

(154569)

571
Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the number of home condition reports commissioned to date in the South East Government Office region; and if she will make a statement.

(154570)

572
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what percentage of (a) housing association and (b) private sector housing within Peterborough constituency was judged to be unfit in each year since 1997.

(154068)

573
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many houses were built by (a) private sector companies, (b) housing associations and (c) the local authority within the Peterborough City Council area in each year since 1997.

(154069)

574
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many households were on waiting lists for homes in Peterborough in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

(154692)

575
Mr Fraser Kemp (Houghton & Washington East):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will publish the average annual salary costs of directly elected mayors in England for each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(156561)

576
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 19th June 2007, Official Report, column 1679W, on the Public Sector Relocation Independent Review, whether her Department has destroyed any documents relating to the Lyons Inquiry into Local Government since the transfer of the documents from the inquiry to the responsibility of her Department.

(154028)

577
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what changes have been made to the recommendations in Planning Policy Statement 3 on the minimum and maximum amount of car parking in new residential developments.

(154074)

578
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to amend the Local Authorities (Model Code of Conduct) Order 2007 during the course of 2007.

(154075)

579
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent representations she has received from the Royal Institute for Chartered Surveyors on the enforceability of home information pack regulations; what response she has made; and how she plans to enforce the regulations.

(154076)

580
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what her Department's estimate is of the number of fines to be issued each year against (a) home owners and (b) estate agents for breaches of the home information pack provisions.

(154077)

581
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many properties have been purchased under the Open Market Homebuy schemes.

(155676)

582
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will list the indicators which the Audit Commission collects from local authorities.

(155677)

583
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether representatives of her Department made any written submission or representation to the Lyons Inquiry on local government.

(155678)

584
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the purpose is of the Ordnance Survey's Map Watch initiative.

(155679)

585
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many civil penalties have been issued for failing to provide the Valuation Office Agency with information to value properties for business rates.

(155681)

586
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the expenditure by the Valuation Office Agency was in relation to conducting a non-domestic rating assessment of the Big Brother house at Elstree Studios, Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.

(155682)

587
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will make a statement on the ruling of the Information Tribunal regarding the consideration of the planning application by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Vauxhall Tower in South London.

(155683)

588
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, why energy performance certificates will be valid for 10 years for properties for rent but not for properties for sale.

(155684)

589
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans the regional spatial strategies have to review the Green Belt in each Government Office region.

(155685)

590
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many planning appeals relating to casinos or with a casino element have been considered by (a) the Planning Inspectorate and (b) the First Secretary of State since November 2005.

(155686)

591
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has provided to local authorities in relation to public liability and allotments.

(155687)

592
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will list the foreign trips which (a) she and (b) each other Minister in her Department has undertaken at cost to the public purse since the creation of her Department; and what the (a) destination and (b) purpose was of each visit.

(155688)

593
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment (a) her Department and (b) its agencies have made of the effect on construction costs of building a zero-carbon home.

(155689)

594
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the (a) purpose and (b) budget is of the National Housing and Planning Advice Unit.

(155690)

595
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, who the Board members of the National Housing and Planning Advice Unit are; and by what process they were appointed.

(155691)

596
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many full-time equivalent staff work for the National Housing and Planning Advice Unit.

(155692)

597
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the Valuation Office Agency's value significant codes of (a) ZL, (b) ZI and (c) ZH have a (i) positive and (ii) negative co-efficient applied to the variable in the multiple regression formula used in its automated valuation model.

(155693)

598
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many mobile phone masts are on the Valuation Office Agency's ratings list in England.

(155694)

599
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many councils she expects to be permitted to move ahead with a unitary bid in the initial stage following the prioritisation process outlined in the latest consulstion paper on unitary bids.

(155695)

600
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of the housing stock in England is made up of three bedroom homes.

(155696)

601
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether concerns over problem gambling may be considered as a material factor when assessing a planning application for a casino.

(155697)

602
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what her Deprtment's expenditure was on away days located outside her Department's buildings in the last year for which figures are available.

(155698)

603
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether there is a derogation from the Working Time Directive for retained fire-fighters who have other employment.

(155699)

604
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what her Department's expenditure was on honoraria payments in the last year for which figures are available.

(155701)

605
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance has been produced for public authorities on procurement and public sector equality duties.

(155702)

606
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will place in the Library a copy of the Valuebill XML schema.

(155703)

607
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will amend the regulations on mandatory council tax discounts to give the spouses or partners of members of the Armed Forces a single person discount whilst their partner is away on active service overseas.

(155704)

608
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many hectares of designated Green Belt land lost their Green Belt designation in each Government Office Region in England in each year since 1997.

(155705)

609
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what submissions or representations the Valuation Office Agency has made to her Department and its predecessor in relation to (a) home information packs and (b) energy performance certificates in the last 12 months.

(155706)

610
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many claims have been made against (a) her Department and (b) its agencies under the Sex Discrimination Act since 2002; and what the outcome of each case was.

(155707)

611
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much was paid in aggregate to staff within the Home Information Pack Division in bonuses in the last year for which figures are available.

(155708)

612
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will place in the Library a copy of the XML Schema for the proposed register of energy performance certificates.

(155709)

613
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what expenditure has been incurred to date by her Department on the Local Government Today television channel.

(155710)

614
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether she expects home information packs to cost more for (a) four bedroom homes and (b) three bedroom homes than the figures stated previously for an average pack.

(155711)

615
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations her Department has received from organisations calling for energy performance certificates to be attached to valuations.

(155712)

616
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the timetable is for publishing the conclusions and research relating to the Home Information Pack dry-runs and trials.

(155713)

617
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the total funding is being provided by her Department to subsidise (a) home information packs and (b) energy performance certificates.

(155714)

618
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the legal definition is of a bedroom for the purposes of the Home Information Pack provisions.

(155715)

619
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the (a) cost and (b) purpose was of the Audit Commission attending the Teammate International Forum in Tampa, Florida in November 2006.

(155716)

620
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what meetings representatives of her Department have had with (a) Flint Bishop solicitors and (b) Labour Legal Services in the last 12 months; and what representations her Department has received from each organisation in relation to home information packs in that period.

(155935)

621
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 23rd March 2007, to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar, Official Report, column 1215W, on the Equal Opportunities Commission: manpower, what steps the Commission is taking to tackle the under-representation of men amongst employees of the Commission.

(156245)

622
N Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will place in the Library a copy of the Trees in Towns II report commissioned by her Department.

(156513)

623
N Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what number and proportion of homes sold each year are (a) one or two, (b) three and (c) four or more bedroomed properties.

(156514)

624
N Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many appeals the Planning Inspectorate has ruled on in the last 24 months related to development on floodplains.

(156515)

625
N Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the ministerial responsibilities of each of her ministerial team are.

(156516)

626
N Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the provisions of the new PPS25 on development on flood plains apply to the development of power generation infrastructure, including electricity sub-stations.

(156517)

627
N Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of new domestic dwellings were built in areas of flood risk in each government office region in England in the most recent year for which figures are available.

(156518)

628
N Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many domestic dwellings in England have a unique property reference number.

(156519)

629
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the timetable is for laying and ratification of secondary legislation in relation to areas where unitary local government bids (a) are still being considered and (b) have been approved.

(156577)

630
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what her Department's definition is of the probability of (a) low, (b) medium and (c) high flood risk in terms of the frequency in years at which an area is likely to flood.

(156578)

631
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the location is of each fire local control room in England, broken down by region; and how many people are employed at each.

(156579)

632
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which Government departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies have purchased licences to use the Ordnance Survey Pictometry product.

(156580)

633
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what research her Department and its predecessor commissioned into trees in urban areas over the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

(156581)

634
Mr John Leech (Manchester, Withington):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what investigations took place into the activities of the (a) Friends of the Western Buddhist Order, (b) the New Kadempa Tradition and (c) Soka Gakkai International before the Department took the final decision to grant funds to each organisation from the Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund.

(156700)

635
Mr John Leech (Manchester, Withington):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations the Government has received on the activities of (a) The Friends of the Western Buddhist Order, (b) The New Kadempa Tradition and (c) Soka Gakkai International; and when such representations were received.

(156701)

636
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what accounts directions were issued by her Department in financial year (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

(156673)

637
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will list her Department's (a) executive agencies, (b) executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), (c) advisory NDPBs, (d) tribunal NDPBs, (e) trading funds and (f) public corporations for each financial year since 2005-06.

(156674)

638
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the planning procedure is relating to (a) drainage and (b) sewerage for new housing developments in (i) England and (ii) Scotland; and if she will make a statement.

(154115)

639
Mr Andrew Mackay (Bracknell):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many press officers are employed by English Partnerships.

(154459)

640
Mr Andrew Mackay (Bracknell):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many press officers are employed by the QE2 Conference Centre.

(154739)

641
N Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what period and with whom she will consult consequent on the decision of the High Court in respect of her decision to reject the planning application submitted by George Wimpey for 571 residential units on former industrial land at Cory's Wharf, Purfleet; and if she will make a statement.

(156391)

642
N Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what factors and whose advice she took into account in deciding to call-in the planning application made by George Wimpey for 571 residential units at the former industrial land at Cory's Wharf, Purfleet; and if she will make a statement.

(156392)

643
N Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what reasons she rejected the inspector's findings made in respect of the planning application by George Wimpey for 571 residential units at the former industrial land at Cory's Wharf, Purfleet and issued an alternative determination; and if she will make a statement.

(156393)

644
N John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what requests she has received from (a) Bassetlaw District Council, (b) Nottinghamshire County Council and (c) Manton Neighbourhood Renewal Pathfinder for inclusion in the participatory budgeting pilot.

(153853)

645
N John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what requests she received in July 2007 for assistance with flooding recovery and humanitarian aid by Bassetlaw District Council (a) in writing, (b) by e-mail and (c) by telephone.

(153854)

646
Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 23rd July 2007, Official Report, column 735W on Departments: Berkeley Group, whether the Right hon. Member for Hull East met with (a) directors, representatives or lawyers acting for and (b) employees of (i) Berkeley Group Holdings plc, (ii) St George plc, (iii) Berkeley Homes plc, (iv) St James Group Ltd, (v) Berkeley First Ltd, (vi) Berkeley Commercial Development Ltd and (vii) Berkeley Strategic Land Ltd in a Ministerial capacity in the last three years; and whether any officials in her Department attended such meetings.

(156240)

647
N Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans her Department has to implement the proposals set out in its recent report on Councillor Involvement in Planning Decisions in respect of biological treatment infrastructure.

(154152)

648
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many households in (a) South Cambridgeshire and (b) East Cambridgeshire were accepted as homeless in each year since 1997.

(153763)

649
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many empty homes there were in (a) South Cambridgeshire and (b) East Cambridgeshire in each of the last five years.

(153764)

650
John Penrose (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to introduce the Key Worker Living Programme (a) in Weston-Super-Mare and (b) elsewhere in the South West.

(155915)

651
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many homes built in the last 10 years suffered flood damage in June and July 2007.

(153843)

652
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what her most recent estimate is of the number of homes that were flooded in England in June and July 2007.

(153845)

653
Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many council tenants in London are classed as living in overcrowded accommodation.

(154383)

654
Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the legal status is of housing associations.

(154384)

655
Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to prevent land banking by housing developers.

(154385)

656
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will place in the Library copies of the submissions to the consultation on the most recent revision to PPS25.

(153784)

657
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which public sector bodies are entitled to undertake (a) primary disclosures and (b) secondary disclosure of information from (i) the Home Condition Report database and (ii) the Energy Performance Certificate database.

(153785)

658
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will make a statement on her plans to encourage a greater take-up of empty dwelling management orders.

(153793)

659
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many (a) home condition reports and (b) energy performance certificates have been logged on their respective online registers.

(153794)

660
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether (a) home information packs and (b) energy performance certificates may include the unique property reference number or a BS7666-compliant address of the domestic dwelling.

(153795)

661
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) home condition reports and (b) energy performance certificates (EPCs) that will be lodged on the respective online registers once (i) home information packs are required for all homes and (ii) EPCs are required for rented and social domestic dwellings.

(153796)

662
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on council tax bills of the recent flooding in the worst flood-hit areas.

(153797)

663
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much development is expected to take place on flood plains under the building plans laid out in the prevailing Regional Planning Guidance Notes.

(153798)

664
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the timetable is for the publication of the new integrated regional strategies; and how the roll-out of the existing regional spatial strategies will be affected.

(153799)

665
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the timetable is for the transfer of responsibilities on regional planning from regional assemblies to regional development agencies.

(153800)

666
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what her Department's definition is of (a) sub-national and (b) sub-regional governance.

(153801)

667
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many hard copies of the 2007 Housing Green Paper were printed and then discarded following the last minute changes to the document.

(153813)

668
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much was spent on printing hard copies of (a) the 2007 Housing Green Paper, (b) the 2007 Planning White Paper and (c) the 2007 Sub-National Review document; and how many copies were printed of each.

(153814)

669
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, on what dates the Stakeholder Advisory Panel on Home Buying and Selling has met.

(153815)

670
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, under what circumstances mortgage lenders and automated valuation suppliers may use information from the Energy Performance Certificate register for automated valuations.

(153816)

671
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has issued on whether the forthcoming requirement for buildings over 1,000 square metres to display an energy certificate and advisory report applies to (a) churches and places of worship, (b) train stations, (c) venues licensed under the Licensing Act 2003 for the sale of alcohol and (d) care homes; and if she will make a statement.

(153817)

672
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, who the members are of the Stakeholder Advisory Panel on Home Buying and Selling; and what criteria were used to appoint its members.

(153818)

673
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what her Department's definition is of a zero carbon residential dwelling.

(153869)

674
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for how long the regional assemblies outside London will receive central government grant.

(153902)

675
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the change in funding will be for regional development agencies when they are designated as regional planning bodies.

(153903)

676
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether primary or secondary legislation will be required to designate the regional development agencies as regional planning bodies.

(153904)

677
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which Minister approved the establishment of the National Register of Social Housing; and on what date approval was given.

(153905)

678
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the (a) Social Homebuy, (b) Open Markets Homebuy and (c) New Build Homebuy schemes apply to social tenants in Wales.

(153906)

679
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what reason the Green Belt Boundary Layer was removed from her Department's MapsOnTap database March 2007 data update.

(153907)

680
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many Social Homebuy sales have been completed in each government office region in England.

(153908)

681
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what reasons the Town and Country Planning (Residential Development on Greenfield Land) (England) Direction 2000 was cancelled.

(153909)

682
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether National Register of Social Housing is maintained in-house or by an external company.

(153910)

683
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has a target for the number of Social Homebuy sales between 2005 and 2010.

(153911)

684
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which department has lead responsibility for maintaining the Register of Surplus Public Sector Land.

(153912)

685
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will place in the Library a copy of the business case for the National Register of Social Housing.

(153913)

686
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the URLs are for the (a) Energy Performance Certificate database and (b) Home Condition Report database.

(153914)

687
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the source is of the dataset Areas of Land at Risk of Flooding held on her Department's MapsOnTap database.

(153915)

688
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the Valuation Office Agency's estimate is of the average increase in the capital value of a domestic dwelling from (a) a small wind turbine and (b) solar panels.

(153916)

689
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the timetable is for the review of the regional spatial strategies before 2011, further to the publication of the Housing Green Paper; and whether this will be undertaken by the regional chambers.

(153993)

690
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Milton Keynes South West, of 8th February 2007, Official Report, columns 1156-7, on home condition reports, who the independent researchers are; and if she will place in the Library a copy of their first report.

(153995)

691
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether (a) home inspectors and (b) domestic energy inspectors will be issued with official identity cards.

(154179)

692
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the number and proportion of trained and accredited (a) home inspectors and (b) domestic energy inspectors likely not to practise as such within (i) one and (ii) five years of qualifying.

(154334)

693
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of Social Homebuy purchasers have purchased (a) 100 per cent. shares and (b) shares between 10 per cent. and 100 per cent.

(155855)

694
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has produced on the (a) minimum and (b) maximum liability to be paid out on an insurance policy underwriting the accuracy and completeness of a personal search, in a Home Information Pack, not provided by a solicitor.

(155856)

695
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the mean age of a first-time buyer was in each year since 1997.

(155857)

696
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of her Department's target of building 240,000 new dwellings a year in England she expects to be built by (a) local authorities as council housing stock, (b) housing associations for social tenure and (c) the private sector for private sale.

(155858)

697
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the maximum time is that a local authority and water search in a home information pack can remain in place before it must be renewed.

(156562)

698
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate her Department has made of the likely annual number of energy performance certificates that will need to be commissioned for (a) Social Homebuy sale, (b) New Build Homebuy sales and (c) Open Market Homebuy sales.

(156563)

699
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether local authorities may keep the income raised from home information pack fines levied by trading standards officers.

(156564)

700
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what funding has been provided under the new burden principle to local authority building control departments to enforce home information packs and energy performance certificates for new build properties.

(156565)

701
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much funding her Department has given to Europe Economics in each year since 2002; and for what purpose in the case of each award.

(156599)

702
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the average sale price for a (a) one, (b) two and (c) three bedroom dwelling was amongst the properties constructed in each area that took part in the design for manufacturer competition.

(156600)

703
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what procedures are in place for a home owner to appeal against the information and grading provided in an energy performance certficate; what the estimated average cost of such a procedure is; and whether the register of energy performance certificates may be amended.

(156601)

704
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if a room described as a (a) study, (b) spare room and (c) HIP replacement room would be classed as a bedroom for the purposes of the requirements for three or four bedroom homes to have a home information pack.

(156602)

705
Mr John Spellar (Warley):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many council-owned houses have been built for rent in each West Midlands metropolitan district since 1997.

(156717)

706
Mr John Spellar (Warley):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much was spent in London on rough sleepers by (a) central Government and (b) local authorities in each of the last five years.

(156718)

707
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many press officers are employed by the Audit Commission.

(154150)

708
Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much her Department has spent on hospitality in each of the last five years.

(156423)

709
Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what engagements have been undertaken by her and her departmental Ministers in the last three months.

(156424)

710
Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what individuals and organisations have been invited to discussions and meetings with her Department on community integration and cohesion issues in the last 12 months.

(156425)

711
Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the average (a) Band D council tax bill and (b) overall council tax bill was in (i) each parliamentary constituency in Cornwall, (ii) the South West and (iii) England in each year since 1979.

(156663)

712
Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities had their bid for disabled facilities grant capital allocation for 2007-08 not met in full; what criteria are applied to decide the proportion of bid met; and if she will make a statement.

(153773)

713
Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when she will publish the Government's response to the consultation on the Disabled Facilities Grant Programme: the Government's proposals to improve programme delivery.

(153774)

714
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many private finance initiatives projects her Department expects to sign in each of the next three years.

(154452)

715
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will list the signed local authority private finance initiative projects for which her Department is responsible.

(154457)

716
Mike Wood (Batley & Spen):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many empty homes in the private and social sectors she plans to bring back into use; and if she will make a statement.

(153792)

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

717
N John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what spectrum bands will be available for Programme Making and Special Events use following the switchover to digital television broadcasting; and if he will make a statement.

(153652)

718
Mr Brian Binley (Northampton South):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many fixed odds betting terminals are currently in use in England.

(156233)

719
Mr Brian Binley (Northampton South):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what Government policy is on the availability of fixed odds betting terminals; and if he will make a statement.

(156234)

720
Lorely Burt (Solihull):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make it his policy to require UK tour operators to (a) check that staff employed in hotels abroad are screened to ensure that it is suitable for them to work with children and (b) inform customers if staff working hotels abroad, including those that have been franchised, have been convicted of any sexual offences involving minors.

(154637)

721
Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations he has received on the legality under the terms of the Gaming Act 1968 of the operation of LiveRoulette broadcast on Freeview and Sky and its website www.liveroulette.com.

(154797)

722
Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much lottery funding was awarded to projects in (a) Wirral South, (b) Wirral, (c) Merseyside, (d) the North West and (e) England per head of population in each of the last five years.

(154798)

723
Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which projects were awarded funding by the Big Lottery Fund in each of the last five years in Wirral, broken down by constituency.

(154799)

724
Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that remote gambling operators operate legally with respect to the location of servers in advance of the implementation of the Gambling Act 2005 in September 2007.

(154800)

725
Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Gambling Commission's enforcement powers with respect to breaches of regulations; and if he will make a statement.

(154801)

726
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make it a mandatory licensing condition for nightclubs to operate a system of searching entrants for weapons.

(154094)

727
Clive Efford (Eltham):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many voluntary organisations which were formerly funded from single regeneration budgets have bid for Big Lottery funding in each year for which figures are available; and how many have been successful in each year.

(155793)

728
Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the average cost of a bookmaker's premises licence is in each local authority in England and Wales.

(155610)

729
Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many economists in his Department work specifically on tourism.

(155611)

730
Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much was spent by local authorities in preparing bids for (a) small, (b) regional and (c) super casinos.

(155612)

731
Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many and what proportion of seaside piers are publicly owned; and how many have (a) applied for and (b) been awarded funding from the National Lottery.

(155649)

732
Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the locations of overseas offices of Visit Britain.

(155650)

733
Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding his Department provided to (a) Visit Britain and (b) Visit London in each of the last five years.

(155651)

734
Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans there are to improve tourism, parking and traffic facilities at Stonehenge.

(155776)

735
Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the British Casino Gambling Association since the Oral Answer from the Prime Minister of 11th July 2007, Official Report, column 1438.

(156016)

736
Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans there are to introduce EU regulations for online gambling.

(156017)

737
Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what criteria are applied in respect of the minimum age at which people are permitted to gamble using an online company when decisions are made about whether that company may advertise on British television.

(156018)

738
Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the Government's plans are for the establishment of super, large and small casinos as laid out in the Gambling Act 2005.

(156019)

739
Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the 2008 Concessionary Fare National Scheme on tourism in the UK.

(156021)

740
Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the running costs of the Gambling Commission are in 2007-08; and how many staff are employed at the Commission.

(156159)

741
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the amount of lottery funding which will be received by (a) Sport England, (b) Sport Scotland, (c) Sports Council Wales and (d) Sports Council Northern Ireland in each year from 2008 to 2013.

(155680)

742
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much has been invested in Sport Action Zones since 2000.

(155903)

743
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much public money was spent via the Community Investment Fund in each year for which figures are available.

(156198)

744
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he expects to answer Question (a) 148539 on civil servants and (b) 148535 on advertising: gambling, tabled by the hon. Member for Bath on 4th July 2007.

(156248)

745
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 10th September, Official Report, column 2145W, on Sport Direct, when the one stop shop is likely to be created; what work has already been undertaken to assess the most effective way of integrating different sources of sports participation information; how many civil servants are involved in the assessment process; how much has been allocated to establishing the one stop shop; and how much of such funding has been spent on development to date.

(156266)

746
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the 10,000 voluntary community sports coaches announced on 24th September are (a) additional to and (b) distinct from the young volunteers trained to work in schools and community clubs and trained adult mentors announced as part of the Game Plan strategy in 2003; and if he will make a statement.

(156279)

747
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, from which areas the 10,000 voluntary community sports coaches, announced on 24th September, will be recruited.

(156280)

748
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he expects the 10,000 voluntary community sports coaches, announced on 24th September, to (a) be recruited and (b) begin their coaching activities; and what steps his Department plans to take to (i) encourage, (ii) monitor and (iii) audit and account for progress with this initiative.

(156281)

749
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which national governing bodies will be responsible for recruiting the 10,000 voluntary community sports coaches announced on 24th September; how much each such body will receive; how much of the £5 million announced for the initiative will be allocated to (a) Sports Coach UK and (b) Sport England; and when the funding will be made available to each responsible body.

(156282)

750
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many (a) young volunteers trained to work in schools and community clubs and (b) trained adult mentors were recruited (i) before and (ii) since April 2004.

(156435)

751
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many Olympic-standard swimming pools there are in England; and where each is located.

(156443)

752
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many diving pools there are in England; and where each is located.

(156444)

753
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many public swimming pools have (a) closed and (b) opened in England since 1997; and how many of the pools that have opened since 1997 re-opened after refurbishment or temporary closure rather than opened for the first time.

(156445)

754
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many applications have been received for remote gambling operating licences from companies (a) based in the UK and (b) from outside the UK.

(156523)

755
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by the British Museum.

(154675)

756
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by Arts Council England.

(154681)

757
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by the Victoria and Albert Museum.

(154417)

758
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by the British Film Institute.

(154418)

759
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by the British Library.

(154717)

760
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by the Natural History Museum.

(154733)

761
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by the Science Museum.

(154734)

762
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by Royal Parks.

(154658)

763
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 30th July 2007, Official Report, column 1594W, on the National Film Theatre, if he will make a statement about future plans for the library of the British Film Institute.

(156246)

764
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many blind and partially-sighted people are able to use teletext without the assistance of others; whether he estimates this number will change following the digital switchover; and if he will make a statement.

(156191)

765
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department will be making any funds available to blind and partially-sighted persons to purchase new equipment to enable them to use teletext once the analogue signal has been switched off.

(156192)

766
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representation he has received from Portset on digital switchover and assistance for blind people to access teletext services.

(156193)

767
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the impact of the digital switchover on blind and partially-sighted persons.

(156194)

768
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by UK Sport.

(154155)

769
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by the Sports Council for Wales.

(154156)

770
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by the National Lottery Commission.

(154164)

771
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council.

(154165)

772
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by the Historic Royal Palaces.

(154168)

773
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which private consultancy firms (a) his Department and (b) agencies which report to his Department engaged in each of the last three years; which programmes or projects each firm worked on; and what the approximate cost to the Department or agency concerned was of each engagement.

(155879)

774
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his Department's projected spending is on advertising and promotional campaigns for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by cost relating to (i) television, (ii) radio and (iii) print media.

(155883)

775
Kate Hoey (Vauxhall):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 30th April 2007, Official Report, column 1387W, on the Olympic Games: finance, what the final figures signed off in UK sport's audited 2006-07 year-end accounts were for the amounts spent on the Olympic sports as part of the planned World Class Pathway funding for the Beijing Cycle, broken down by sport.

(154458)

776
N Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of Big Lottery Fund grants went to statutory bodies in each year for which figures are available.

(153314)

777
Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether a working group was formed at the international conference on online gambling held at Ascot in October 2006.

(155648)

778
Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials from his Department have had with representatives of the tourism industry in the last six months.

(155756)

779
Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with Ofcom regarding the regulation of commercial radio.

(155757)

780
Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he expects Sir Brian McMaster's review of how the Government supports the arts to be published.

(155758)

781
Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what role his Department played in the Gambling Commission's 2007 Prevalence Survey on problem gambling.

(155761)

782
Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, on what date his Department first received the Gambling Commission's 2007 Prevalence Survey on problem gambling.

(155762)

783
Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which countries (a) Ministers and (b) officials from his Department have met to discuss online gaming; and on what dates these meetings took place.

(155763)

784
Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions his Department has had with representatives from the EU on internet gambling regulations.

(155764)

785
Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much each National Lottery distributor spent on public affairs and public relations activities in the last period for which figures are available.

(155765)

786
Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people are employed by each of the National Lottery distributors.

(155766)

787
Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what research his Department has commissioned into problem gambling in the last five years.

(155767)

788
Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Government spent on (a) the arts, (b) sport and (c) heritage in each year since 1997.

(155768)

789
Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much has been allocated to statutory bodies from each National Lottery distributor in each year since 1994.

(155769)

790
Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people are employed by the National Lottery Commission.

(155770)

791
Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much was distributed to NHS trusts by each of the National Lottery distributors in each of the last five years.

(155771)

792
Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the annual operating costs of each of the National Lottery distributors were in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

(155772)

793
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many overnight visits (a) he and (b) his predecessor made to Peterborough in each year since 1997.

(154327)

794
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what accounts directions were issued by his Department in financial years (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

(156620)

795
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list his Department's (a) executive agencies, (b) executive Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs), (c) advisory NDPBs, (d) tribunal NDPBs, (e) trading funds and (f) public corporations for each financial year since 2005-06.

(156621)

796
Mr Andrew Mackay (Bracknell):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

(154460)

797
Mr Andrew Mackay (Bracknell):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by Sport England.

(154468)

798
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what performance standards apply to the BBC with respect to ensuring continuity of service on the digital platform during extreme weather incidents; and what the contractual timeframe requirement is for achieving restoration of service following such weather incidents.

(154191)

799
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the reliability of the digital signal transmitting both radio and television broadcasts in periods of and following extreme weather conditions; and what plans he has to ensure security of service following digital switchover.

(154192)

800
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the number of residences which suffered sustained loss of the BBC digital signal (a) during and (b) in the week following the recent extreme weather conditions; and if he will make a statement.

(154193)

801
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many competition athletics tracks there are in (a) Nottinghamshire and (b) England.

(155603)

802
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many primary schools do not have a football team competing in a schools league.

(156636)

803
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the number of people regularly using indoor climbing walls.

(156637)

804
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the number of people who regularly take part in mountaineering, including rock climbing and fell walking.

(156638)

805
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the number of people over the age of 60 involved in regular sports participation.

(156683)

806
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the top 10 sports are in terms of active participation by the over 60s.

(156684)

807
John Penrose (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will introduce legislation to make it a requirement for screen-based electronic games publishers to (a) test their products prior to publication to ensure that they do not cause serious photosensitive epileptic seizure and (b) provide warnings that their products could trigger photosensitive epileptic seizures.

(155995)

808
N Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will consider introducing (a) pre-appointment parliamentary scrutiny and (b) confirmation hearings for future appointments to the BBC Trust.

(156454)

809
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he expects Ofcom to provide the programme making and special events sector with the digital switchover map; and if he will make a statement.

(154080)

810
Mr John Spellar (Warley):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the BBC on the publication of the Balen Report.

(156720)

811
N Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether he plans to produce a response to the conclusions of the working group on regulation and administration of on-course betting before publication of the consultation document that he referred to in his speech in Westminster Hall on 4th July 2007, Official Report, column 259WH; and if he will make a statement.

(153427)

812
N Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Gambling Act 2005 on bookmakers' oncourse pitch positions; what recent discussions he has had with the Racecourse Association on this topic; and if he will make a statement.

(154441)

813
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by English Heritage.

(154127)

814
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by the Big Lottery Fund.

(154128)

815
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by the UK Film Council.

(154144)

816
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many press officers are employed by VisitBritain.

(154147)

817
Mr Edward Vaizey (Wantage):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the terms of reference are for the review being carried out for his Department by Sir Brian McMaster.

(156705)

818
Mr Edward Vaizey (Wantage):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the estimated cost of the review being carried out for his Department by Sir Brian McMaster is; on what date he expects Sir Brian to report; and what opportunities have been provided for stakeholders and others to contribute to the review.

(156706)

819
Mr Edward Vaizey (Wantage):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will set out his Department's existing targets in the cultural area of its responsibilities.

(156707)

820
Mr Edward Vaizey (Wantage):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much was awarded to national museums and galleries in each year since 1995-96 in constant 2007-08 prices.

(156708)

821
Mr Edward Vaizey (Wantage):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much income was generated by entrance fees by each of the national museums and galleries in each year between 1995-96 and the abolition of such charging in constant 2007-08 prices.

(156709)

822
Mr Edward Vaizey (Wantage):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much was received by each of the National Lottery good causes in each year since 1995-96 in constant 2007-08 prices.

(156710)

823
Mr Edward Vaizey (Wantage):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much his Department spent on the culture part of its responsibilities in each year since 1995-96 at constant 2007-08 prices.

(156711)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence

824
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department received from the disposal of information technology equipment in the last year for which figures are available; and what avenues were used for such disposal.

(154031)

825
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, under what circumstances his Department awards contracts to outside organisations without undertaking a tendering process.

(154032)

826
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what legislative provisions introduced by his Department since 1997 have been repealed.

(154207)

827
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9th July 2007, Official Report, column 1285W, on Iraq: peace keeping operations, what assessment he made of advice provided by the former Attorney General on the interpretation of the definitions referred to in the Answer in the context of the activities of UK armed forces in Iraq.

(154079)

828
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what weapons and ammunition for which (a) his Department and (b) the armed forces have responsibility have gone missing in the last two years.

(155734)

829
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects UK forces to leave Iraq completely.

(156084)

830
Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people were employed in project offices by the Defence Export Services Organisation in (a) Saudi Arabia and (b) Kuwait in (i) April 2006 and (ii) April 2007.

(156336)

831
Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff there were in Defence Supply Secretary Offices overseas employed by the Defence Export Services Organisation in (a) April 2006 and (b) April 2007.

(156337)

832
Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Defence Export Services Organisation staff were employed in project offices dealing with exports of government to government contracts in April 2007; and how many had duties covering commercial and financial matters.

(156338)

833
Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, where the overseas offices of the Defence Export Services Organisation are situated; when each office was established; how many staff are employed in each; and what the cost of each (a) was in (i) 2005-06 and (ii) 2006-07 and (b) is expected to be in 2007-08.

(156339)

834
Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons the United Kingdom does not apply re-export controls on the sale of military equipment.

(153935)

835
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what funding was allocated to the Ministry of Defence police in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(156346)

836
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which Government departments contribute to the funding of the Ministry of Defence police force.

(156347)

837
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many arrests were made by the Ministry of Defence police in each of the last five years; and how many of these resulted in successful prosecutions.

(156348)

838
Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion UK defence spending was of UK GDP in each financial year since 1997.

(156187)

839
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his estimate is of the costs incurred as a result of (a) the procurement of the new carriers, (b) the procurement of the Joint Strike Fighter, (c) the Trident replacement programme, (d) procurement of the type 45 destroyers, (e) the Future Rapid Effect System, (f) upgrading naval bases for the new carriers and (g) replacing assets lost, damaged or prematurely worn out by the conflicts in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan in each of the next five years.

(154019)

840
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, where the new aircraft carriers will be based.

(154020)

841
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will ensure that any cooperation with France in order to reduce costs will not result in a delay for the introduction of the new aircraft carriers.

(154021)

842
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the intended in-service dates are of the new aircraft carriers.

(154022)

843
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what type of helicopters will be made available for use on the UK's new aircraft carriers; and if he will make a statement.

(154023)

844
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many type 45 destroyers will be procured in order to provide escort security to the UK's new aircraft carriers.

(154048)

845
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what type of aircraft will be made available for use on the UK's new aircraft carriers; and if he will make a statement.

(154049)

846
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the statement of 11th June 2007, Official Report, column 38WS, on Drivers' Hours (Derogation for Reservists), if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidelines developed by his Department.

(154057)

847
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29th June 2007, Official Report, column 879W, on departments: non-departmental public bodies, why the Fleet Air Arm Museum is classified as a public corporation.

(154176)

848
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what role UK armed forces will play in the EU military mission to Chad.

(154222)

849
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what UK (a) brigade, (b) battalions and (c) companies formed the core of the EU battle group in the first half of 2005.

(154223)

850
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what measures will be taken to ensure that forward operating bases in Afghanistan are kept supplied with necessary provisions during winter; and if he will make a statement.

(154224)

851
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much fuel was consumed by UK armed forces in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Iraq in each month since the beginning of operations.

(154225)

852
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how fuel is transported into theatre in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Iraq.

(154226)

853
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the primary method of transport is for supplies into the Afghan theatre.

(154227)

854
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many incidents of theft have been reported on British military supplies during transit from the port of debarkation in Pakistan to the final destination in Afghanistan since 2001.

(154228)

855
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the contribution of the Armed Forces during the recent flooding emergency.

(154229)

856
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Armed Forces personnel were involved in the assistance of civil authorities during the recent flooding emergency.

(154230)

857
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what resources his Department provides for the cultural education of personnel when deployed overseas.

(154231)

858
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many urban warfare exercises have been conducted in each year since 2001.

(154232)

859
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the budget was for military training exercises in each year since 1997; and what the estimated budget is for each of the next three years.

(154233)

860
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many aircraft there are in the RAF, broken down by aircraft type.

(154234)

861
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) inflow into and (b) outflow from the infantry was in each of the last 12 months.

(154235)

862
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the voluntary outflow exit rates are of each pinch point trade in the Armed Forces.

(154236)

863
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, by what percentage each pinch point trade in the Armed Forces is exceeding harmony guidelines.

(154237)

864
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK personnel are deployed on operations, broken down by location.

(154238)

865
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many armed forces personnel who have seen service in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan have been diagnosed as suffering from a mental health condition.

(154239)

866
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the UK has contributed to the European Defence Agency in each year since 2004.

(154240)

867
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his assessment is of the capabilities of the Iraqi (a) army, (b) navy, (c) air force and (d) police in Multi-National Division South East.

(154241)

868
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his assessment is of the capabilities of units in the 10th Division of the Iraqi Army to carry out autonomous operations.

(154242)

869
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his assessment is of the strength and capabilities of the (a) Afghan National Army, (b) Afghan National Police and (c) Afghan Auxiliary Police Force.

(154243)

870
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many attacks have been made on UK forces in Afghanistan in each month since October 2006.

(154244)

871
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons funding for the Duke of York's Royal Military School's upgrade programme for boarding accommodations has been withdrawn; and if he will make a statement.

(154245)

872
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many attacks have been made on UK forces in Iraq in each month since October 2006.

(154246)

873
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many indirect fire attacks have been made on UK bases in Iraq in each month since October 2006.

(154247)

874
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress on (a) acquiring six Merlin helicopters from Denmark and (b) converting eight Chinook helicopters.

(154248)

875
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the (a) six Merlin helicopters from Denmark and (b) the eight Chinook helicopters currently being converted to be operational.

(154249)

876
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much was spent on shipbuilding for (a) the Royal Navy and (b) the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in each year since 1992.

(154250)

877
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average tour intervals are of the (a) infantry, (b) Royal Regiment of Artillery, (c) the Corps of the Royal Engineers, (d) the Royal Logistic Corps and (e) the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

(154251)

878
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average tour intervals are for each unit deploying to Iraq in the autumn.

(154252)

879
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his French counterpart on (a) European Security and Defence Policy and (b) NATO.

(154253)

880
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what percentage of time (a) HMS Illustrious and (b) HMS Ark Royal were (i) on operations and (ii) undergoing maintenance in each year since 1997.

(154256)

881
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what measures have been implemented to improve casualty reporting in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

(154257)

882
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what UK military units have been on operations outside the United Kingdom in each year since 1997.

(154258)

883
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the certification process is for UK military units participating in the EU battle groups; and who certifies them.

(154259)

884
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when UK military units participating in EU battle groups have to be certified for the 2008 EU battle group.

(154260)

885
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) Farsi/Dari, (b) Arabic, (c) Urdu, (d) Pashto, (e) Swahili, (f) Uyghur, (g) Uzbek (h) Tajik and (i) Kurdish speaking military personnel are serving in the British armed forces.

(154261)

886
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British military personnel have received training in (a) Farsi/Dari, (b) Arabic, (c) Urdu, (d) Pashto, (e) Swahili, (f) Uyghur, (g) Uzbek (h) Tajik and (i) Kurdish in each year since 1997.

(154262)

887
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what percentage of British military personnel do not live in permanent buildings in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan.

(154263)

888
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what protection is given to British military personnel from indirect fire in their living quarters.

(154264)

889
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British military personnel are housed in tents in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Iraq.

(154265)

890
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what contribution the Royal Navy will make to the EU Headline Goal 2010 and interim targets for 2008.

(154321)

891
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his official engagements were in the week of 16th to 21st July.

(154322)

892
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many press officers are employed by the (a) Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and (b) UK Hydrographic Office.

(154682)

893
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many press officers are employed by the Meteorological Office.

(154344)

894
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many press officers are employed by Defence Estates.

(154562)

895
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many press officers are employed by the Defence Procurement Agency.

(154593)

896
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of 11 year olds in schools operated by Service Children's Education achieved level 4 in (a) English, (b) mathematics, (c) science, (d) reading, (e) writing, (f) reading and writing and (g) reading, writing and mathematics in each year since 1997.

(156042)

897
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many press officers are employed by the Veterans Agency.

(154726)

898
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many press officers are employed by the Defence Aviation Repair Agency.

(154727)

899
Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the incidence of suicide by (a) serving members of the armed forces, (b) serving members of the armed forces who have served in a theatre of conflict and (c) former members of the armed forces was in each year for which figures are available.

(154041)

900
N Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many press officers are employed by the Defence Communications Services Agency.

(154479)

901
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the alternative arrangements for electricity are at (a) GCHQ and (b) AWE Aldermaston in the event of a catastrophic failure of the National Grid; and if he will make a statement.

(154407)

902
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to respond to the Defence Select Committee report on the state of military housing in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

(155743)

903
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 26th July 2007, Official Report, column 1250W, on navy: drug seizures, what the circumstances and outcome of each drug seizure made by the Royal Navy in 2006-07 was; and to which law enforcement agency the contraband was turned over in each case.

(156247)

904
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 16th April 2007, Official Report, column 129W, on animal experiments, what his timetable is for making the appointments.

(156249)

905
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the procurement strategy for the Marine Afloat Reach and Support Project has been altered so that the competition for a lead project integrator has been abandoned; and if he will make a statement.

(156463)

906
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many hyperbaric experiments have been carried out on live goats since March 2007; what plans he has to commission future experiments; and if he will make a statement.

(156604)

907
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to provide the (a) Nimrod and (b) Nimrod MRA4 with (i) armour and (ii) fuel tank protection before deployment in theatre; and if he will make a statement.

(156605)

908
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which private consultancy firms (a) his Department and (b) agencies which report to his Department engaged in each of the last three years; which programmes or projects each firm worked on; and what the approximate cost to the Department or agency concerned was of each engagement.

(155870)

909
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's projected spending is on advertising and promotional campaigns for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by cost relating to (i) television, (ii) radio and (iii) print media.

(155893)

910
Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan have received treatment for physical or psychological injuries in the NHS in the last six months.

(155720)

911
Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps have been taken by his Deparment to obtain a full record of the number of aeromedical evacuations and field hospital admissions in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan before 1st January 2006.

(155721)

912
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the National Statistics Quality Review of Ministry of Defence Finance and Economic Statistics Implementation Plan, what progress his Department has made in creating a defence-specific inflation index; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

(156235)

913
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the defence inflation planning assumptions are for financial years 2007/08 to 2010/11.

(156236)

914
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many recruits from the new Commonwealth have applied to have their (a) spouse and (b) children join them in the UK in each of the last five years; and how many have applied for British citizenship since becoming members of the armed forces.

(156325)

915
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) planned (i) non-cash limit and (ii) near-cash resource Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL), (b) anticipated operating appropriations in aid, (c) planned capital DEL and (d) anticipated non-operating appropriations in aid are for each of his Department's top-level budget holders in each year of the comprehensive spending review.

(156326)

916
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the near cash resource and capital departmental expenditure limits are for his Department in each year of the 2007 comprehensive spending review period.

(156327)

917
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the financial year 2006-07 outturn for resources one, two and three provision for each subhead was broken down by (a) near cash departmental expenditure limit (DEL), (b) non-cash DEL, (c) capital DEL, (d) near cash annual managed expenditure, (e) non-cash annual managed expenditure, (f) capital annual managed expenditure, (g) near cash non-budget and (h) non-cash non-budget.

(156328)

918
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the planned (a) non-cash and (b) near cash administration costs limit is for each of his Department's top-level budget holders in each year of the comprehensive spending review.

(156329)

919
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will estimate the cost of extending pro rata services pensions to all those who served in the armed forces, including those who served before 1975.

(155780)

920
Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether wives and partners of non-ministerial members of the Army Board are allowed to use official cars.

(154043)

921
Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions in the last 12 months servicemen have been used to serve at functions for Guards Officers.

(154044)

922
Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost is of providing a dress uniform for a member of the Army Board.

(154045)

923
Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost was of providing dress uniforms for all military members of the Army Board in the latest period for which figures are available.

(154046)

924
Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department spent at Gieves and Hawkes, Savile Row, in each of the last five years; and if he will break down that expenditure by category of clothing.

(154047)

925
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25th June 2007, Official Report, column 362W, on the Al-Yamamah project, what the costs were for which his Department received a management fee from the Saudi Arabian government in respect of the Al-Yamamah programme; in which years since 1985 a management fee was paid; whether the fees were retained by the Government; and if he will make a statement.

(154618)

926
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on the minimum age of entry into the UK armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

(154709)

927
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's (a) administrative expenditure, (b) other current expenditure, (c) grant expenditure, (d) operating appropriations in aid (A in A), (e) capital and (f) non-operating A in A outturn, broken down in (i) near cash and (ii) non-cash terms, was for financial years 2001-02 to 2006-07.

(156001)

928
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will break down in (a) near cash and (b) non-cash terms columns 1-8 of the subhead detail tables for his Department contained in the (i) main estimate, (ii) winter supplementary estimate and (iii) spring supplementary estimate for financial years 2001-02 to 2007-08.

(156002)

929
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) destroyers and (b) frigates are scheduled to (i) leave and (ii) enter service with the Royal Navy in each of the next 10 years.

(154393)

930
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the scheduled out-of-service dates are of each (a) destroyer, (b) frigate and (c) submarine in service with the Royal Navy.

(154394)

931
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the expected cost is of each of the future aircraft carriers.

(154395)

932
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons the former target in-service dates of 2012 and 2015 have been replaced by 2014 and 2016 respectively for each of the future aircraft carriers.

(154396)

933
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when (a) HMS Illustrious and (b) HMS Ark Royal are planned to be withdrawn from service with the fleet.

(154397)

934
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many powered take-offs took place at RAF Halton in each calendar year since 2003; how many were carried out by each unit in each year; and if he will make a statement.

(155902)

935
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the unit costs of (a) tug and (b) winch launches when used for glider flights as part of armed forces training courses.

(156200)

936
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Royal Navy craft of what classes have been deployed in Bermuda's territorial waters to promote law enforcement and national security in the last two years; what the estimated number is of Royal Navy personnel deployed; and if he will make a statement.

(155825)

937
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what financial contribution has been made by the Government of Bermuda towards the cost of the Royal Navy's deployment in Bermuda's territorial waters on the task of promoting law enforcement and national security in the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

(156335)

938
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK military and related personnel have been maimed or injured in Afghanistan since June 2006, broken down by (a) category and (b) severity of injury.

(156590)

939
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many prisoners have been taken by UK forces in Afghanistan in each (a) week and (b) month since June 2006.

(156591)

940
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many veteran badges have been distributed in each East Midlands constituency.

(156535)

941
Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to make a statement on future military uses for RAF Cosford in Shropshire.

(155976)

942
N Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Service Families Accommodation properties were upgraded to Standard One in each financial year since 1997.

(153387)

943
N Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much was spent on upgrading Single Living Accommodation units to Standard One in each financial year since 1997.

(153388)

944
N Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Single Living Accommodation units were upgraded to Standard One in each financial year since 1997.

(153389)

945
N Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much was spent on upgrading Service Families accommodation to Standard One in each financial year since 1997.

(153423)

946
N Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, why Multi-National Division-South East personnel have reassumed air traffic control responsibility for commercial flight services at Basra International Airport.

(153653)

947
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has received on the use of the armed forces to help tackle instances of flooding in England.

(154687)

948
Sir Robert Smith (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the number of UK troops based in Iraq fell below 44,000.

(154645)

949
Mr John Spellar (Warley):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 4th June 2007, Official Report, columns 171-2W, on Iraq: armed forces, what changes were made to his Department's agreed plans as a result of the events described.

(154217)

950
Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the application of the Office of Fair Trading report on Commercial Use of Public Sector Information to the UK Hydrographic Office.

(154387)

951
Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the application of the economic review of trading funds to the UK Hydrographic Office.

(154388)

952
Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the review of the UK Hydrographic Office is expected to be published.

(154389)

953
Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions ministers and officials in his Department working on the review of the UK Hydrographic Office have had with HM Treasury on the recently commissioned economic review of trading funds.

(154390)

954
Mr Edward Vaizey (Wantage):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what main reasons are cited by service personnel for leaving the armed forces.

(155794)

955
Mr Edward Vaizey (Wantage):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what percentage of those serving in the armed forces are married.

(155795)

956
Mr Edward Vaizey (Wantage):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what average number of nights members of (a) the Army, (b) the Royal Navy, (c) the Royal Air Force and (d) all service personnel spent away from home in each year since 1997.

(155796)

957
Mr Edward Vaizey (Wantage):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the divorce rate is among serving personnel in (a) the Army, (b) the Royal Navy, (c) the Royal Air Force and (d) all services.

(155797)

958
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress with achieving the objectives of the St Malo Agreement.

(155831)

959
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what policies his Department has adopted to assist the United Kingdom's fulfilment of the Lisbon Agenda criteria.

(155832)

960
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has had from former service personnel groups regarding the supply of affordable housing; and if he will make a statement.

(155833)

961
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he next plans to meet his counterparts in (a) France and (b) other European states regarding the establishment of an autonomous European military capability.

(155834)

962
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has received on the Joint Personnel Administration system.

(154545)

963
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on the full implementation of the Joint Personnel Administration project; and if he will make a statement.

(154546)

964
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many complaints he received from military personnel about the Joint Personnel Administration system in each month since December 2006.

(154547)

965
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been (a) overpaid and (b) underpaid to military personnel stationed in (i) Afghanistan and (ii) elsewhere through the Joint Personnel Administration system in 2007.

(154548)

966
Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of British service personnel in Iraq are accommodated in tents.

(154439)

967
Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK service personnel have been (a) killed in action and (b) died of wounds received in Iraq since March 2003, broken down by age group.

(156489)

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

968
N Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of properties flooded during June and July 2007 which were built after 1945.

(154392)

969
Mr David Anderson (Blaydon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Maltese counterpart on reducing the shooting of turtle doves and quails during spring 2008 in that country.

(156490)

970
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of landfill sites which have been used for the disposal of toxic waste (a) in Buckingham constituency and (b) in the UK in the last 10 years.

(154588)

971
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what enforcement mechanisms exist to ensure that companies which fail to dispose properly of toxic waste are liable for damage caused as a result.

(154589)

972
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent meetings he has had with companies about (a) the polluter pays principle and (b) the disposal of toxic waste.

(154590)

973
N Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will consider extending the period of public consultation on the boundary change designation of the South Downs National Park to include evidence relating to the Western Weald.

(154037)

974
N Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether consideration has been given to extending the period of public consultation on the boundary change designation of the South Downs National Park.

(154065)

975
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to re-examine the planned levels of spending on the flood protection and water drainage infrastructure to meet the effects of climate change.

(154574)

976
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10th July 2007, Official Report, column 1380W, on Inland Waterways: pollution, what records, other than those relating to consented discharges, the Environment Agency keeps of the potential sources of pollution.

(154078)

977
N James Duddridge (Rochford & Southend East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent estimate he has made of the total cost of graffiti to the UK economy in a year.

(153958)

978
N Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what additional support his Department is providing to ensure that those areas in Westmorland and Lonsdale which are most at risk do not suffer flooding.

(153385)

979
N Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the risks to areas in Westmorland and Lonsdale that are most susceptible to flooding.

(153386)

980
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many press officers are employed by the Countryside Agency.

(154555)

981
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of changes in the funding of (a) the Environment Agency and (b) British Waterways on the provision of flood defence.

(155960)

982
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps are being taken to monitor the effectiveness of the Environmental Stewardship schemes in rebuilding biodiversity apart from assessing the condition of Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

(154544)

983
Mr Roger Godsiff (Birmingham, Sparkbrook & Small Heath):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which water companies had a hose pipe ban in force on (a) 26th July and (b) 8th October.

(154333)

984
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will estimate (a) the number and (b) average value of payments made by the Rural Payments Agency in respect of the Common Agricultural Policy in excess of (i) £150,000, (ii) £200,000, (iii) £250,000 and (iv) 300,000; and if he will make a statement.

(154770)

985
Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what consideration he has given to applying for EU emergency funds under Articles 87 and 88 of the EC Treaty to compensate farmers for flood damage to crops and livestock.

(154039)

986
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many press officers are employed by Ofwat.

(154425)

987
N Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many press officers are employed by the (a) Rural Payments Agency and (b) Forestry Commission.

(154482)

988
N Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the estimated total level of carbon emissions in the UK was in (a) 2004, (b) 2005 and (c) 2006.

(156211)

989
Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the level of carbon emissions in the EU was in (a) 2004, (b) 2005 and (c) 2006.

(156713)

990
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his timetable is for issuing guidance to local authorities with regards to strategies for dealing with waste paper.

(155746)

991
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to reassess the provision of water supplies in civil emergencies.

(154363)

992
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of Severn Trent's capacity with regard to (a) water tankers and (b) water bowsers and their replenishment during crises.

(154369)

993
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the capacity of Severn Trent to cope with the recent flooding in Gloucestershire.

(154370)

994
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what requests for assistance his Department received from (a) Severn Trent and (b) other water companies to manage water supplies in the recent floods in Gloucestershire and the surrounding area.

(154371)

995
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Severn Trent on civil emergencies.

(154372)

996
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many press officers are employed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

(154177)

997
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many press officers are employed by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

(154320)

998
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which private consultancy firms (a) his Department and (b) agencies which report to his Department engaged in each of the last three years; which programmes or projects each firm worked on; and what the approximate cost to the Department or agency concerned was of each engagement.

(155872)

999
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's projected spending is on advertising and promotional campaigns for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by cost relating to (i) television, (ii) radio and (iii) print media.

(155891)

1000
Martin Horwood (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of printed telephone directories (a) delivered and (b) recycled in the last 12 months; and what assessment he has made of the environmental impact of printed telephone directories.

(154001)

1001
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether (a) Mr John Manser and (b) any other officials responsible for inspecting, regulating and licensing the Institute for Animal Health site and the Merial site at Pirbright were made aware of the issues raised in the letter from the Merial site director of 20th July 2004.

(155667)

1002
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether any minister in his Department was made aware following the letter to the Department from the Merial site director of 20th July 2004 of the need to renew the old effluent drain between the restricted area of Merial and the Institute of Animal Health effluent treatment plant.

(155668)

1003
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will assess whether there is any continuing risk to the farming industry from a failure of bio-security at the (a) Compton and (b) Pirbright sites of the Institute for Animal Health.

(155777)

1004
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will list the improvement notices issued by the Health and Safety Executive to the Institute for Animal Health concerning (a) Compton and (b) Pirbright in each of the last five years; and what the subject was of each such notice.

(155782)

1005
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on how many occasions the Health and Safety Executive found the statutory requirements of the Institute for Animal Health at its (a) Compton and (b) Pirbright sites to have been breached in each of the last five years.

(155783)

1006
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which viruses dangerous to animal or human health have been subject to experimentation at the (a) Pirbright and (b) Compton sites of the Institute for Animal Health.

(155786)

1007
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff were working for the Environment Agency in Peterborough in each year since 1997.

(154073)

1008
Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proposals he has to extend the national guidance on managing flood risk.

(156181)

1009
Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what consideration is being given to making changes to the Environment Agency's budget in the light of this summer's floods.

(156182)

1010
Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures are being considered to create, manage and improve existing flood plans, drainage and ditches systems to act as natural flood defences for future flood protection.

(156183)

1011
Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance is being given to farmers on (a) contour ploughing and (b) grass and natural planting along river banks to help manage flood waters in high risk areas.

(156184)

1012
Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Energy Efficiency Commitment will include ring-fenced funding to assist hard to reach rural households.

(156029)

1013
Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what average amount households paid in 2006 to top up a Warm Front grant for an energy efficiency measure; and how many such households paid to top up their Warm Front grant in 2006.

(156363)

1014
Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many households in England received Warm Front grants in 2006; how many rural households in England received Warm Front grants in 2006; and what the average value of a Warm Front grant to a rural household in England was in 2006.

(156364)

1015
Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to provide energy efficiency measures suitable for rural consumers in hard to heat homes that do not respond to traditional energy efficiency measures.

(156366)

1016
Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) steps his Department is taking and (b) advice and support is available to encourage rural consumers to become more energy efficient.

(156367)

1017
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what accounts directions were issued by his Department in financial years (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

(156622)

1018
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will list his Department 's (a) executive agencies, (b) executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), (c) advisory NDPBs, (d) tribunal NDPBs, (e) trading funds and (f) public corporations for each financial year since 2005-06.

(156650)

1019
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to allocate increased landfill allowance trading scheme targets to local authorities which are in sustainable communities growth plan areas.

(153966)

1020
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he expects to announce access to the full flood mapping data and flood defence information for existing and planned defences; and on what basis this will be provided to insurance companies.

(154107)

1021
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will differentiate between the types of property in flood mapping data and flood defence information; and if he will make available to insurance companies address point data as opposed to postcode leve.

(154108)

1022
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who is responsible for surface water drainage in (a) Scotland and (b) England.

(154109)

1023
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the current estimate is of the coastal surge risk over the next four years; and how this estimate will be kept under review.

(154110)

1024
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria he will use when deciding how to spend his Department's additional budget for flood defences for 2010-11; whether the money will apply to planned projects or additional projects; and how the money will be shared between capital expenditure and maintenance expenditure.

(154111)

1025
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the current specific heads of expenditure are for maintenance work carried out by the Environment Agency; what proportion is being spent on (a) dredging, (b) weeding and (c) other environmental measures in 2007-08; and if he will list the measures.

(154112)

1026
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many properties will be protected each year by the recently announced additional proposed expenditure for flood defences.

(154113)

1027
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he expects to meet the full budget recently requested by the Environment Agency.

(154114)

1028
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to review the cost benefit analysis system for allocating funds to flood risk areas.

(156540)

1029
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to review the allocation of flood protection funds in Pickering.

(156541)

1030
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with farmers regarding managing land use for flood prevention in flood risk areas.

(156542)

1031
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the increase in landfill tax in Hull, following recent flooding in the area and the need to dispose of damaged items; and if he will make a statement.

(156543)

1032
Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what contingencies are in place for the rapid relaying of flood warnings by the Environment Agency in the event of the sustained breakdown of the BBC digital signal on radio and television broadcasts; and if he will make a statement.

(154190)

1033
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been paid in agricultural subsidies in Bassetlaw constituency in each year since 2005.

(155600)

1034
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many farmers have been paid agricultural subsidies in Bassetlaw constituency in each of the last 10 years.

(155601)

1035
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many visits Ministers have made to mushroom farms since 1991.

(156536)

1036
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many prosecutions there have been of mushroom farms under the Environment Protection Act 1990.

(156537)

1037
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many mushroom farms there are in England.

(156538)

1038
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what action is being taken under the latest statutory guidelines to control emissions from mushroom farms.

(156539)

1039
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations he has received about access to Vixen Tor for climbers.

(156686)

1040
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many miles of UK coastline are not accessible to (a) walkers and (b) climbers.

(156687)

1041
N Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to work with the Department for Communities and Local Government on the implementation of the Waste Strategy for England 2007; and whether he will integrate (a) small, (b) medium and (c) large-scale biological treatment facilities within this implementation.

(154153)

1042
Mr Greg Pope (Hyndburn):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he expects to reply to the letter to the Under-Secretary of State (Biodiversity) dated 15th June 2007 from the hon. Member for Hyndburn on Mr and Mrs Riding.

(153755)

1043
Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will hold discussions with the Game Conservancy Trust on plans to conserve the mountain hare.

(155944)

1044
Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will hold discussions with the Royal Society for Protection of Birds on increasing the number of marine wildlife reserves.

(155945)

1045
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the volume of plastic recycled in the United Kingdom compared to the volume shipped abroad.

(156550)

1046
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions have been held with the plastics industry to ensure that the range of polymers and products does not create obstacles to recycling.

(156551)

1047
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what financial incentives there are for small to medium sized firms to recycle (a) materials and (b) packaging.

(156552)

1048
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of incentives which could be adopted to encourage local authorities to promote kerbside and other methods of plastic recycling.

(156553)

1049
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what capital projects there are in the Environment Agency's forward programme to alleviate flooding along the River Loddon in Berkshire.

(153846)

1050
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Environment Agency has taken to divert water on to farmland adjacent to the River Thames above (a) Oxford and (b) Reading to avoid urban flooding.

(153847)

1051
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the policy of the Environment Agency is for handling river surges following heavy rainfall; and if he will make a statement.

(153848)

1052
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of flood defences supervised by the Environment Agency and owned by third parties were classed as in good or better condition in April 2007.

(153849)

1053
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of flood defences and structures owned and maintained by the Environment Agency were in a good or better condition in April 2007.

(153850)

1054
Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will review the adequacy of the maximum penalty for the neglect of and cruelty to animals.

(154376)

1055
Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to increase the rate of recycling of packaging.

(154117)

1056
Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effect on the recycling rates of local authorities of introducing an alternate weekly bin collection scheme.

(154118)

1057
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of developments in the last decade have been on flood plains according to the Environment Agency's records.

(153975)

1058
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made by (a) the Environment Agency and (b) his Department on the level of burning of domestic waste by households in England.

(153976)

1059
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding the Waste and Resource Action Programme provided to each local authority in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

(153994)

1060
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the (a) cost of and (b) volume of carbon dioxide emissions produced by the energy consumption of televisions in use in the UK which possess a screen blanking feature.

(153967)

1061
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many press officers are employed by British Waterways.

(154133)

1062
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many press officers are employed by the Environment Agency.

(154140)

1063
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many press officers are employed by English Nature.

(154145)

1064
N Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take to promote the prevention of deforestation (a) in England and (b) globally as a means of combating climate change; and if he will make a statement.

(155652)

1065
Mr Graham Stuart (Beverley & Holderness):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the process of applying for and being granted a licence to dredge off the coast of England; and if he will make a statement.

(156546)

1066
Mr Graham Stuart (Beverley & Holderness):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many licences were (a) granted and (b) refused for dredging off the coast of (i) England and (ii) the East Riding of Yorkshire in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

(156547)

1067
Mr Graham Stuart (Beverley & Holderness):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much was received for dredging licences in respect of sites off the coast of (a) England and (b) the East Riding of Yorkshire in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

(156549)

1068
Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of measures to protect the marine environment of the western Solent; whether he has plans to make legislative provision for those measures in a Marine Bill; and if he will make a statement.

(156382)

1069
Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what contingency plans exist to deal with an outbreak of foot and mouth disease amongst commoners' stock in the New Forest; and if he will make a statement.

(156384)

1070
N David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many sites in the United Kingdom are authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 to dispose of (a) low level and (b) very low level radioactive waste.

(156449)

1071
N David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to meet with representatives of English, Scottish or Welsh local authorities to discuss the disposal of radioactive waste; and if he will make a statement.

(156450)

1072
Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Environment Agency expects to publish amendments to its flood risk maps available to the public on their website based on data collected from events since May 2007.

(155675)

1073
Mr Edward Vaizey (Wantage):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been allocated for maintenance to the Environment Agency's Thames Valley West region in each of the last three years.

(156548)

1074
Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many properties in (a) Maldon district and (b) Chelmsford borough are located in areas at one in 200 year risk of flooding.

(154412)

1075
Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of (a) sea level rise, (b) storm occurrence and (c) subsiding land mass on calculations of flood risk.

(154413)

1076
Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he expects the Environment Agency to publish the (a) Blackwater and Colne Estuary Management Plan and (b) Crouch and Roach Estuary Management Plan.

(154414)

1077
Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he expects the Environment Agency to publish guidance to landowners on the maintenance of sea defences.

(154415)

1078
Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the condition of sea defences in Maldon district.

(154416)

1079
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he expects to present proposals to reform the UK's fishing quota management system; and if he will make a statement.

(155735)

1080
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has for quota swaps to increase fishing opportunities for the under-10 metre fleet; and if he will make a statement.

(155736)

1081
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has plans to increase the quota available for the under-10 metre fleet; and if he will make a statement.

(155854)

1082
Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which fisheries have closed in each month during 2007; and if he will make a statement.

(155905)

1083
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations he has received about damage caused by deer to forestry.

(154543)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

1084
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, under what circumstances his Department awards contracts to outside organisations without undertaking a tendering process.

(154034)

1085
Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the total cost of (a) hospitality and (b) entertainment at Lancaster House was in each of the last 10 years.

(156613)

1086
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent estimate he has made of the number of political prisoners in Cuba.

(154564)

1087
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the treatment of refugees in Sudan, in particular those from Eritrea.

(154565)

1088
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Sudan about (a) the treatment of refugees and (b) abiding by UNHCR protocols and commitments.

(154566)

1089
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received that the government of Sudan has in the past month begun to move to return Eritrean refugees.

(154568)

1090
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the prospect of democratic transition in Cuba.

(154580)

1091
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Cuba about (a) the release of political prisoners, (b) freedom of speech and (c) freedom of political expression.

(154581)

1092
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to encourage Indonesia to allow (a) foreign journalists, (b) independent obervers and (c) NGOs into West Papua.

(156432)

1093
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with Indonesian officials on the extradition to East Timor of Col. Burhanuddin Siagian.

(156433)

1094
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to facilitate dialogue between the Indonesian government and representatives of the West Papuan Freedom Movement.

(156434)

1095
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the prison conditions of West Papua independence campaigners, with particular reference to (a) Filep Karma and (b) Yusak Pakage.

(156459)

1096
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the situation in West Papua.

(156466)

1097
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of Indonesia on the humanitarian situation in West Papua.

(156467)

1098
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the British Embassy in Jakarta on the situation in West Papua.

(156468)

1099
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the UN Special Representative, Hina Jilani, following her recent visit to West Papua; and what recent reports he has received from the UK Mission to the UN following the visit.

(156469)

1100
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he and other Ministers from his Department have to visit Indonesia.

(156470)

1101
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the situation for environmental activists in West Papua.

(156471)

1102
Lyn Brown (West Ham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has made on returning EU observers to the Rafah border crossing.

(154594)

1103
Lyn Brown (West Ham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations the Government has made to Israel and Egypt on re-opening the Rafah border crossing.

(154595)

1104
Lyn Brown (West Ham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the likely effectiveness of the Mecca Agreement as a basis for peace between Israel and the Palestinians following the break down of the Palestinian Unity Government.

(156344)

1105
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the recourse available to inhabitants of Ascension Island under the Human Rights Act 1998; and if he will make a statement.

(156157)

1106
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he or his Ministers plan to visit Ascension Island; and if he will make a statement.

(156230)

1107
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17th July 2007, Official Report, column 248W, on Ascension Island, what the programme of information and education consisted of; what materials have been distributed on Ascension Island; what public meetings have been held; and if he will make a statement.

(156251)

1108
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in how many policy areas vetoes will be given up by the UK if the constitutional treaty comes into force; and what those areas are.

(156473)

1109
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24th July 2007, Official Report, column 1054W, on departments: legislation, which (a) sections and (b) schedules of the specified acts have been (i) repealed and (ii) not brought into force.

(154202)

1110
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what financial and other support he is making available to resolve the problems in Darfur.

(155863)

1111
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he is holding with the Pakistan government to co-ordinate border control between Pakistan and Afghanistan to stop Taliban activists entering Afghanistan.

(156297)

1112
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects there to be new elections in Iraq.

(156083)

1113
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether (a) coalition forces and (b) the international community are to be involved in the investigation by the Iraqi authorities into neglect and abuse of children in Iraqi orphanages and other institutions; and if he will make a statement.

(156086)

1114
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what contribution the UK has made to initiatives to destroy drug-related crops by chemical spraying in foreign countries; and if he will make a survey.

(156221)

1115
Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the sale of military helicopters to Burma by India containing parts manufactured or designed by (a) EU and (b) UK companies.

(154330)

1116
Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to seek changes to the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports to prevent its circumvention by the re-export of arms between third countries.

(154336)

1117
Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy for the UK or the EU to send international observers to the referendum to be held in the Maldives on 18th August.

(154470)

1118
Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the discussions with President Gayoom of the Maldives during his recent visit to the UK covered (a) charges brought against members of the opposition and (b) the use of state resources and media for President Gayoom's party's campaign for the referendum.

(154550)

1119
Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of progress made by the Special Majlis towards amending the new constitution of the Maldives.

(154551)

1120
Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the progress made by the government of the Maldives in reforming the judiciary since the visit of UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers in February 2007.

(154552)

1121
Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate the UK government has made of the number of forcibly conscripted child soldiers in the Burma Army; and what reports he has received on the conditions in which they are held.

(155672)

1122
Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to raise the issue of the forced conscription of child soldiers with the Burmese regime.

(155673)

1123
Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict following his visit to Burma.

(155674)

1124
Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the National Convention and constitution drafting process in Burma.

(155717)

1125
Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion and Belief on violations of religious freedom against Christians, Muslims and Buddhists in Burma.

(155718)

1126
Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the UN Secretary-General regarding Burma.

(155719)

1127
Mr Dai Davies (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons entry visas were not granted to the Palestine under-19 football squad and its support staff; and what representations he has received on the matter.

(156158)

1128
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received of Ethiopian and Eritrean asylum seekers and refugees at risk of being forcibly returned to their country of origin from Sudan following their detention in Khartoum in July.

(153879)

1129
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to ensure that the EU peacekeeping force in Chad will have a mandate to protect internally displaced people within Chad as well as refugees from Darfur; and if he will make a statement.

(153880)

1130
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the African Union and UN have taken to ensure that rebel groups in Darfur receive training to develop the skills required to take part in peace process negotiations.

(153881)

1131
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government has taken to ensure participation of the people of Eastern Sudan in the national executive, legislature, judiciary organs, civil service and other institutions and commissions at both national and state levels in accordance with Chapter 1 of the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement; and what progress has been made in this regard.

(153882)

1132
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of whether the implementation of the Eastern Sudan Peace Agreement has ensured transparency in appropriate sharing of financial resources across all states through the fiscal and financial allocation and monitoring commission.

(153883)

1133
Natascha Engel (North East Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Iranian government for information on the physical health and wellbeing of Iranian trade union leader Mansour Osanloo, who was abducted in Tehran; and if he will call for his prompt release.

(155934)

1134
N Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his most recent estimate is of the number of UK citizens working in each of the other EU countries.

(153311)

1135
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many visa application processing centres have been outsourced; and what proportion of such applications are dealt with by such centres.

(156486)

1136
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many visa applications have been refused in each of the last five years.

(156487)

1137
Michael Jabez Foster (Hastings & Rye):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the UK Government has made to the Iraqi government on the proposed Iraqi oil law; what advice has been given in relation to the partners with whom the Iraqi government should deal and the terms on which it should do so; and if he will make a statement.

(156703)

1138
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment has been made of the likely effect the EU Reform Treaty will have on the NATO alliance.

(154254)

1139
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK Government will seek any modifications to the revised European Constitution.

(154586)

1140
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on which occasions (a) focal points met to discuss the inter-governmental conference (IGC) mandates and (b) ministers met their counterparts to discuss the IGC; whether those meetings were bilateral or multilateral; what representations of positions and discussions occurred at those meetings; and if he will make a statement.

(154587)

1141
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what legal advice the Government has requested regarding the inter-governmental conference mandate.

(154591)

1142
Linda Gilroy (Plymouth, Sutton):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who represented the UK at the conference held in Afghanistan on 29th August 2007 on counternarcotics; whether there will be any change in the ISAF counternarcotic strategy as a result of the conference; and if he will make a statement.

(156431)

1143
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many press officers are employed by the British Council.

(154634)

1144
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the average waiting time is for Russian (a) students, (b) politicians, (c) business people and (d) others between application for and grant of visas to visit the UK; and if he will make a statement.

(153775)

1145
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information is provided to Russian applicants for visas to visit the UK.

(153776)

1146
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will urge the Egyptian government (a) to allow Christian converts from Muslim backgrounds to change their religion in their identity papers and (b) to remove completely the requirement for a person's religion to be stated in Egyptian identity documents.

(154405)

1147
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will urge the Chinese government to release unconditionally Pastor Hua Huiqi and his mother Ms Shuang Shuying from detention.

(154406)

1148
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will take steps to bring to justice those Islamic extremists responsible for the systematic intimidation and driving out of Christians from Dora district and the neighbourhoods of Al-Baya'a, Al-Thurat and Al-Saydia in Baghdad; and if he will make a statement.

(154409)

1149
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect on the UK's relationship with those countries affected by the review of the Defence Attache Network; and what responses he has received from such countries on the review.

(155742)

1150
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which private consultancy firms (a) his Department and (b) agencies which report to his Department engaged in each of the last three years; which programmes or projects each firm worked on; and what the approximate cost to the Department or agency concerned was of each engagement.

(155869)

1151
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his Department's projected spending is on advertising and promotional campaigns for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by cost relating to (i) television, (ii) radio and (iii) print media.

(155896)

1152
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he had with his European counterparts on a European Union military mission to Chad during the meeting of Foreign Ministers in Viana do Castelo, Portugal, 7th-8th September 2007; and if he will make a statement.

(156603)

1153
Susan Kramer (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many cars are owned by UK embassies overseas, broken down by (a) location and (b) make and model of car; and what the annual budget was for (i) acquisition, (ii) running and (iii) maintenance of those cars in 2006-07.

(154803)

1154
N Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10th September 2007, Official Report, column 2004W, on departments: temporary accommodation, for how long the British Embassy Officer has been living in a tent in Juba, Sudan; and for what reason secure permanent accommodation has not been available for this officer hitherto.

(156400)

1155
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will break down in (a) near cash and (b) non-cash terms columns 1 to 8 of the subhead detail tables for his Department contained in the (i) main estimate, (ii) winter supplementary estimate and (iii) spring supplementary estimate for financial years 2001-02 to 2007-08.

(155999)

1156
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his Department's (a) administrative expenditure, (b) other current expenditure, (c) grant expenditure, (d) operating appropriations in aid (A in A), (e) capital and (f) non-operating A in A outturn, broken down in (i) near cash and (ii) non-cash terms, was for financial years 2001-02 to 2006-07.

(156000)

1157
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list his Department's (a) executive agencies, (b) executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), (c) advisory NDPBs, (d) tribunal NDPBs, (e) trading funds and (f) public corporations in each financial year since 2005-06.

(156630)

1158
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what accounts directions were issued by his Department in financial year (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

(156679)

1159
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the total cost has been to public funds of payments made to Visa Facilitation Services for the provision of an online visa application service in (a) India, (b) Nigeria and (c) Russia.

(154638)

1160
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to seek financial compensation from Visa Facilitation Services for the security failures set out in the report of the Independent Investigation published on 28th July; and if he will make a statement.

(154639)

1161
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has any remaining contracts with Visa Facilitation Services in force; and if he will make a statement.

(154640)

1162
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether disciplinary action has been taken against members of staff at UK Visas following the report of the Independent Investigator into breaches of data security in the Visa Facilitation Services online visa application facility; and if he will make a statement.

(154641)

1163
N Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the reasons for Russia's suspension of its obligations under the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty; and if he will make a statement.

(153754)

1164
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent inspection of the Royal Bermuda Regiment has been conducted to ensure that deficiencies identified in the report submitted in November 2005 following the inspection conducted by Colonel Baxter have been remedied and his recommendations implemented; and if he will make a statement.

(155804)

1165
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on which dates over the past three years governors of overseas territotries who were retiring from the Diplomatic Service have despatched valedictory e-grams or telegrams; and if he will make a statement.

(155809)

1166
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the average annual cost falling on UK funds has been of running the Governor's residence in each overseas territory over the last five years; how much of each figure was accounted for by (a) rent, (b) other running costs, (c) staffing and (d) entertainment and hospitality; and if he will make a statement.

(155810)

1167
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, why the constitution of the Cayman Islands varies from other overseas territories of comparable size in that the Governor chairs the Cabinet and there is no premier or chief minister; and if he will make a statement.

(155811)

1168
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the GDP per head of population is in (a) pounds sterling and (b) US dollars of each of the UK overseas territories, listed in descending order of population size.

(155812)

1169
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK's obligations under the UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women have been extended to all UK overseas territories; and if he will make a statement.

(155813)

1170
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the human rights conventions with which each UK overseas territory is expected to comply.

(155815)

1171
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Metropolitan Police inquiry initiated by John Verveker, Governor of Bermuda, into the leak of Bermuda police documents relating to the Bermuda Housing Corporation.

(155816)

1172
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will appoint a senior United Kingdom police officer to conduct an inquiry into allegations of impropriety in the conduct of the Bermuda Housing Corporation's affairs.

(155817)

1173
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what response his Department has made to proposal of the Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands that Governors should be excluded from future meetings of the Overseas Territories Consultative Council; and if he will make a statement.

(155818)

1174
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which Chief Ministers of overseas territories have indicated their support for the idea that Governors should be excluded from future meetings of the Overseas Territories Consultative Council; and if he will make a statement.

(155819)

1175
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what alterations to protocol were proposed by Dr Ewart Brown, Premier of Bermuda, to the Governor, in June 2007, with regard to the future relationship between the holders of their respective offices; what response the UK Government has made; and if he will make a statement.

(155820)

1176
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what public response was made by (a) his Department and (b) the Governor to the television broadcast of the Premier Ewart Brown of Bermuda on 1st June 2007 during which he criticised the Governor in relation to the Bermuda Housing Corporation investigation; and if he will make a statement.

(155821)

1177
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the findings of the fraud squad investigation concluded in August 2004 into the Bermuda Housing Corporation.

(155822)

1178
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons the office of the UK Permanent Representative to the EU, Strasbourg and UK Delegation to the Council of Europe Strasbourg do not share offices; and what the (a) cost of each office, (b) numbers of staff in each office and (c) floor space of each office was in the latest period for which figures are available.

(156009)

1179
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what selection procedure was used to select the next High Commissioner to Malawi; and if he will make a statement.

(156331)

1180
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what response the Governor of Bermuda has made to the request of Senator Burch, Minister of Public Safety, on 14th August 2007 that he help address Bermuda's policing difficulties; and if he will make a statement.

(156332)

1181
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) class of maritime craft, (b) numbers of craft and (c) numbers of personnel are maintained by the Government of Bermuda to ensure law enforcement and national security in and around the territorial waters of Bermuda; and if he will make a statement.

(156333)

1182
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what financial contribution has been made by the Government towards the cost of law enforcement and national security in and around the territorial waters of Bermuda; and if he will make a statement.

(156334)

1183
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of levels of heroin production in Myanmar.

(156496)

1184
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of levels of cannabis production in Jamaica.

(156497)

1185
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of levels of cocaine production in Colombia.

(156498)

1186
Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the total estimated annual cost is of (a) expenses, (b) salary, (c) office space, (d) administrative support and (e) special advisers for the Minister of State for Africa, Asia and the UN.

(154625)

1187
Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the recommendations of the European Union Elections Observer Mission report on the 2006 elections in Uganda; what discussions he has had with his European counterparts on this report; what proposals he has made on this subject to his European counterparts ahead of the December EU-Africa summit; and if he will make a statement.

(153786)

1188
Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of reports that Ugandan government ministers and members of parliament recently (a) wore military uniforms and (b) carried out military drills during their annual retreat at the Kyankwanzi ideological training school; and if he will make a statement.

(153787)

1189
Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the Ugandan government's treatment of opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye and the extent of its surveillance of Dr Besigye; and if he will make a statement.

(153788)

1190
Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Ugandan authorities on the trial for treason of the opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye; what his policy is on whether this trial will affect relations with the Ugandan government at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in November; and if he will make a statement.

(153789)

1191
Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the Polish government's stance towards homosexuality, with particular reference to the status of gay teachers and professors in the Polish education system and the proposed education bill; what representations he has made to his Polish counterparts on this issue; and if he will make a statement.

(154183)

1192
Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his (a) European Union and (b) Council of Europe counterparts on Poland's adherence to human rights and equality obligations, with particular reference to the position of homosexuals; what the outcome was of these discussions; and if he will make a statement.

(154184)

1193
Mr Andrew Pelling (Croydon Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what work is being undertaken with the People's Republic of China to combat the conflict in Darfur.

(155941)

1194
Mr Andrew Pelling (Croydon Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what help the UK Government is providing to secure the delivery of Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution.

(155946)

1195
Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will hold discussions with his North Korean counterpart on prisoners being held in prison camps for their (a) political and (b) religious beliefs.

(155975)

1196
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on associations between members of the Afghanistan parliament and Al Qaeda.

(156013)

1197
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of heroin and poppy production in areas of Afghanistan (a) not controlled by the Taliban and (b) under the control of the Allies.

(156014)

1198
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment the Government has made of poppy and heroin production from the areas of Afghanistan under the control of the Taliban.

(156015)

1199
Mr John Spellar (Warley):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18th May 2007, Official Report, column 973W, on Iraq: armed forces, what changes were made to agreed plans as a result of the events referred to.

(154016)

1200
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many press officers are employed by the European Commission.

(154123)

1201
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many press officers are employed by UK Trade and Investment.

(154137)

1202
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many entry clearance applications have been received from Palestinian citizens residing in (a) East Jerusalem, (b) the West Bank and (c) the Gaza Strip in the last 12 months; and what percentage of these applications were approved.

(156012)

1203
Ian Stewart (Eccles):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects a determination to be made on visa application number VC 005578 submitted on 7th September 2006 at the British Embassy in Zimbabwe.

(154309)

1204
Ian Stewart (Eccles):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the average time was that the British Embassy in Zimbabwe had to wait to receive a response from the Zimbabwean authorities for the authentication of documents submitted with a visa application in the latest period for which figures are available.

(154310)

1205
Ms Gisela Stuart (Birmingham, Edgbaston):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure full participation in the European Indicators Project by official bodies and UK assessment organisations.

(154221)

1206
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he next plans to meet (a) the President and (b) the Prime Minister of Yemen.

(155835)

1207
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he next plans to meet (a) the President and (b) the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

(155836)

1208
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Sri Lankan government regarding human rights abuses in Sri Lanka.

(155837)

1209
Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the condition of Greek Cypriot churches and cemeteries in nothern Cyprus.

(156201)

1210
Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government's policy is on the advice given to British citizens seeking to purchase a property in northern Cyprus; what steps the Government has taken to promulgate that advice; and if he will make a statement.

(156202)

1211
Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions have taken place between his Department and property estate agents in the United Kingdom who offer properties in northern Cyprus for sale to British citizens on the advice to be offered to prospective purchasers.

(156203)

1212
Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of properties (a) built and (b) under construction by property developers in northern Cyprus in each of the last five years which are available for purchase.

(156204)

1213
Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions have taken place with officials of the Turkish Cypriot Administration in northern Cyprus on the extent of private housing develoment taking place in northern Cyprus; and when such discussions last took place.

(156205)

1214
Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports have been received from the British High Commissioner for Cyprus on the extent of private housing development taking place in northern Cyprus.

(156206)

1215
Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many official visits by members of the British High Commission in Cyprus to northern Cyprus were made in each of the last three years; and what reports were received by the Department in London following each such visit.

(156207)

1216
Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the British High Commissioner for Cyprus last visited northern Cyprus; who he met from the Turkish Cypriot Administration on that occasion; and what area of northern Cyprus he visited.

(156208)

1217
Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when a senior official from the British High Commission in Cyprus last visited the Greek Cypriot churches and cemeteries in the villages of Patriki and Ayios Theodoros in the Karpas Peninsula; what reports were made and to whom after the last such visit; if he will make it his policy for such a visit to be conducted on a regular basis and reports published; and if he will make a statement.

(156209)

1218
Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what responsibilities the British Government has as one of the guarantor powers for Cyprus to seek to ensure the preservation of churches and cemeteries that belong to the Greek Cypriot community in northern Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

(156210)

1219
Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what percentage of appeals against a refusal to issue a visa were upheld in the last 12 months, broken down by overseas post.

(156669)

1220
Jeremy Wright (Rugby & Kenilworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the merits of retaining a Legalisation Office of his Department in central London and opening a second legalisation office outside London to deal with postal and DX applications for legalisation.

(155922)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Health

1221
Mr David Anderson (Blaydon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many older people he expects to have to sell their homes to cover the cost of residential care in (a) 2010, (b) 2020, (c) 2030 and (d) 2040.

(155732)

1222
Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, at what times patients were admitted to the Horton General Hospital from the John Radcliffe Hospital on (a) 2nd May, (b) 3rd May, (c) 24th May, (d) 18th June, (e) 2nd July, (f) 5th July, (g) 7th July, (h) 13th July, (i) 18th July, (j) 19th July, (k) 20th July and (l) 21st July.

(156171)

1223
Ms Celia Barlow (Hove):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funds have been made available for smoking cessation programmes; and how the allocations to individual funds are determined.

(155948)

1224
Ms Celia Barlow (Hove):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to provide Government support specialist NHS centres for those affected by chronic fatigue syndrome in England.

(156702)

1225
N Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the level of stigma experienced by people with epilepsy.

(153654)

1226
N Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the implementation of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's guidance on the treatment of prisoners diagnosed with epilepsy.

(153655)

1227
N Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of information provided to patients upon diagnosis of epilepsy on the risks of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.

(153656)

1228
Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will address each of the seven questions asked by the hon. Member for Billericay in the letter to his Department on the subject of testosterone deficiency dated 31st May.

(155967)

1229
Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what specific measures are in place to deliver an incontinence service for younger people and disabled children.

(156215)

1230
Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to carry out a review of the impact on elderly people of changes to the home delivery service of incontinence products.

(156216)

1231
Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish guidance on continence services as part of the planned high-level report on developing services for older people with complex needs.

(156217)

1232
Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many health authorities provide an integrated incontinence service.

(156218)

1233
Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the results of the second survey of continence care for older people undertaken by the Royal College of Physicians.

(156219)

1234
Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what powers are available to the Government to oblige health bodies to comply with the guidelines contained in Good Practice in Continence Services; and whether sanctions are available for non-compliance.

(156220)

1235
Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Government plans to carry out research to ascertain how many people suffer from incontinence, broken down by (a) the age and sex of those affected and (b) the form of incontinence.

(156222)

1236
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of (a) the number of people suffering health problems as a result of Wi-Fi communications and (b) the causes of sensitivity to Wi-Fi technology.

(154577)

1237
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the health implications of Wi-Fi communications.

(154578)

1238
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received about the potential health implications of Wi-Fi communications.

(154579)

1239
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will set up an inquiry into Wi-Fi communications and their environmental and health impact.

(154582)

1240
Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dentists have failed to meet their target number of units of dental activity since the new NHS dental contract was introduced in 2005, broken down by primary care trust.

[R] (154061)

1241
Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dentists (a) completed their annual units of dental activity (UDA) early, (b) requested further UDAs and (c) requested but were refused further UDAs in the latest period for which figures are available, broken down by primary care trust.

[R] (154062)

1242
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the estimated required number of midwives is in each of the next five years.

(154475)

1243
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on progress on implementing the pay rise for midwives payable in financial year 2007-08.

(154476)

1244
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of midwives are due to retire in each of the next five years; and how many new midwives are planned to be recruited in each year.

(154477)

1245
Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the revised plans for ambulance cover in Wellingborough and Northamptonshire.

(154478)

1246
N Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many representations, and from whom, have been received in support of an independent treatment centre in mid-Essex.

(156493)

1247
N Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many representations the Department received (a) supporting and (b) against the Broomfield private finance initiative scheme; what meetings were organised on this scheme and with whom; and what other consultation was conducted and what the balance of opinion was arising therefrom.

(156526)

1248
N Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on the establishment of an Independent Treatment Centre in Mid Essex; and if he will make a statement.

(156527)

1249
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent per head of population on health services in 2006-07 in each (a) primary care trust and (b) local authority area ranked in order.

(155904)

1250
N Greg Clark (Tunbridge Wells):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the most recent average waiting time is for (a) audiology appointments and (b) the issue of a digital hearing aid in Tunbridge Wells constituency.

(154473)

1251
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to make a decision on the independent sector provider contract for Cirencester Hospital.

(156357)

1252
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the prospects for local pharmacies to operate a minor ailments service; whether he expects primary care trusts to promote such a service; and if he will make a statement.

(155788)

1253
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what restrictions there are on the bringing into the UK of non-prescription medical drugs purchased by individuals on the internet; whether the Government has any plans (a) to tighten these restrictions and (b) to impose the enforcement of existing restrictions; and if he will make a statement.

(156069)

1254
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of whether there is sufficient capacity in existing regional medium secure units to meet the need for such places in each region; in which regions there is an assessed shortfall; what the extent is of the shortfall in each case; and what plans are in place to address the shortfall.

(156082)

1255
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has undertaken into the sufficiency of linkworker services connecting health provision and ethnic minority communities in those areas with high ethnic minority populations; and if he will make a statement.

(156085)

1256
Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS dentists there are in Bolton; and how many of these are taking on new patients.

(154051)

1257
Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received about the availability of NHS dentists in Bolton.

(154052)

1258
Mr Dai Davies (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to take to assist newly-qualified nurses to find employment; and what recent discussions there have been between his Department and the health ministers in (a) Wales and (b) Scotland on placing newly qualified (i) nurses, (ii) physiotherapists and (iii) consultant doctors in employment.

(155613)

1259
David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of patients treated by the NHS in each year since 2003 were foreign nationals resident in the UK.

(156312)

1260
Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) target levels of funding based on health needs and (b) actual level of funding received was for (i) the Bedfordshire Primary Care Trust and (ii) the Luton Primary Care Trust in each year since the trusts were established; and if he will make a statement.

(155632)

1261
Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations his Department has received on the funding of NHS primary care trusts in Bedfordshire and Luton; and if he will make a statement.

(155633)

1262
Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what account has been taken of (a) the number of people who have difficulties with the English language in Bedfordshire and Luton, (b) the sustainable communities growth areas, (c) the provision of (i) prescribing services, (ii) primary medical services, (iii) HIV/AIDS services for Bedfordshire and Luton and (iv) hospital and community health services, (d) the level of inward migration into Bedfordshire and Luton, (e) the weighted population for Bedfordshire and Luton, (f) the pace of change element for Bedfordshire and Luton and (g) the particular health needs of Bedfordshire and Luton when allocating funds for (A) Bedfordshire Primary Care Trust and (B) Luton Primary Care Trust; and if he will make a statement.

(155926)

1263
Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what sampling techniques were used in compiling statistical information on the health needs of Bedfordshire and Luton when allocating funds for (a) Bedfordshire Primary Care Trust and (b) Luton Primary Care Trust; and if he will make a statement.

(155927)

1264
Mrs Nadine Dorries (Mid Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the age and accuracy of statistical information used when allocating funds for (a) Bedfordshire Primary Care Trust and (b) Luton Primary Care Trust; and if he will make a statement.

(155928)

1265
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many private care homes are situated in Crewe and Nantwich; how many residents are in each unit; on what date each was last inspected; how many have contracts with the local primary care trust or social services departments for residences from Crewe and Nantwich; and what the average payment is for such contracts.

(156064)

1266
Natascha Engel (North East Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to increase access to advanced training in contraceptive services.

(155925)

1267
N Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the temporary closure of the adult mental health ward at Westmorland General Hospital could become permanent without a formal public consultation.

(153651)

1268
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of patients visiting their general practitioner were subsequently referred on in the latest period for which figures are available.

(154365)

1269
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of patients in each primary care trust area who visited their general practitioner were referred on in the last 12 months.

(154549)

1270
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many press officers are employed by the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse.

(154557)

1271
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in England are not registered with a GP surgery.

(154559)

1272
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been spent establishing independent sector treatment centres.

(154560)

1273
Mr Bruce George (Walsall South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has been made of the standard of care provided to patients with Gorlin syndrome; and if he will make a statement.

(154740)

1274
Mr Bruce George (Walsall South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the level of implementation of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines on improving outcomes for people with skin tumours.

(154741)

1275
Mr Bruce George (Walsall South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations his Department has received on patients with Gorlin syndrome being unable to access treatment on the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

(154742)

1276
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the redundancy of Dr Bhattacharyya.

(156704)

1277
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will revise the cost rent system used to reimburse GP practices accommodation costs to ensure that facilities are not reimbursed by a number of different agencies at the same time in cases of subletting space in GP surgeries.

(154362)

1278
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the compliance with human rights legislation of his Department's policy that gay and bisexual men may not donate blood to the National Blood Service.

(154768)

1279
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the introduction of charges for (a) eye tests and (b) dental check-ups on demand for these services; and if he will make a statement.

(154779)

1280
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost of implementing in full the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Long-term Care.

(154780)

1281
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many press officers are employed by the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts.

(154737)

1282
Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 18th July 2007, Official Report, column 456W, on hospitals: ministers of religion, what guidance he has issued on the responsibilities of NHS trusts to provide for the spiritual care of patients; and when budgetary control was devolved to NHS trusts in relation to these matters.

(154317)

1283
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many press officers are employed by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement.

(154668)

1284
N Damian Green (Ashford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department collects information on the number of foreign nationals in England registered with general practitioners.

(156397)

1285
N Damian Green (Ashford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what contact his Department has had with (a) the East Midlands Strategic Health Authority (SHA), (b) primary care trusts within the East Midlands SHA area, (c) NHS hospital trusts, foundation trusts and mental health trusts within the East Midlands SHA area and (d) Right hon. and hon. Members on the effects of immigration into the region, NHS services and budgets; and if he will make a statement.

(156398)

1286
N Damian Green (Ashford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what contact his Department has had with (a) the East of England Strategic Health Authority (SHA), (b) primary care trusts within the East of England SHA area, (c) NHS hospital trusts, foundation trusts and mental health trusts within the SHA area and (d) right hon. and hon. Members on the effects of immigration into the region on NHS services and budgets; and if he will make a statement.

(156399)

1287
Patrick Hall (Bedford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Work and Pensions on the implementation of the Musculoskeletal Services Framework as a method of reducing (a) long-term sickness and (b) the number of people claiming incapacity benefit.

(154697)

1288
Patrick Hall (Bedford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information the National Clinical and Health Outcomes Database captures on musculoskeletal system problems; and how much expenditure this covers within that category of expenditure within the National Programme Budgeting Database.

(154698)

1289
Patrick Hall (Bedford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans there are to extend the clinical and health outcomes data collected in relation to musculoskeletal system problems (excluding trauma).

(154783)

1290
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many press officers are employed by the General Social Care Council.

(154437)

1291
Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's preliminary recommendation of 7th August 2007 on percutaneous coronary intervention; and if he will make a statement.

(156162)

1292
Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of resteosis there were between (a) 1990 and 2000 and (b) 2000 and 2006.

(156163)

1293
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to promote the breastfeeding of infants; and if he will make a statement.

(156461)

1294
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the health of the teeth of schoolchildren since Gateway Approval (ref 769800) was issued and the practice of negative permission was discontinued; and if he will make a statement.

(156699)

1295
Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many specialist epilepsy nurses there are; and what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of their work.

(155637)

1296
Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department has issued on the implementation of the National Framework for Long-term Conditions.

(155638)

1297
Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether there are (a) national, (b) regional and (c) local targets for the number of (i) adult neurologists, (ii) paediatric neurologists, (iii) learning disability specialist and (iv) neuro-radiologist consultants in post; and whether any such targets have been set for the ratio of specialists to patients.

(156283)

1298
John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what studies were undertaken at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire involving children from overseas in the 1990s.

(154329)

1299
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 11th July 2007, Official Report, column 1553W, on departments: public expenditure, what items of specific guidance have been given to (a) the Finance Directorate and (b) his Department generally on the Comprehensive Spending Review process.

(154106)

1300
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many press officers are employed by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

(154159)

1301
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many press officers are employed by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.

(154166)

1302
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many press officers are employed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

(154167)

1303
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many press officers are employed by the Healthcare Commission.

(154169)

1304
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which private consultancy firms (a) his Department and (b) agencies which report to his Department engaged in each of the last three years; which programmes or projects each firm worked on; and what the approximate cost to the Department or agency concerned was of each engagement.

(155871)

1305
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his Department's projected spending is on advertising and promotional campaigns for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by cost relating to (i) television, (ii) radio and (iii) print media.

(155892)

1306
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his most recent assessment is of the (a) obesity and (b) smoking rate in each ward of the Peterborough City Council area.

(154067)

1307
N Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients in Peterborough constituency have had their inpatient surgical treatment cancelled three times or more in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(154691)

1308
N Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has for the development of independent sector treatment centres in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; and if he will make a statement.

(154761)

1309
N Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent on agency nurses providing temporary cover in the Peterborough and Stamford Hospital NHS Foundation Trust area in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(154762)

1310
Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of treating skin cancer in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(156446)

1311
Mr David Jones (Clwyd West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the Vendafit needle dispensing machine in the context of managing the condition of drug dependent patients.

(155731)

1312
Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received from wheelchair users groups in relation to proposed changes to wheelchair provision and other community equipment services.

(155953)

1313
Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to prepare for future demand for wheelchair provision.

(155954)

1314
Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on proposed changes to the provision of wheelchairs and other such equipment for the disabled, currently being considered.

(155955)

1315
Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effect on children's (i) brains and (ii) development of (A) prematurity, (B) foetal alcohol spectrum disorder and (C) fragile x syndrome.

(154614)

1316
Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total set-up costs were for the, Our NHS, Our Future consultation website; what was the total cost to his Department of the COI Communications video presented via the website; and what ongoing costs will be incurred by his Department for the upkeep of the website.

(156389)

1317
N Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the proportion of hospital food wasted in the most recent period for which figures are available.

(154175)

1318
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 18th July 2007, Official Report, column 452W, on doctors' training, how many junior doctors in the first round of applications were told in error that they had received a training place; and what actions were taken by deaneries to ensure that this did not occur.

(154214)

1319
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 24th July 2007, Official Report, column 985W, on vaccines: sleeping contracts, when negotiations with the vaccine manufacturers were completed; with which vaccine manufacturers negotiations were held; whether the provision of prepandemic vaccines was discussed as part of the negotiations; whether the negotiations have implications for the public purse; and whether he expects to make the statement referred to in the Answer alongside publication of an updated pandemic influenza preparedness plan.

(154215)

1320
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 24th July 2007, Official Report, columns 982-3W, on influenza: vaccination, what form the ongoing programme of public engagement will take; whether criteria determining the priority in which different groups of people are offered (a) vaccines, (b) antivirals and (c) other clinical interventions will be subjected to formal consultation; how often he expects these criteria to be reviewed; and if he will make a statement.

(154216)

1321
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many surgeons in the NHS were capable of carrying out (a) hepatobiliary, (b) renal, (c) cardiac and (d) ophthalmic surgery in each of the last 10 years.

(154266)

1322
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans the Government has to increase the number of (a) hepatobiliary, (b) renal, (c) cardiac and (d) opthalmic surgeons in each of the next three years.

(154267)

1323
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to increase the number of people on the organ donor register.

(154268)

1324
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were on the organ donor register in each of the last 10 years.

(154269)

1325
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of families refused consent to donate relatives' organs in the case of (a) all deaths, (b) deaths where the individual was on the organ donor register and (c) deaths where the individual was not on the organ donor register in the latest period for which figures are available.

(154270)

1326
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Government plans to introduce regulation of the cosmetics industry with regard to botox injections.

(154271)

1327
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many intensive care beds there were in each of the last 10 years, broken down by trust.

(154272)

1328
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many attendances there have been at Type 1 accident and emergency departments (a) in total and (b) per 100,000 population in each year since 1997-98 in England, broken down by strategic health authority area.

(154273)

1329
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 16th July 2007, Official Report, column 176W, on maternity services, on what evidential basis the figure for live births in England in 2006 was estimated; and what percentage change this figure represented from live births in England in 2005.

(154274)

1330
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many doctors did not receive job offers in the first round of medical training applications; and what percentage of applicants this represented.

(154275)

1331
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support will be offered to doctors who do not receive a training place in either the first or second round of recruitment in order to safeguard their future careers.

(154276)

1332
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many surgeons in the NHS were capable of carrying out transplant surgery in each of the last 10 years.

(154277)

1333
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of junior doctor training posts, unfilled after the first round of job offers, have been temporarily filled by doctors on short-term contracts.

(154318)

1334
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Written Statement of 24th July 2007, Official Report, columns 52-4WS, on GP services (better access), what the scope is of Lord Darzi's work on the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF); whether his work will inform the QOF indicators which will apply in 2008-09; how Lord Darzi plans to seek views from (a) GPs, (b) other NHS staff and (c) other interested parties on his work; and if he will make a statement.

(154515)

1335
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to provide NHS employers with a mandate to negotiate the arrangements for the new General Medical Services contract in 2008-08.

(156412)

1336
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many submissions were received during the evidence-gathering phase for the development of the Quality and Outcomes Framework for 2008-09; how many of these were received from (a) national societies, (b) patient groups, (c) pharmaceutical companies, (d) individuals, (e) primary care organisations and (f) others; and how many related to each type of disease.

(156413)

1337
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure an adequate supply of seasonal flu vaccines for the winter 2007-08 flu immunisation programme; what discussions he has had with flu vaccine manufacturers on their capacity to supply adequate stocks of vaccine; which manufacturers are supplying vaccine to the UK; what information he has received about flu vaccine manufacturers encountering difficulties in (a) manufacturing and (b) delivering vaccines; and if he will make a statement.

(156414)

1338
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his most recent estimate is of the (a) cost to date (i) in total and (ii) broken down by major cost area and (b) expected overall cost to the public purse of Lord Darzi's NHS Next Stage Review.

(156415)

1339
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress Lord Darzi is making in his NHS Next Stage Review; how many (a) clinicians, (b) managers and (c) other staff he has received representations from; how many NHS organisations the review team has formally met with since the announcement of the review; whether he still intends to publish an interim report of the work of the review in October; and if he will make a statement.

(156416)

1340
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many clinical pathway groups to inform the work of the NHS Next Stage Review have been established in each strategic health authority; and who the members are of each group which has been established.

(156417)

1341
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dentists were employed under (a) general dental service contracts and (b) personal dental service contracts in each year since 1997; and how many general dental services and personal dental services dentists there were per 10,000 population (i) for England and (ii) in each strategic health authority area in the most recent period for which figures are available.

(156418)

1342
Mr Bob Laxton (Derby North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total annual cost was of drug treatments for hepatitis C in 2005-06.

(154357)

1343
Mr Bob Laxton (Derby North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to improve the rate at which human organs become available for transplant.

(154358)

1344
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what accounts directions were issued by his Department in financial year (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

(156676)

1345
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list his Department's (a) executive agencies, (b) executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), (c) advisory NDPBs, (d) tribunal NDPBs, (e) trading funds and (f) public corporations in each financial year since 2005-06.

(156677)

1346
Martin Linton (Battersea):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to make a decision on the transfer of outpatient services from Bolinbroke Hospital to St John's Therapy Centre referred by Wandsworth Council.

(155826)

1347
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many junior paediatric doctors are working in the NHS by (a) headcount and (b) full-time equivalent.

(154793)

1348
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of total training posts in paediatrics in England have been filled with junior doctors in training programmes for (a) paediatricians and (b) general practice.

(154794)

1349
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of paediatric training posts were unfilled on (a) 26th July and (b) 8th October 2007.

(154795)

1350
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many international medical graduates were excluded from applying for paediatrics because they did not have highly skilled migrant programme status on 5th February 2007.

(154796)

1351
N Chris McCafferty (Calder Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has for the numbers of (a) adult neurologists, (b) paediatric neurologists, (c) learning disability specialists and (d) neuro-radiologists in the next 10 years; and whether there are targets for the number of consultants in each case.

(153972)

1352
N Chris McCafferty (Calder Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the implementation of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence epilepsy clinical guidance on the treatment of people with epilepsy with learning disabilities.

(153973)

1353
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average (a) income per patient, (b) nurse to patient ratio and (c) doctor to patient ratio was for each (i) primary care trust and (ii) hospital trust in England at the latest date for which figures are available.

(156441)

1354
Mr Andrew Mackay (Bracknell):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many press officers are employed by the National Clinical Assessment Service.

(154463)

1355
Mr Andrew Mackay (Bracknell):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many press officers are employed by the National Patient Safety Agency.

(154464)

1356
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients have been treated in each of the last three years by the Barlborough Independent Sector Treatment Centre.

(156583)

1357
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the decent homes standards are for late stage dementia sufferers in residential accommodation.

(156584)

1358
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS staff were given time off for treatment for either alcohol or drug abuse in each of the last five years.

(156672)

1359
Margaret Moran (Luton South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what percentage of his Department's staff were provided by agencies at the most recent date for which figures are available; and what the (a) average, (b) highest and (c) lowest cost was per agency staff member for the most recent period for which figures are available.

(156188)

1360
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 19th June 2007, Official Report, columns 1630-4W, on Departments: public bodies, what changes were made to the NHS Information Centre's responsibilities in each year since 2004-05; to which bodies any such responsibilities were transferred; and what the budget of the Centre was in each year.

(154014)

1361
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what district general hospitals there are in England.

(154646)

1362
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which hospitals are located in each parliamentary constituency.

(154647)

1363
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which of the key performance indicators contained within the master services agreement between Exel Europe Limited and the NHS Business Services Authority for the operation of the NHS supply chain will be published by or under the authority of his Department on an annual basis; and if he will make a statement.

(154648)

1364
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the value of the capital equipment was in the 10 prime categories signed over to DHL in the NHS supply chain contract.

(154650)

1365
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the 10 prime categories of the NHS supply chain contract are.

(154651)

1366
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 29th June 2007, Official Report, column 885W, on NHS Connecting for Health, which communications agency established the link; how much Connecting for Health has paid that agency; and which other communications agencies have had contracts with Connecting for Health, and at what value.

(154652)

1367
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 11th July 2007, Official Report, column 1552W, on Departments: pay, how many (a) civil servants are on each payscale and (b) consultants are on each banding within the Department's Commercial Directorate.

(154653)

1368
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 25th June 2007, Official Report, column 273W, on Recombinant Factor VII, what the service level is between his Department and each strategic health authority for the provision of Recombinant Factor VII.

(154654)

1369
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 11th July 2007, Official Report, column 1552W, on Departments: pay, whether the commercial directorate contractor bandings refer to rate (a) per hour, (b) per day, (c) per week, (d) per month or (e) per annum.

(154802)

1370
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the annual survey of NHS information management and technology expenditure is expected to be published.

(155864)

1371
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library the analysis his Department has undertaken into the possible effects of the independent sector treatment centre programme on NHS facilities.

(155865)

1372
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library the gateway reviews of the NHS IT programme.

(155866)

1373
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which NHS Trusts (a) paid and (b) did not pay 95 per cent. of undisputed invoices within contract terms or 30 days where no terms have been agreed in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07; and what the total value was of those invoices in each case.

(155867)

1374
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library the NHS's contract with Patientline.

(155868)

1375
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 12th June 2007, Official Report, column 1004W, on NHS: ICT, when the plan of key milestones will be completed; and how it will be made publicly available.

(156241)

1376
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when Ministers of his Department expect next to meet representatives of Consumers for Health to discuss the implementation of the Food Supplements Directive.

(156224)

1377
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Working Group meeting on EU Member States held on 24th September to discuss the setting of maximum permitted levels for nutrients in food supplements and fortified foods.

(156225)

1378
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether officials of (a) his Department and (b) the Food Standards Agency have made representations to the European Commission on the extent of the circulation of the Commission's recent orientation paper on the setting of nutrient levels for food supplements and fortified foods; and if he will make it his policy to encourage the Commission to improve the openness and transparency of its activity on the implementation of the Food Supplements Directive.

(156226)

1379
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the anticipated timetable for the setting of maximum permitted levels for nutrients in food supplements.

(156227)

1380
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what legal principles informed the contribution of the Food Standards Agency to discussions with the European Commission on the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements; and if he will make a statement.

(156228)

1381
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent contacts there have been between officials of the Food Standards Agency and their counterparts in (a) the Republic of Ireland and (b) other European Member States to discuss the setting of maximum permitted levels for nutrients in food supplements; and if he will make a statement.

(156229)

1382
John Penrose (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many photosensitive epileptic seizures caused by electronic games were recorded in (a) England and (b) the South West in each of the last five years.

(153974)

1383
Mr Greg Pope (Hyndburn):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to reply to the letter to the Minister of State (Delivery and Quality) dated 21st May from the hon. Member for Hyndburn on Mrs J. Hogan.

(153790)

1384
Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many beds there are at the Princess Royal Hospital at Telford.

(155790)

1385
Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what requests he has received from ambulance trusts for additional funding for the purchase of stab proof vests.

(155977)

1386
N Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many acute hospitals in England rapid screen elective admissions.

(156455)

1387
N Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of wards in acute hospitals in England which will need to be temporarily closed to be deep cleaned.

(156456)

1388
N Paul Rowen (Rochdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the capital and revenue costs of implementing the Healthy Futures and Making it Better proposals are over the next five years itemised by primary care trust.

(156507)

1389
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether clinical guidelines being developed by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence will take account of the possibility that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is caused by (a) dietary and (b) environmental factors.

(156510)

1390
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to initiate research into possible (a) health and (b) psychological side effects associated with the use of the drug Ritalin.

(156511)

1391
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to ensure the use of Ritalin only as part of a comprehensive programme including social, psychological and behavioural treatments as recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

(156512)

1392
John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussion the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and his Department's Implementation Working Group have had with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on the differences between the CMO's recommendations for the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in hospitalised patients and the NICE guidelines on reducing the risk of VTE in patients undergoing surgery; and if he will make a statement.

(154349)

1393
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many press officers are employed by the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

(154132)

1394
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many press officers are employed by the Food Standards Agency.

(154138)

1395
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many press officers are employed by the Health Protection Agency.

(154141)

1396
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many press officers are employed by the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health.

(154151)

1397
N Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost has been to recipient community hospitals of each scheme approved to date under the expenditure programme of up to £750 million in community hospitals and services announced in July 2006, broken down by constituency; and what the total cost of approved schemes under the programme is.

(155737)

1398
N Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many schemes and at what total cost has been approved by the end of financial year 2006-07 from the five-year expenditure programme of up to £750 million in community hospitals and services announced in July 2006.

(155738)

1399
N David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the findings of Sir John Tooke's independent review of the Modernising Medical Careers programme; and if he will make a statement.

(156448)

1400
Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the per capita Government funding provision was for health services in (a) Cornwall, (b) the South West and (c) England in each year since 1979.

(156314)

1401
Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the spending per head was on social services in (a) Cornwall, (b) the South West and (c) England in each year since 1979.

(156315)

1402
Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the impact of Professor Sir Ara Darzi's report on Central Middlesex Hospital.

(154053)

1403
Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the financial position of Central Middlesex Hospital.

(154054)

1404
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many eligible women are on waiting lists for breast screening in West Yorkshire; and how many of these have been waiting over three years for screening.

(156378)

1405
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the breast cancer re-screening rate, within 36 months is in (a) England, (b) West Yorkshire and (c) Wakefield.

(156379)

1406
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of eligible women in the Leeds/Wakefield Breast Screening area are receiving scans within the 36 month national standard.

(156380)

1407
Mr Paul Truswell (Pudsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the implementation of the National Service Framework for Long-term Conditions; and when the framework will be reviewed.

(155949)

1408
Mr Paul Truswell (Pudsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the implementation of the Government Action Plan for Epilepsy; and when the plan will be reviewed.

(155950)

1409
Mr Paul Truswell (Pudsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment his Department has made of access for patients with epilepsy; and how many patients are on the waiting list.

(155951)

1410
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the take-up rate of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine Prevenar has been since 4th September 2006.

(155841)

1411
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what studies have been commissioned into the effectiveness of Prevenar since 4th September 2006.

(155842)

1412
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to increase awareness of the Prevenar vaccine.

(155843)

1413
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what policies his Department has adopted to assist in the United Kingdom's fulfilment of the Lisbon Agenda criteria.

(155844)

1414
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what official visits he is planning to European Union member states in the next six months.

(155845)

1415
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what proportion of the documents rediscovered by his Department in 2007 relating to the safety of blood products have (a) been and (b) not been (i) publicly released and (ii) released to the Archer inquiry to date; and if he will make a statement.

(156290)

1416
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has commissioned on fibromyalgia over the last five years.

(156387)

1417
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent steps his Department has taken to raise awareness of fibromyalgia amongst (a) the general public and (b) health professionals.

(156505)

1418
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress is being made in improving NHS (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of fibromyalgia.

(156506)

1419
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has had and received on fibromyalgia.

(156544)

1420
Dr Tony Wright (Cannock Chase):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what percentage of GP practices hold (a) evening and (b) weekend surgeries.

(153852)

Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department

1421
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers in (a) Essex and (b) Southend have been the subject of complaints in each year since 1997; how many of these have been the subject of local resolution.

(156569)

1422
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average response time to 999 calls made to the police in (a) Essex and (b) Southend was in each year since 1997.

(156571)

1423
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, under what circumstances her Department awards contracts to outside organisations without undertaking a tendering process.

(154033)

1424
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department received from the disposal of information technology equipment in the last year for which figures are available; and what avenues were used for such disposal.

(154036)

1425
Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Prime Minister's statement of 25th July 2007, Official Report, columns 841-5, on national security, whether EU citizens will be regarded as foreign nationals for this purpose; whether a biometric passport is a satisfactory form of biometric ID for this purpose; and whether it will be an offence for a relevant person not to carry or be able to produce biometric ID.

(153959)

1426
Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of (a) the cost of (i) introducing and (ii) operating an identity card scheme and (b) the cost of (i) introducing and (ii) operating biometric passports.

(155996)

1427
Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the average length of time taken to bring suspects before a court in cases of (a) assault and (b) other crimes; what steps she is taking to reduce these times; and if she will make a statement.

(156214)

1428
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has had made of the safety of refugees returned to Eritrea.

(154567)

1429
Mr Brian Binley (Northampton South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps the Government has taken to tackle the incidence of driving off without payment offences in relation to petrol retail.

(156232)

1430
Lyn Brown (West Ham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of lost documentation have the Border and Immigration Agency recorded in the last 12 months.

(156340)

1431
Lyn Brown (West Ham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many complaints of lost documentation have the Border and Immigration Agency received from members of the public in the last 12 months.

(156341)

1432
Lyn Brown (West Ham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions the Border and Immigration Agency has paid compensation to members of the public for lost documentation over the last 12 months; and how much compensation was paid over that period.

(156345)

1433
Mr Jeremy Browne (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what percentage of police officers have been injured in the line of duty in each police force area in each of the last 10 years.

(156474)

1434
Mr Jeremy Browne (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of identity theft were reported to the police in each of the last 10 years; and how many of those incidents resulted in (a) an arrest and (b) a conviction.

(156475)

1435
Mr Jeremy Browne (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many security alerts were dealt with by police in each police force area in each of the last 10 years.

(156476)

1436
N Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many scouts from overseas due to attend the World Scouting Jamboree in August 2007 in Hylands Park, Chelmsford, (a) disappeared during the course of the Jamboree and (b) failed to turn up to the Jamboree after having entered the UK.

(156166)

1437
N Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many scouts from overseas who were due to attend the World Scouting Jamboree in August in Hylands Park, Chelmsford, applied for political asylum since 28th July.

(156167)

1438
N Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action has been taken by (a) the Border and Immigration Agency and (b) the police to track down those overseas scouts who entered the UK to attend the World Scouting Jamboree in August in Hylands Park, Chelmsford, and failed to turn up to the Jamboree or disappeared during the course of the Jamboree.

(156168)

1439
Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) assessment has been made of and (b) guidance her Department has issued on the use of section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 by the Metropolitan Police Service.

(156011)

1440
Lorely Burt (Solihull):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to update the national DNA database to include full postal addresses of every person who has been added onto the database.

(154364)

1441
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what targets are set for maximum waiting times at (a) EU and (b) non-EU immigration desks at (i) Heathrow, (ii) Stansted and (iii) Gatwick; and what performance was achieved agianst these targets in the most recent period for which figures are available.

(156185)

1442
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many full-time equivalent immigration officers have been employed screening incoming passsengers at (a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick and (c) Stansted in each of the last 12 months.

(156186)

1443
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many passengers have been charged with (a) terrorist and (b) other offences following security checks on departing passengers at (i) Heathrow, (ii) Gatwick and (iii) Stansted in each of the last 12 months.

(156322)

1444
N Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 10th September 2007, Official Report, column 1941W, on work permits: health professions, how many work permits were issued to doctors and nurses from foreign countries other than African states in each year from 1997 to 2006, broken down by country.

(156253)

1445
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 11th June 2007, Official Report, column 894W, on genetics: databases, what studies have been conducted by her Department on the impact of the national DNA database on black and minority ethnic communities.

(154203)

1446
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign national prisoners have been deported in 2007.

(154206)

1447
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign national prisoners were deported in each of the last 10 years.

(154208)

1448
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons it was decided to fingerprint visitors to Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre.

(154209)

1449
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in what circumstances detainees at Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre are placed in handcuffs.

(154210)

1450
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of prospective employees at Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre have been rejected in each of the last five years after being deemed unsuitable due to a background check.

(154211)

1451
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what background checks prospective employees at Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre undergo.

(154212)

1452
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 11th June 2007, Official Report, column 894W, on genetics: databases, what consultations she has had with representatives of (a) the Commission for Racial Equality and (b) black and minority ethnic communities on the use of the national DNA database.

(154297)

1453
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department last reviewed the safety of returning Tamil asylum claimants to Sri Lanka.

(154571)

1454
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many detainees in immigration detention centres went on hunger strike in each of the last five years.

(154572)

1455
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance has been issued to immigration detention centres on how to deal with those on hunger strike.

(154573)

1456
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many British citizens were extradited to Russia in each of the last five years.

(154576)

1457
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidelines she has issued on the use of fixed penalty notices.

(154716)

1458
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will review the security arrangements for bowsers which are utilised in a national emergency.

(154346)

1459
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what mechanisms are in place to ensure the accountability of the City of London Police force for its handling of business fraud cases; how many cases it successfully brought to prosecution in each of the last five years; and how many current cases it is dealing with.

(154347)

1460
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, under what circumstances US citizens with past drugs offences are not allowed to enter the UK.

(156070)

1461
Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the provisions of the UN Convention on Torture are included in the Repatriation Agreements being concluded by the UK with other countries.

(154298)

1462
Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which countries the Government is in negotiations with about a Repatriation Agreement.

(154299)

1463
Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what conditions are placed by the UK on a country before a repatriation agreement can be signed.

(154300)

1464
Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners have been deported to (a) Libya, (b) Lebanon, (c) Jordan and (d) Algeria since the Repatriation Agreement with each country was signed.

(154301)

1465
Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what monitoring of Libyan prisoners has taken place following their repatriation under the Repatriation Agreement.

(154302)

1466
Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what monitoring of Lebanese prisoners has taken place following their repatriation under the Repatriation Agreement.

(154303)

1467
Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what monitoring of Jordanian prisoners has taken place following their repatriation under the Repatriation Agreement.

(154304)

1468
Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what monitoring of Algerian prisoners has taken place following their repatriation under the Repatriation Agreement.

(154305)

1469
N Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with EU counterparts about procedures for extradition to Rwanda of suspected Rwandan genocidaires residing in Europe.

(153430)

1470
Mr Dai Davies (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Prime Minister's oral statement of 25th July 2007, Official Report, column 841, on national security, how many of the 30 known terror plots, 200 groupings or networks and 2,000 individuals have police and security services begun monitoring (a) between 11th September 2001 and 19th March 2003 and (b) since 19th March 2003.

(154375)

1471
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which Government departments provide funding for the British Transport Police.

(156353)

1472
David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to page 35 of the National DNA Database Annual Report 2005-06, whether any of the 165,099 separate individuals who have been matched with a crime scene profile since May 2001 had any previous criminal convictions.

(156038)

1473
David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals issued with control orders under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 have had their financial assets frozen.

(156300)

1474
David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals have been subject to control orders under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005.

(156301)

1475
David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals issued with control orders under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 have absconded.

(156302)

1476
David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of individuals who have been issued with control orders under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005 are British citizens.

(156303)

1477
David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been sentenced to custody for breach of an anti-social behaviour order.

(156304)

1478
David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of people who were granted a UK work permit in 2000 subsequently (a) applied for and (b) were granted settlement.

(156305)

1479
David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals residing illegally in the UK were charged with criminal offences in each year since 2002.

(156306)

1480
David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many illegal immigrants were found at each of the 57 ports of entry to the UK in each year since 2002.

(156307)

1481
David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of the 35 main ports of entry to the UK were staffed 24 hours a day by immigration officials in (a) 2003 and (b) 2006.

(156308)

1482
David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criminal offences have been created by each Act sponsored by her Department since May 1997.

(156309)

1483
David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police stations were operational in each police force area in 2006.

(156310)

1484
David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the detection rate was in 2006-07 for (a) theft and handling stolen goods, (b) fraud and forgery, (c) criminal damage, (d) violence against the person, (e) sexual offences, (f) robbery and (g) all violent crime, calculated by the methodology used to calculate the figures presented in Table 7.03 of Crime in England and Wales 2004-05.

(156589)

1485
Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much extra funding will be provided by the Government for policing provision during the Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth.

(156022)

1486
N Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of anti-social behaviour were (a) recorded and (b) detected in each London borough in 2006-07.

(153899)

1487
N Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make special arrangements to issue visas to those Iraqi nationals who have directly assisted British forces in Basra to enter the United Kingdom should they wish to do so.

(155739)

1488
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many publicly-funded CCTV cameras were installed in each London borough in each of the last five years.

(154805)

1489
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many assaults on police officers there were in London in each of the last five years.

(154809)

1490
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to the public purse was of (a) installing and (b) maintaining CCTV surveillance in London in each of the last five years, broken down by borough.

(154815)

1491
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police stations were closed in London in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

(154816)

1492
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) robberies and (b) burglaries were reported in each London constituency in each of the last five years; and how many of these resulted in convictions.

(154817)

1493
Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research studies the Government has (a) undertaken, (b) commissioned and (c) reviewed on the effect of drugs education and prevention work with young offenders on reducing levels of (i) illicit drug use and (ii) drug-related harm; and if she will make a statement.

(153884)

1494
Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research her Department has (a) undertaken and (b) commissioned into the effect of the Government's 10 year Drug Strategy on reducing availability at street level of illicit drugs; and if she will make a statement.

(153885)

1495
Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research studies the Government has (a) undertaken, (b) commissioned and (c) reviewed which compare (i) the levels of illicit drug use and (ii) the levels of drug-related harm associated with international classification/regulatory systems; and if she will make a statement.

(153886)

1496
Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research studies the Government has (a) undertaken, (b) commissioned and (c) reviewed into the impact of changing the status of a drug within the ABC classification system on (i) availability and price at street level of illicit drugs and (ii) the levels of drug-related harm; and if she will make a statement.

(153887)

1497
Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what indicators her Department uses to measure the impact of changing the status of a drug within the ABC classification system on (a) levels of illicit drug use and (ii) levels of drug-related harm; and if she will make a statement.

(153888)

1498
Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research studies the Government has (a) undertaken, (b) commissioned and (c) reviewed into the impact of the 2004 reclassification of cannabis on (i) levels of cannabis use and (ii) levels of harm from cannabis use; and if she will make a statement.

(153894)

1499
Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research the Government has (a) undertaken, (b) commissioned and (c) reviewed into the cost-effectiveness of imprisoning dependent drug users for non-violent offences.

(154332)

1500
Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans the Government has to commission research into the effect of changing the classification of illegal drugs on (a) levels of drugs misuse and (b) levels of drug-related harm.

(154339)

1501
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many press officers are employed by the Association of Chief Police Officers.

(154684)

1502
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures are in place to ensure (a) that information kept by the Criminal Records Bureau is accurate and up-to-date and (b) that the documentary evidence to support such information is properly recorded.

(154456)

1503
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the costs were of the identity card scheme in each year since 2003-04; what proportion of the set-up costs has been met from existing departmental expenditure limits; and if she will make a statement.

(154771)

1504
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the likely costs of the identity card scheme in each year up to 2012-13; what proportion of the set-up costs she expects to be met from existing departmental expenditure limits; and if she will make a statement.

(154772)

1505
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many press officers are employed by the Assets Recovery Agency.

(154735)

1506
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many press officers are employed by the Central Police Training and Development Authority.

(154736)

1507
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many press officers are employed by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner.

(154662)

1508
Damian Green (Ashford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her estimate is of the number of foreign former prisoners who will be in immigration removal centres in January 2008.

(154024)

1509
Damian Green (Ashford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign former prisoners were housed in immigration removal centres on 20th July 2007.

(154025)

1510
Damian Green (Ashford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make a statement on the Commission for Racial Equality's letter to the Border and Immigration Agency stating that the changes to the rules on highly skilled migrants were discriminatory.

(154027)

1511
N Damian Green (Ashford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received from (a) Cambridgeshire Constabulary, (b) Cambridgeshire Police Authority, (c) Lincolnshire Constabulary, (d) Lincolnshire Police Authority and (e) Right hon. Members on the effects of immigration into the region on police budgets and manpower; and if she will make a statement.

(156396)

1512
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many press officers are employed by the Security Industry Authority.

(154426)

1513
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the reasons are for the increase in the number of scientific procedures carried out on (a) goats and (b) sheep between 2004 and 2006; which establishments accounted for the greatest amount of that increase; and if she will make a statement.

(154410)

1514
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 17th July 2007, Official Report, column 766W, on imports: primates, whether the Nafovanny Breeding Centre in Vietnam has been accepted as a source of non-human primates for the UK for a further two-year period; and if she will make a statement.

(156254)

1515
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she expects to reply to Andre Menache's letters to her Department of 3rd August and 23rd August on the proposed experiments on the macaque monkey Felix at Oxford University.

(156408)

1516
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons (a) the number of scientific procedures on living animals in 2006 recorded as being for the purpose of food additives rose by 368.4 per cent. on the previous year and (b) the number of procedures recorded as being for the purpose of other foodstuffs rose by 30.2 per cent on the previous year; and if she will make a statement.

(156409)

1517
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many primates were imported into the UK for the purposes of scientific research from each other EU member state in (a) 2005 and (b) 2006.

(156410)

1518
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has for a Royal Commission on Policing; and if she will make a statement.

(156697)

1519
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make a statement on the current formula for determining the annual pay of police officers.

(156698)

1520
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many press officers are employed by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre.

(154172)

1521
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's projected spending is on advertising and promotional campaigns for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by cost relating to (i) television, (ii) radio and (iii) print media.

(155894)

1522
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which private consultancy firms (a) her Department and (b) agencies which report to her Department engaged in each of the last three years; which programmes or projects each firm worked on; and what the approximate cost to the Department or agency concerned was of each engagement.

(155899)

1523
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many drink-driving tests were carried out in the Peterborough constituency in each year since 1997.

(154070)

1524
N Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much of the Young People's Substance Misuse Partnership funding was allocated to Peterborough constituency in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

(154763)

1525
Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what work her Department is undertaking to tackle homophobic crimes.

(156447)

1526
Mr David Jones (Clwyd West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many enforcement offices of the Security Industry Authority are operational in the force area of North Wales Police.

(155962)

1527
Mr David Jones (Clwyd West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many convictions under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 for working in a licensable role without a Security Industry Agency licence were obtained against individuals resident in the force area of North Wales Police in each of the last three years.

(155963)

1528
Mr David Jones (Clwyd West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many convictions under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 for supplying unlicensed security staff were obtained against individuals resident in the force area of North Wales Police in each of the last three years.

(155964)

1529
Mr David Jones (Clwyd West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) front line and (b) non-front line licences granted under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 are held by individuals resident in the force area of North Wales Police.

(155965)

1530
Mr Fraser Kemp (Houghton & Washington East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions took place against uninsured drivers in the Northumbria Police Force area in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

(154307)

1531
Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the costs were of (a) interpretation and (b) translation in connection with police work by the Wiltshire Constabulary in each of the five most required foreign languages in each of the last five years.

(156721)

1532
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what accounts directions were issued by her Department in financial years (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

(156631)

1533
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will list her Department's (a) executive agencies, (b) executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), (c) advisory NDPBs, (d) tribunal NDPBs, (e) trading funds and (f) public corporations in each financial year since 2005-06.

(156632)

1534
Martin Linton (Battersea):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how long she expects to take to consider the case of Mr S.O. (Ref: O142114) who has applied for leave to remain under the 14-year concession but has been referred for enforcement action.

(155778)

1535
Martin Linton (Battersea):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she will consider the case of Mr O.S. (Ref S1202771), who is awaiting the re-issue of asylum refusal papers in order to make an appeal.

(155827)

1536
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions are being conducted with the Scottish Executive on the impact on, and changes necessary to, its police forces and law enforcement arrangements consequent on the Government's proposal to create a new police or border force working in the United Kingdom's ports of entry; and if she will make a statement.

(155807)

1537
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether compulsory identity cards will be introduced in (a) Jersey, (b) Guernsey and (c) Isle of Man simultaneously with the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

(155808)

1538
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prison governors have visited prisons abroad to examine their drug treatment systems.

(156495)

1539
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many farm workers from abroad overstayed their work permit in each of the last three years.

(156531)

1540
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people on the police criminal records database have neither been convicted nor voluntarily accepted a police caution.

(156688)

1541
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many employer requests for information were received for people on the police criminal records database who have neither been convicted nor voluntarily accepted a police caution in 2006.

(156689)

1542
Margaret Moran (Luton South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will list the (a) internet service providers, (b) social networking sites and (c) other IT companies which have adopted the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre's report abuse mechanism.

(155952)

1543
Margaret Moran (Luton South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many intelligence referrals on drug trafficking were (a) investigated and (b) brought to court (i) in each of the three years before the establishment of the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and (ii) by SOCA since its establishment.

(156180)

1544
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued to 10 to 17 year olds in Cambridgeshire in each year since their introduction; and how many in each year had individual support orders attached.

(153766)

1545
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued in (a) Cambridgeshire, (b) South Cambridgeshire and (c) East Cambridgeshire in each year since their introduction.

(153770)

1546
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders were breached in Cambridgeshire in each year since their introduction.

(153771)

1547
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of police officers in Cambridgeshire had the primary function of traffic policing in each of the last five years.

(153772)

1548
Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) accidental and (b) negligent discharges of firearms by police officers were reported to police forces in England and Wales in 2007.

(155978)

1549
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many minors were arrested in possession of (a) a gun and (b) a knife in each of the last three years.

(156292)

1550
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many vehicles were seized as uninsured vehicles in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many of those were subsequently destroyed or scrapped.

(156320)

1551
Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of legislation to deter violent action against research facilities that use animals in their testing.

(154373)

1552
Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to shut down the websites of the (a) Animal Liberation Front and (b) Animal Liberation Front Suppliers Group under the Terrorism Act 2006.

(154374)

1553
Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will review the effectiveness of the law on the use of blackmail in the context of the activities of protesters against research facilities that use animals in their testing.

(154378)

1554
Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received from Tesco supermarket on threatening letters received from animal rights activists; and if she will make a statement.

(154379)

1555
Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with zoos and aquariums on security protection from animal rights extremists.

(154380)

1556
Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many convictions there have been for criminal acts for which responsibility was claimed by the Animal Liberation Front.

(154381)

1557
Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to assess the effectiveness of legislation on licensing of animal experimentation.

(154382)

1558
N Paul Rowen (Rochdale):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the estimated cost of providing a unified border force is in (a) 2007 and (b) each of the next five years.

(156509)

1559
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timetable is for publication of crime detection rates by Basic Command Unit for 2006-07; and for what reason they were not published with the recorded crime statistics on 19th July 2007.

(153891)

1560
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the differences are between basic and enhanced Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checks; and what guidance has been given to public authorities on which type of CRB check should be commissioned.

(153892)

1561
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many press officers are employed by the Serious Organised Crime Agency.

(154119)

1562
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many press officers are employed by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

(154120)

1563
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the figures were for (a) violent crime and (b) gun crime in Suffolk in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2007.

(155779)

1564
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications from employers for work permits were waiting for processing to be completed on (a) 1st March and (b) 1st September; and what the average time was between (i) initial receipt of the application and despatch from the payment processing facility and (ii) completion of the payment processing and approval of the work permit on each of those dates.

(155639)

1565
Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the merits of proscribing Hizb-ut-Tahrir.

(156381)

1566
Jo Swinson (East Dunbartonshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps are being taken to prevent fake educational institutions enabling people to enter the UK posing as students.

(154511)

1567
Jo Swinson (East Dunbartonshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what protection and recourse is available for foreign students arriving in the UK who have unwittingly paid money to fake educational institutions and may not work under the terms of their student visa.

(154512)

1568
Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers there were (a) in total and (b) per 100,000 of the general population in (i) Devon and Cornwall, (ii) the South West and (iii) England in (A) 2006 and (B) 2007.

(156316)

1569
Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many recorded crimes of each type there were in (a) Devon and Cornwall, (b) the South West and (c) England and Wales in 2006-07.

(156358)

1570
Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Government funding provision was (a) in total and (b) per capita for police services in (i) Devon and Cornwall and (ii) England and Wales in each year since 1979.

(156359)

1571
Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the gross revenue expenditure for police authorities per capita was in (a) Devon and Cornwall and (b) England and Wales in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07 and (iii) 2007-08.

(156360)

1572
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how long DNA and fingerprints will be held on file for individuals who are proven to have committed no offence.

(156494)

1573
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether DNA and fingerprints may be taken from individuals who are being asked to take a breathalyser test.

(156525)

1574
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what rules apply to mobile police units on (a) carrying breathalyser kits and (b) the procedure to be followed in deciding to take citizens to the police station for breathalysing when kits are not carried; and if she will make a statement.

(156639)

1575
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether DNA records of citizens who have not been convicted of a crime are accessible by all police forces nationally; and if she will make a statement.

(156640)

1576
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether individuals not subject to charges but who were subject to a breathalyser test are entitled to (a) decline when asked to submit to fingerprinting and the taking of DNA and (b) request that the DNA and fingerprints should be destroyed.

(156641)

1577
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many DNA files are kept on citizens who have not been charged with the offence for which they were apprehended.

(156642)

1578
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what rules apply to the taking of fingerprints and DNA samples when individuals are asked to take a breathalyser test (a) at a police station and (b) in their vehicle; what differences there are between the rules in both cases; and if she will make a statement.

(156653)

1579
N Mr Paul Truswell (Pudsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what evaluation she has made of the potential abuse of accommodation address agencies by perpetrators of (a) terrorism, (b) serious organised crime, (c) fraudulent passport applications, (d) identity fraud and (e) other criminal activities.

(156595)

1580
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make a statement on the performance of the Metropolitan Police emergency call system.

(155640)

1581
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many calls were handled by the Metropolitan Police emergency call system in each month for which records are available.

(155641)

1582
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how long on average a caller to the Metropolitan Police emergency call system must wait before being answered.

(155642)

1583
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the performance of the Metropolitan Police emergency call system on 20th July 2007.

(155643)

1584
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make a statement on the theft of the telephone evidence database from Forensic Telecommunications Services Ltd.

(155644)

1585
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness and suitability of under-18 year olds serving as police community support officers; and if she will make a statement.

(155645)

1586
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police community support officers there are under the age of 18 years.

(155646)

1587
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential value to terrorist groups of the stolen telephone evidence database from Forensic Telecommunication Services Ltd.

(155798)

1588
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions officials from her Department have had with Forensic Telecommunication Services Ltd regarding the security of data processed.

(155799)

1589
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department last made an assessment of the security procedures of Forensic Telecommunication Services Ltd.

(155800)

1590
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much the Government spent on the services of Forensic Telecommunication Services Ltd in each year for which records are available.

(155801)

1591
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which Government departments and agencies had data compromised during the database robbery from Forensic Telecommunication Services Ltd; and when were those agencies informed of the theft.

(155802)

1592
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has communicated with any foreign governments regarding the theft of the telephone evidence database from Forensic Telecommunication Services Ltd.

(155803)

1593
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she next plans to assess revising restrictions on workers from Romania and Bulgaria wishing to work in the United Kingdom.

(155838)

1594
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what policies her Department has adopted to assist the United Kingdom's fulfilment of the Lisbon Agenda criteria.

(155839)

1595
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what official visits she is planning to European Union member states in the next six months.

(155840)

1596
Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many full-time equivalent (a) police officers and (b) police community support officers there are in each basic command unit.

(156668)

1597
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been added to the National DNA Database in each month since inception, broken down by (a) category of offence and (b) stage reached in the criminal justice system; and if she will make a statement.

(156284)

1598
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many samples were added to the National DNA Database in each month since it was launched; and if she will make a statement.

(156285)

1599
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of letters sent by hon. Members to the Borders and Immigration Agency have received a substantive reply within (a) three, (b) four, (c) six, (d) eight, (e) 10 and (f) more than 10 weeks; and if she will make a statement.

(156288)

1600
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) average and (b) target length of time taken between the recept of a letter by the Borders and Immigration Agency from an hon. Member and the sending of a substantive reply has been in the last period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

(156289)

1601
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress has been made towards the Prime Minister's target of deporting 4,000 prisoners of foreign origin by the end of the year; and what categories of crimes these prisoners were convicted of.

(155647)

Questions to the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission

1602
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many press officers are employed by the House.

(154146)

1603
Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many constituency office telephone accounts are settled by the Fees Office; and what estimate the Commission has made of the potential costs of the imposition of a £4.50 non-direct debit charge per account by BT.

(156488)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills

1604
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many apprenticeship places there are; how many are filled; what the equivalent figures were in 2002; and what he expects them to be in 2012.

(154091)

1605
Mr Philip Dunne (Ludlow):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what the (a) total annual remuneration and (b) average annual remuneration payable to members of each scientific advisory committee was in the latest year for which information is available.

(154359)

1606
Mr Philip Dunne (Ludlow):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many members were appointed to each scientific advisory committee in the 10 years to 31st March 2007.

(154360)

1607
Mr Philip Dunne (Ludlow):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what the cost was of each scientific advisory committee to public funds in each of the last 10 years ended 31st March.

(154361)

1608
Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many complaints were made about late student loan payments to students in 2006-07.

(153900)

1609
Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many applications for university were made by students in the London borough of Bexley in 2006-07.

(153901)

1610
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many press officers are employed by (a) Skills for Care, (b) learndirect, (c) the Basic Skills Agency and (d) the Quality Improvement Agency for Lifelong Learning.

(154676)

1611
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many press officers are employed by the Learning and Skills Council.

(154422)

1612
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, if he will estimate the fee income for higher education providers as referred to in the written ministerial statement by the then Minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education of 23rd March 2005, Official Report, columns 71-2WS, on student finance.

(154781)

1613
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many press officers are employed by the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils.

(154632)

1614
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many press officers are employed by the Patent Office.

(154728)

1615
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many press officers are employed by the Medical Research Council.

(154738)

1616
Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, which Department or agency is responsible for the operation of the UK Clinical Aptitude Test required for admission to certain medical schools; which body let the contract to the private sector for operation of the test; and which organisation successfully tendered for the contract to operate the test.

(154038)

1617
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many press officers are employed by the Office for Fair Access.

(154655)

1618
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many press officers are employed by the Natural Environment Research Council.

(154424)

1619
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many press officers are employed by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

(154480)

1620
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many press officers are employed by the Economic and Social Research Council.

(154170)

1621
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many press officers are employed by the British National Space Centre.

(154173)

1622
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many press officers are employed by the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

(154319)

1623
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what his Department's projected spending is on advertising and promotional campaigns for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by cost relating to (i) television, (ii) radio and (iii) print media.

(155881)

1624
Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, if he will make a statement on the role of vocational education in the business and administration sector.

(154186)

1625
Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, whether the Council for Administration will be required to enter into a partnership with a sector skills council as a result of implementation of the Government's response to the Leitch Review of Skills.

(154187)

1626
Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, which cross-sector standards-setting bodies are to be invited to draw up their own qualification strategies and take the lead in approving qualifications in their sector.

(154188)

1627
Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many career development loans have been issued in the last 12 months through each of the banks involved in the scheme.

(156390)

1628
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what accounts directions were issued by his Department's predecessors in financial years (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

(156624)

1629
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, if he will list his Department's and its predecessors' (a) executive agencies, (b) executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), (c) advisory NDPBs, (d) tribunal NDPBs, (e) trading funds and (f) public corporations in each financial year since 2005-06.

(156625)

1630
N John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what financial implications in terms of (a) rewards for fulfilment and (b) penalties for failure will be introduced on local authorities following the introduction in April 2008 of the duty to secure sufficient childcare for working parents.

(154312)

1631
N John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what the (a) annual budget and (b) staff complement of the new Adult Careers Service will be; and when will it be established.

(154313)

1632
Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what the total estimated annual cost is of (a) expenses, (b) salary, (c) office space, (d) administrative support and (e) special advisers for the two new ministers of state in his Department.

(154630)

1633
Mr John Spellar (Warley):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many students are enrolled in universities in England; and what percentage are from overseas.

(154693)

1634
Mr John Spellar (Warley):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what impact counterfeit goods made in China are having on British businesses.

(154694)

1635
Ms Gisela Stuart (Birmingham, Edgbaston):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to ensure full participation in the European Indicators Project by official bodies and UK assessment organisations.

(154219)

1636
Jo Swinson (East Dunbartonshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, whether student visas are issued to students wishing to study at Kelvin Business School in Glasgow.

(154513)

1637
Jo Swinson (East Dunbartonshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what criteria must be met by educational institutions to be included on the list of applicable courses for student visas.

(154514)

1638
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many and what proportion of (a) 16, (b) 17, (c) 18, (d) 16 to 18 and (e) 19 to 24 year olds of each social class were not in education, employment or training in each (i) local education authority area, (ii) region, (iii) borough and (iv) parliamentary constituency in each of the last five years.

(155624)

1639
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what television programmes have been sponsored by his Department, its predecessors and its executive agencies in each year since 1997.

(155625)

1640
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many prisoners in British prisons obtained (a) level 2 qualifications, (b) level 3 qualifications, (c) level 4 qualifications and (d) a university degree during their stay in prison in each year since 1997.

(155666)

1641
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what the total (a) private and (b) public spending on research and development was as a share of GDP in each year since 1992.

(155906)

1642
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what the unemployment rate of 18 to 24 year olds who (a) have no post-16 qualifications, (b) have A-Levels, (c) have a higher educational qualification and (d) have a further educational qualification (i) is and (ii) was in each year since 1995.

(155907)

1643
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what the average gross earnings of 25 year olds who (a) have no post-16 qualifications, (b) have A-Levels, (c) have a higher educational qualification and (d) have a further educational qualification (i) are and (ii) were in each year since 1995.

(155908)

1644
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many people have completed repayment of student loans in each year since their introduction.

(155909)

1645
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many people continued to make payments to the Student Loan Company after their loans had been repaid in each year since the SLC was established; what the mean number of months for which student loan deductions continued was in these cases; how many individuals received (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four and (e) five or more repayments; what the (i) median and (ii) mean amount repaid in total to each individual was; and what the mean size was of the individual rebates.

(155910)

1646
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many and what proportion of people making repayments towards student loans are also claiming the working tax credit or child tax credit; and how many and what proportion are higher rate payers.

(155911)

1647
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many people continued to make payments to the Student Loan Company (SLC) after their incomes had dropped below the repayment threshold in each year since the SLC was established; what the mean number of months for which student loan deductions continued after the repayer ceased to be eligible to repay was in these cases; what the mean number of months for which student loan deductions continued after the repayer ceased to be eligible to repay was; how many individuals received (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four and (e) five or more repayments subsequent to their being ineligible; what the (i) median and (ii) mean amount repaid in total to each individual was; and what the mean size was of the individual rebates made as a consequence.

(156066)

1648
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many loanees are making repayments to the Student Loans Company.

(156067)

1649
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 3rd September 2007, to the hon. Member for Reading East, Official Report, column 1756W, on graduates: debt, what estimate he has made of the impact of course choice on the average amount of time needed by (a) male and (b) female students in higher education to repay debts incurred during study.

(156242)

1650
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 3rd September 2007, to the hon. Member for Reading East, Official Report, column 1756W, on graduates: debts, what estimate he has made of the average amount of time needed by (a) students in further education and (b) university graduates to repay debts incurred during study, broken down by sex.

(156243)

1651
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 3rd September 2007, to the hon. Member for Reading East, Official Report, column 1756W, on graduates: debts, what assumptions about the (a) gender pay gap, (b) fertility, (c) nuptuality, (d) real earnings growth and (e) graduate income premium he made in calculating the average amount of time needed by graduates to repay debts incurred during study in relation to (i) men and (ii) women.

(156244)

1652
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what the targets of the Get On campaign are; and how much money has been allocated to the campaign.

(156596)

1653
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many cases of delays in repayment of loans by graduates there have been due to the Student Loans Company's administrative errors.

(156586)

1654
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many cases of delays in repayment of loans by graduates who have reached the earning threshhold for repayment there have been in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

(156587)

1655
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many complaints have been received from graduates against the Student Loans Company in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

(156588)

1656
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many higher education institutions there are in England, broken down by region.

(155654)

1657
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what percentage of young people are undertaking degrees and other advanced courses at universities.

(155655)

1658
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what the dropout rate from university courses was in each of the last 15 years.

(155657)

1659
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how much the Office of Fair Access cost in each year since it was set up; and what the budget is for the next three years.

(155658)

1660
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many students have entered into individual voluntary arrangements since their introduction.

(155659)

1661
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many students were declared bankrupt in each of the last 15 years.

(155660)

1662
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what the cost of writing off unpaid student loans was in each year since their introduction.

(155661)

1663
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what the cost of student grants was in each of the last 15 years; and what the estimated cost is for each of the next three years.

(155662)

1664
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many students graduated with a (a) first and (b) advanced degree in each of the last 15 years.

(155663)

1665
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what proportion of university students have parents in the (a) A, (b) B, (c) C, (d) C1, (e) D and (f) E social groupings.

(155792)

Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development

1666
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what aid the Government has given to help develop the Maldives in each year since 1997.

(156568)

1667
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what information his Department has on reports that six UN Development Programme staff in Burma have ben involved in corruption.

(155590)

1668
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what information his Department has about reports that UN Development Programme (UNDP) project staff in Burma have had to pay up to two months salary to UNDP national staff to retain their jobs.

(155617)

1669
Lyn Brown (West Ham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking to provide assistance to Palestinians at the Rafah border crossing.

(154592)

1670
Lyn Brown (West Ham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance his Department is providing to aid the development of water operator partnerships.

(156342)

1671
Lyn Brown (West Ham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the potential value of water operator partnerships.

(156343)

1672
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussion he has had with the (a) United Nations, (b) EU and (c) African Union on the humanitarian and economic situation in Zimbabwe; and what steps he is taking to improve that situation.

(156295)

1673
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what financial and other commitments the Government has made following the earthquake in southern Peru; and what steps he is taking to ensure that aid is received by those in need.

(156296)

1674
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what sectoral priorities the Government is supporting through aid in Iraq.

(156354)

1675
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what projects the (a) International Monetary Fund and (b) World Bank has financed in Iraq.

(156071)

1676
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what aid has been given to help those affected by the recent flooding in South East Asia.

(156072)

1677
Mr Dai Davies (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what restrictions are available to be applied to imported goods which are manufactured for United Kingdom-based retailers by workforces (a) employed under conditions that do not meet minimum International Labour Organisation standards and (b) operating in factory conditions that breach local environmental pollution regulations; and what mechanisms are in place to evaluate the working conditions of workforces abroad producing goods for import into the United Kingdom.

(156196)

1678
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much of the US$ 100 million promised to the Eastern Sudan Reconstruction and Development Fund has been delivered; and what (a) reports he has received on and (b) assessment he has made of the work of the Fund's governing board.

(153928)

1679
N Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance he made available to those countries in South-East Asia affected by the floods there.

(156375)

1680
James Duddridge (Rochford & Southend East):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many applications he received for the Governance and Transparency Fund; and whether he plans to publish a list of (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful applications.

(156068)

1681
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment his Department has made of the humanitarian situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea; and if he will make a statement.

(154056)

1682
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions his Department has had with AIDCO and ECHO on support for the work of non-governmental organisations in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

(154064)

1683
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department has taken to establish the first global roster for education in emergencies since the announcement of its establishment on 5th April.

(154366)

1684
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of the £20 million funding announced on 5th April for activities in emergency and post-crisis countries over the next four to five years will be used to fund the first global roster for education in emergencies.

(154367)

1685
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding his Department provided to the public-private infrastructure advisory facility in each year since its inception.

(154398)

1686
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding his Department channelled through the (a) World Bank, (b) International Monetary Fund, (c) United Nations and (d) World Trade Organisation in each of the last 10 years.

(154399)

1687
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding his Department has provided for water projects in the last 10 years, broken down by (a) project and programme and (b) country.

(154516)

1688
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what his Department's long-term expenditure strategy is for (a) India and (b) China; and if he will make a statement.

(155726)

1689
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether he classes India as a low-income country or a middle-income country; and if he will make a statement.

(155727)

1690
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what his Department's strategy is for (a) low-income countries and (b) middle-income countries.

(155728)

1691
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will ensure that his Department measures progress towards Millennium Development Goal 1 against malnutrition rates as well as income.

(155920)

1692
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many press officers are employed by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

(154724)

1693
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make it his policy to make a contribution of £700 million over three years to the Global Fund to fight (a) AIDS, (b) tuberculosis and (c) malaria; and if he will make a statement.

(156406)

1694
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which private consultancy firms (a) his Department and (b) agencies which report to his Department engaged in each of the last three years; which programmes or projects each firm worked on; and what the approximate cost to the Department or agency concerned was of each engagement.

(155873)

1695
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what his Department's projected spending is on advertising and promotional campaigns for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by cost relating to (i) television, (ii) radio and (iii) print media.

(155890)

1696
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what his Department's (a) administrative expenditure, (b) other current expenditure, (c) grant expenditure, (d) operating appropriations in aid (A in A), (e) capital and (f) non-operating A in A outturn, broken down in (i) near cash and (ii) non-cash terms, was for financial years 2001-02 to 2006-07.

(155997)

1697
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will break down in (a) near cash and (b) non-cash terms columns 1 to 8 of the subhead detail tables for his Department contained in the (i) main estimate, (ii) winter supplementary estimate and (iii) spring supplementary estimate for financial years 2001-02 to 2007-08.

(155998)

1698
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will list his Department 's (a) executive agencies, (b) executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), (c) advisory NDPBs, (d) tribunal NDPBs, (e) trading funds and (f) public corporations in each financial year since 2005-06.

(156648)

1699
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what accounts directions were issued by his Department in financial years (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

(156649)

1700
Judy Mallaber (Amber Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations his Department has made to urge the Congolese government to ensure that the current review process for mineral concessions and contracts in Democratic Republic of Congo is carried out effectively and transparently.

(155670)

1701
Judy Mallaber (Amber Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations his Department has made to the Congolese government in relation to the participation of civil society and parliament in the review process for mineral concessions and contracts in Democratic Republic of Congo.

(155671)

1702
Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the total estimated annual cost is of (a) expenses, (b) salary, (c) office space, (d) administrative support and (e) special advisers for the two new parliamentary under-secretaries of state in his Department.

(154627)

1703
Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much aid the UK Government gave to the government of the Philippines in the last year for which figures are available.

(155791)

1704
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the main proposed budget headings are for the £20 million funding announced on 5th April for activities in emergency and post-crisis countries over the next five years; and how much of this funding will be provided for the first global roster for education in emergencies.

(155635)

1705
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department plans to take to implement the UK's contribution to the new global roster for emergency humanitarian education services.

(156256)

1706
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when the first global roster for emergency humanitarian education services announced on 5th April will be operational.

(156257)

1707
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will list the official foreign trips which (a) he has made since July and (b) are scheduled for him to take before December.

(155852)

1708
Hywel Williams (Caernarfon):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will estimate the number of civilians affected by the situation in Darfur and unable to access humanitarian aid due to the level of insecurity in the region; and if he will make a statement.

(154696)

1709
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on sugar producers in developing countries of the implementation of the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy sugar regime.

(154542)

1710
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent representations his Department has received from African, Pacific and Caribbean countries on implementation of the reform of the Common Agricultural Sugar Policy.

(154563)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Justice

1711
Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the costs of (a) setting up and (b) operating a supreme court; and what estimate he has made of the cost of continuing the appellate function of the House of Lords.

(156651)

1712
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the cost implications of the Court of Appeal ruling that prisoners should be compensated when they are detained beyond the date on which they are eligible for parole; what estimate he has made of the number of prisoners who may fall within the terms of this ruling, broken down by period of detention beyond eligibility for parole; what steps he is taking to ensure that HM Prison Service ends this practice; and if he will make a statement.

(154342)

1713
Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoner journeys in the South West in relation to each prison were made by taxi or other private hire vehicle; and at what cost in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

(154597)

1714
Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much each prison in the South West region spent on privately contracted transportation in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07; and what proportion of this cost was represented by taxi or private hire journeys.

(154598)

1715
Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment has been made of the impact of reducing funding for the Criminal Cases Review Commission in 2007-08.

(156008)

1716
N Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 23rd July, Official Report, column 800W, on road traffic offences: prisoners release, which of the releases for motoring offences between (a) 29th June and 5th July and (b) 6th July and 31st July, were for the offences of (i) causing death by dangerous driving under section 1, (ii) dangerous driving under section 2 and (iii) causing death by careless driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs under section 3a of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

(156268)

1717
Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 4th June 2007, Official Report, column 267W, on public order offences, what data is available on the number of penalty notices for disorder issued in (a) 2006 and (b) 2007, broken down by (i) offence and (ii) police force area.

(156271)

1718
Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 8th January 2007, Official Report, column 137W, on fixed penalties, how many penalty notices for disorder have not been processed where a victim may wish to seek compensation through the criminal courts.

(156272)

1719
N Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many large video screens are available at courts in England and Wales; and at which courts are they available.

(156457)

1720
N Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the likely impact of the reduction of maintenance funding of the London Courts Service for 2007-08.

(156458)

1721
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 10th May 2007, Official Report, column 441W, on sentencing, how many of the 173 offenders referred to maintain their innocence.

(154201)

1722
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many fixed penalty notices have been issued in the last 12 months; and how many have been contested in court.

(154575)

1723
Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 30th April 2007, Official Report, column 1453W, on fines: compensation, what views were expressed by the Magistrates' Association and Justices' Clerks' Society to his Department during the consultation.

(154644)

1724
Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 20th April 2007, Official Report, column 1453W, on fines: compensation, what representations he has received on the victims' surcharge since inception; and if he will make a statement.

(154754)

1725
Philip Davies (Shipley):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the cost was of interpreters for the Tribunals Service for the last 12 months.

(154755)

1726
N Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many foreign nationals were imprisoned in each of the last five years in England and Wales.

(153312)

1727
Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what percentage of dependent drug users referred to a drug treatment and testing order or drug rehabilitation requirement successfully completed it in the latest period for which figures are available.

(154060)

1728
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there were of retailers for selling alcohol to persons under 18 years old for consumption off the premises in each of the last 10 years.

(156197)

1729
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many press officers are employed by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform.

(154679)

1730
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many press officers are employed by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

(154680)

1731
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many press officers are employed by the Office of the Information Commissioner.

(154683)

1732
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 19th July 2007, Official Report, columns 577-83W, how many of the deaths in prisons since 1997 took place in prisons that were classified as overcrowded; what assessment he has made of the effects of overcrowding on the number of deaths in prison; and if he will make a statement.

(154154)

1733
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many of the self-inflicted deaths in prisons in (a) 2006 and (b) 2007 to date occurred inside prisons that were classified as overcrowded.

(154278)

1734
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average total certified normal accommodation was of the prison estate in England and Wales in each year since 1997.

(154784)

1735
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what percentage of convictions for robberies of personal property resulted in (a) custodial and (b) community sentences in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2006.

(154558)

1736
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the cost was in 2006-07 of providing free telephone calls to foreign national prisoners.

(155723)

1737
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many press officers are employed by the Boundary Commission for England.

(154659)

1738
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many press officers are employed by the Public Guardianship Office.

(154660)

1739
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many press officers are employed by the Parole Board for England and Wales.

(154661)

1740
Damian Green (Ashford):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many foreign former prisoners were housed in young offender institutions on 20th July 2007.

(154026)

1741
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many press officers are employed by Criminal Justice Information Technology.

(154427)

1742
N Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many press officers are employed by the Judicial Communications Office for England and Wales.

(154434)

1743
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many press officers are employed by the Legal Services Commission.

(154435)

1744
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many press officers are employed by the National Archives.

(154436)

1745
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will bring forward proposals to require the parties in cases concerning the residence of children and contact arrangements with non-resident parents to attend a mediation assessment before commencing court proceedings.

(156195)

1746
Mr David Heath (Somerton & Frome):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he has taken to measure the effect of action taken to make democracy more accessible by (a) lowering the age of candidacy and (b) opening polling booths to accompanied minors in elections held in (i) England, (ii) Wales, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland in 2007.

(154308)

1747
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many press officers are employed by the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales.

(154174)

1748
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his Department's projected spending is on advertising and promotional campaigns for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by cost relating to (i) television, (ii) radio and (iii) print media.

(155895)

1749
Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Youth Justice Board's Physical Control in Care Training Manual, December 2005.

(154185)

1750
Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for what reasons construction work has not started on the new courthouse in Salisbury.

(155621)

1751
Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what arrangements he makes for the provision of healthcare services in prisons to take account of the particular needs of older prisoners.

(155615)

1752
Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the prevalence of mental health problems amongst prisoners aged 60 years and over.

(155616)

1753
Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of levels of provision of health services in prisons for older prisoners.

(155618)

1754
Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the health of older prisoners compared with (a) older people in general and (b) younger prisoners.

(155619)

1755
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people were convicted of sexual offences against children in each year from 1980-81 to 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

(153941)

1756
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will list his Department and its predecessors (a) executive agencies, (b) executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), (c) advisory NDPBs, (d) tribunal NDPBs, (e) trading funds and (f) public corporations for each financial year since 2005-06.

(156643)

1757
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what accounts directions were issued by his Department's predecessors in financial years (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

(156644)

1758
Mr Andrew Mackay (Bracknell):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many press officers are employed by the Law Commission.

(154462)

1759
Mr Andrew Mackay (Bracknell):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many press officers are employed by the Boundary Commission for Wales.

(154469)

1760
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which claims handlers have been registered by the Claims Management Regulator.

(155592)

1761
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance is provided by the Claims Management Regulator to providers of claims management services on levels of fees charged for the accessing of consumer files.

(155593)

1762
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many meetings have taken place between the Claims Management Regulator and the Law Society since April.

(155594)

1763
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what communications have taken place between the Claims Management Regulator and the Serious Fraud Office since April.

(155597)

1764
Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if the Minister with responsibility for prisons will meet the hon. Member for Bridgend and a group of interested parties to discuss the case for a footpath to be built from the A4061 to Parc Prison.

(154085)

1765
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many fixed penalty notices for disorder were issued in Cambridgeshire in each year since their introduction, broken down by category of offence; and what percentage of money was collected in (a) each category and (b) total in each year.

(153769)

1766
Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prosecutions there were for the torture of animals in each year since 2001.

(154377)

1767
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what records the Land Registry plans to collate on the number of house sale transactions that will receive the zero rate of stamp duty on zero carbon homes.

(153977)

1768
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what response he has made to the recommendation of the Electoral Commission to require local authority returning officers to check 100 per cent. of the identifiers of postal votes in election counts.

(154331)

1769
N David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 16th July 2007, Official Report, columns 141-2W, on Departments: racial harassment, how many of the 79 formal disciplinary investigations conducted in relation to the Prison Service concerned allegations made by (a) prisoners and (b) other members of staff; and how many people have been (i) disciplined and (ii) dismissed as a result of the 35 complaints that were upheld.

(152819)

1770
Mr John Spellar (Warley):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 17th July 2007, Official Report, column 270W, what the Department's estimated timescales are for the completion of the procedures referred to with (a) Jamaica, (b) Nigeria and (c) Pakistan.

(154189)

1771
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many press officers are employed by the Land Registry.

(154130)

1772
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many press officers are employed by HM Court Service.

(154131)

1773
Mr Shailesh Vara (North West Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the impact of prison overcrowding on the number of (a) prisoner suicides and self-inflicted injuries, (b) prisoner-on-prisoner and prisoner-on-prison officer assaults and (c) re-offending rates.

(153917)

1774
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many libel actions have been brought in respect of claims made exclusively on websites in each year since 1997; and how many of these were made (a) by a person or company considered to be based in the UK and (b) against a person or company considered to be based in the UK.

(155622)

1775
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many internet service providers have been subject to libel actions in each year since 1997.

(155623)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

1776
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many press officers are employed by the Northern Ireland Police.

(154720)

1777
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what his Department's projected spending is on advertising and promotional campaigns for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by cost relating to (i) television, (ii) radio and (iii) print media.

(155882)

1778
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what accounts directions were issued by his Department in financial years (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

(156616)

1779
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list his Department's (a) executive agencies, (b) executive Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs), (c) advisory NDPBs, (d) tribunal NDPBs, (e) trading funds and (f) public corporations for each financial year since 2005-06

(156617)

1780
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what responsibility for the eco-systems in and around the territorial waters of Northern Ireland are (a) devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive and (b) retained competences for the United Kingdom Government; and what the geographical boundary is of the division of responsibility between the Executive and the UK Government in respect of (i) those lochs whose waters have outlets to the sea and (ii) those lochs and other waters whose shores are shared with the Republic of Ireland.

(155824)

1781
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the UK Government is making a submission to the Northern Ireland Executive's review of domestic rates.

(153890)

1782
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 15th January 2007, Official Report, column 955W, on valuation and rating, if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter sent by the Rate Collection Agency's Chief Executive.

(153893)

1783
Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, where responsibility lies for making changes to the system of local taxation in Northern Ireland.

(154688)

1784
N David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 12th July 2007, Official Report, column 1592W, on clergy: sexual offences, whether the information submitted to the Police Service of Northern Ireland by solicitors acting on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church was in the form of full details or summaries of allegations.

(152817)

1785
N David Simpson (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answers of 25th June 2007, Official Report, columns 20-2W, on sexual offences and 10th July 2007, Official Report, columns 1398-9W, on Northern Ireland: convictions, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the conviction rate for rape being lower than for all offences; what meetings he has had with (a) the Police Service of Northern Ireland, (b) the Public Prosecution Service and (c) women's support or rape crisis groups to discuss ways of increasing the conviction rate; and what plans he has to increase the conviction rate for rape.

(152818)

1786
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Office has provided any support to other national governments dealing with community conflict.

(155828)

1787
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions officials in his Office have held with officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office regarding supporting of conflict resolution programmes overseas.

(155829)

1788
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what policies his Office has adopted to assist the United Kingdom's fulfilment of the Lisbon Agenda criteria.

(155830)

Questions to the Minister for the Olympics

1789
Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):To ask the Minister for the Olympics, what plans she has to promote and contribute towards the European Union's Memorial Day for the victims of terrorism in 2008; and if she will make a statement.

(154099)

1790
Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Minister for the Olympics, what her policy is on the use of the Red Arrows RAF flying team during the 2012 Olympics; and if she will make a statement.

(155620)

1791
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Minister for the Olympics, pursuant to the Answer of 18th July 2007, Official Report, column 363W, on the Olympic Games: Greater London, whether the role of KPMG changed once they stopped providing advice to her Department and started advising the Olympic Delivery Authority in July 2006.

(154086)

1792
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Minister for the Olympics, pursuant to the Answer of 18th July 2007, Official Report, column 363W, on the Olympic Games: Greater London, what documents KPMG provided to her Department when they stopped providing it with advice on the cost of the Olympics in July 2006.

(154089)

1793
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Minister for the Olympics, pursuant to the Answer of 9th July 2007, Official Report, column 1292W, on the Olympic Games: Greater London, how the cost review continued its work after 25th April.

(154100)

1794
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Minister for the Olympics, pursuant to the Answer of 9th July 2007, Official Report, column 1292W, on the Olympic Games: Greater London, on what areas of the Olympics budget the cost review continued to work after 25th April.

(154101)

1795
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Minister for the Olympics, pursuant to the Answer of 9th July 2007, Official Report, column 1292W, on the Olympic Games: Greater London, which (a) Ministerial and (b) official groups have taken forward the work of the Cost Review Group since 25th April.

(154102)

Questions to the Prime Minister

1796
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make it his policy to take advice from the security services on the likely effect on the incidence of terrorist events of any future UK military campaign prior to undertaking such a campaign.

(154097)

1797
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 10th July 2007, Official Report, column 1467W, if he will place in the Library a copy of the job description of his adviser on political press issues.

(154105)

1798
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Prime Minister, why he has ended the work of the Cabinet Committee on animal terrorism.

(154015)

1799
Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Prime Minister, what the total estimated annual cost is of (a) expenses, (b) salary, (c) office space and (d) administrative support for his new Parliamentary Private Secretary.

(154609)

1800
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Prime Minister, when he next plans to meet the President of Yemen.

(156277)

1801
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Prime Minister, what procedures were followed in relation to informing the Queen about the announcement of the draft legislative programme.

(154471)

Questions to the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission

1802
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission, how many press officers are employed by the National Audit Office.

(154218)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland

1803
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many letters were sent by officials in his Department to Scottish Executive departments in each month since January 2005.

(154400)

1804
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many items of correspondence were received by his Department in each month since January 2005.

(154401)

1805
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many letters he received from the First Minister in each month since January 2005; and what length of time it took for him to reply to each.

(154402)

1806
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many letters he wrote to the First Minister in each month since January 2005; and what average length of time it took for him to receive a reply in each month.

(154403)

1807
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many journeys (a) Ministers and (b) Civil Servants in his Department made between London and Scotland on official business in each month since January; and how many of these journeys were made by (i) aeroplane, (ii) train and (iii) car.

(154404)

1808
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many official visits he and his predecessor made to (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

(154442)

1809
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much his Department spent on (a) opinion polling and (b) market research in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

(154472)

1810
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much his Department has spent on newspapers, magazines and periodicals in each year since 1997.

(154635)

1811
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what his official engagements were in the week of 16th to 21st July.

(154323)

1812
Michael Gove (Surrey Heath):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what proportion of the construction costs of the Scottish Parliament building was provided from central Government funding.

(156330)

1813
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many press officers are employed by Historic Scotland.

(154160)

1814
David Mundell (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether the Government's review of the experience of new voting systems will take account of information to be reported by the current Electoral Commission's review chaired by Ron Gould of the recent Scottish elections.

(156189)

1815
David Mundell (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when the Government expects to launch the Youth Citizenship Commission, as announced in the Green Paper: The Governance of Britain; and what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive on the involvement of young people from Scotland in the initiative.

(156388)

1816
David Mundell (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has held discussions with the Scottish Executive on their Ministerial Code published in August 2003.

(156504)

1817
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many overseas meetings he (a) has attended since his appointment and (b) plans to attend in his role as Secretary of State.

(153865)

1818
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many meetings with charities and voluntary groups he has had since his appointment.

(153866)

1819
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many employees of his Department were classified as working in (a) England and (b) Scotland (i) at the last date for which figures are available and (ii) in each of the last 10 years.

(155755)

Questions to the Solicitor General

1820
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Solicitor General, how many complaints have been made against Essex Crown Prosecution Service in each year since 1997.

(156570)

1821
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Solicitor General, how many press officers are employed by the Serious Fraud Office.

(154723)

1822
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Solicitor General, how many press officers are employed by the Crown Prosecution Service.

(154139)

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

1823
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the honourable Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how many press officers are employed by the Electoral Commission.

(154162)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport

1824
N Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of (a) the extent of overbooking in the airline industry and (b) the associated levels of risk to passengers of not being allowed to travel on their pre-booked flight.

(156656)

1825
N Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that all airline passengers are made aware of the risk of not being allowed to travel on their pre-booked flight due to overbooking at the time of purchasing tickets; and if she will make a statement.

(156657)

1826
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many programmed road surface repairs there are.

(156419)

1827
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the Waste and Resources Action Programme's promotional campaign encouraging local authorities to use recycled aggregate.

(156420)

1828
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the likelihood of achieving the 2010 target for eliminating the road maintenance backlog.

(156421)

1829
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of local authorities' budgets for road maintenance are required to be allocated to road preservation.

(156422)

1830
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the current backlog of road maintenance is for strategic roads; what the estimated costs of removing the backlog are; and what the estimated time for removing the backlog is, broken down by region.

(156520)

1831
N Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 11th June 2007, Official Report, column 38WS, on drivers' hours (derogation for reservists), what steps have been taken with regard to a derogation for reservists from Regulation (EC) 561/2006; and what progress has been made in securing this change.

(156401)

1832
Mr Jeremy Browne (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many security alerts there have been at each commercial airport in the UK in each of the last 10 years.

(156477)

1833
Mr Jeremy Browne (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on how many occasions UK railway lines have been closed because of security alerts in each of the last 10 years.

(156478)

1834
Mr Jeremy Browne (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on how many occasions each London Underground station has been closed because of security alerts in each of the last 10 years.

(156479)

1835
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many security staff have been employed checking departing passengers at (a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick and (c) Stansted in each of the last 12 months; and how many departing passengers have been checked during that period.

(156323)

1836
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many items and what tonnage of material have been confiscated from departing passengers as a result of security checks at (a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick and (c) Stansted in each of the last 12 months.

(156324)

1837
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimates she has made of the percentage change in real terms of the cost of travelling using (a) domestic air services and (b) cross-country train services since 1997.

(155730)

1838
Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people were seriously injured in collisions between cyclists and pedestrians in each of the last five years.

(156426)

1839
Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of cycle helmet wearing rates; and if she will make a statement.

(156460)

1840
Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many traffic accidents there were involving cyclists in (a) Wirral South and (b) Merseyside in each of the last five years.

(156464)

1841
Mr Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency provides information about UK driving licence holders and registered owners of cars to (a) European and (b) other countries; whether there have been recent changes in policy; and if she will make a statement.

(154213)

1842
Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations she has received about the proposed congestion charge in Greater Manchester.

(154063)

1843
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what duty her Department has to report to the police or any other relevant authority if a driver assessed by the Driving Standards Agency's Driver Quality Monitoring programme is judged to be unacceptable with serious faults or unacceptable with dangerous faults.

(155923)

1844
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what STATS19 returns are; and how they are used to generate road accident casualty figures.

(155924)

1845
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many heavy goods vehicle annual safety tests were conducted by VOSA in each financial year since 2000/01; and and what percentage of heavy goods vehicles failed (a) initial and (b) final safety test in each financial year.

(155985)

1846
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many public service vehicle (PSV) annual safety tests were conducted by VOSA in each financial year since 2000-01; and how many PSVs failed their (a) initial and (b) final safety test in each financial year.

(155986)

1847
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many public service vehicles (PSVs) failed their final safety test for a reason relating to their (a) steering mechanisms and (b) braking systems; and what percentage of the number of tests conducted by VOSA on PSVs in each financial year each figure represents.

(155987)

1848
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many heavy goods vehicles failed their final safety test for a reason connected to their (a) steering mechanisms and (b) braking systems; and what percentage each figure represents of the number of tests conducted by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency on heavy goods vehicles in each year.

(155988)

1849
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) class 3 and 4 vehicles and (b) goods vehicles between 3 tonne and 3.5 tonne gross weight took an MOT test in each financial year since 2001; and how many and what percentage failed in each year.

(156051)

1850
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) private cars and light vehicles, (b) motorcyles, (c) public service vehicles, (d) trailers for heavy goods vehicles and (e) heavy goods vehicles were recalled on safety grounds in each financial year since 2000-01.

(156052)

1851
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) grade 7 equivalent and above managers, (b) testers, (c) vehicle inspectors and (d) vehicle examiners were employed in (i) the Vehicle Inspectorate and (ii) the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency in each financial year since 2000-01.

(156053)

1852
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the most recent estimate is of the number of vehicles which should have an MOT safety test but do not.

(156054)

1853
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the most recent estimate is of the number of (a) heavy goods vehicles and (b) public service vehicles which should be covered by an operators licence but are not.

(156055)

1854
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the most recent estimate is of (a) heavy goods vehicles and (b) public service vehicles which should have an annual safety check conducted by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency but do not.

(156056)

1855
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many MOT vehicle testing stations are in operation.

(156057)

1856
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many MOT vehicle testing stations were routinely inspected (as opposed to having a targeted inspection) to ensure that they complied with safety and other requirements in each financial year since 2000-01.

(156058)

1857
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the MOT Enforcement Transformation programme is; how MOT vehicle testing stations will be classified in the future; what safety checking regimes are for each class of MOT vehicle testing station; and how it was determined that the new checking regimes will work effectively.

(156059)

1858
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the Driver Quality Monitoring (DQM) programme is; how DQM assessments are conducted on bus drivers; against what scoring system drivers are assessed; and how much DQM generated for the Driving Standards Agency in each financial year since 2000-01.

(156060)

1859
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many assessments on drivers were carried out as part of the Driver Quality Monitoring (DQM) programme in each financial year since 2000-01; and how many drivers were (a) assessed as unacceptable with serious faults and (b) assessed as unacceptable with dangerous faults in each year.

(156061)

1860
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which companies hired the Driver Standards Agency to conduct driver quality monitoring in each financial year since 2000-01

(156062)

1861
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many consultants have been employed by her Department in 2006-07; how much has been paid to each consultant; and what the subject matter of consultancy for the Department was in each case.

(156063)

1862
Clive Efford (Eltham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which platforms on the North Kent lines between London and Dartford need lengthening to accommodate 12 car trains; and when she expects this work to be completed.

(154701)

1863
Clive Efford (Eltham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with Southeastern Trains on introducing 12 car trains; and if she will make a statement.

(154702)

1864
Clive Efford (Eltham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the performance of (a) Southeastern Trains and (b) the previous operator for North Kent services between London and Dartford over equivalent periods; and if she will make a statement.

(154703)

1865
Clive Efford (Eltham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the future demands for extra capacity on North Kent services between London and Dartford; and if she will make a statement.

(154704)

1866
Clive Efford (Eltham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when work will commence to install the two extra rail lines north of London Bridge to accommodate Thameslink services; and when such work will be completed.

(154705)

1867
N Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking with train operators to improve (a) ticket pricing, (b) onboard facilities and (c) punctuality.

(153313)

1868
Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many carriages are currently (a) in service and (b) out of service on the Kent Integrated Franchise.

(153898)

1869
N Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will bring forward amendments to the provisions of the transport legislation which prevent the disabled and medically disadvantaged from using public transport at discounted rates for their journeys to work at peak times.

(156567)

1870
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of how many and what percentage of the bus fleet have hybrid engines, broken down by region.

(154807)

1871
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to promote the use of low emission hybrid engines in public transport vehicles; and if she will make a statement.

(154808)

1872
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many press officers are employed by the Civil Aviation Authority.

(154554)

1873
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many press officers are employed by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency.

(154718)

1874
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many press officers are employed by the Driving Standards Agency.

(154719)

1875
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many press officers are employed by Trinity House.

(154656)

1876
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many press officers are employed by the Vehicle Certification Agency.

(154664)

1877
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many press officers are employed by the Northern Lighthouse Board.

(154666)

1878
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what rules apply to the use of bull bars on cars in the UK.

(155961)

1879
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many press officers are employed by the Office of Rail Regulation.

(154430)

1880
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many press officers are employed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

(154431)

1881
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her timetable is for the introduction of policy guidelines for stretch limousines; and if she will make a statement.

(155747)

1882
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with Network Rail on the provision of Fairtrade coffee at rail stations following the discontinuance of AMT's contract with Network Rail; and if she will make a statement.

(156407)

1883
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17th September 2007, Official Report, columns 2195-6W, on taxis: licensing, what assumptions were made about the (a) total number of currently unlicensed drivers, (b) number of vehicles, (c) number of operators and (d) average licence fees when making the estimate referred to; and how the estimate of total costs of £1 million was reached.

(155916)

1884
Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people (a) over and (b) under the age of 25 years holding a full UK driving licence were killed in road accidents whilst driving a car in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) England and Wales in each year since 1997.

(156030)

1885
Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people (a) over and (b) under the age of 25 years held a full UK driving licence in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) the UK in each year since 1997.

(156031)

1886
Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people were (a) killed and (b) injured in road accidents in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) England and Wales in each year since 1997.

(156036)

1887
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many press officers are employed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

(154163)

1888
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which private consultancy firms (a) her Department and (b) agencies which report to her Department engaged in each of the last three years; which programmes or projects each firm worked on; and what the approximate cost to the Department or agency concerned was of each engagement.

(155876)

1889
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her Department's projected spending is on advertising and promotional campaigns for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by cost relating to (i) television, (ii) radio and (iii) print media.

(155887)

1890
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if officials in her Department will meet representatives of Central Trains to discuss the possibility of providing earlier weekday and weekend services between Peterborough and Stansted Airport.

(154066)

1891
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average daily volume of traffic was between each junction of the A15 within the Peterborough City Council boundaries in each year since 1997.

(154071)

1892
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to increase railway capacity on services between Peterborough and London in terms of the number of (a) new carriages and (b) capacity for more passengers; and when the new carriages will be rolled out.

(154328)

1893
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many local authorities run night bus schemes; and if she will make a statement.

(154764)

1894
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make a statement on the progress of discussions with her counterparts in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on the prospects for mutual recognition of concessionary bus passes across the UK.

(156237)

1895
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any assessment has been made of the feasibility and cost of allowing people aged 60 and over, and eligible disabled people, to be provided with free travel on public transport around the UK; and if she will make a statement.

(156238)

1896
Susan Kramer (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) volume and (b) proportion of biofuels used in England was (i) imported and (ii) produced domestically in each of the last five years; what the equivalent estimated figures are for each year up to 2010; and what impact this had upon reducing carbon emissions from vehicles.

(154745)

1897
Susan Kramer (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of passenger journeys from (a) all English and (b) London airports in each of the last five years to (i) Paris and (ii) Brussels were undertaken by (A) air, (B) rail and (C) road.

(154746)

1898
Susan Kramer (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what legislation covers the regulation of car hire companies; and when the last review of these provisions was undertaken.

(154747)

1899
Susan Kramer (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) accidents and (b) traffic offences occurred involving hire cars in each of the last five years.

(154748)

1900
Susan Kramer (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) original estimated and (b) outturn cost was of Transport Direct.

(154749)

1901
Susan Kramer (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) estimated and (b) outturn cost of the (i) development and (ii) running of the Transport Direct portal was in the last year.

(154750)

1902
Susan Kramer (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the value for money of the Transport Direct portal over the last 12 months.

(154751)

1903
Susan Kramer (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the contribution of the Transport Direct portal to journey decisions since December 2005, with particular reference to modal shift.

(154752)

1904
Susan Kramer (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many user sessions Transport Direct recorded in each month since June 2006; and what the weekly rate of user sessions was in the most recent period for which figures are available.

(154753)

1905
Susan Kramer (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what projected central Government expenditure is per head of population for local public transport for (a) London, (b) each of the English passenger transport executive areas and (c) each of the English regions in each of the next 10 years; and what such expenditure was in each year since 2001-02.

(154804)

1906
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what accounts directions were issued by her Department in financial years (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

(156645)

1907
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will list her Department 's (a) executive agencies, (b) executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), (c) advisory NDPBs, (d) tribunal NDPBs, (e) trading funds and (f) public corporations in each financial year since 2005-06.

(156647)

1908
Mr Andrew Mackay (Bracknell):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many press officers are employed by Passenger Focus.

(154465)

1909
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the outcome was of the review of those airports which are not designated for police purposes; and if she will list those airports where the police presence continues to be funded by the local police authority.

(155805)

1910
N Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Safety Inspectorate last inspected c2c's platform capacity at Limehouse Station during peak travel times; and if she will make a statement.

(156394)

1911
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make a statement on the investigation of the runway subsidence incident at Derry City airport on 8th August 2007; and what the conclusions of the investigation were.

(156712)

1912
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on the removal of six roundabouts on the A1 in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.

(156690)

1913
Mr Brooks Newmark (Braintree):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance her Department provides to bus operators on the priority to be given to users of pushchairs and wheelchairs when there is insufficient room in a vehicle to carry both.

(156160)

1914
Mr Brooks Newmark (Braintree):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance her Department provides to bus operators on the safety implications of the carriage of more than one (a) wheelchair user and (b) pushchair per vehicle; and if she will make a statement.

(156161)

1915
Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was raised in fines from traffic cameras in Cambridgeshire in each of the last five years; and how much of the money raised was spent on road safety in each year.

(153765)

1916
John Penrose (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many extra carriages First Great Western will receive out of the recently announced national total of 1,300; and what change there has been in the number of carriages on the First Great Western Franchise since 1997.

(155787)

1917
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her most recent estimate is of the number of uninsured vehicles on British roads; and what assessment she has made of trends in numbers of uninsured vehicles.

(156319)

1918
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what percentage of (a) male and (b) female car driving licence holders have unendorsed licences.

(156554)

1919
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment the Government has made of the top speeds of the most popular cars currently using British roads and of trends in the advertised top speeds of vehicles sold in the UK.

(156555)

1920
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what planning assumptions have been made about the likely growth in freight volumes through the port of Liverpool.

(156556)

1921
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what percentage of cars on British roads were electric or hybrid vehicles (a) 10 years ago and (b) at the most recent date for which figures are available.

(156557)

1922
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what checks her Department makes on non-British drivers who work with a valid licence as taxi drivers in the UK.

(156558)

1923
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her most recent estimate is of the level of public spending needed to complete the Crossrail.

(156559)

1924
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate the Government has made of the numbers of cloned or false number plates being used on British roads.

(156560)

1925
Mr John Randall (Uxbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of safety at (a) manned and (b) unmanned mainline rail stations.

(154743)

1926
Mr John Randall (Uxbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the merits of manned mainline rail stations during operating hours.

(154744)

1927
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on which (a) motorways and (b) trunk roads the Highways Agency used (i) water containment and (ii) pumps to respond to floods since the beginning of June 2007.

(153841)

1928
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which stretches of motorways were closed in June and July 2007 because of floods.

(153842)

1929
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which railway lines had services cancelled owing to flooded lines in June and July 2007.

(153851)

1930
Mr Lee Scott (Ilford North):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to reduce the number of illegal minicab drivers operating in (a) London and (b) England.

(153873)

1931
Mr Lee Scott (Ilford North):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with (a) the Mayor of London's office and (b) Transport for London on the access of private hire vehicles to bus lanes.

(153874)

1932
Mr Lee Scott (Ilford North):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with the Transport Occupational Command Unit regarding (a) the number of crimes committed by illegal minicab drivers and (b) proposed measures to reduce the number of illegal minicabs operating in London.

(153876)

1933
Mr Lee Scott (Ilford North):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what projections have been made of the number of taxi drivers that will be operating in London for each of the next five years.

(153877)

1934
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to ensure that the successful bidder for the Inter City East Coast franchise includes in their operations a major commitment to environmental sustainability; and what measures have been taken to ensure that such a commitment is an objective when awarding other new rail franchise contracts.

(155729)

1935
Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many reported contaminated air events there were in each of the last five years, broken down by aircraft type.

(154090)

1936
Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how compliance with Civil Aviation Authority guidance on the use of oxygen masks in air contamination incidents is monitored and enforced.

(154324)

1937
Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on links between ill health among air crew and fumes released from aircraft.

(154325)

1938
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many press officers are employed by the Highways Agency.

(154125)

1939
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many press officers are employed by the British Transport Police.

(154134)

1940
Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations she has received on the environmental impact of plans to increase the water displacement of ferries between Lymington and Yarmouth; and if she will make a statement.

(156383)

1941
Paddy Tipping (Sherwood):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many fatal accidents where a medical condition was a contributory factor were recorded in each of the last five years.

(153750)

1942
Mr Mike Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many meetings have taken place between her Department and the Scottish Executive's (a) Marine Directorate and (b) Transport Directorate since May regarding the devolution of further powers for the Scottish Parliament under UK marine legislation.

(155754)

1943
Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what revenue the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency received from its use of 0870 numbers in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(156670)

1944
N Jeremy Wright (Rugby & Kenilworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance is issued by the Department of Transport to highway authorities on consulting people with disabilities before the construction of traffic calming measures.

(156582)

1945
Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average waiting times are during rush hour of vehicles on the A249 going to Maidstone from the Sittingbourne or Sheppey direction at the Junction 5 roundabout.

(155917)

1946
Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the re-design and signalling of the Stockbury roundabout at Exit 5 of the M2 cost.

(155918)

1947
Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Highways Agency has made of the safety of Exit 5 of the M2.

(155919)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales

1948
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, who will be liable for the cost of the damage caused by the polluting of Brofiscan Quarry in South Wales.

(154583)

1949
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the cost of the damage caused by the polluting of Brofiscan Quarry in South Wales.

(154584)

1950
John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what representations he has received about the polluting of Brofiscan Quarry in South Wales.

(154585)

Questions to the Minister for Women

1951
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Minister for Women, what assessment she has made of the extent and causes of Iraqi women and children who have become refugees being forced into prostitution; what action the UK Government is taking in this regard; and if she will make a statement.

(156087)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

1952
N Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people expected to receive local housing allowance in 2008; and if he will make a statement.

(156403)

1953
N Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with local authorities on the provision of advice on the roll out of the local housing allowance in 2008.

(156404)

1954
N Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what additional financial resources will be made available to (a) local authorities and (b) advice agencies for the provision of advice on the roll out of the local housing allowance in 2008.

(156405)

1955
Ms Celia Barlow (Hove):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons foreign companies are permitted to send non-EU workers to the UK for short-term projects; and if he will make a statement.

(156179)

1956
N Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans hehas to ensure that no disabled people are subject to compulsory redundancies as a result of changes announced by the management of Remploy; and if he will make a statement.

(156654)

1957
Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many males will lose their eligibility for winter fuel payments on account of the linked rise in the state pension age for women in each year from 2010 to 2020; what the expected minimum age for resultant saving is to public funds; and what minimum age for eligibility for winter fuel payouts to persons of both sexes will be set after state pension age is harmonised.

(155748)

1958
Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of successful claims for state retirement pension was made (a) by telephone interview, (b) by personal interview, (c) by post and (d) online in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

(156385)

1959
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total value is of the contracts the Child Support Agency (CSA) has with external debt collectors; how much has been paid to date under such contracts; with which debt collectors the CSA has contracts; how many cases they are handling; what the average debt outstanding on transfer to the external debt collectors is; how many cases they have successfully recovered outstanding debt from (a) in full and (b) in part; and what average sum has been recovered.

(155937)

1960
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how may work-focused interviews have been booked with lone parents whose youngest child is aged 11 or over in the last 12 months; how many lone parents whose youngest child is 11 or over (a) moved into work and (b) came off benefits in each of the last 12 months; how many sanctions for failing to attend a work-focused interview were applied to lone parents whose youngest child is aged 11 or over in each of the last 12 months.

(155938)

1961
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the impact on pensioner poverty if take up of council tax benefit were 100 per cent.

(155942)

1962
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the impact on child poverty of raising to 74.6 per cent. the employment rate for lone parents whose youngest child is aged 11 years or over.

(155943)

1963
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the impact on pensioner poverty of raising the level of the basic state pension to the level of the guarantee credit; and what assumptions he has used about the take-up of income-related benefits in coming to this estimate.

(155947)

1964
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 17th September 2007, Official Report, columns 2283-4 on employment: pensioners; how many of those working beyond retirement age (a) gave financial reasons as the explanation for continuing to work and (b) said they would prefer not to work.

(155990)

1965
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will give a break down of the number of people in employment in the UK who were (a) UK citizens, (b) citizens of other EU states and (c) citizens of non-EU states in each year since 1971.

(155993)

1966
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will discuss with ministerial colleagues steps to facilitate easier access to judicial review for parents owed money via the Child Support Agency.

(154042)

1967
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will consider the merits of establishing a separate credit bank social fund for low earners; and if he will make a statement.

(154092)

1968
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will consider the merits of improving arrangements to facilitate multi-agency mentoring and follow-through for hard-to-help families with multiple problems; and if he will make a statement.

(154096)

1969
Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of adults of working age were claiming incapacity benefits in (a) each Welsh unitary authority, (b) each English region, (c) Wales, (d) Scotland and (e) Northern Ireland in (i) 1997, (ii) 2001, (iii) 2005 and (iv) at the latest date for which figures are available.

(155634)

1970
Mr Dai Davies (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the likely impact of proposed reductions in staffing of the Child Support Agency (CSA) on the effectiveness of the CSA and its successor the Child Maintenance and Support Commission.

(155614)

1971
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many personal injury claims by members of the public from local authorities were reported to his Department, in accordance with the Social Security (Recovery of Benefits) Act 1997, in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

(153857)

1972
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his most recent estimate is of the number of people claiming benefits with no entitlement (a) accidentally and (b) on purpose; and if he will make a statement.

(155929)

1973
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much fraudulently-claimed benefits money was successfully reclaimed by his Department and its associated agencies in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(155930)

1974
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the total amount of benefit money claimed with no entitlement (a) on purpose and (b) accidentally in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(155931)

1975
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are employed by his Department solely for the purpose of detecting and investigating fraudulent benefit claims.

(155932)

1976
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many charges of benefit fraud were made in each of the last five years for which figures are available; how many such charges resulted in a prosecution in each year; and how many such prosecutions were successful in each year.

(155933)

1977
N Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many national insurance numbers were in existence in (a) Cambridgeshire and (b) the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 tax years.

(156442)

1978
N Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of people in (a) Cambridgeshire and (b) the United Kingdom who hold National Insurance numbers and have made National Insurance contributions have made the required level of contributions to qualify for the basic state pension during each of the last 10 tax years.

(156500)

1979
Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many national insurance numbers were issued to residents of Bexleyheath and Crayford in 2006-07.

(153897)

1980
N Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cases of housing benefit fraud have been detected and resolved using the (a) Benefit Fraud Inspectorate, (b) Housing Benefit Matching Service, (c) remote access terminals and (d) Anti-Fraud Incentive Scheme.

(154765)

1981
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many press officers are employed by the Pensions Regulator.

(154685)

1982
N Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) people and (b) people in families with children live in households with below 40 per cent. of median income.

(153426)

1983
Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many press officers are employed by the Disability Rights Commission.

(154561)

1984
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will introduce a system in his Department for the collection of information on child poverty at county level.

(154766)

1985
N Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what (a) meetings and (b) correspondence has taken place between his Department and Cornwall County Council on joint delivery of services at a local level.

(154769)

1986
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many press officers are employed by the Pension Protection Fund.

(154722)

1987
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many press officers are employed by the Women's National Commission.

(154657)

1988
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many members of the Earlys of Witney Pension Scheme had been approached by the Financial Assistance Scheme to offer them compensation before 20th July 2007.

(154663)

1989
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what (a) areas and (b) parliamentary constituencies the Deprived Areas Fund applies to; how much the fund is; and what its purpose is.

(154669)

1990
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, where the seven pilot schemes for the New Deal Plus for Lone Parents are taking place; in which parliamentary constituencies they are taking place; how long the pilots will last; and what criteria will be used to evaluate their effectiveness.

(154670)

1991
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency cases have been outstanding for more than (a) one year and (b) five years.

(154671)

1992
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria are used to measure the effectiveness of the access to work programme.

(154672)

1993
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures he has put in place to track the amount of benefits paid erroneously to illegal immigrants.

(154286)

1994
Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his estimate is of the number of occupational pension schemes in the UK which (a) have completed wind-up and (b) are in the process of winding up; what proportion began wind-up after 2nd May 1997 in each case; and what his estimate is of the number of members of such schemes.

(154287)

1995
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what mechanisms are in place to assess the likely effect of proposed legislation on people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

(153751)

1996
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many disabled people are resident in the UK; what mechanisms are used to estimate that figure; and if he will make a statement.

(153752)

1997
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 17th September 2007, Official Report, columns 2281-2W, on disability living allowance, whether a decison by a customer to begin work amounts to change in circumstances; and to what extent such a decision affects eligibility for disability living allowance or the amount awarded.

(155653)

1998
Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) women and (b) single parents were unemployed in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) the UK in each year since 1997.

(156032)

1999
Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were in receipt of disability living allowance in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997.

(156715)

2000
Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were claiming incapacity benefit in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997.

(156716)

2001
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which private consultancy firms (a) his Department and (b) agencies which report to his Department engaged in each of the last three years; which programmes or projects each firm worked on; and what the approximate cost to the Department or agency concerned was of each engagement.

(155875)

2002
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department's projected spending is on advertising and promotional campaigns for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by cost relating to (i) television, (ii) radio and (iii) print media.

(155888)

2003
Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many National Insurance numbers were issued to non-UK citizens living in (a) Peterborough constituency and (b) the Peterborough City Council area in each year since 1997, broken down by nationality.

(154072)

2004
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the outcome was of his investigation of the feasibility of collecting information on the cost of housing benefit paid to households renting properties formerly owned by local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

(154050)

2005
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in respect of how many pensions the UK Pension Service submitted papers to the International Pension Service in 2006; and, of these, how many people received their overseas pension entitlements within four months.

(156411)

2006
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to (a) register private agreements for child maintenance and (b) set standards, monitor and enforce such private registration; and if he will make a statement.

(154610)

2007
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the proportion of HM Revenue and Customs gross income data which will be (a) less than one year out of date, (b) more than one year out of date and (c) more than two years out of date when calculating child maintenance under the new Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission; and if he will make a statement.

(154619)

2008
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the new maintenance assessment under the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is designed to compensate for the costs of raising children; how the formula has been derived; and if he will make a statement.

(154620)

2009
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether any of the main objectives of the planned Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission will be to collect the arrears of child maintenance owed to parents with care; and if he will make a statement.

(154623)

2010
Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will bring forward plans to allow the courts to make child maintenance orders without the agreement of both parents where the courts are dealing with other financial aspects of divorce or separation; and if he will make a statement.

(154626)

2011
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what account directions were issued by his Department in financial years (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

(156618)

2012
Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list his Department's (a) executive agencies, (b) executive Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs), (c) advisory NDPBs, (d) tribunal NDPBs, (e) trading funds and (f) public corporations for each financial year since 2005-06.

(156619)

2013
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what period of time the Child Support Agency Midlands Business Unit retains recordings of telephone calls from members of the public.

(154642)

2014
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of telephone calls to his Department from members of the public are recorded for training purposes.

(154643)

2015
Ian Lucas (Wrexham):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will extend eligibility to carer's allowance to allow a carer to receive carer's allowance in respect of more than one individual in the same household.

(153756)

2016
N John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much of the Department's expenditure and what percentage is directed towards contracted provision.

(154314)

2017
N John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of contracted provision being delivered by a private sector provider for which his Department is responsible was won against a public sector bid; and what the value is of such private contracts.

(154315)

2018
Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total estimated annual cost is of (a) expenses, (b) salary, (c) office space, (d) administrative support and (e) special advisers for the new parliamentary under-secretary of state in his Department.

(154629)

2019
N Anne Moffat (East Lothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Department is taking to enable the recovery of historical debt of non-resident parents by the new Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.

(156491)

2020
N Anne Moffat (East Lothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on what criteria were Remploy factories selected for closure.

(156492)

2021
Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on what dates the Scotland Forum of the Regional Change Implementation Programme Executives has met; and if he will make a statement.

(154180)

2022
Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government plans to increase the number of staff manning the Jobcentre Crisis Loan helpline; and if he will make a statement.

(154181)

2023
Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time was that a caller to the Jobcentre Crisis Loan helpline had to wait before the call was answered in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(154182)

2024
N Paul Rowen (Rochdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with disabilities were on employment programmes in 2007; and what the Department's targets for obtaining jobs for people with disabilities was.

(156508)

2025
N Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs created since 1997 which have been filled by immigrants, asylum seekers and foreign nationals who have arrived in the UK since 1997.

(154368)

2026
Mr John Spellar (Warley):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what definition his Department uses of habitual residence for the purpose of claiming benefit; and what definition is used in other European Economic Area states.

(154695)

2027
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many press officers are employed by the Health and Safety Executive.

(154135)

2028
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many press officers are employed by the Commission for Racial Equality.

(154143)

2029
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what grants have been made to local authorities to fund local pensioner forums in each of the last three years.

(156273)

2030
Mr Graham Stuart (Beverley & Holderness):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to simplify the applications process for incapacity benefits; and if he will make a statement.

(155956)

2031
Mr Graham Stuart (Beverley & Holderness):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to reduce the length of time an applicant for incapacity benefits has to wait until they receive their benefits; and if he will make a statement.

(155957)

2032
Mr Graham Stuart (Beverley & Holderness):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons a general practitioner many not attend an appeal hearing with their client with repsect to an application for incapacity benefits; and if he will make a statement.

(155958)

2033
Mr Graham Stuart (Beverley & Holderness):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of applications for incapacity benefits were successful in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

(155959)

2034
N David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria are used by the Pensions Service to dispatch claim forms for winter fuel allowance to people who will be aged 60 by the end of the qualifying week.

(156658)

2035
N David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what systems are in place to ensue accurate information-sharing between his Department and the Pensions Service; and if he will make a statement.

(156659)

2036
Mr Ian Taylor (Esher & Walton):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many widows in receipt of widow's pension prior to their 60th birthday have failed to claim their state retirement pension.

(155750)

2037
Mr Ian Taylor (Esher & Walton):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Pension Service takes to provide information to widows to claim state retirement pension at 60 years.

(155751)

2038
Mr Ian Taylor (Esher & Walton):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information is available to the public in the form of leaflets on the switching process between widow's pension and state retirement pension.

(155752)

2039
N Mr Paul Truswell (Pudsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what evaluation he has made of the abuse of accommodation address agencies by perpetrators of (a) benefit fraud and (b) other criminal activity relating to the responsibilities of his Department.

(156593)

2040
N Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12th September, Official Report, column 2101W, on basic pensions, if he will estimate how many women aged (a) 60, (b) 61, (c) 62, (d) 63, (e) 64, (f) 65, (g) 66, (h) 67, (i) 68 and (j) 69 years are receiving pensions based on a contribution record of between 61 and 98 per cent.

(156267)

2041
N Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to paragraph 14 of the report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on the National Insurance Fund Account 2003-04, (HC 197, 2004-05), what criteria were used to determine which people over state pension age should receive letters from his Department; and how many were (a) men and (b) women.

(156402)

2042
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of worklessness among the under 25s since 1997 .

(156440)

2043
Mike Wood (Batley & Spen):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many new Disability Living Allowance claims were processed between April 2006 and January 2007; how many were (a) rejected, (b) rejected or reduced following medical evidence and (c) appealed, broken down by the result of the appeal.

(155900)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform

2044
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what criteria were used in determining solicitors' fees for coal health claims in the (a) CSG and (b) UDM Vendside agreements.

[Transferred] (156575)

2045
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many surviving Bevin Boys he estimates there to be.

[Transferred] (156585)

2046
Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many complaints Ofcom has received in the last 12 months from customers relating to contract cancellation fees levied by British Telecom in (a) the North West and (b) the UK.

[Transferred] (156199)

2047
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what assessment he has made of the level of protection afforded to consumers from copycat branding; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (153777)

2048
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will introduce legislation to enable companies to address grievances relating to copycat branding through the civil courts; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (153778)

Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

2049
N Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what percentage of people in (a) Cambridgeshire and (b) the United Kingdom who have been informed that their National Insurance contributions do not meet the required level to qualify for the basic state pension in each of the last 10 tax years have made voluntary Class 3 National Insurance contributions up to the level required to qualify for the basic state pension.

[Transferred] (156499)

2050
N Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what percentage of people in (a) Cambridgeshire and (b) the United Kingdom who hold National Insurance numbers have made National Insurance contributions during each of the last 10 tax years.

[Transferred] (156501)

2051
Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people were registered as disabled in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997; and how many of those registered were in employment in each case.

[Transferred] (156714)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families

2052
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whether the planned extra expenditure on services aimed at young people will be ring-fenced; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (155733)

2053
Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much funding has been provided to Bournemouth through the Respect budget; and for what purposes.

[Transferred] (156190)

2054
Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will assess the effectiveness of the on-line system used by the Graduate Teacher Training Registry, with particular reference to its effectiveness in (a) processing and (b) tracking applications.

[Transferred] (155656)

Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

2055
Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what consultations were undertaken before the decision was made to move the Defence Export Services Organisation into UK Trade and Investment.

[Transferred] (156170)

2056
David Mundell (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what role he expects the devolved administration in Scotland to play in relation to the Government's National Security Strategy and National Security Committee.

[Transferred] (156545)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

2057
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what applications she has made to the European Union for funding in relation to 2007 UK flood damage; what asessment she has made of applications by other European states for equivalent funding; and what funding she has secured from the European Union for such purposes.

[Transferred] (156276)

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

2058
Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to exercise his powers pursuant to section 4(3) of the Sustainable Energy Act 2003 to give an energy efficiency direction to some or all of those energy conservation authorities that have achieved energy efficiency improvements in their domestic housing stock of less than 20 per cent. for the period 1st April 1996 to 31st March 2006; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (154082)

2059
Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made towards achieving the target laid down in section 217 of the Housing Act 2004 to ensure that by 2010 the energy efficiency of residential accommodation in England should increase by 20 per cent. compared with 2000; what progress was made in each year since the Act came into force; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (154098)

2060
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what total funds were available for flood recovery across all Government departments for (a) the County of Gloucestershire, (b) the Borough of Tewkesbury, (c) the City of Gloucester and (d) the Cotswolds District.

[Transferred] (155859)

2061
Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the level of public satisfaction with local authority waste collection services in areas with (a) alternate weekly collections and (b) weekley collections.

[Transferred] (155700)

2062
Jo Swinson (East Dunbartonshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to investigate the capture and use of gas produced from landfill for (a) use as a fuel and (b) electricity generation.

[Transferred] (156039)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

2063
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment has been made of the likely impact of the EU Reform Treaty on UK military operations.

[Transferred] (154255)

2064
Jo Swinson (East Dunbartonshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what rationale supported the decision to require applications from Ukraine for settlement in the UK to be submitted by appointment only.

[Transferred] (154508)

2065
Jo Swinson (East Dunbartonshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what mimimum notice period may be given of appointments to submit applications for settlement in the UK from Ukraine.

[Transferred] (154509)

2066
Jo Swinson (East Dunbartonshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what consideration is given to the distances that have to be travelled to attend appointments, when giving notice of appointments to submit applications for settlement in the UK from Ukraine.

[Transferred] (154510)

2067
Stephen Williams (Bristol West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many Iraqi (a) child and (b) adult civilian casualties there have been since March 2003.

[Transferred] (156671)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Health

2068
Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the change in revenues of public houses in England since the introduction of the ban on smoking in public places; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (156172)

Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department

2069
Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many bicycles have been confiscated from offenders under the provisions of the Police Reform Act 2002.

[Transferred] (156465)

2070
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12th September 2007, Official Report, columns 2159-61W on foreign workers, if she will give a break down by nationality of (a) work permit holders with leave to enter for employment for 12 months or more and their dependants and (b) work permit holders with leave to enter for employment for less than 12 months and their dependants.

[Transferred] (155991)

2071
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what response the Government has made to the representations of Amnesty International for the UK and US to provide resettlement programmes for Iraqis who have fled their homes since 2003.

[Transferred] (156081)

2072
N Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with her French and Belgian counterparts on the search for and prosecution of suspected Rwandan genocidaires residing in those countries.

[Transferred] (153428)

2073
N Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to encourage other EU governments to arrest suspected Rwandan genocidaires residing in their countries.

[Transferred] (153429)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills

2074
Mr Philip Dunne (Ludlow):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff work at the Institute of Animal Health facility at Pirbright; how many building and other contractors have been working there during 2007; what bio-security measures are in place to prevent risk of disease transmission by employees, students or contractors; and what other security checks are carried out in respect of individuals with access to the site.

[Transferred] (156573)

2075
Mr Philip Dunne (Ludlow):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, whether redundancy notices were issued to staff at either facility at Pirbright prior to the first foot and mouth disease outbreak; what assessment he has made of the adequacy of staffing levels at the facilities; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (156574)

2076
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, if he will list the instances of overspill from the Compton site of the Institute for Animal Health into (a) the River Pang and (b) the local sewerage works in each of the last five years.

[Transferred] (155781)

2077
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, if he will list the contractors employed as part of the process of maintenance at the Compton and Pirbright sites of the Institute for Animal Health in each of the last five years.

[Transferred] (155784)

2078
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, on how many occasions Category 3 drains at the Compton and Pirbright sites of the Institute for Animal Health flooded due to storm water in each of the last five years; and whether in each case there was a back-up of potentially contaminated water into areas that should have been bio-secure.

[Transferred] (155785)

2079
Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what assessment he has made of the impact of attaining (a) a level 2 qualification, (b) a level 3 qualification and (c) a degree in prison has on reoffending rates.

[Transferred] (155665)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Justice

2080
Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the proportion of convicted criminals released through the early release scheme who go on to re-offend; what plans he has to review the operation of the early release scheme; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (156212)

2081
Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent estimate he has made of spare capacity in the prison system; what plans he has to build new prisons; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (156213)

2082
Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, following the implementation 1st April 2007 of Section 145 of the Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004, what the total amount outstanding is of surcharge payments.

[Transferred] (155814)

2083
Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many fixed penalty orders were given nationwide to cyclists found cycling (a) on the pavement, (b) in the dark without lights and (c) through red traffic lights in (i) 2006, (ii) 2005 and (iii) 2004.

[Transferred] (156462)

2084
Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make a statement on the Passenger Name Record system and the agreement with the US for the handing over of personal data; what restraints or limitations of use or storage of such data (a) are binding under the agreement and (b) are expected by the agreement but are not binding; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (156065)

2085
David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence under section 146(1) of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 since 1st January 2004.

[Transferred] (156299)

2086
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many drivers were given endorsements for driving while using a hand-held mobile phone for each month since the offence came into force.

[Transferred] (156528)

2087
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many drivers were given endorsements for speeding offences in the last five years for which data are available.

[Transferred] (156529)

2088
Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many drivers have lost their licences through disqualification under the penalty points system in the last five years for which data are available.

[Transferred] (156530)

2089
Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) people (i) over the age of 60, (ii) over the age of 25 and (iii) under the age of 25 years, (b) men and (c) women holding a full UK driving licence were convicted of (A) speeding offences and (B) dangerous driving in (1) Jarrow constituency, (2) South Tyneside, (3) the North East and (4) England and Wales in each year since 1997.

[Transferred] (156037)

2090
Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people (a) over and (b) under the age of 25 who did not hold a full UK driving licence were convicted of dangerous driving offences in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) the UK in each year since 1997.

[Transferred] (156662)

2091
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which asylum seekers resident in Birmingham, Selly Oak constituency have had cases heard by judges (a) Illyas Khan and (b) J, involved in the Roselane Driza case.

[Transferred] (156386)

2092
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners received regular methadone in the last 12 months.

[Transferred] (156532)

2093
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners received prescribed Bupranorhine in the last 12 months.

[Transferred] (156533)

2094
John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners received prescribed Natraxone in the last 12 months.

[Transferred] (156534)

2095
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what percentage of prisoners discharged at the end of their sentence (a) went into temporary accommodation and (b) were of no fixed abode in the most recent period for which figures are available.

[Transferred] (156293)

2096
Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prosecutions for the use of cloned or false number plates there were in each of the last three years.

[Transferred] (156321)

2097
N John Robertson (Glasgow North West):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent discussions he has had with cabinet colleagues on proposals for legislative reform of the House of Lords.

[Question Unstarred][Transferred] (156074)

2098
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) parenting orders, (b) parenting contracts and (c) anti-social behaviour orders were initiated in Milton Keynes in each year since their introduction.

[Transferred] (155669)

2099
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much has been spent housing prisoners in facilities in Cardiff court buildings (a) in total and (b) in each month in 2007; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (156286)

2100
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times facilities in Cardiff court buildings have been used to house prisoners overnight in each month in 2007; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (156287)

Questions to the Minister for the Olympics

2101
Mr John Spellar (Warley):To ask the Minister for the Olympics, if she will make a statement on the involvement of the Red Arrows in the Olympic ceremonies in 2012.

[Transferred] (156006)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport

2102
Mr Brian Binley (Northampton South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential contribution of mandatory use of tamper-proof number plates to the reduction of vehicle registration plate theft; and if she will make a statement.

[Transferred] (156231)

2103
Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people (a) over and (b) under the age of 25 who did not hold a full UK driving licence were killed in a road accident whilst driving a car in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) the UK in each year since 1997.

[Transferred] (156660)

2104
Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people (a) over and (b) under the age of 25 who did not hold a full UK driving licence were injured in a road accident whilst driving a car in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) the UK in each year since 1997.

[Transferred] (156661)

2105
Anne Moffat (East Lothian):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to ban ship-to-ship oil transfer in the Firth of Forth; what recent assessment the Government has made of the risks to the environment of spillage from such transfers; what contingency plans are in place for such circumstances in the area; and if she will make a statement.

[Transferred] (156265)

2106
Mr Siôn Simon (Birmingham, Erdington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to promote walking and cycling strategies for young people, with particular reference to schemes other than the school journey.

[Transferred] (153757)

2107
Mr Siôn Simon (Birmingham, Erdington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which local authorities have implemented public transport discount schemes for those aged 18 years and under.

[Transferred] (153759)

2108
Mr Siôn Simon (Birmingham, Erdington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that the views of those aged 18 years and under are taken into account in the consultation on the draft Transport Bill.

[Transferred] (153762)

2109
Mr Siôn Simon (Birmingham, Erdington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance she has issued to local authorities on the financing of public transport discount schemes for young people.

[Transferred] (153840)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

2110
N Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress is being made on reducing the complexity of benefits acting as a barrier to work.

[Question Unstarred] (156116)

© Parliamentary copyright 2007
Revised 8 October 2007