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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Monday 21 January 2008
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 21 January 2008
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Monday 21 January 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 21 January of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Monday 21 January see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 1
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how much was paid by his Department and its predecessor to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Capita Group plc in each year from 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if he will make a statement. | | (180697) | 2
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement. | | (180563) | 3
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, which UK Trade and Investment offices outside the EU will see (a) a reduction in staff levels and (b) closure in the next 12 months. | | (180652) | 4
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what the cost was of UK overseas regional trade offices in the last period for which figures are available. | | (180653) | 5
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what assessment he has made of the effect of the proposed closure of the Bootle Rolls-Royce factory on the manufacturing capacity of the region. | | (181149) | 6
| Mr Dai Davies (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, whether the analysis of the potential contribution of nuclear power for reducing carbon emissions, set out at paragaphs A5-A12 of Annex A to the White Paper on Nuclear Power, Cm 7296, includes an assessment of carbon emissions accruing from (a) uranium mining, milling, processing and environment, (b) the construction and decommissioning of nuclear power plants and (c) the management of radioactive waste arising from nuclear power plants. | | (180938) | 7
| Mr Dai Davies (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, pursuant to the Answer of 14th January 2008, Official Report, column 975W, on nuclear power stations: coastal areas, if he will place in the Library copies of the research report on flood threat to nuclear plants; and what the web addresses are of each document. | | (180984) | 8
| Mr Dai Davies (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what definition his Department uses of remote in the context of paragraph 3.58 of the White Paper on Nuclear Power, Cm 7296. | | (180997) | 9
| Philip Davies (Shipley): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what communication has occurred between (a) the Secretary of State and (b) other members of his Department and BSkyB, News International or any News Corporation controlled company following BSkyB's acquisition of a 17.9 per cent. stake in ITV; and what form this communication has taken in each case. | | (180998) | 10
| Philip Davies (Shipley): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, whether his Department has been contacted by BSkyB, News International or any other News Corporation controlled company during the past four weeks in relation to the Competition Commission's final report into the BSkyB acquisition of a 17.9 per cent. stake in ITV published on 20th December 2007. | | (180999) | 11
| Philip Davies (Shipley): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, whether his Department has been contacted by BSkyB, News International or any other News Corporation controlled company during the past four weeks in relation to the Competition Commission's final report sent to him on 14th December 2007. | | (181000) | 12
N | Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what the Certification Officer's statutory responsibilities are in relation to trade unions; and what legislative provisions govern them. | | (180174) | 13
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what research he has undertaken into the likely effects of the proposed post office closures on rural and semi-rural areas. | | (177877) | 14
N | Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, when he expects to post on his Departmental website the written submissions received to the consultation on nuclear energy policy held in 2007; and if he will list those individuals and organisations that made submissions, but requested their content not to be published by the Department. | | (180450) | 15
N | Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, with reference to paragraph 2.93 of the White Paper on Nuclear Power, Cm7296, by what (a) percentage and (b) amounts the Government has authorised the Health and Safety Executive to increase salary levels of the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate's nuclear inspectors; how these changes in remuneration were arrived at; and whether there has been any effect on recruitment as a result of the new payment package. | | (180451) | 16
| Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what effect the transfer of responsibility for defence trade promotion from the Defence Export Services Organisation to UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) will have on the number of (a) UK and (b) overseas staff employed by UKTI; and if he will make a statement. | | (180807) | 17
| Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many of UK Trade and Investment's overseas staff are provided by (a) his Department and (b) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and if he will make a statement. | | (180811) | 18
| Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, which countries have seen an (a) increase and (b) decrease in UK Trade and Investment staff in the context of the July 2006 five year strategy on prosperity in a changing world; and if he will make a statement. | | (180812) | 19
| Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, in which countries in UK Trade and Industry's overseas network staff reallocations took place in the financial years (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08 to date; what further reallocations are planned in (i) 2007-08 and (ii) 2008-09; and if he will list these changes. | | (180813) | 20
| Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what conclusions have been reached on the scope for raising the UK's trade profile in (a) Malaysia, (b) Qatar, (c) Singapore, (d) South Korea, (e) Thailand and (f) Vietnam, as set out in the July 2006 five year strategy on prosperity in a changing world; and if he will make a statement. | | (180815) | 21
| Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what changes have been made to the overseas network of UK Trade and Industry to deliver the increase in the UK profile in (a) China, (b) India, (c) Brazil, (d) Indonesia, (e) Mexico, (f) Russia, (g) Saudi Arabia, (h) South Africa, (i) Turkey and (j) the United Arab Emirates as set out in the July 2005 five year strategy on prosperity in a changing world; and if he will make a statement. | | (180817) | 22
N | Charles Hendry (Wealden): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what estimate he has made of the percentage of UK electricity which will be supplied from renewable sources in each year until 2015. | | (180282) | 23
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what recent consideration his Department has given to the introduction of new bank holidays. | | (181010) | 24
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what measure is used to calculate the annual uprating of the buyout price under the renewables obligation; and when the price will next be uprated. | | (181020) | 25
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will place in the Library the results of the work of Dr Tim Stone on nuclear new build decommissioning and long-term waste management cost allocation. | | (181021) | 26
| Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, when he will reply to the letter of 2nd December 2007 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs Quiligottee, transferred by HM Treasury. | | (181078) | 27
| Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what (a) public and (b) private/public sector partnership support is available to small and medium-sized enterprises in South Wiltshire. | | (180947) | 28
| Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, on how many occasions each of the designated representative bodies under the Enterprise Act 2002 have used the supercomplainer procedures. | | (181200) | 29
| Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, on how many occasions each of the designated representative bodies under the Enterprise Act 2002 has declined to act upon a consumer request to invoke supercomplainer powers in cases of alleged consumer detriment. | | (181201) | 30
| Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what procedures his Department has in place to assess the performance of designated representative bodies under the Enterprise Act 2002. | | (181202) | 31
| Mr Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what best practice guidance his Department has issued to representative bodies designated under the Enterprise Act 2002 on communication with consumers who have sought advice on obtaining redress under the Act. | | (181203) | 32
| Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what recent discussions he has had with Ministers at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the energy needs of rural households. | | (180760) | 33
| Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): 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. | | (180761) | 34
| Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what steps his Department is taking to assist rural communities without access to the mains gas network. | | (180762) | 35
| Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what steps he is taking to assist rural households living in fuel poverty that are not connected to the mains gas network. | | (180763) | 36
| Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what steps his Department is taking to assist households not connected to the mains gas network which have high energy bills. | | (180764) | 37
| Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what steps he is taking to encourage a competitive energy market in the bottled gas and oil sector for households that are off-network. | | (181164) | 38
| Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will hold discussions with energy suppliers on reducing the number of power outages in Shropshire. | | (180614) | 39
N | Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will provide a breakdown of Ecuador's debt to the Export Credits Guarantee Department rescheduled in the Paris Club. | | (180328) | 40
N | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, when the Minister of State will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire dated 20th November 2007, about people whose assets place them on the margins of eligibility for state aid. | | (180321) | 41
N | David Taylor (North West Leicestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, whether the Government's forthcoming response to the metering and billing consultation will refer to the creation of a market for smart enabled meters. | | (180591) | 42
N | David Taylor (North West Leicestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what submissions he has received on the potential inclusion of provision of smart meters in the recently published Energy Bill; and if he will make a statement. | | (180592) | 43
N | David Taylor (North West Leicestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, when the Government will publish its response to the recent consultation on metering and billing in relation to energy supplies. | | (180598) | 44
| Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will publish the guidance given to the Coal Authority on the (a) licensing and (b) commercial exploitation of its data. | | (180945) | 45
| Mark Williams (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many bankruptcies there were in Wales since 1990, broken down by industry group. | | (180767) | 46
| Mark Williams (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many households in each (a) region and (b) local authority do not have access to mains gas; and if he will make a statement. | | (181069) | 47
| Mark Williams (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what percentage of homes are within 100 yards of a mains gas supply, broken down by (a) region and (b) local authority. | | (181070) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 48
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was paid by his Department to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Capita Group plc in each year from 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if he will make a statement. | | (180692) | 49
| Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, out of which Departmental budget the cost of the 2011 Census will be met. | | (180520) | 50
| Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what work the Office of National Statistics has done on assessing the likelihood of people completing a (a) four page and (b) three page census form. | | (180521) | 51
| Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether a question on carers will be included in the 2011 Census. | | (180522) | 52
| Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost of adding an extra page to the 2011 Census form. | | (180523) | 53
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement. | | (180576) | 54
| Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of employees in the UK with a salary of more than £40,000. | | (180980) | 55
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many days in each year people of non-domiciled tax status may spend in the UK without altering their status; and what arrangements his Department has to monitor the time such individuals spend in the UK. | | (180845) | 56
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the likely effect of developments in US financial markets on the economy of the United Kingdom over the next 12 months. | | (180625) | 57
N | Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on lone parents and mini-jobs; and if he will make a statement. | | (180102) | 58
| Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects to make a substantive reply to Question 175652, on advice on Northern Rock, tabled by the hon. Member for Sevenoaks on 17th December 2007. | | (181104) | 59
N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to increase the 40p per mile tax free allowance which employees using their own cars may claim if undertaking legitimate business activities. | | (180504) | 60
N | Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the level of fraud arising from tax credit claimants claiming to be living alone when living as part of a couple. | | (180821) | 61
| Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) total and (b) average value is of consolatory payments made since April 2003 to tax credits claimants who have appealed against a decision of the HM Revenue and Customs. | | (180842) | 62
N | Justine Greening (Putney): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the balance of the National Insurance Fund was in excess of the minimum balance required in relation to benefit spending in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. | | (180104) | 63
N | Justine Greening (Putney): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate was made by the Government Actuary of the minimum balance required in the National Insurance Fund in relation to benefit spending in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. | | (180105) | 64
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects to bring forward proposals for legislation on protection of bank depositors. | | (180742) | 65
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he last met representatives of Ofgem to discuss energy prices. | | (181004) | 66
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department issues advice to other Government departments on which inflation measure to use to uprate their items of revenue and expenditure. | | (181005) | 67
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) data and (b) physical security measures have been introduced at HM Revenue and Customs offices in Tyne and Wear since October 2007. | | (181008) | 68
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects to bring forward proposals for legislation (a) on bank insolvency and (b) to implement the Market Abuse Directive. | | (181024) | 69
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what targets have been set for the time taken to respond to complaints about tax credits sent to (a) the Tax Credit Office and (b) Treasury Ministers. | | (181026) | 70
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the take-up rate for tax credits was in each constituency in (a) Hampshire, (b) Southampton and (c) Portsmouth in each of the last three years. | | (181027) | 71
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cost of the Adjudicator's Office was for the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available. | | (181028) | 72
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the cost of recovering overpayments of tax credits. | | (181038) | 73
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total annual administrative costs of the Tax Credit Office were for the most recent period for which figures are available; and what proportion of those costs related to (a) processing claims, (b) dealing with inquiries and (c) resolving complaints. | | (181088) | 74
| Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will reply to the letter of 3rd December 2007 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs Mavis George. | | (181076) | 75
| Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will reply to the letter of 4th December 2007 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Rodney Perrin. | | (181077) | 76
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason HM Revenue and Customs has failed to respond to requests for information from the Information Commissioner's Office in relation to case ref. number FS50164499 on behalf of the hon. Member for Yeovil; and if he will make a statement. | | (181122) | 77
| Mr Elliot Morley (Scunthorpe): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will assess the merits of including double-glazed units meeting new part L building standards in the list of energy-saving products that qualify for reduced VAT; and if he will make a statement. | | (180584) | 78
| Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received on a proposed windfall tax on energy supplers. | | (181125) | 79
N | Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward proposals to amend the legislative provision for childcare support received through working families tax credit to allow those in training or further education to have time spent in study taken into account. | | (180206) | 80
N | Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will review the number of hours parents are required to work before they are eligible to receive child care support through working families tax credit. | | (180207) | 81
| Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many deaths there were which mentioned diabetes on the death certificate in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) age cohort and (b) primary care trust area; and if he will make a statement. | | (180519) | 82
N | Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Office for National Statistics' most recent estimate is of the number and proportion of children who live apart from their (a) father and (b) parents. | | (180109) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 83
N | Adam Afriyie (Windsor): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what (a) curricular and (b) extra-curricular programmes his Department is supporting to encourage the study of science at key stages 3 and 4. | | (179583) | 84
N | Adam Afriyie (Windsor): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much his Department spent on promoting the study of science, technology, engineering and mathematics at key stage 3 in each year since 1997. | | (179584) | 85
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much was paid by his Department to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Capita Group plc in each year from 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if he will make a statement. | | (180669) | 86
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what meetings (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials have held with (i) directors and (ii) senior executives of (A) Capita Group plc and (B) its subsidiaries since 1st January 2001; what the (1) location and (2) duration of each meeting was; whether a record of each meeting was kept; and if he will make a statement. | | (180711) | 87
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what support is made available from central government funds for examination officers; at what grades they are employed by local authorities; what arrangements are in place for (a) their continuing professional development and (b) the monitoring of standards; what steps he has taken to ensure recruitment and retention to support the introduction of diplomas; and if he will make a statement. | | (181016) | 88
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much was allocated to support the work of SureStart in London in each year since inception, broken down by London constituency. | | (180600) | 89
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many free nursery places have been provided in London in each of the last 10 years. | | (180604) | 90
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what percentage of children in each school in London receive free school meals. | | (180607) | 91
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many and what percentage of children met the Government's literacy and numeracy targets in each London borough in each of the last five years. | | (180608) | 92
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement. | | (180564) | 93
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what assessment he has made for the potential for public confusion between the Adult Numeracy and Key Skills Adult Numeracy qualifications. | | (180644) | 94
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whether any examination dates were set for students after they had finished term and left school in 2007. | | (180645) | 95
| Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will bring forward proposals to establish an independent regulator of examination standards. | | (180646) | 96
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much capital funding has been allocated to Sefton Council for new school facilities in addition to standard capital allocations in each year since 1993; and how much of such funding has been allocated to Formby. | | (181150) | 97
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what per pupil funding was in Sefton in each year since 1993 in (a) real and (b) cash terms; and if he will make a statement. | | (181151) | 98
| Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Central Ayrshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many children from the traveller community are registered for primary education in England and Wales. | | (181006) | 99
| Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Central Ayrshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many children from the traveller community are registered for secondary education in England and Wales. | | (181009) | 100
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what recent representations he has received on the registration of Tyndale Academy. | | (180561) | 101
N | Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, when he will reply to Question 173812, on the Opening Minds curriculum, tabled by the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton on 10th December 2007. | | (180586) | 102
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, when he plans to publish the curriculum specification for the diploma qualifications in (a) Construction and Built Environment, (b) Information Technology, (c) Creative and Media, (d) Society, Health and Development and (e) Engineering at the (i) Foundation Diploma level, (ii) Higher Diploma level and (iii) Advanced Diploma level. | | (180799) | 103
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of school leavers from academy schools entered (a) employment and (b) other educational establishments upon leaving in the latest period for which figures are available; and what is the comparative average figure for other types of school. | | (181032) | 104
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what were the 10 subjects most frequently studied to GCSE level in each category of school in the last period for which figures are available; and how many students studied each subject. | | (181033) | 105
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what his policy is towards supporting summer internships by (a) school children and (b) school leavers. | | (181034) | 106
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what his policy is on work experience at schools. | | (181036) | 107
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps his Department has taken pursuant to the conclusions of the March 2007 European Council on the further development of policies to promote the role of young people during their transition from school to working life. | | (181037) | 108
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the 10 types of work experience placement most frequently attended by schoolchildren were in the last year for which figures are available. | | (181084) | 109
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what elements of the Youth in Action programme are operating in the UK. | | (181086) | 110
N | Mark Hunter (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps his Department is taking to increase parental awareness of dyslexia and other special educational needs. | | (180072) | 111
N | Mark Hunter (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much was spent on children with (a) special educational needs and (b) dyslexia in (i) Cheadle constituency and (ii) Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council area in each of the last five years. | | (180073) | 112
N | Mark Hunter (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whether his Department has any plans to provide dyslexia screening for all school children. | | (180074) | 113
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what his latest projections are of pupil numbers in (a) secondary schools and (b) primary schools in each local authority area in each year until 2025; what pupil numbers were in each category in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement. | | (180688) | 114
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many (a) primary and (b) secondary pupils received a (i) permanent exclusion and (ii) temporary exclusion in the last 10 years, broken down by age. | | (181121) | 115
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, pursuant to the Answer of 16th January 2008, Official Report, column 1272W, on Geronimo Communications, what information his Department holds on any payments made by Geronimo Communications other than to departmental bank accounts; and if he will make a statement. | | (181123) | 116
| Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps are being taken to safeguard effective rural school provision. | | (181156) | 117
| Joan Ryan (Enfield North): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many teachers have been employed in Enfield North constituency in each of the last 10 years; and how many were employed in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools. | | (180936) | 118
| Joan Ryan (Enfield North): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many teaching assistants have been employed in the London Borough of Enfield in each of the last 10 years; and how many were employed in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools. | | (180937) | 119
| Mr Graham Stuart (Beverley & Holderness): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what estimate he has made of the number of 11 and 16 year olds who were functionally illiterate in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. | | (180786) | 120
| Mr Graham Stuart (Beverley & Holderness): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much was spent on average per pupil in (a) state schools and (b) private schools in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. | | (180787) | 121
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what discussions he has had with officials on changes to numbers of teaching staff resulting from the reorganisation of schools on the Isle of Wight. | | (180732) | 122
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, who would be responsible for funding for redundancies arising from the reorganisation of schools on the Isle of Wight. | | (180733) | 123
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what estimate he has made of the cost of redundancy payments brought about by the reorganisation of schools on the Isle of Wight. | | (180734) | 124
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whether his Department has conducted a study of the effect of the reorganisation of schools on the Isle of Wight on the number of road miles driven and car journeys made to travel to schools. | | (180735) | 125
N | Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what recent representations he has received on the conduct of special needs investigations in (a) the Kent County Council and (b) the Swale Borough Council areas; what guidance his Department has issued on the conduct of such investigations by local authorities; and if he will make a statement. | | (180456) | Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 126
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how much was paid by his Department to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Capita Group plc in each year since 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if he will make a statement. | | (180690) | 127
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement. | | (180562) | 128
N | James Duddridge (Rochford & Southend East): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, on what dates the Ministerial sub-committee on sustainable development in Government has met since May 2005; how long each meeting lasted; and whether there are plans to place sustainable development in Government under the responsibility of a Cabinet sub-committee. | | (177516) | 129
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what information is published in respect of meetings of (a) Cabinet committees' and (b) Cabinet sub-committees' (i) dates of meeting, (ii) attendees and (iii) decisions taken; and if he will make a statement. | | (180673) | 130
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will initiate an investigation into whether any breaches of the Civil Service Code occurred in relation to movements in the political betting market on 6th October 2007 on the date of any future general election. | | (180639) | 131
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what definition of lobbying is used by the Committee on Business Appointments; and if he will make a statement. | | (181080) | 132
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, whether Tony Blair has sought access to Government papers for work on his memoirs; and if he will make a statement. | | (181081) | 133
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what the Civil Service grade is of the person responsible for decisions on what to archive from the No 10 Press Office. | | (181082) | 134
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what his Department's policy is on (a) destroying, (b) retaining and (c) archiving files in the Press Office at No 10 Downing Street. | | (181173) | 135
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will make it his policy to enable clients contacting Government agencies to do so by telephone without charge. | | (179598) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 136
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much was paid by her Department and its predecessor to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000; which contracts were awarded by her Department to Capita Group plc in each year since 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if she will make a statement. | | (180709) | 137
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what meetings (a) she, (b) Ministers in her Department and (c) officials have held with (i) directors and (ii) senior executives of (A) Capita Group plc and (B) its subsidiaries since 1st January 2001; what the (1) location and (2) duration of each meeting was; whether a record of each meeting was kept; and if she will make a statement. | | (180710) | 138
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by her Department and its agencies; and if she will make a statement. | | (180580) | 139
| Mr Geoffrey Cox (Torridge & West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what modelling her Department has undertaken on migration patterns affecting coastal towns; and what account has been taken of that modelling in formulating Government policy in relation to those towns. | | (180650) | 140
| Mr Geoffrey Cox (Torridge & West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what progress has been made in establishing a cross-departmental working group to examine coastal towns. | | (180655) | 141
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent steps the Government has taken to update and improve the quality of social housing in the West Midlands. | | (178467) | 142
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many times planning decisions have been made contrary to the Environment Agency's advice on flood risk in the latest period for which figures are available. | | (181109) | 143
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance she has issued to planning inspectors on the account to be taken of flood risk in planning appeals in the last six months. | | (181110) | 144
N | Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what criteria govern the re-organisation of local government; when they were established; and what changes there have been to them since December 2007. | | (180204) | 145
N | Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate of the cost of the re-organisation of Cheshire County Council has been made by her Department; and if she will publish the information on which this estimate is based. | | (180205) | 146
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many firefighters, following injury (a) retired and took their pensions due to injury, (b) were re-employed within the Fire Service in other roles and (c) left the Fire Service without their pension, in each of the last five years. | | (180809) | 147
| Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the number of home information packs commissioned on properties in the London Borough of Bexley since such packs were introduced. | | (180905) | 148
| Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many households were on waiting lists for housing in each London borough in each of the last three years for which figures are available. | | (180906) | 149
| Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what her most recent assessment is of the health implications of siting mobile telephone masts in the vicinity of schools; on what information she bases that assessment; and if she will make a statement. | | (180668) | 150
N | John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what advice has been given to fire and rescue authorities on pre-planning for major hazards and incidents since the Buncefield fire in December 2005. | | (180173) | 151
N | John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance has been given to fire and rescue authorities since the Buncefield fire in December 2005 on the exchange of information on risk assessments between fire and rescue authorities and other agencies. | | (180175) | 152
| Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to promote rural towns as desirable places to set up and expand businesses. | | (181160) | 153
| Mr Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Coldfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what resources have been given to the Minister for the West Midlands to enable him to perform his duties. | | (180766) | 154
N | Mr Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Coldfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what visits the Minister for the West Midlands has made to organisations in the region since assuming the role in June 2007. | | (180825) | 155
N | Mr Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Coldfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what progress has been made on arrangements for the accountability of regional Ministers to the House throughout the creation of select committees. | | (180826) | 156
N | Mr Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Coldfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what support her Department provides for the Minister for the West Midlands in pursuit of his regional responsibilities. | | (180827) | 157
| Mr Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Coldfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many press releases the Minister for the West Midlands has issued in his capacity as a regional Minister since he was appointed. | | (180839) | 158
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the cost of Bedfordshire County Council's campaign to become a unitary authority to date; how much she expects to be spent in total; and how much these figures represent per council tax payer. | | (181063) | 159
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when the report on the fraud investigation into Bedfordshire Citizen Partnership will be available; and if she will make a statement. | | (181064) | 160
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the likely effect on housing need if the Right to Buy policy is extended to registered social landlord tenants; and if she will make a statement. | | (181099) | 161
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many possession orders were (a) suspended and (b) dismissed relating to properties owned by (i) registered social landlords and (ii) local authority housing departments because of non-payment of housing benefit by local authorities in the latest period for which figures are available. | | (181100) | 162
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what was (a) the rate of household council tax and (b) the percentage change from the previous year this represented for each of the last 10 years for (i) Bedfordshire County Council, (ii) South Bedfordshire District Council and (iii) Luton Borough Council. | | (181120) | 163
| Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to assist rural households on planning issues in relation to alternative sources of energy and microgeneration. | | (181163) | 164
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what charges the Fire and Rescue Service may make for pumping water out of commercial premises which have flooded; and if she will make a statement. | | (180524) | 165
| Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many homeless households have been accepted as being in priority need under the category of A person who is vulnerable as a result of having been a member of Her Majesty's regular naval, military or air forces in each year since its introduction in the Homelessness (Priority Need for Accommodation) (England) Order 2002. | | (181106) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 166
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much was paid by his Department to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Capita Group plc in each year from 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if he will make a statement. | | (180703) | 167
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what meetings (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials have held with (i) directors and (ii) senior executives of (A) Capita Group plc and (B) its subsidiaries since 1st January 2001; what the (1) location and (2) duration of each meeting was; whether a record of each meeting was kept; and if he will make a statement. | | (180704) | 168
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement. | | (180565) | 169
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effects on the cultural and creative sectors in Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency of the decision of the Northern Rock Foundation to cease co-funding of arts and heritage projects in partnership with Government agencies from 2008-09. | | (180202) | 170
| Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many (a) operating licences, (b) premises licences and (c) personal licences the Gambling Commission withdrew in each year since October 2005. | | (181052) | 171
| Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much his Department has spent on leasing property in each of the last three years. | | (181094) | 172
| Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the declared party political affiliations are of members of the boards of (a) the National Lottery distributors, (b) non-departmental public bodies and (c) agencies within the responsibilities of his Department. | | (181142) | 173
| Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will hold discussions with ITV on its provision of news and current affairs programmes for Wales. | | (180657) | 174
| Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much held by each of the National Lottery distribution bodies has not been drawn down as at the most recent date for which figures are available. | | (180636) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 175
| Adam Afriyie (Windsor): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many nationals of Commonwealth countries serving in the British armed forces have not been permitted to remain in the UK upon returning from active duty in theatre in the last 10 years. | | (181140) | 176
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much was paid by his Department to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year (a) from 2000 to 2003 and (b) since 2005-06; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Capita Group plc in each year since 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if he will make a statement. | | (180701) | 177
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what meetings (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials have held with (i) directors and (ii) senior executives of (A) Capita Group plc and (B) its subsidiaries since 1st January 2001; what the (1) location and (2) duration of each meeting was; whether a record of each meeting was kept; and if he will make a statement. | | (180702) | 178
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Government expects all service accommodation to be at an acceptable standard at the planned rate of improvement. | | (180111) | 179
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13th December 2007, Official Report, column 774W, on Defence Equipment and Support Organisation: finance, what the reasons are for the difference between the expenditure figure provided against financial year 2006-07 and that declared on the home page of the Defence Equipment and Support Organisation's website. | | (180318) | 180
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 17th December 2007, Official Report, column 1035W, on Defence Equipment and Support Organisation: manpower, what the reasons are for the difference between the figures relating to staff numbers provided in the Answer and those on the Defence Equipment and Support Organisation's homepage. | | (180453) | 181
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement. | | (180566) | 182
| Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 14th January 2008, Official Report, column 878W, on Armed Forces: Training, if he will list each type of aeroplane and helicopter from which British service personnel have made airborne jumps in the last five years. | | (181204) | 183
| Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Government contributed to NATO's (a) civil budget, (b) military budget and (c) Security Investment Programme in each year since 1997. | | (181205) | 184
| Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many armed forces personnel received specialist pay for (a) flying, (b) diving, (c) submarine, (d) nuclear propulsion, (e) submarine escape tank training, (f) hydrographics, (g) mountain leadership, (h) parachutes and (i) high altitude parachutes in each year since 1997. | | (181206) | 185
| Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many armed forces personnel awarded British Military Parachute Wings (a) received and (b) did not receive parachute pay in each year since 1997. | | (181207) | 186
| Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK armed forces personnel were deployed on operations at the most recent date for which figures are available, broken down by location of deployment. | | (181208) | 187
| Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many high altitude (a) high and (b) low opening training airborne jumps have been conducted by British service personnel in each year since 2001. | | (181209) | 188
| Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the UK's contribution to NATO common funding was allocated to NATO's (a) civil budget, (b) military budget and (c) security investment programme in each year since 1997. | | (181210) | 189
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much was spent on basic literacy and basic mathematics education in each year since 2000 by (a) the Royal Navy, (b) the Royal Air Force and (c) the Army. | | (180797) | 190
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has been made of the flood risk to the (a) High Security Area, (b) Nuclear Licensed Site Area and (c) remainder of the site at AWE Burghfield; what flooding has occurred at the site since July 2007; what representations he has received from the Environment Agency since that time; and if he will make a statement. | | (181048) | 191
| Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Atomic Weapons Establishment manufactured (a) any new Trident warheads and (b) any new plutonium pits in 2007. | | (181065) | 192
| Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Atomic Weapons Establishment plans to end the production of (a) new Trident warheads of the current design and (b) new plutonium pits of the current design. | | (181066) | 193
| Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what provision of the continuing education allowance for service children forms part of the forces covenant; and if he will make a statement. | | (181067) | 194
| Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the policy on continuing education allowance for service children was last reviewed; and when the policy will next be reviewed. | | (181068) | 195
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on the levels of annual pay increases for members of the armed forces in each year of the Comprehensive Spending Review period. | | (181018) | 196
| Mrs Joan Humble (Blackpool North & Fleetwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) men and (b) women registered as born in the Republic of Ireland serve in the (i) Army, (ii) Royal Navy, (iii) Royal Marines and (iv) Royal Air Force as (A) commissioned officers and (B) other ranks; and what the equivalent figures were in each of the last 10 years. | | (181161) | 197
N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library copies of board of inquiry reports into deaths of armed services personnel in Afghanistan which occurred in September 2006; and if he will make a statement. | | (180071) | 198
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 14th January 2008, Official Report, columns 887-8W, on Prince William, whether Prince William's training will enable his transfer to an operational commission unit for (a) fast jet, (b) multi-engine and (c) rotary wing aircraft. | | (181166) | 199
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the amount of compensation paid by the German government for British prisoners of war of the Second World War. | | (180278) | 200
| Mr Denis MacShane (Rotherham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the implications for UK defence policy of France's decision to create a military base in the Strait of Hotmuz. | | (180602) | 201
| Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the (a) quality and (b) quantity of (i) current and (ii) projected (A) married and (B) single living accommodation at Catterick. | | (180517) | 202
| Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the effect on costs of the changes in arrangements for payment of lump sums under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme coming into force on 8th February 2008. | | [R] (180518) | 203
| Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to provide reservists with operational-related mental health problems with access to NHS healthcare. | | (181147) | 204
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he anticipates the Rapid Reaction Corps will move to RAF Innsworth; and if he will make a statement. | | (180593) | 205
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the criteria are for award of the (a) ISAF medal and (b) Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan; for what reasons the ISAF medal may not be worn; and if he will make a statement. | | (180909) | 206
N | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Iraq on apprehending those responsible for the murder of six members of the Royal Military Police in 2003; and if he will make a statement. | | (180070) | 207
N | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent representations the UK has made to other NATO countries on provision of troops for operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. | | (180279) | 208
| Hon Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what percentage of gross domestic product was spent on defence in (a) 1997 and (b) 2007. | | (180617) | 209
N | Hon Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, under what circumstances he would consider undertaking a Defence Review. | | (180619) | 210
| Hon Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to announce a detailed timetable for the Future Aircraft Carrier Programme. | | (180622) | 211
| Ann Winterton (Congleton): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in hiring helicopters for use in theatre by (a) the UK and (b) NATO. | | (181041) | 212
| Ann Winterton (Congleton): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what pre-deployment training is provided for (a) mine detection and (b) personnel extraction from minefields. | | (181042) | 213
| Ann Winterton (Congleton): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and which models of helicopter deployed in Afghanistan are fitted with winches. | | (181043) | 214
| Ann Winterton (Congleton): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the helicopters in Afghanistan not fitted with winches are fitted with an alternative device capable of extracting personnel from situations where landing is impossible, broken down by device. | | (181044) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 215
N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what method of storage his Department requires for samples taken for testing for H5N1 virus. | | (180685) | 216
N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he expects to appoint the Chairman of the Climate Change Committee; and if he will make a statement. | | (180686) | 217
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much was paid by his Department to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Capita Group plc in each year from 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if he will make a statement. | | (180691) | 218
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what files are held by his Department on (a) the Horses, Ponies and Donkeys Bill of Session 1987-88, (b) the Horses, Ponies and Donkeys (No. 2) Bill of Session 1987-88 and (c) the Protection Against Cruel Tethering Act 1988; and if he will make a statement. | | (180776) | 219
| Peter Bottomley (Worthing West): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he (a) last met and (b) next plans to meet the Chairman of the Environment and Energy Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce, United Kingdom to discuss the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. | | (181138) | 220
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures have been taken to prevent flooding in London since Summer 2007; and if he will make a statement. | | (180601) | 221
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations he has received on the live transportation of horses across Europe before slaughter; and if he will make a statement. | | (180454) | 222
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will raise in the EU Council of Ministers the distance which live horses are being transported across Europe to slaughter. | | (180455) | 223
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement. | | (180567) | 224
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the risk of flooding in Crosby constituency from (a) climate change and (b) river overflow; and what proposals he has considered to tackle such (i) flooding and (ii) flood risk. | | (181148) | 225
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will allocate funding to strengthen the sea defences in Crosby against the increasing number of storm force gales and related flooding. | | (181175) | 226
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and (b) the Post Office on the likely effect on rural and semi-rural areas of the proposed post office closures. | | (177876) | 227
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to amend the Environment Agency's powers to influence planning decisions relating to sites at risk of flooding. | | (181107) | 228
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions (a) he and (b) Ofwat officials have had on Severn Trent plc's decisions to (i) charge for surface water drainage according to site area and (ii) withdraw exceptions for schools, hospitals, community buildings and churches. | | (181108) | 229
N | Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential risks of re-propagation and removal of the fruit tree collection at Brogdale to any new site. | | (180203) | 230
N | Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what private companies are involved in the control of the national fruit collection at Brogdale; what scientific evidence is available on the costs and benefits of a relocation of the collection; and if he will publish this evidence. | | (180322) | 231
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many hill farmers left the industry in each of the last 10 years. | | (180103) | 232
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the proportion of members of National Park boards who live within five miles of the relevant national park. | | (180112) | 233
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 14th January 2008, Official Report, column 859W, on game birds, what steps are taken by his Department to assess the (a) qualifications and (b) objectivity of those who peer review reports referred to by him in answers to parliamentary questions; what steps were taken to assess the objectivity of Professor Emeritus David Coleman; and if he will make a statement. | | (181098) | 234
| Anne Milton (Guildford): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12th December 2007, Official Report, column 696W, on animals: disease control, how much was allocated to each local authority for animal health and welfare work in each of the last three financial years. | | (180828) | 235
N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many full-time equivalent staff in each pay grade were employed in his Department and its agencies on (a) 1st January 2008, (b) 1st April 2004 and (c) 1st October 2001; and what the equivalent figure was in respect of his Department's predecessors on 1st June 1997. | | (180487) | 236
N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many civil servants there are in each pay grade in each directorate within his Department; and what the equivalent figures were on (a) 1st April 2004 and (b) 1st October 2001. | | (180488) | 237
| Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which offices of (a) his Department and (b) its agencies are outside London; how many staff were employed in each pay grade at each location on (i) 1st October 2001 and (ii) 1st April 2004; and how many are planned to be employed at each location on 31st March 2008. | | (180757) | 238
| Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the average amount was that a household in England paid to top up a Warm Front grant for energy efficiency measures in 2006; and how many households in England paid to top-up their WarmFront grant in 2006. | | (180758) | 239
| Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) households and (b) rural households in England received Warm Front grants in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what the average value of a WarmFront grant to a rural household in England was in that period. | | (180759) | 240
| Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the environmental impact of the change in the frequency of personal travel and car usage in rural areas resulting from the closure of rural post offices. | | (180794) | 241
| Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the results have been of the investigations by his Department and others into the allegations of incorrect labelling of free-range eggs as announced in his news release of 15th November 2006; and if he will make a statement. | | (180795) | 242
| Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): 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. | | (180867) | 243
| Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) measures his Department is taking and (b) advice and support is available to encourage rural consumers in hard to heat homes to become more energy efficient. | | (180897) | 244
| Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of funding raised by the Energy Efficiency Commitment is ring-fenced for hard to heat rural houses; and what arrangements for such houses were planned under the carbon emissions reduction target obligation. | | (181162) | 245
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Severn Trent on the possibility of securing water supply back-up from the River Wye; and if he will make a statement. | | (180911) | 246
N | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire dated 19th December 2007, on flooding funding in the form of subsidies and grants for private individuals. | | (180320) | 247
N | Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the timetable is for reviewing and renewing the Minister's Mandate for the New Forest; and if he will make a statement. | | (177515) | 248
N | David Taylor (North West Leicestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has for the funding for rural community councils expressed in real terms in each financial year to 2012-13. | | (179581) | 249
N | David Taylor (North West Leicestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many local authorities had adopted rights of way improvement plans at (a) 21st November 2007 and (b) the latest date for which information is available; and which local authorities have not yet adopted a plan. | | (179582) | 250
N | David Taylor (North West Leicestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had on the method of allocating funding to rural community councils in England; and if he will make a statement. | | (179585) | 251
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to allocate funds to UK fishermen until the UK is able to access the European Fisheries Fund; and if he will make a statement. | | (180746) | 252
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12th December 2007, Official Report, column 707W, on fishing catches, for what reasons the discard data under Council Regulation 1543/2000 have not been systematically compiled; and if he will make a statement. | | (180747) | 253
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12th December 2007, Official Report, column 707W, on fishing catches, what steps are being taken to ensure that discard data under Council Regulation 1543/2000 is systematically compiled; and if he will make a statement. | | (180748) | 254
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12th December 2007, Official Report, columns 707-8W, on fishing catches, what action is being taken by the Commission in relation to EU Member States which have not complied with their obligations under Council Regulation 1543/2000; and if he will make a statement. | | (180749) | 255
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what Government policy is on the measures outlined in Article 17 of Council Regulation 2371/2002 and the future of access of non-UK fishing vessels within the 12 nautical mile limit after 31st December 2012. | | (180750) | 256
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Commission has begun work on the report on the future of access to fishing waters and resources, as outlined in Article 17 of Council Regulation 2371/2002; and if he will make a statement. | | (180751) | 257
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the European Commission has informed him of the need to reduce the capacity of the UK fishing fleet, as specified in Article 16(2) of Council Regulation 2371/2002; and if he will make a statement. | | (180752) | 258
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether, with regard to Article 11 of Council Regulation 2371/2002, (a) the Government and (b) the European Commission have considered whether there needs to be an adjustment of fishing capacity for UK vessels over the next five years; and if he will make a statement. | | (180753) | 259
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which measures which he has (a) introduced and (b) proposed to the European Commission under (i) Article 8, (ii) Article 9 and (iii) Article 10 of Council Regulation 2371/2002 have been approved; and if he will make a statement. | | (180754) | 260
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures which EU Member States have (a) introduced and (b) proposed to the European Commission under (i) Article 8, (ii) Article 9 and (iii) Article 10 of Council Regulation 2371/2002 have been approved; and if he will make a statement. | | (180755) | 261
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who the Government appointed to each sea fisheries committee in each year since 1997; between which dates each held their position; what the reasons were for each appointment; what (a) interests and (b) organisations and groups each appointee represented; and if he will make a statement. | | (180982) | 262
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15th January 2008, Official Report, column 1108W, on sea fisheries committees, how many appointees there are on each sea fisheries committee; what the percentage and number appointed to each Sea Fisheries Committee by (a) the Government, (b) local authorities and (c) other organisations is; and if he will make a statement. | | (181089) | 263
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to which other governments he plans to send copies of Protecting Whales - A Global Responsibility document this year; and if he will make a statement. | | (181195) | 264
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the most recent ministerial-level discussion was held on whaling; on what dates since 2005 Ministers from his Department have discussed whaling with colleagues in other Departments; when he next intends to discuss whaling with Cabinet colleagues; and if he will make a statement. | | (181197) | 265
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to which other governments the Protecting Whales - A Global Responsibility document has been sent; on which date the document was sent in each instance; and if he will make a statement. | | (181198) | 266
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15th January 2007, Official Report, column 1112W, on white fish: conservation, what evidence his Department has received contrary to the advice of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea in 2004 on bass stocks; and if he will make a statement. | | (181199) | 267
| Mark Williams (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost was to local authorities in England of (a) collecting and (b) disposing of road sweepings in the latest period for which figures are available. | | (180769) | 268
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with officials from (a) the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, (b) the Department for Communities and Local Government and (c) the Department for Transport in relation to the (i) drafting and (ii) implementation of the proposed Marine Bill. | | (181117) | 269
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions officials in his Department have had with officials in the Welsh Assembly Government on the devolution of powers consequent on the passage of the proposed Marine Bill; what the date was of the last meeting on the subject; and what matters were discussed. | | (181118) | 270
| Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions oficials in his Department have had with officials in the Scottish Executive on the devolution of powers consequent on the passage of the proposed Marine Bill; what the date was of the last meeting on the subject; and what matters were discussed. | | (181119) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 271
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much was paid by his Department to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries (a) in 2000-01 and (b) since 2005-06; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Capita Group plc in each year since 2000-01 to the most recent date available; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if he will make a statement. | | (180705) | 272
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what meetings (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials have held with (i) directors and (ii) senior executives of (A) Capita Group plc and (B) its subsidiaries since 1st January 2001; what the (1) location and (2) duration of each meeting was; whether a record of each meeting was kept; and if he will make a statement. | | (180706) | 273
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement. | | (180568) | 274
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications of the protests outside the Chinese embassy in Hanoi and the Chinese consulate in Ho Chi Minh City on the disputed Spratly and Paracel islands. | | (180658) | 275
N | Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the consequences of the end of the ceasefire in Sri Lanka. | | (180502) | 276
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the safety of Christians in Kenya; and what steps he is taking to promote their safety. | | (180629) | 277
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to encourage other African countries not to intervene in the internal affairs of Kenya. | | (180777) | 278
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken at (a) bilateral, (b) Commonwealth, (c) EU and (d) United Nations levels to assist in restoring peace and stability in Kenya. | | (180778) | 279
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will encourage the European Commission to raise the issue of recent violence against Christians in Orissa state at the next round of the EU-India human rights dialogue. | | (180948) | 280
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will prevent the closure of the British Council's dedicated film office until a public consultation has taken place. | | (180949) | 281
N | Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to move the Legalisation Office to Milton Keynes; which private sector users have been consulted; and if he will make a statement. | | (180101) | 282
| Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much his Department paid to PricewaterhouseCoopers in each financial year since 2000. | | (180816) | 283
| Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much his Department spent on consultants in each financial year since 2000, broken down by consultancy. | | (180818) | 284
| Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the value of his Department's contracts with PricewaterhouseCoopers relating to private finance initiative projects was in each year since 2000. | | (180848) | 285
| Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the UK is taking to secure a ceasefire in Darfur; and what progress has been made in achieving that objective. | | (180800) | 286
| Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has held with his EU counterparts on EU aid to Kenya in light of the political unrest there; and if he will make a statement. | | (180801) | 287
| Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of nuclear safety and security in Pakistan; and whether he has raised the matter with his Pakistani counterpart. | | (180802) | 288
| Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what shortages of equipment and manpower have been identified for the European Union force for Chad; and if he will make a statement. | | (180803) | 289
| Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made in securing the deployment of the European Union force for Chad; and if he will make a statement. | | (180804) | 290
| Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of reports of Ugandan soldiers entering Kenya during the current political unrest; and if he will make a statement. | | (180805) | 291
| Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many posts at each embassy have been (a) created and (b) abolished in each year since 1997. | | (180806) | 292
| Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7th January 2008, Official Report, column 98W, on Sudan: peacekeeping operations, what action is planned at the UN Security Council in light of the lack of full co-operation by the government of Sudan over the UNAMID deployment; and if he will make a statement. | | (180857) | 293
| Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10th December 2007, Official Report, column 158W, on embassies, if he will list the (a) (i) name, (ii) location and (iii) function of the (A) seven embassies, (B) four embassy offices, (C) one office and (D) six consulates opened since 1997 and (b) three consulates upgraded to embassies. | | (181049) | 294
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what proportion of staff in each Directorate General of the European Commission is of British nationality (a) overall and (b) at senior grades. | | (181029) | 295
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what bilateral summits the Government intends to participate in in 2008. | | (181039) | 296
| David Lepper (Brighton, Pavilion): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Israeli government about the release of imprisoned, democratically elected Palestinian representatives. | | (180743) | 297
| David Lepper (Brighton, Pavilion): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Israeli government about its description of Gaza as a hostile entity in September 2007 and the resulting boycott on supplies to Palestinians in Gaza. | | (180744) | 298
| David Lepper (Brighton, Pavilion): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to ensure that the EU Trade Association Agreement with Israel is properly implemented in relation to its human rights clauses. | | (180745) | 299
N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether it is the policy of Ministers in his Department to cross embassy staff picket lines in cases of industrial disputes. | | (180176) | 300
N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on proposed redundancies at HM Embassy, Dublin. | | (180177) | 301
N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many documents disclosed without authorisation by Mr Derek Pasquill formed the basis for his prosecution for breaches of the Official Secrets Act 1989. | | (180315) | 302
N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of whether the public disclosure now of (a) all or (b) some of the documents first disclosed by Mr Derek Pasquill and which formed the basis of his prosecution for breaches of the Official Secrets Act 1989 would harm international relations. | | (180316) | 303
N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place in the Library a copy of the witness statement to the police by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office setting out the Government's assessment of the damage caused under section 3 of the Official Secrets Act 1989 to international relations by Mr Derek Pasquill's disclosures. | | (180317) | 304
| Mr Denis MacShane (Rotherham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his French counterpart on the creation of a permanent French military base in the Gulf area. | | (180603) | 305
N | Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what communications he has had with the Indonesian government on its outstanding debts to the UK Export Credits Guarantee Department in the last six months. | | (180327) | 306
| Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking with its international partners to ensure that the government of Sudan complies with its obligations under UN Security Council Resolution 1593; and what progress has been made in ensuring such compliance. | | (180720) | 307
| Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the UN Human Rights Council's decision on 14th December 2007 to let the mandate of the Group of Experts on Darfur expire; and if he will make a statement. | | (180721) | 308
| Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking with its international partners to improve the monitoring of the human rights situation in Somalia. | | (180724) | 309
| Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the next meeting of the International Contact Group for Somalia will take place. | | (180726) | 310
| Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the government of Sri Lanka on its decision to withdraw from the ceasefire agreement; and if he will make a statement. | | (180727) | 311
| Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the UK objectives were at the meeting on 19th December 2007 of the Group of Friends of the UN Secretary-General on Myanmar; and who represents the UK on the group. | | (180729) | 312
| Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the Group of Friends of the UN Secretary-General on Myanmar plans to meet next. | | (180730) | 313
| Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made on the EU review of the implementation of the arms embargo on Burma following the Prime Minister's statement on 15th October 2007. | | (180736) | 314
| Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made in discussions with the UK's international partners on a UN arms embargo on Burma following the Prime Minister's statement on 15th October 2007. | | (180737) | 315
| Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment has been made of the potential threat to the UK from terrorist activity in the Horn of Africa; and if he will make a statement. | | (180739) | 316
| Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the security situation in Somalia on peace and stability in the Horn of Africa. | | (180740) | 317
| Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) financial and (b) logistical support the Government is providing to the AU Mission in Somalia. | | (180741) | 318
| Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which five key posts the UK is filling in the Darfur-Darfur dialogue and consultation. | | (180798) | 319
| Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7th January 2008, Official Report, column 97W, on Sudan: peacekeeping operations, what (a) issues have been discussed and (b) conclusions have been reached in discussions with the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations on the UN-EU mission in Chad/Central African Republic and the UN-AU hybrid mission in Darfur. | | (180835) | 320
N | Hon Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will bring forward proposals to create a humanitarian service medal or similar recognition for British civilians operating on behalf of the Government in hostile environments. | | (180618) | 321
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the viability of a one state, equal rights solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. | | (180599) | 322
| Mr Charles Walker (Broxbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the British Embassy in the United Arab Emirates has had with the National Bank of Abu Dhabi on behalf of UK registered companies on disputes over monies owed since 2004. | | (181097) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 323
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was paid by his Department to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Capita Group plc in each year since 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if he will make a statement. | | (180700) | 324
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 9th January 2008, Official Report, column 591W, on human embryo experiments, what the (a) prefix and (b) title is of each file held by his Department on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill of Session 1989-90; and if he will make a statement. | | (180869) | 325
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 9th January 2008, Official Report, column 574W, on abortion, what the (a) prefix and (b) title is of each file held by his Department on (i) the Abortion (Amendment) Bill of Session 1987-88, (ii) the Unborn Children (Protection) Bills of Sessions (A) 1984-85, (B) 1985-86 and (C) 1987-98 and (c) the Abortion Act 1967; and if he will make a statement. | | (180870) | 326
N | Gordon Banks (Ochil and South Perthshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions have taken place on introducing an interim adjustment in mileage allowances payable to NHS staff before the national review group reports. | | (180494) | 327
N | Gordon Banks (Ochil and South Perthshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the review group investigating mileage allowances payable to staff in the NHS will report. | | (180495) | 328
| Peter Bottomley (Worthing West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department is actively recruiting international medical graduates and European doctors in shortage specialties. | | (181170) | 329
| Peter Bottomley (Worthing West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many anaesthetic training posts in categories (a) ST1, (b) ST2, (c) ST3 and (d) SPR will be vacant on the first Wednesday of February 2008 in (i) England, (ii) London and (iii) Kent, Surrey and Sussex. | | (181171) | 330
| Peter Bottomley (Worthing West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the impact on trusts' 18 week targets and two week cancer treatment times of service and training post vacancies. | | (181172) | 331
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement. | | (180569) | 332
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what account NHS trusts take of information on child protection investigations in carrying out their functions. | | (181025) | 333
| Jim Dobbin (Heywood & Middleton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many reports of occurrences inconsistent with routine patient care were made to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority by Professor Alison Murdoch in each year of her tenure as an inspector; and how many serious incidents were reported to the Authority. | | (181154) | 334
| Jim Dobbin (Heywood & Middleton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which centres have had research licence applications refused by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority; on what grounds such refusals were made in each case; on how many occasions amended applications were received following initial refusal; and in how many such cases licences were granted, giving the changes made to the re-application in each case. | | (181155) | 335
N | James Duddridge (Rochford & Southend East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of organic probiotics in tablet form in reducing the risk of developing Clostridium difficile. | | (177517) | 336
| Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people responded to each consultation conducted by his Department in the last five years. | | (180904) | 337
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospital coronary care units have closed in the last 10 years. | | (180106) | 338
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many ambulances have broken down or required repair while on service in South Lakeland in each of the last five years. | | (180582) | 339
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many times thrombylitic drugs have been administered by ambulance staff in South Lakeland in each of the last five years. | | (180583) | 340
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many times thrombylitic drugs have been administered by staff at the coronary care unit at the Westmorland General Hospital in each of the last five years. | | (180585) | 341
| Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps have been taken to support Brent teaching primary care trust following its financial difficulties; and when the Taylor Report on the trust's financial management will be published. | | (180756) | 342
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the use and development by the NHS of the tool initiated by Cancer Research UK to assess the level of patient awareness of cancer symptoms will cost the public purse. | | (181192) | 343
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many prescriptions were issued in relation to cancer in the latest year for which figures are available; and what proportion of these were (a) exempt from charges and (b) paid for by pre-payment certificate. | | (181193) | 344
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what public funding has been made available for extending the 31-day standard target to all cancer patients; and what the expected total cost is of such an extension. | | (181194) | 345
| Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many beds were available in community hospitals in each year since 2003; what proportion of funding of community hospitals is ring-fenced for the provision of beds; what assessment he has made of future levels of bed provision in community hospitals; and if he will make a statement. | | (180497) | 346
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects the Healthcare Commission to publish the report of its review of maternity services. | | (180670) | 347
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his Department's policy is on the cloning of animals for food production; and if he will make a statement. | | (180671) | 348
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the European Food Standards Agency's draft scientific opinions relating to the (a) food safety, (b) animal health and welfare and (c) environmental impact of cloned animals, their offspring and the products obtained from these animals; and if he will make a statement. | | (180672) | 349
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department intends to bring forward proposals to screen all patients entering NHS hospitals in England for clostridium difficile. | | (181022) | 350
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the health effects of not eating five portions of fruit and vegetables each day. | | (181023) | 351
N | Mark Hunter (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 19th July 2007 to the hon. Member for Pudsey, Official Report, column 639W, on osteoporosis: preventive medicine, if his Department will take steps to assess the implementation of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. | | (180637) | 352
| Mark Hunter (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of fracture liaison services in ensuring patient compliance with measures to prevent secondary fracture. | | (180638) | 353
N | Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many MRI scanners were in use in each NHS trust in the Eastern Region in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement. | | (180859) | 354
| Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many new nursing staff were employed in the Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in each year since 1997. | | (180861) | 355
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the Alfred Bean Hospital in Driffield will receive its deep clean. | | (180276) | 356
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to collect data on waiting times for digital hearing aids. | | (181071) | 357
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what data is used for determining funding for digital hearing aids and NHS audiology services. | | (181072) | 358
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what national targets exist for the handover times from ambulances to accident and emergy departments. | | (181073) | 359
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his Department's policy is on the routine screening of NHS staff for (a) MRSA infection and (b) clostridium difficile. | | (181074) | 360
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of (a) MRSA infection and (b) clostridium difficile infection has been detected in staff working in the NHS in each of the last three years. | | (181075) | 361
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15th January 2008, Official Report, column 1194W, on screening, what estimates he has made of the cost of the screening programme in each future financial year for which estimates have been made. | | (180773) | 362
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15th January 2008, Official Report, column 1194W, on screening, how frequently people will be screened under the programme. | | (180775) | 363
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15th January 2008, Official Report, column 1194W, on screening, what preventative measures will be offered if people are found to be at risk through screening. | | (180779) | 364
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15th January 2008, Official Report, column 1194W, on screening, which of the tests and measurements referred to relate to (a) heart disease, (b) kidney disease, (c) stroke and (d) diabetes. | | (180780) | 365
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15th January 2008, Official Report, columns 1192-3W, on obesity, how many children of each age were treated in each of the obesity clinics for children in each of the last five financial years for which figures are available. | | (180785) | 366
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15th January 2008, Official Report, columns 1192-3W, on obesity, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of each of the clinics in treating patients for obesity; and what plans he has to increase the number of obesity clinics in England. | | (180788) | 367
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15th January 2008, Official Report, columns 1192-3W, on obesity, what the most recent waiting time statistics are for each of the clinics, including the number of weeks patients have waited from referral to treatment; and what the equivalent figures were for the last five financial years for which figures are available. | | (180789) | 368
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15th January 2008, Official Report, columns 1192-3W, on obesity, according to what criteria patients are referred to the clinics. | | (180790) | 369
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15th January 2008, Official Report, columns 1192-3W, on obesity, which primary care trusts each of the 12 clinics serve. | | (180791) | 370
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15th January 2008, Official Report, columns 1192-3W, on obesity, how many patients each clinic saw in each of the last five financial years for which figures are available; and what the funding for each clinic was in each of those years. | | (180792) | 371
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15th January 2008, Official Report, columns 1192-3W, on obesity, which NHS obesity clinics have closed in the last five years; and what the (a) date and (b) reason was for each closure. | | (180793) | 372
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 9th January 2008, Official Report, column 618WA, on obesity, what the average cost of each finished consultant episode for (a) a primary diagnosis and (b) a primary or secondary diagnosis of obesity was in each year for which figures are available. | | (180796) | 373
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14th January 2008, Official Report, columns 988-9W, on breast cancer screening, which primary care trust has responsibility for each breast cancer unit. | | (180836) | 374
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14th January 2008, Official Report, column 986W, on Bournemouth and Christchurch primary care trust: finance to the hon. Member for Bournemouth East, for which other trusts specialist top-up payments have been discontinued in 2008-09; and how much each trust received in such payments in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2006-07. | | (180837) | 375
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14th January 2008, Official Report, columns 997-8W, on cancer: health services, if he will break down the missed diagnoses of cancer incidents by reason, including delay, failure to diagnose and problems with tests or scans. | | (180838) | 376
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14th January 2008, Official Report, columns 997-8W, on cancer: health services, how many finished consultant episodes there were for (a) all cancer treatments, (b) radiotherapy treatment for cancer and (c) chemotherapy treatment for cancer (i) between October 2005 and September 2006 and (ii) between October 2006 and September 2007. | | (180840) | 377
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14th January 2008, Official Report, columns 997-8W, on cancer: health services, how many patients were given (a) radiotherapy and (b) chemotherapy treatment for cancer (i) between October 2005 and September 2006 and (ii) between October 2006 and September 2007. | | (180841) | 378
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 7th January 2008, Official Report, column 108W, on health services: standards, if he will place in the Library a copy of the presentation given by Tricia Cable of the Yorkshire and Humber Strategic Health Authority at the meeting of 5th June 2007. | | (180847) | 379
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14th January 2008, Official Report, column 1007W, on the Department Board, if he will place in the Library copies of the (a) agenda and (b) minutes of the NHS Management Board meeting of 25th September 2007. | | (180850) | 380
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what clinical evidence his Department based its decision that the 18 week referral to treatment target would only apply to 95 per cent. of non-admitted patients and 90 per cent. of admitted patients. | | (180851) | 381
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what date his Department decided that the 18 week referral to treatment target would only apply to 95 per cent. of non-admitted patients and 90 per cent. of admitted patients. | | (180852) | 382
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what date the right to screening for (a) heart disease, (b) kidney disease, (c) stroke and (d) diabetes will be implemented (i) for the most vulnerable groups and (ii) for the whole population. | | (180853) | 383
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, by what date his Department expects to have collected data from NHS trusts on their completion of the self-assessment checklist on privacy and dignity issued by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement in December 2007. | | (180854) | 384
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library a copy of the full report of focus groups and interviews which is summarised on page 7 of Privacy and Dignity - The elimination of mixed sex accommodation, issued by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement in December 2007. | | (180855) | 385
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which new hospitals opened in each of the last five financial years; and what proportion of beds in each were in single rooms. | | (180856) | 386
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many complaints his Department received on mixed-sex accommodation in hospitals in each of the last 12 months. | | (180858) | 387
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what incident types are used for entries in the National Reporting and Learning System in England and Wales. | | (180885) | 388
| Mr Alan Milburn (Darlington): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many primary care trusts transferred NHS funds to local authorities in the last 12 months; and what the value of those transfers was. | | (180656) | 389
| Mr Alan Milburn (Darlington): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what restrictions there are on how NHS funds transferred to local authorities can be spent. | | (180666) | 390
| Anne Milton (Guildford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14th January 2007, Official Report, column 1003W, on community nurses, how many more community matrons the local intelligence suggests there are; and what revised estimate he has made of total numbers. | | (181015) | 391
| Mr Elliot Morley (Scunthorpe): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the level of funding provided to GPs to cover practice running costs changed in each year since 1996. | | (180605) | 392
| Mr Elliot Morley (Scunthorpe): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether GP practice support staff are paid in accordance with national pay scales; and what guidance his Department issues to GPs on remuneration for practice support staff. | | (180606) | 393
| Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much revenue was received from the sale of NHS property in London in each year since May 1997. | | (180635) | 394
| Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will commission research into the risks to hearing of the amplification level of recorded music broadcast in the workplace; and if he will make a statement. | | (180728) | 395
N | Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding has been allocated for the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative for each of the next three years. | | (180505) | 396
N | Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding has been allocated for the National Survey of Awareness of Cancer for each of the next three years. | | (180506) | 397
N | Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding has been allocated for the National Cancer Equality Initiative for each of the next three years. | | (180510) | 398
N | Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding has been allocated for the National Cancer Intelligence Network for each of the next three years. | | (180511) | 399
N | Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which primary care trusts (a) run a health trainers scheme and (b) plan to fund a scheme in 2008-09. | | (180684) | 400
| Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effects on hospitals of the time taken to complete criminal records bureau checks on applicants for hospital jobs. | | (180738) | 401
| Mr Graham Stuart (Beverley & Holderness): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many GPs were in practice in Beverley and Holderness constituency in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. | | (180781) | 402
| Mr Graham Stuart (Beverley & Holderness): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of clostridium difficile were reported in the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust area in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. | | (180782) | 403
| Mr Graham Stuart (Beverley & Holderness): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many alcohol-related emergency admissions to hospitals in the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust area there were in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) age and (b) sex; and if he will make a statement. | | (180783) | 404
| David Wright (Telford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) primary care trusts, (b) hospitals and (c) other NHS bodies are involved in litigation with private finance initiative contractors. | | (180725) | 405
| Dr Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to extend the Marie Curie Delivering Choice Programme for terminally-ill people to parts of the country not currently served by it. | | (181001) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 406
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) staff and (b) administrative costs of Essex Police Authority were in each year since 1997. | | (180626) | 407
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much was paid by her Department to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000; which contracts were awarded by her Department to Capita Group plc in each year from 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if she will make a statement. | | (180689) | 408
| Peter Bottomley (Worthing West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many doctors were awarded highly skilled migrant status (a) in the 12 months before 5th February 2007 and (b) since that date. | | (181167) | 409
| Peter Bottomley (Worthing West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether overseas doctors and international medical graduates are eligible for highly skilled migrant status; and whether there is any restriction on numbers by category of medical specialty. | | (181168) | 410
| Peter Bottomley (Worthing West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what joint Home Office and Department of Health groups have responsibility for planning highly skilled migrant programme numbers in relation to service and training needs. | | (181169) | 411
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by her Department and its agencies; and if she will make a statement. | | (180570) | 412
| Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data is held by her Department on non-UK national detainees released from prison without notification to the Department at the time; and what estimate she has made of the number of non-UK national detainees not included in data at all, as referred to by the National Audit Office report Asylum and migration: a review of Home Office statistics (HC (2003-04) 625) of 25th May 2004. | | (180514) | 413
| Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many persons were in receipt of asylum support in each year since 1st January 2004, broken down by nationality; and how many in receipt of such support had been refused asylum. | | (180675) | 414
| Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to the Answer of 14th January 2008, Official Report, column 1048W, on entry clearances: employment, if she will give a breakdown by nationality of those receiving leave to (a) enter and (b) remain under the International Graduate Scheme. | | (181145) | 415
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government plans to take to reduce levels of street racing. | | (177317) | 416
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government has taken to enforce legislation against under-age drinking. | | (177318) | 417
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many attacks on children by dogs have been have been recorded in each year since the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 came into force by (a) Rottweilers and (b) each category of dog banned under the Act. | | (181153) | 418
| Mr Dai Davies (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps have been taken by her Department since the International Criminal Court Act 2001 came into force to publicise its applicability to United Kingdom residents. | | (180939) | 419
N | David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 17th December 2007, Official Report, column 951W, how many of the 72,550 asylum seekers removed from the UK have subsequently reapplied for asylum in the UK. | | (180110) | 420
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of each category of crime was cleared up by police in England and Wales in each of the last five years. | | (180687) | 421
N | James Duddridge (Rochford & Southend East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) destination, (b) duration and (c) purpose was of each overseas visit by members of staff in her Department of each Civil Service grade over the last 12 months. | | (177518) | 422
| Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East & Mexborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many formal complaints were made against (a) South Yorkshire Police and (b) English police forces to the Independent Police Complaints Commission and its predecessor in each of the last five years; and how many of those complaints were upheld. | | (181045) | 423
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent representations she has received on the merits of creating specific offences for (a) carrying and using a knife in a violent attack and (b) carrying a knife in a violent attack. | | (180808) | 424
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many licensees were (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted of selling alcohol to underage drinkers in each of the last five years. | | (180810) | 425
| Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much was spent by her Department in total on defending actions brought against the Metropolitan Police by victims of crime in each year since 2001. | | (180908) | 426
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will commission research to identify sites in Cumbria which may be used for illegal purposes within the meaning of the Terrorism Act 2006. | | (180201) | 427
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many released prisoners were removed from prison to immigration centres in (a) 2006 and (b) 2007; how many such people were subsequently released from immigration centres; and in how many such cases were such releases notified to the (i) police and (ii) Probation Service. | | (181189) | 428
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people are unlawfully at large having been removed from prison to immigration centres and subsequently released into the community. | | (181190) | 429
| Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much was spent by her Department on consultants in each financial year since 1997, broken down by consultancy. | | (180823) | 430
| Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what payments were made to PricewaterhouseCoopers by her Department in each financial year since 1997. | | (180824) | 431
| Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the value of her Department's contracts with PricewaterhouseCoopers on private finance initiative projects was in each year since 1997. | | (180846) | 432
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign national prisoners received grants under the Facilitated Returns Scheme in each of the last five years; and what the (a) average and (b) largest grant paid was. | | (180667) | 433
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many student visas were revoked in each of the last five years as a consequence of (a) failure to register with the relevant institution at the beginning of the academic year and (b) failure to attend classes. | | (180676) | 434
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many immigration officers were in post at (a) Heathrow and (b) Gatwick airport on 31st December (i) 2007, (ii) 2006, (iii) 2005, (iv) 2004, (v) 2003, (vi) 2002 and (vii) 2001; and if she will make a statement. | | (180677) | 435
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Oral Answer to the hon. Member for Ashford of 14th January 2008, Official Report, column 638, from which colleges and universities the Borders and Immigration Agency and its predecessor requested details of (a) non-attendance by overseas students and (b) the number of students not attending; and how many students (i) had their visas revoked and (ii) were deported from the United Kingdom as a result in each year since 2004. | | (180678) | 436
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many convicted foreign nationals were deported in 2007; and how many of these had been serving prison sentences in England and Wales. | | (180679) | 437
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals serving prison sentences of less than 12 months were deported in 2007. | | (180680) | 438
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government seeks to deport (a) foreign national offenders sentenced to imprisonment for a period of less than one year and (b) foreign national offenders sentenced to non-custodial community punishments. | | (180681) | 439
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government seeks to deport foreign national offenders sentenced to (a) less than a year's custody and (b) non-custodial community punishments for (i) possession of a firearm and (ii) possession of class B or C drugs with intent to supply. | | (180682) | 440
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Borders and Immigration Agency's policy is on the deportation of prisoners serving sentences of less than 12 months; and what advice it has offered HM Prison Service. | | (181101) | 441
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals have been convicted of living off immoral earnings of prostitutes; and how many have been subsequently deported from the UK as a result of these crimes in each year since 1999. | | (181111) | 442
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals have been convicted of offences relating to assisting or facilitating illegal entry into the UK; and how many had subsequently been deported as a result of such convictions in each year since 1997. | | (181112) | 443
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were (a) arrested, (b) charged and (c) convicted of immigration offences as part of Operation Rampart. | | (181113) | 444
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many women discovered by police and immigration services as part of Operation Rampart were in the UK as illegal immigrants; and how many had been trafficked into the United Kingdom. | | (181114) | 445
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals have been convicted (a) of trafficking people into the UK and (b) trafficking people within the UK for sexual exploitation; and how many have subsequently been deported from the UK as a result of such convictions in each year since the offences came into law. | | (181115) | 446
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals have been convicted of exercising control over a prostitute; and how many such people have been deported subsequently from the United Kingdom as a result of such a conviction in each year since 1997. | | (181116) | 447
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to build new immigration detention centres; and if she will make a statement. | | (181191) | 448
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason her Department prohibits the granting of licences to test the safety of cosmetics and their ingredients using animals. | | (181047) | 449
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 14th January 2008, Official Report, columns 1064-5W, on police, what estimate she has made of the number of civilian police posts (excluding police community support officers) in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) England in (i) September 2004 and (ii) March 2007. | | (180069) | 450
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the banking industry on phishing emails; what steps her Department is taking to prevent phishing; and if she will make a statement. | | (181139) | 451
| Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she will reply to the letter of 28th November 2007 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Nigel Morrison. | | (181079) | 452
| Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many highly skilled migrant visas have been issued since April 2006, broken down by (a) country of origin and (b) skill. | | (180643) | 453
N | Mr Peter Lilley (Hitchin & Harpenden): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether those applying to extend their student visa are asked whether they have previously had their visa extended. | | (180588) | 454
N | Mr Peter Lilley (Hitchin & Harpenden): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what checks are made on whether students whose visas are extended for further academic study attend their new courses. | | (180589) | 455
N | Mr Peter Lilley (Hitchin & Harpenden): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many student visa extensions were granted for students (a) to pursue a full-time recognised degree course, (b) to pursue a weekday daytime course involving a minimum of 15 hours per week, (c) to attend a full-time course of study at an independent fee paying school, (d) to re-sit an examination, (e) to write up a thesis, (f) to follow a nursing training course at a recognised nursing educational establishment, (g) as a sabbatical officer and (h) for another purpose in 2006. | | (180590) | 456
N | Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the juxtaposed UK immigration controls at Paris, Lille and Brussels cost in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07. | | (180330) | 457
N | Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether persons who purchase a Eurostar train ticket from Brussels to Lille are (a) subject to juxtaposed UK immigration controls at Brussels, (b) checked for valid UK entry documents at any stage during their journey, (c) required to alight from the train at Lille and (d) subject to full immigration control in the UK if they remain on the train until it arrives in the UK. | | (180331) | 458
N | Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) undocumented and (b) incorrectly documented persons have arrived at London on Eurostar in each of the last 24 months. | | (180332) | 459
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were successfully prosecuted for (a) illegally clamping vehicles on private land and (b) fraudulently issuing penalty tickets in each year since 2004. | | (180642) | 460
N | Hon Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many persons apart from those refused entry at port and subsequently removed, those dealt with at juxtaposed controls, asylum seekers and their dependants, foreign national prisoners at the end of the sentences, those leaving under assisted voluntary return programmes and those who it has been established left the UK without informing the immigration authorities, were removed from the UK in each of the last five years. | | (180621) | 461
N | Hon Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) spouses and (b) fiancés and fiancées were admitted to the UK in each of the last five years from (i) Pakistan, (ii) India, (iii) Bangladesh and (iv) Sri Lanka. | | (180623) | 462
| Mr Graham Stuart (Beverley & Holderness): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the retention rate of police community support officers was in the Humberside Police Authority area in each year since 2002-03; and if she will make a statement. | | (180784) | 463
N | Mr Robert N. Wareing (Liverpool, West Derby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the purposes of her visit to the Liverpool, West Derby constituency on Thursday 10th January 2008 were; whom she met during the visit; and what decisions she has made as a result of the visit. | | (180319) | 464
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to attend the summit on Firearms Law Reform. | | (181090) | 465
N | Jeremy Wright (Rugby & Kenilworth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the financial liability is for compensation to police officers owed for rest days not taken of (a) Warwickshire Police Authority and (b) all police authorities in England and Wales. | | (180651) | Questions to the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission 466
| Nia Griffith (Llanelli): To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, what estimate the House of Commons Commission has made of the percentage of electricity used on the parliamentary estate generated from renewable sources. | | (181165) | 467
N | Jo Swinson (East Dunbartonshire): To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, what guidance it issues on posting material provided by the Parliamentary Recording Unit on external websites. | | (180452) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 468
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is of each information technology project being undertaken by his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement. | | (180571) | 469
| Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many students aged over 21 years withdrew from (a) full-time and (b) part-time higher education courses in each year since 2003; and what the most frequently given reasons were for withdrawal. | | (180496) | 470
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what his policy on the extension of the Europass is. | | (181030) | 471
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what contribution his Department makes to the pursuit of the skills agenda through career guidance programmes run in schools. | | (181031) | 472
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what Jean Monnet programmes are in operation in the UK. | | (181035) | 473
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, which UK universities (a) have bid for and (b) hold Erasmus University Charters. | | (181083) | 474
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what elements of the Europe for Citizens programme are operating in the UK. | | (181085) | 475
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what steps his Department has taken in consequence of the European Youth Pact. | | (181087) | 476
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what plans there are to give grants to more university students. | | (181019) | 477
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, if he will include current undergraduate students in plans for increased maintenance grants under the Government's new student finance package; and if he will make a statement. | | (180910) | 478
| David Wright (Telford): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, which learning and skills councils owed money to training providers beyond 30 days of due payment under the Train to Gain initiative in the latest period for which figures are available. | | (180731) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 479
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 14th January 2008, Official Report, column 1079W, on Kenya: financial institutions, what direct assistance his Department is giving to assist existing microfinance businesses in Kenya where the owners need immediate help. | | (180587) | 480
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is of each information technology project being undertaken by his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement. | | (180572) | 481
| Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow South West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much Oxfam received from his Department in each of the last three years, broken down by project or programme; and how much is expected to be given in the next financial year. | | (180512) | 482
| Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation of refugees and internally displaced persons in Chad; and if he will make a statement. | | (180820) | 483
| Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many UK staff his Department employs in each country overseas. | | (180822) | 484
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps he plans to take to ensure that the (a) needs and (b) rights of children affected by AIDS will remain a priority; when the updated strategy for tackling HIV and AIDS is published. | | (181091) | 485
N | Chris McCafferty (Calder Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what percentage of overseas development aid and assistance was spent on population and reproductive health in (a) 2001-02, (b) 2002-03, (c) 2003-04, (d) 2004-05, (e) 2005-06 and (f) 2006-07. | | (177319) | 486
| Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many staff in his Department work on programmes on (a) education, (b) health, (c) nutrition and (d) child protection; and if he will make a statement. | | (180647) | 487
| Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of his Department's budget was allocated to tackling malnutrition as part of his Department's aim to meet Millennium Development Goal One in each of the last five years; what the projected budget is for the next three years; and if he will make a statement. | | (180648) | 488
| Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the Answer of 21st May 2007, to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green, Official Report, column 1028W, on food aid: children, what the results were of the policy review of his Department's approach to child malnutrition that was part of his Department's health strategy launched in June 2007; and if he will publish the results of this policy review. | | (180829) | 489
| Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much aid his Department allocated to Kosovo in each of the last three years; how much will be granted in the next three years; and if he will make a statement. | | (180830) | 490
| Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what percentage of his Department's spending in Kosovo is assigned to conflict prevention, particularly small arms eradication; and if he will make a statement. | | (180831) | 491
| Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when his Department last reviewed the Britain-Russia Development Partnership; and if he will make a statement. | | (180832) | 492
| Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions he has had with the Foreign Secretary on the delivery of aid to Russia since November 2006; what the outcome was of these discussions; and if he will make a statement. | | (180833) | 493
| Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much aid was provided to Russia in each of the last three years; what proportion of each year's total was (a) direct government to government assistance, (b) assistance to Russian civil society and (c) funding for international institutions and non-governmental organisations; how much will be granted for the next three years; and if he will make a statement. | | (180834) | 494
N | Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much his Department contributed to the Export Credits Guarantee Department in 2005-06 to compensate it for claims abandoned in 2005-06. | | (180326) | 495
| Jon Trickett (Hemsworth): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what criteria were used to select the companies invited to join the Prime Minister's Millennium Development Goal call to action. | | (180940) | 496
| Jon Trickett (Hemsworth): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what criteria the Government is using to assess the overall impact of the core business practices of the companies selected to join the Prime Minister's call to action on global poverty. | | (180941) | 497
| Jon Trickett (Hemsworth): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions the Government has had with the companies involved in the Prime Minister's Millennium Development Goals call to action. | | (180942) | 498
| Jon Trickett (Hemsworth): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which companies have been invited to attend the meeting convened by the Government on the Millennium Development Goals call to action in April 2008; and what other discussions are intended to take place with companies on this issue. | | (180943) | 499
| Jon Trickett (Hemsworth): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what measures have been put in place to monitor the impacts on global poverty of the projects undertaken by companies as part of the Prime Minister's Millennium Development Goals call to action (a) immediately and (b) over time. | | (180944) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Justice 500
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much was paid by his Department and its predecessor to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Capita Group plc in each year from 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if he will make a statement. | | (180699) | 501
N | Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what research was conducted into the effectiveness of offender behaviour programmes before they were put into use. | | (180323) | 502
N | Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether reduction of re-offending is an aim of offender behaviour programmes. | | (180324) | 503
N | Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much offender behaviour programmes cost to implement in the latest period for which figures are available. | | (180325) | 504
N | Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners participated in each type of offender behaviour programme in the latest year for which figures are available, broken down by prison establishment. | | (180329) | 505
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement. | | (180573) | 506
| Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of people detained in prison who are not recorded on the detentions database; and what information is held by his Department on non-UK nationals released from prison without notification to the Home Office, as referred to by the National Audit Office report on asylum and migration (HC(2003-04)625) of 25th May 2004. | | (180515) | 507
| Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many complaints about the judiciary were received by his Department and its predecessors in each of the last five years. | | (180907) | 508
N | Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with (a) the Director General of the Prison Service and (b) ministerial colleagues on the award of a long service and good conduct medal for prison officers with at least (i) 15 years, (ii) 18 years and (iii) any longer period of continuous service and good conduct within the Prison Service; what his policy is on the award of such a medal to Prison Service officers; and if he will make a statement. | | (180581) | 509
N | Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many police cells in England and Wales assigned to Operation Safeguard were being paid for by his Department but not used in each of the last 52 weeks for which figures are available; and what the cost to his Department was in each of those weeks. | | (180634) | 510
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the terms of the service level agreement with the Langley House Trust are for the provision of secure beds for persons supervised in the community; and when the contract was let. | | (181213) | 511
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people in Langley House Trust accommodation have (a) absconded, (b) breached the conditions of their curfew and (c) breached the hostels' rules in another way in each year of the contract. | | (181214) | 512
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many persons resident at a Langley House Trust hostel and the subject of supervision in the community under court order or parole, have absconded and been convicted of a further offence, broken down by offence. | | (181215) | 513
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he is intending to review the contract with the Langley House Trust for the provision of secure accommodation places. | | (181216) | 514
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how performance against the contract with the Langley House Trust is monitored. | | (181217) | 515
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether there have been breaches of the terms of the contract with the Langley House Trust since it was let. | | (181218) | 516
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the cost to date of developing the C-NOMIS IT system for prisons and probation in England and Wales has been. | | (181219) | 517
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the financial consequences for his Department's budget are of not rolling out C-NOMIS to the Probation Service. | | (181220) | 518
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the developers of C-NOMIS, EDS, will be paid any compensation as a consequence of the system not being rolled out to the Probation Service. | | (181221) | 519
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of how the decision not to roll out C-NOMIS to the Probation Service will affect its ability to comply with end-to-end management of offenders. | | (181222) | 520
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his original estimate was of the final cost of rolling out C-NOMIS to the Prison Service and Probation Service. | | (181223) | 521
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he will publish the Brennan report on the structure of his Department. | | (181224) | 522
| Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what payments his Department has made to PricewaterhouseCoopers in the last 12 months. | | (180814) | 523
| Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much was spent by his Department on consultants in the last 12 months, broken down by consultancy. | | (180819) | 524
| Mr David Gauke (South West Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the value of contracts between his Department and PricewaterhouseCoopers on private finance initiative projects was in the last 12 months. | | (180849) | 525
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated research on the effectiveness in preventing electoral fraud of requiring electors in polling stations to sign for their ballot paper. | | (181003) | 526
| Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many convicted prisoners held at HMP Peterborough were released early as a result of prison overcrowding in the latest period for which figures are available. | | (180983) | 527
| Anne Milton (Guildford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much money the Legal Services Commission has received by way of (a) recovered costs and (b) interest on statutory charges in each year since 1997. | | (180507) | 528
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has been invited by the government of Pakistan to send election observers to that country; and if he will make a statement. | | (181174) | 529
N | Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on what date the Permanent Secretary of the former Department for Constitutional Affairs received notice of each donation made to the then Minister of State in relation to her campaign for the deputy leadership of the Labour Party; and if he will make a statement. | | (180108) | 530
N | Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Prime Minister's Oral Answer to the hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire on 16th January 2008, Official Report, column 925 on bail, what steps he plans to take to review the issue raised and decide whether any changes in the law are necessary. | | (180868) | 531
| Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much was spent on legal aid in each of the last 10 years (a) in cash terms and (b) as a proportion of annual total public expenditure. | | (181012) | 532
| Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the new legal aid fee scheme on the number of legal practices undertaking criminal legal aid work. | | (181013) | 533
| Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many legal aid representation orders have been granted by magistrates' courts in each month since the re-introduction of means testing for legal aid in 2006. | | (181014) | 534
N | Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on how many occasions each young offender institution has videoed the (a) strip searching and (b) restraint of children. | | (180516) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 535
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much was paid by his Department to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Capita Group plc in each year from 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if he will make a statement. | | (180696) | 536
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement. | | (180574) | 537
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what percentage of each category of crime was cleared up by the Police Service of Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. | | (180630) | 538
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many recorded rape offences in Northern Ireland, including attempted rape, led to convictions in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) age and (b) gender of the victims. | | (180631) | 539
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will provide a break-down by age of persons convicted of rape or attempted rape in Northern Ireland in the last 10 years. | | (180632) | 540
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) assistant chief constables, (b) chief superintendents and (c) superintendents in the Police Service of Northern Ireland are university graduates. | | (180633) | 541
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average time taken by the Police Service of Northern Ireland in each district command unit was to respond to (a) emergency and (b) routine calls from members of the public in each of the last five years. | | (180862) | 542
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what percentage of the Police Service of Northern Ireland budget in each district command unit was allocated to the prevention and investigation of crime in each of the last five years. | | (180863) | 543
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Parades Commission has met the organisers of the Gay Pride parade held in Belfast on 4th August 2007. | | (180864) | 544
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when the Community Safety Unit will complete and publish its evaluation of the Proposals for the Safety of Older People document. | | (180865) | 545
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he plans to take to improve community confidence in the capability of the Police Service of Northern Ireland to respond effectively to crime. | | (180866) | Questions to the Minister for the Olympics 546
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Minister for the Olympics, what the estimated cost of security is at (a) Olympic Village and (b) Army Training Camp for the GB team at Aldershot (i) prior to the 2012 Games and (ii) during the Games; and from what budget this is charged. | | (181092) | Questions to the Prime Minister 547
| Mr Brian Binley (Northampton South): To ask the Prime Minister, what the terms and conditions of Mr Stephen Carter's employment as Chief of Strategy and principal adviser are; and what rules apply to the retention of interests in outside bodies by special advisers. | | (180560) | 548
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth): To ask the Prime Minister, on how many occasions he has visited (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) Liverpool and (d) London since his appointment. | | (180981) | 549
N | Hon Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex): To ask the Prime Minister, when he expects to reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Mid Sussex on 26th September 2007 and on 13th November 2007 about Lord Kinnock; and what the reason is for the time taken in replying. | | (180620) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland 550
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much was paid by his Department to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Capita Group plc in each year from 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if he will make a statement. | | (180693) | 551
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by his Department; and if he will make a statement. | | (180579) | Questions to the Solicitor General 552
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Solicitor General, how much was paid by her Department to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000; which contracts were awarded by her Department to Capita Group plc in each year from 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if she will make a statement. | | (180698) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 553
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was paid by her Department to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000; which contracts were awarded by her Department to Capita Group plc in each year from 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if she will make a statement. | | (180694) | 554
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what files are held by her Department on (a) the Road Traffic (Seat Belts) Bill of Sessions (i) 1978-79 and (ii) 1979-80 and (b) the Safety of Children in Cars Bill of sessions (A) 1978-79, (B) 1979-80 and (C) 1980-81; and if she will make a statement. | | (180774) | 555
| Janet Anderson (Rossendale & Darwen): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions her Department has had with Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council on a funding bid to upgrade the rail track and service between Blackburn, Darwen and Manchester Victoria. | | (180503) | 556
N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will list the 10 railway (a) stations and (b) lines which had the largest (i) percentage and (ii) gross increase in passenger numbers in the latest year for which figures are available. | | (180273) | 557
N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will list the 10 town or council areas, with (a) the largest percentage increases in bus usage and (b) the largest percentage decreases in bus usage for the latest year for which figures are available. | | (180274) | 558
N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will list the 10 town or council areas with the (a) largest and (b) smallest number of bus journeys made for the latest year for which figures are available. | | (180275) | 559
N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of new road have been built in each year since 1997. | | (180280) | 560
N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of new railway have been built in each year since 1997. | | (180281) | 561
N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish on the roads section of her Department's website a list of each of the road schemes approved and funded by her Department with (a) the costs of each scheme at approval, (b) the latest ministerially approved costs and (c) the estimated carbon dioxide impact of each. | | (180640) | 562
| Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish on the roads section of her Department's website the appraisal summary tables of the road schemes her Department has approved. | | (180641) | 563
N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many aeroplane flights occurred in which spent nuclear fuel was carried within UK airspace in each of the last 10 years; what the origin and destination was of each case; and what volume of fuel was carried in each case. | | (180659) | 564
N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) flights and (b) other shipments were made where (i) spent nuclear fuel, (ii) nuclear waste, (iii) other high-level and (iv) other intermediate radioactive material was transported between the UK and a foreign country in the latest year for which figures are available. | | (180660) | 565
N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many accidents occurred involving (a) road vehicles, (b) aircraft and (c) trains carrying radioactive material in the United Kingdom in each year since 1997. | | (180661) | 566
| Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will ensure that platforms 21 to 25 at Waterloo International continue to be available for trains after they are handed back by Eurostar. | | (180662) | 567
| Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many accidents on roads in England involved drivers who were aged 17 in 2007. | | (180663) | 568
| Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what work is being undertaken in her Department to assess the appropriate minimum blood alcohol concentration level for drivers. | | (180664) | 569
| Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what percentage of (a) drivers and (b) vehicle passengers who were (i) killed and (ii) seriously injured on roads were not wearing seat belts in 2007. | | (180665) | 570
| Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much has been spent by the Highways Agency on preparation for the A628 Mottram to Tintwistle bypass public inquiry to date. | | (180962) | 571
| Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the safety of the A628; and what instructions she (a) has given and (b) plans to give the Highways Agency to implement safety measures on the route before 2012. | | (180963) | 572
| Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made in her Department's investigation into the wearing of cycle helmets by children. | | (180934) | 573
N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many motor vehicles have been crushed for non-payment of road tax since the relevant provisions came into force. | | (179580) | 574
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by her Department and its agencies; and if she will make a statement. | | (180575) | 575
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government has taken to encourage local councils to fund improved street lighting. | | (178468) | 576
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many individuals living in (a) Formby (L37), (b) Crosby (L23), (c) Hightown (L38) and (d) Seaforth and Waterloo (L22 and L21) have been awarded a free bus travel pass in 2007-08; what proportion of bus travellers this represents in each area; and how much this benefit has cost the public purse in each year since 1997. | | (181152) | 577
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average rise in bus fares was in each English local authority in each of the last 10 years. | | (180107) | 578
N | Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Strategic Rail Authority's Integrated Franchise Agreement Briefing Document, what the agreed ceiling for fare increases was for South Eastern Railway. | | (179759) | 579
N | Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many passengers have travelled from Ebbsfleet via Eurostar since the inauguration of that service. | | (179779) | 580
N | Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what surcharge was applied to passengers taking weekend breaks in Paris and travelling by Eurostar from (a) Ebbsfleet and (b) Paddington. | | (179780) | 581
N | Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much subsidy South Eastern Railways received from her Department as a percentage of the income from the franchise in each of the last three years for which figures are available. | | (179781) | 582
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) punctuality and reliability statistics and (b) passengers in excess numbers were for rail services on (i) the Portsmouth to Cardiff, (ii) Portsmouth to London via Guildford, (iii) Portsmouth to London via Basingstoke and (iv) Southampton to Havant routes in each month since January 2005. | | (180613) | 583
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15th January 2008, Official Report, column 1094W, on South West Trains, what the internal specifications are for (a) seating and (b) stand alone tables for (i) suburban, (ii) mainline and (iii) mainline express rolling stock units; into which of these categories (A) class 442 and (B) class 444 units fall; and if she will make a statement. | | (180674) | 584
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what factors underlay her decision to allow South West Trains to close their exisiting travel centres and not require them to be retained for railway purposes; and if she will make a statement. | | (181093) | 585
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people in Lancashire were referred for speed awareness courses in the most recent period for which figures are available; and how many people in Lancashire are due to take speed awareness courses. | | (180508) | 586
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that every person referred to a speed awareness course in Lancashire undertakes the course. | | (180509) | 587
| Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) cyclists and (b) motorcyclists have suffered (i) non-fatal casualties and (ii) death on (A) urban and (B) rural roads in Great Britain in each year since 1997. | | (180935) | 588
| Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, who will fund (a) proposed road junction improvements on the A303 at Long Barrow Roundabout and Countess Roundabout near Stonehenge and (b) a proposed new roundabout at the junction of the A344 and A360 at Airman's Corner as a result of the Government's decision to build a new visitor centre at Stonehenge by 2012. | | (180946) | 589
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what grants her Department has provided for transport infrastructure in Coventry in the last 12 months; and what future such grants are planned to be made. | | (180277) | 590
N | Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what arrangements are in place for the recovery of money by Network Rail from (a) the Highways Agency, (b) local authorities, (c) statutory undertakers and (d) other persons, in relation to (i) road bridges and (ii) foot bridges which cross its network; what charges are applied; and what the basis is for those charges. | | (180489) | 591
N | Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proposals (a) she and (b) the Office of Rail Regulation have for the further reform of the railway network code in respect of (i) the carrying out of engineering work on the network and (ii) the liability of Network Rail to pay compensation to its train operator customers in cases of delays or unsatisfactory or late completion of works. | | (180490) | 592
N | Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what input she intends to have in the inquiry now being carried out by the Office of Rail Regulation into the January 2008 overruns of engineering works on the West Coast route modernisation. | | (180491) | 593
N | Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether (a) she and (b) the Office of Rail Regulation has any plans to require Network Rail to extend the timetable for the completion of the West Coast route modernisation. | | (180492) | 594
N | Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what propoals (a) she and (b) the Office of Rail Regulation has for the strengthening of the conditons of Network Rail's network licence. | | (180493) | 595
| Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps are being taken to ensure adequate spending on public transport in rural and remote areas of the country. | | (181158) | 596
| Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps are being taken to safeguard potential railway routes from development. | | (181159) | 597
| Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 11th June 2007, Official Report, column 38WS, on Drivers' Hours (Derogation for Reservists), whether the Minister has received a response from the European Commission to the request for a derogation from regulation (EC) 561/2006; and if she will make a statement. | | (180872) | 598
| Mr Elliot Morley (Scunthorpe): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the appeal process is in the event of a disagreement in the application of a traffic regulation order. | | (180765) | 599
| Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what mechanisms have been put in place to prevent future data losses by the Driving Standards Agency; and if she will make a statement. | | (180498) | 600
| Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department carried out impact assessments before the introduction of multi-purpose test centres in rural areas; and if she will make a statement. | | (180499) | 601
| Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the reasons for variations in pass rates between driving test centres; and if she will make a statement. | | (180500) | 602
| Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons the Driving Standards Agency's professional development training will be outsourced; and if she will make a statement. | | (180501) | 603
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many fines the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has issued relating to the lack of notification of change of vehicle ownership in the last two years. | | (180594) | 604
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much has been raised in revenue by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency via fines for failing to notify change of vehicle ownership in the last two years; what the cost has been of taking such action; and if she will make a statement. | | (180595) | 605
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many appeals against fines imposed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for non-notification of change of vehicle ownership have been made in the last two years; how many of these were successful; on what grounds such cases were successful; and if she will make a statement. | | (180596) | 606
| Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people have claimed that letters sent to the DVLA register changes of ownership had been lost in the post in the last two years; what discussions she has had with Royal Mail and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency on this issue; and if she will make a statement. | | (180597) | 607
| Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she expects work to commence on the junction from the A12 Colchester Northern by-pass to the Northern Approach Road near the Colchester Community Stadium. | | (180903) | 608
N | Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when a copy of the full progress report on the A5-M1 link will be sent to the hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire. | | (180649) | 609
| Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what systems are operated by the Office of Rail Regulation for the proactive monitoring of Network Rail's compliance with Condition 7 (network stewardship) of its network licence. | | (180873) | 610
| Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish the contracts between the Office of Rail Regulation and the regulatory reporters appointed under Condition 23 of Network Rail's network licence. | | (180874) | 611
| Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish the reports on the West Coast route modernisation submitted to the Office of Rail Regulation in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007 by its regulatory reporters appointed under Condition 23 of Network Rail's network licence. | | (180875) | 612
| Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the review of Network Rail's network licence being undertaken by the Office of Rail Regulation will be concluded; and when its results will be published. | | (180876) | 613
| Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what systems are operated by the Office of Rail Regulation for the proactive monitoring of Network Rail's compliance with the dependent persons code of practice established by Network Rail under Condition 25 of its network licence. | | (180877) | 614
| Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, under what conditions (a) train operators and (b) other persons are entitled to have access to the asset register established by Network Rail under Condition 24 of its network licence. | | (180878) | 615
| Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proposals (a) she and (b) the Office of Rail Regulation has for enhancing the accountability of Network Rail to its train operator customers. | | (180879) | 616
| Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the terms are of the binding commitment between her and Network Rail referred to in paragraph 1.4.10 of the White Paper The Future of Rail, Cm 6233, dated 15th July 2004. | | (180880) | 617
| Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to use her powers of determination or enforcement under the binding commitment between her and Network Rail referred to in paragraph 1.4.10 of the White Paper The Future of Rail, Cm 6233, dated 15 July 2004. | | (180881) | 618
| Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what powers of binding determination and enforcement are exercised by the West Coast Project Board. | | (180882) | 619
| Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Stations Code will be brought into effect in each region. | | (180883) | 620
| Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what capacity measurement tools are used by the Office of Rail Regulation in relation to (a) track, (b) stations and (c) light maintenance depots. | | (180884) | 621
| David Wright (Telford): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce the number of vehicles being driven on UK roads without a valid MOT certificate. | | (180722) | 622
| David Wright (Telford): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the number of vehicles on the road with no valid MOT certificate. | | (180723) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales 623
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much was paid by his Department to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2000; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Capita Group plc in each year from 2000-01 to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed in contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if he will make a statement. | | (180695) | 624
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by his Department; and if he will make a statement. | | (180578) | 625
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what meetings he has had in a ministerial capacity with representatives of Picture Financial Group in the last 12 months; what the date of each meeting was; who was present at each meeting; and what the purpose of each meeting was. | | (181017) | Questions to the Minister for Women and Equality 626
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, what meetings she has had with officials of trades unions since 1st July 2007; and what the date and union or unions involved were in each case. | | (181011) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 627
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was paid by his Department to Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in each financial year since 2004-05; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Capita Group plc in each year to the most recent available date; what the cost was of each contract; what penalties for default were imposed on contract provisions; what the length was of each contract; whether the contract was advertised; how many companies applied for the contract; how many were short-listed; what criteria were used for choosing a company; what provision was made for renewal without re-tender in each case; and if he will make a statement. | | (180707) | 628
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what meetings (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials have held with (i) directors and (ii) senior executives of (A) Capita Group plc and (B) its subsidiaries since 1st January 2001; what the (1) location and (2) duration of each meeting was; whether a record of each meeting was kept; and if he will make a statement. | | (180708) | 629
| Mr David Anderson (Blaydon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many women receive reduced pensions having paid the married woman's stamp; what steps he is taking to help women adversely affected as a result of reduced pension payments; and if he will make a statement. | | (181211) | 630
| Mr David Anderson (Blaydon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that recent increases in energy prices do not increase levels of poverty among pensioners. | | (181212) | 631
N | John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many national insurance numbers were issued in the City of Edinburgh in each of the last 18 months, broken down by parliamentary constituency of recipient. | | (180654) | 632
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement. | | (180577) | 633
| Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many of the illegal workers employed in the security industry and the subject of the Home Secretary's Oral Statement of 13th November 2007, Official Report, columns 531-3, on security industry authority, were issued with (a) temporary national insurance numbers or (b) national insurance numbers after 31st July 2006. | | (181143) | 634
| Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many temporary national insurance numbers have been issued to non-EU nationals in each year since 1997; and if he will give a breakdown by nationality of the number issued in (a) 1997 and (b) the most recent year for which figures are available. | | (181144) | 635
| Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when his Department began to check the national insurance numbers and the national insurance status of the illegal workers in the security industry identified in the Oral Statement of 13th November 2007, Official Report, columns 531-3, on the security industry authority, made by the Home Secretary. | | (181146) | 636
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will commission research to establish how frequently Child Support Agency clients are advised by the Agency to contact their hon. Member to make progress on their case. | | (181103) | 637
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total cost was of running the Fraud Investigation Service in the financial year 2006-07. | | (180977) | 638
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was recovered from those successfully prosecuted by the Fraud Investigation Service in each of the last five financial years. | | (180978) | 639
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the smallest sum of money lost by his Department through fraud in respect of which a prosecution was mounted in each of the last five years. | | (180979) | 640
| Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Central Ayrshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people from the traveller community are registered with a national insurance number. | | (181007) | 641
| Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East & Mexborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average value of benefits provided by the state was to a (a) single pensioner and (b) pensioner couple in Barnsley East and Mexborough in each year since 1997. | | (181046) | 642
| Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were in receipt of housing benefit in each local authority in the UK in the latest period for which figures are available. | | (180615) | 643
| Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people in receipt of housing benefit in each local authority in the UK who do not have access to a bank account. | | (180616) | 644
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many unemployed non-disabled persons had their jobseeker's allowance suspended for (a) two weeks and (b) more than two weeks in each of the last 10 years. | | (181002) | 645
N | Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many live Child Support Agency claims there were in Peterborough in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement. | | (180860) | 646
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress is being made on updating Health and Safety Executive Leaflet INDG209 on sunbeds. | | (180624) | 647
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what meetings of the cross-departmental Ministerial group on child poverty have taken place since 1st January 2006; and who attended each meeting. | | (180627) | 648
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Office of National Statistics plans to release the next set of statistics on child poverty in the UK. | | (180628) | 649
| Mr John Leech (Manchester, Withington): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many of the Jobcentre Plus staff dismissed between October 2006 and September 2007 for unsatisfactory attendance receive incapacity benefit; and how much such benefit they have received as at the most recent date for which figures are available. | | (181040) | 650
N | Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to assist local authorities in the introduction of local housing allowance on 7th April 2008; and if he will make a statement. | | (180683) | 651
| Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average value of benefits in kind provided by the state to (a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples in Paisley and Renfrewshire North was in each year since 1997. | | (180985) | 652
| Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency cases remain suspended pending the opening of new clerical team centres. | | (180770) | 653
| Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency (CSA) cases were dealt with by the CSA's clerical team in each month since January 2007. | | (180771) | 654
| Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency (CSA) cases were transferred to the CSA clerical team in each month since January 2007. | | (180772) | 655
| Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many errors were made in the payment of retirement pensions in the last 12 months; and in how many of those cases it was not possible to give an explanation of the error to the pensioner concerned. | | (180986) | 656
| Mark Williams (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many incapacity benefit claimants there were in Wales in each of the last five years, broken down by main disabling condition. | | (180768) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 657
| Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the likely population of the United Kingdom in (a) 2015, (b) 2030 and (c) 2050. | | [Transferred] (181126) | Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 658
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will reconsider the Government's practice on the disclosure of information on the attendance at and activities of Cabinet Committees. | | [Transferred] (181102) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 659
| Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) representatives of foreign governments on (i) whaling, (ii) the international moratorium on whaling, (iii) scientific whaling, (iv) whale conservation and (v) whale-related tourism; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (181196) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 660
| Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has made a recent estimate of the appropriate savings threshold above which the elderly should have to pay for their own care in nursing homes; and if he will consider a review of this threshold. | | [Transferred] (180843) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 661
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many persons sentenced to a period of imprisonment, then removed to an immigration centre and subsequently released into the community in (a) 2006 and (b) 2007 were originally convicted of an offence of violence. | | [Transferred] (181225) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Justice 662
| Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what percentage of food procured by the Prison Service was of UK origin in the latest period for which figures are available. | | [Transferred] (181124) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 663
| Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps are being taken to combat poverty amongst young people in otherwise wealthy rural areas. | | [Transferred] (181157) |
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