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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Monday 28 April 2008
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 28 April 2008
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Monday 28 April 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 28 April of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Monday 28 April see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 1
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what assessment the Government has made of current and future skills needs in the (a) nuclear waste industries and (b) energy efficiency and renewable energy sectors. | | (202513) | 2
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the UK has enough skilled people to work in the (a) nuclear waste industries and (b) the energy efficiency and renewable energy sectors. | | (202514) | 3
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, whether the feasibility study into the options for generating renewable electricity in the Severn Estuary will include assumptions about the price and availability of oil during the construction, operation, decommissioning and removal of each option. | | (202339) | 4
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will commission a small-scale trial of tidal lagoon technology during the Government's feasibility study into the options for generating renewable electricity in the Severn Estuary. | | (202340) | 5
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, whether the feasibility study into the options for generating renewable electricity in the Severn Estuary will take into account the (a) location, (b) size, (c) objective, (d) costs and (e) impacts of the compensatory habitats associated with each option. | | (202341) | 6
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, whether the feasibility study into the options for generating renewable electricity in the Severn Estuary will consider the (a) methods, (b) resources, (c) assumptions and (d) costs associated with the decommissioning and removal of each option. | | (202351) | 7
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, whether the feasibility study into the options for generating renewable electricty in the Severn Estuary will consider the latest performance and environmental impact data relating to the Annapolis Royal barrage in Nova Scotia, Canada. | | (202353) | 8
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will hold discussions with the Office of Fair Trading about the issuing of consumer credit licences to debt collecting companies and ensuring that recipients of licences have a responsibility to check properly the history of those individuals passed onto them to prevent older people who have faced identity theft from being caused distress. | | (202445) | 9
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what recent assessment he has made of the financial viability of public houses. | | (202446) | 10
N | Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland & Melton): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, which regional development agencies were represented at one or more political party conference in each year since 2000. | | (201514) | 11
N | Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland & Melton): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what estimate he has made of the total cost of rebranding the Defence Exports Services Organisation as the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Group. | | (201654) | 12
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many construction industry businesses there were in (a) Jarrow consituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997. | | (202456) | 13
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what plans he has to provide loans to small and medium sized enterprises which are construction companies to assist them in meeting the capital costs associated with high energy-efficiency construction projects. | | (202531) | 14
N | Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, when he expects an announcement on post office closures in South West Devon to be made. | | (201995) | 15
| Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what estimate he has made of the number of solar panels installed on (a) domestic and (b) non-domestic properties in each of the last 10 years. | | (202372) | 16
| Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, pursuant to the Answer of 7th February 2008, Official Report, column 1447W, on fuel poverty, when he expects (a) fuel poverty figures for 2006 and (b) updated regional fuel poverty figures to be published. | | (202375) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 17
N | Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many employers were prosecuted for paying employees at a rate below the minimum wage in each year since the minimum wage was introduced, broken down by region. | | (202208) | 18
N | Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent representations he has received on sovereign wealth funds; and if he will make a statement. | | (201975) | 19
N | Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether sovereign wealth funds are exempt from taxation in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. | | (201976) | 20
N | Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was raised by sovereign wealth funds in the UK in each of the last five years. | | (201977) | 21
N | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his announcement on 23rd April of measures to alleviate the impact of removing the 10 pence tax rate, what the estimated cost to the public purse is of these measures will be in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10. | | (202118) | 22
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will re-evaluate what the appropriateness of the length of the time that statutory demands normal term is before an action for bankruptcy is pursued. | | (202426) | 23
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward proposals for a levy on cigarette manufacturers to pay for the removal of discarded cigarette butts. | | (202486) | 24
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken to provide greater flexibility for Government departments, with reference to the use of capital expenditure and operational expenditure spending budgets. | | (202536) | 25
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what price his Department requires Government departments to use for one tonne of carbon dioxide when calculating their budgets. | | (202537) | 26
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Government departments have (a) approached his Department for assistance and (b) received assistance in response to the procedure outlined on pages 4 and 5 in the UK Government Sustainable Procurement Action Plan. | | (202546) | 27
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Government departments have (a) approached SALIX for assistance and (b) received assistance (from whatever source) in response to the procedure outlined on pages 4 and 5 in the UK Government Sustainable Procurement Action Plan. | | (202547) | 28
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Valuation Office Agency uses its automated valuation model to value newly built homes for council tax purposes. | | (202561) | 29
N | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 5th March 2008, on the abolition of the 10 per cent. tax rate (PO reference: 1/54880/2008). | | (202160) | 30
N | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 29th February 2008, on income tax rates for those on low incomes (PO reference: 1/54749/2008). | | (202162) | 31
| Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire dated 18th March 2008 on tax on Land Rovers used by farmers. | | (202387) | 32
N | Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the budget of each Minister in his Department is for entertainment in 2008-09. | | (202086) | 33
| Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HM Revenue and Customs plans to review the authorised mileage allowances for tax purposes to take account of rising fuel costs. | | (202376) | 34
| Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 5th March 2008, Official Report, column 2579W, on departmental ICT, how many of the missing or stolen (a) laptops, (b) mobile telephones and (c) personal digital assistants have been replaced by his Department; and at what cost. | | (202438) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 35
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what estimate he has made of the proportion of children of school age with dyslexia; and what assessment he has made of the effects of their condition on schooling needs. | | (202172) | 36
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what provision has been made for teaching children with dyslexia within his Department's (a) Every Child a Reader, (b) Every Child a Writer and (c) Every Child Counts programmes. | | (202173) | 37
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will take steps to ensure there is at least one teacher with specialist training in teaching children with dyslexia on the staff of every school. | | (202174) | 38
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will take steps to reduce the number of children with dyslexia who do not succeed in school. | | (202175) | 39
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what mechanisms are in place for the removal of teachers deemed to be incompetent in the classroom; and what role the General Teaching Council has in such procedures. | | (202545) | 40
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many children aged (a) under 11, (b) between 11 and 16 and (c) between 17 and 18 years studied a foreign language in each of the last five years. | | (202230) | 41
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many schools have been commissioned outside the Building Schools for the Future programme in each of the last three years; and how many of them were commissioned under the private finance initiative model. | | (202534) | 42
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many new schools have been commissioned under the Building Schools for the Future programme; and how many of them were commissioned under the private finance initiative model. | | (202535) | 43
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps he has taken towards establishing a carbon test for new schools as a supplement to the BRE Environmental Assessment Method rating. | | (202539) | 44
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many construction projects his Department undertook in each of the last three years for which the capital cost was greater than £1.5 million; and what the combined value of these projects was. | | (202541) | 45
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many construction projects his Department undertook in each of the last three years for which the capital cost was less than £1.5 million; and what the combined value of these projects was. | | (202542) | 46
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many new schools went over their construction budget in each of the last five years. | | (202548) | 47
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what plans he has to ensure that all 16 and 17 year olds in (a) prison and (b) on community service are in accredited education and training; and if he will make a statement. | | (202334) | 48
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whether employees of businesses offering work experience to Diploma students will be required to undergo Criminal Records Bureau checks; and if he will make a statement. | | (202578) | 49
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what he expects the minimum spend on ingredients for school meals to be per pupil per day; and if he will make a statement. | | (202636) | 50
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the minimum spend on ingredients for school meals per pupil per day was in each year since the minimum spend was introduced; and if he will make a statement. | | (202637) | 51
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what assessment he has made of the impact of rising food prices on the cost of schools meals; and if he will make a statement. | | (202638) | 52
| Mr John Randall (Uxbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, pursuant to the Answer of 26th February 2008, Official Report, column 1534W, on public information booklets, who is responsible for (a) authorising and (b) auditing expenditure on the production of information for the public; and what information is held centrally on such costs. | | (202679) | 53
N | Helen Southworth (Warrington South): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many young people in the care of a local authority moved into (a) hostel and (b) bed and breakfast accommodation in each local authority area in 2007. | | (202227) | 54
N | Helen Southworth (Warrington South): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many young people in the care of a local authority were not in education, employment or training in each local authority area in 2007. | | (202228) | 55
| Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, pursuant to the Answer of 26th February 2008, Official Report, column 1532W, on departmental ICT, how many of the missing or stolen (a) laptops, (b) mobile telephones and (c) personal digital assistants have been replaced by his Department; and at what cost. | | (202505) | Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 56
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what information Departments are required to hold on whether their employees are married to other employees. | | (202648) | 57
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will hold discussions with Volunteering England over the proposal in the Goldsmith Report on Citizenship: Our Common Bond to offer council tax rebates for volunteering activities. | | (202500) | 58
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will hold discussions with the National Union of Students on the proposal in the Goldsmith Report on Citizenship: Our Common Bond to reduce university fees for students who volunteer. | | (202501) | 59
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will make an estimate of the number of people who are (a) in full-time work, (b) in part-time work for 20 to 30 hours per week, (c) in part-time work for 10 to 20 hours per week, (d) in part-time work for less than 10 hours per week and (e) out of work, broken down by age decile. | | (202553) | 60
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many self-employed people worked in the construction industry in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997. | | (202455) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 61
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many houses were built in high flood risk areas between 1997 and 2005; and how many houses indicated in plans scheduled for completion by 2020 as part of the Government's programme to build three million new homes are to be built in areas determined by the Environment Agency as high flood risk areas. | | (202564) | 62
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much of the £110 million received from the EU for emergency flood relief will be put at the disposal of (a) central Government, (b) local government and (c) Gloucestershire County Council. | | (202625) | 63
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what powers she has to impose a new unitary arrangement upon a two-tier area; what trial has to be observed; and what period of consultation she expects to be undertaken. | | (202487) | 64
N | Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the proposal to build 1,500 new homes next to the River Stour in North Bournemouth. | | (202084) | 65
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps she has taken to improve sustainability within local government procurement with regard to construction. | | (202543) | 66
N | Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what planning requirements and processes apply to proposals for (a) new urban development and (b) eco-towns. | | (202307) | 67
N | John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans she has for the training and development of finance staff in her Department's headquarters under the Finance Professionalism agenda; and whether those proposals have been (a) equality-proofed under Civil Service equality provisions and (b) subject to an equality impact assessment. | | (202210) | 68
N | John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many staff within the finance team in her Department's headquarters have been promoted under the Finance Professionalism agenda. | | (202211) | 69
N | John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many staff within the finance team in her Department's headquarters have been promoted in the last 12 months otherwise than under the provisions of the Finance Professionalism agenda. | | (202212) | 70
N | John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether her Department's trade union side or the relevant recognised trades union was consulted on the Finance Professionalism agenda before it was announced to staff; and whether the trade union side or the relevant recognised trades union has written to her Department seeking consultation on the Finance Professionalism agenda. | | (202213) | 71
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the role of the Building Research Establishment was in the home information pack area trials. | | (202459) | 72
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will place in the Library a copy of the full original dataset of polling information compiled by Ipsos MORI as part of its research study into the home information pack area trials. | | (202460) | 73
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what central funding London Connects (a) has received and (b) is due to receive for the Valuebill project. | | (202461) | 74
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will place in the Library copies of the original datasets used to calculate the geographical barriers sub-domain in the English Indices of Deprivation 2000, including data for each electoral ward of (a) road distance to a general practitioner surgery, (b) road distance to a general store or supermarket, (c) road distance to a primary school and (d) road distance to a post office or sub post office. | | (202462) | 75
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the advertising and marketing budget of her Department and each of its agencies is for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09. | | (202463) | 76
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the average satisfaction rate with local councils according to (a) Audit Commission assessments and (b) performance against best value performance indicators was in each year since 1997. | | (202464) | 77
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the average number of planning applications which will be considered by the Infrastructure Planning Commission each year. | | (202465) | 78
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will place in the Library a copy of the dataset of difficulty of access to owner-occupation used to compile the Index of Deprivation 2007, including data for each lower layer super output area. | | (202466) | 79
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Wirral South of 3rd April 2008, Official Report, column 1274W, on allotments, whether the Green Space Database will include information on (a) land with Green Belt designation, (b) green field land, (c) playing fields and (d) gardens. | | (202467) | 80
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 5th February 2008, Official Report, column 1033W, on property: databases, which local authorities submit billing authority reports to the Valuation Office Agency via the Valuebill electronic interface. | | (202468) | 81
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3rd April 2008, Official Report, column 1250W, on departmental contracts, what the function and purpose was of the Communities' High Level Seminar supported by McKinsey. | | (202469) | 82
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3rd April 2008, Official Report, column 1266W, on the local government and regeneration division, if she will list each of the smaller boards, working groups and committees within the division referred to in her Answer. | | (202470) | 83
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19th February 2008, Official Report, column 613W, on council tax: valuation, for what reasons the sections on (a) future council tax revaluations, (b) the hon. Member for Meriden and (c) consequentials, were redacted from the minutes placed in the Library. | | (202471) | 84
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3rd April 2008, Official Report, column 1248W, on carbon dioxide emissions, what role household waste plays in any definition of zero carbon. | | (202472) | 85
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 5th March 2008, Official Report, column 2501W, on housing: databases, what the Unique Property Reference Number is of (a) the official ministerial residence of 10 Downing Street, (b) the official ministerial residence of 11 Downing Street and (c) each of the three ministerial residences in Admiralty House, Whitehall, according to the records held by the Valuation Office Agency. | | (202473) | 86
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 5th March 2008, Official Report, column 2501W, on housing: databases, how many domestic dwellings in England have now been allocated a Unique Property Reference Number. | | (202474) | 87
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19th February 2008, Official Report, column 613W, and 2nd April 2008, Official Report, columns 924-5W, on council tax: valuation, if she will place in the Library the initial analysis of the number of consequentials that informed the discussions at the Council Tax Revaluation Programme Board (England). | | (202475) | 88
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19th February 2008, Official Report, column 613W, and 2nd April 2008, Official Report, columns 924-5W, on council tax: valuation, how many consequentials that were identified were subsequently corrected as part of the Valuation Office Agency's normal duty; and how many households had their records amended. | | (202476) | 89
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 8th January 2008, Official Report, columns 509-10W, on valuation: licensed premises, if she will place an updated copy of Volume 5 of the Rating Manual in the Library. | | (202478) | 90
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19th March 2008, Official Report, column 121W, on the Valuation Office, if she will place in the Library a copy of the current version of the Valuation Office Agency's form Dwelling Survey V09072. | | (202479) | 91
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 3rd April 2008, Official Report, column 1275W, on regional planning and development, in which local authorities has a planning inspector has (a) amended a proposed policy on the Green Belt and (b) rejected a development plan document as unsound due to the proposed policy on the Green Belt. | | (202480) | 92
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 3rd April 2008, Official Report, column 1275W, on regional planning and development, in which local authorities have Development Plan documents have been (a) amended by the planning inspector and (b) rejected by the planning inspector as unsound. | | (202481) | 93
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 3rd April 2008, Official Report, column 1275W, on regional planning and development, if she will place in the Library a copy of each development plan independent examination report published by a planning inspector appointed by the Secretary of State to date since the coming into force of the 2004 Act. | | (202482) | 94
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Wirral South of 3rd April 2008, Official Report, column 1274W, on allotments, what the planned expenditure is on the Green Space Database; and when it is expected to go live. | | (202483) | 95
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 28th March 2006, Official Report, columns 920-21W, on council tax, whether she (a) has made and (b) plans to make changes to the operation of student council tax exemption for grant calculation purposes. | | (202516) | 96
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 19th March 2008, Official Report, column 1223W, on stamp duties: tax allowances, how many transactions claimed stamp duty tax relief for new zero carbon homes in March 2008. | | (202517) | 97
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which (a) Government departments and (b) executive agencies have made a business rates challenge or appeal to the (i) Valuation Office Agency and (ii) Valuation Tribunal Service in the last 12 months. | | (202552) | 98
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the average purchase price of a domestic dwelling was for a first-time buyer in (a) England and (b) the United Kingdom in the most recent period for which figures are available. | | (202554) | 99
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities will be represented on the proposed leaders' fora for scrutiny of regional development agencies. | | (202556) | 100
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local authority assets have been transferred to community control since the publication of the Communities in Control pamphlet. | | (202557) | 101
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which bids to become eco-towns included plans for development on (a) Green Belt and (b) greenfield land. | | (202558) | 102
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to designate further Growth Points. | | (202559) | 103
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what requirements there are upon a local authority to advertise the sale of a property of which it is disposing. | | (202560) | 104
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what research her Department has conducted on the mechanisms and processes by which local authorities respond to petitions from local residents. | | (202562) | 105
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether members of the Eco-towns Challenge Panel have made declarations of recent political activity. | | (202563) | 106
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, on what date a home information pack will be required for a home placed on the market before a home information pack became compulsory to market it and which is not yet sold. | | (202566) | 107
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the Valuation Office Agency's policy is on whether the addition of an extension to a property will normally be assumed to entail an increase in the banding of the property when it is sold. | | (202567) | 108
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of employees of the Local Government Ombudsman have formerly worked in local government. | | (202582) | 109
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the estimated cost to employers of the Local Government Pension Scheme was in each financial year since 1996-97 in (a) actual terms and (b) excluding the 20 per cent. of costs which relate to non-local authority employers. | | (202583) | 110
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Tribunal Service's business rates manual. | | (202584) | 111
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many energy performance certificates (EPCs) have been recorded on the EPC register; and how many home condition reports (HCRs) have been recorded on the HCR register. | | (202585) | 112
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what she estimates the running costs of the Homes and Communities Agency will be in its first year of operation. | | (202586) | 113
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what meetings Ministers in her Department have had with each of the 15 short-listed eco-town bidders. | | (202587) | 114
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the location is of each eco-town bid made to her Department which has not been short-listed. | | (202588) | 115
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the new Planning Policy Statement on eco-towns will be location-specific. | | (202589) | 116
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans the Valuation Office Agency has to use data from energy performance certificates on non-domestic dwellings to inform non-domestic rates valuations. | | (202590) | 117
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what reasons additional restrictions on extended permitted development rights for households (a) apply in conservation areas and (b) do not apply in (i) areas of outstanding natural beauty and (ii) national parks. | | (202591) | 118
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether traveller caravans are liable for council tax where the pitch is not charged business rates. | | (202592) | 119
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many domestic dwellings there are in conservation areas according to Valuation Office Agency property attribute records. | | (202593) | 120
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will place in the Library a copy of the technical presentation on valuing caravan pitches referred to on page 10 of the Valuation Office Agency's Council Tax Referencing Manual. | | (202594) | 121
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether her Department's departmental purchase orders are recorded in an electronic database. | | (202595) | 122
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which local planning authorities the Government Office for the South East has instructed to review their green belt boundaries as part of their local development framework. | | (202596) | 123
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the timetable is for work on the 2010 business rates revaluation in England and Wales. | | (202597) | 124
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether new integrated regional strategies will require the agreement of local authorities to be adopted. | | (202598) | 125
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much and what proportion of (a) council tax and (b) business rates was uncollected in each billing authority in the last year for which figures are available. | | (202600) | 126
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the cash value was of payments made by local authority employers, including secondary contributions, to the local government pensions scheme in each year since 1996-97. | | (202601) | 127
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what records her Department holds of the local authorities which have introduced pensions for councillors. | | (202602) | 128
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the business rates multiplier is for (a) businesses eligible for the small business rate and (b) other businesses in 2008-09. | | (202603) | 129
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the function and purpose is of business rates buoyancy factor allowance. | | (202604) | 130
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the value of small business rate relief was in each year since it was introduced. | | (202605) | 131
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans her Department and its agencies have to use the New Towns Act 1981 to establish delivery vehicles for eco-towns. | | (202608) | 132
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will make a statement on the long-term solvency of the Local Government Pension Scheme following the March 2007 valuation. | | (202610) | 133
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance (a) her Department and (b) the Government Office for London has issued on the Mayor of London's new powers to grant and refuse planning permission. | | (202611) | 134
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether joint waste authorities will levy a separate precept on council tax. | | (202612) | 135
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the current rate of employer contribution is to each public sector pension scheme for which her Department has responsibility. | | (202613) | 136
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the presence of a roof garden is taken into account by the Valuation Office Agency during a council tax valuation. | | (202614) | 137
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will introduce in England a scheme with similar structure and objectives to the Northern Ireland scheme of business rate relief for automatic telling machines in rural areas. | | (202615) | 138
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much was raised in council tax for each precepting authority in 2006-07 in England. | | (202616) | 139
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many conservation areas there are in England. | | (202618) | 140
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the status is of the DigiTV Project originally sponsored by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. | | (202619) | 141
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will place in the Library copies of the original datasets used to calculate the geographical barriers sub-domain in the English Indices of Deprivation 2007, including data for each Lower Layer Super Output Area for (a) road distance to a GP surgery, (b) road distance to a general store or supermarket, (c) road distance to a primary school and (d) road distance to a post office or sub post office. | | (202620) | 142
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which local authorities had performance targets in their local public service agreements or local area agreements on (a) adoption and (b) stability of adoption placements, where such performance was incentivised with reward grants; and what the target was in each case. | | (202621) | 143
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which local authorities had performance targets in their local public service agreements or local area agreements on household waste collection, where such performance was incentivised with reward grants; and what the target was in each case. | | (202622) | 144
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what (a) guidance has been produced and (b) amendments are planned on the use of CCTV by local authorities. | | (202623) | 145
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many dwellings in each local authority in England had council tax band amendments in 2007-08; how many involved properties moving up one or more bands; and how many moved down one or more bands in each local authority. | | (202624) | 146
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what changes have been made to the equalisation formula for local government funding in England since May 1997. | | (202627) | 147
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what changes were made to the methodology of the Index of Deprivation in (a) 2000, (b) 2004 and (c) 2007 in relation to the manner in which the geographical barriers sub-domain was calculated. | | (202629) | 148
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information from local authority (a) planning and (b) building control departments is passed to the Valuation Office Agency via the Valuebill interface. | | (202631) | 149
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether local billing authorities are required to adopt the Valuebill interface; and what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on its adoption. | | (202633) | 150
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what her responsibilities in respect of the e-Government regional partnerships are. | | (202634) | 151
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much she has allocated to the London Connects e-Government regional partnerships since inception. | | (202635) | 152
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the impact stand alone home condition report without home information packs had on transactions in the home information pack area trials. | | (202639) | 153
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what her policy is on voluntary home condition reports; and if she will make a statement. | | (202640) | 154
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much funding she allocated to the Building Research Establishment in each of the last three years. | | (202641) | 155
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what (a) data fields and (b) property attributes are held on the (i) Energy Performance Certificate and (ii) Home Condition Report register. | | (202642) | 156
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what consultancy firms her Department has commissioned work from in the last 12 months, and for what purpose. | | (202643) | 157
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much council tax was uncollected in cash terms (a) in England and (b) in each government office region in each year since 1996-97. | | (202644) | 158
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to replace the National Interest Mapping Services Agreement. | | (202646) | 159
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what changes in (a) service and (b) data provision Ordnance Survey has made to the Mapping for Emergencies Service since the ending of the National Interest Mapping Services Agreement; and how many staff were employed by the service (i) before and (ii) after the period covered by that agreement. | | (202647) | 160
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the average purchase price of a domestic dwelling paid by first time buyers. | | (202649) | 161
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what provisions of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 have yet to be (a) commenced and (b) implemented. | | (202650) | 162
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the homes provided in eco-town developments are to be included in the local authority's allocation under the regional spatial strategies. | | (202651) | 163
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what criteria the Homes and Communities Agency will use in deciding whether to invoke its powers to rule on development applications as a local planning authority. | | (202652) | 164
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has given local authorities guidance on carbon offsetting. | | (202653) | 165
| Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what means of redress are available to social housing tenants who have parents, partners or children with disabilities whose needs are not being accommodated by their social landlord. | | (202502) | 166
| Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what statutory obligations housing associations have to (a) rehouse disabled tenants and (b) prioritise their needs on local housing waiting lists. | | (202503) | 167
| Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what statutory obligations housing associations have to improve their housing stock for disabled tenants. | | (202504) | 168
| Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what statutory obligations housing associations have to accommodate the needs of disabled tenants. | | (202599) | 169
N | Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what budget each Minister in her Department has for entertainment in 2008-09. | | (202085) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 170
N | Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the UK's national tourism deficit benchmarked against (a) France, (b) Germany, (c) the United States, (d) Australia, (e) Spain and (f) Portugal. | | (202087) | 171
N | Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his latest estimate is of the tourism deficit; and how this figure compares to the equivalent for 1997. | | (202088) | 172
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will provide a break down of the sources of funding for the Sea Change programme. | | (202337) | 173
| Mr John Grogan (Selby): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had on the broadcasting of Test match cricket for the period from 2010 with representatives of the English cricket squad. | | (202350) | 174
| Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what changes are planned for the next Taking Part survey; and what the reasons for each change are. | | (202331) | 175
| Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many full-time equivalent employees are employed in his Department's public engagement and recognition unit. | | (202332) | 176
| Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the budget of his Department's public engagement and recognition unit is for (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10. | | (202333) | 177
| Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much was spent on developing his Department's Strategic, Necessary and Proportionate test. | | (202338) | 178
| Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what contracts his Department has with the marketing agency Fast Track; what the value of these contracts is; and what services are being supplied under them. | | (202342) | 179
| Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much has been paid to Culture 24 for services relating to the Engaging Places project. | | (202343) | 180
| Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding he has allocated for the Engaging Places project; and how much of this has been allocated to the provision of online resources to accompany the project. | | (202344) | 181
| Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he expects the new independent anti-doping agency to be established; and if he will make a statement. | | (202345) | 182
| Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to achieve the target of increasing private sector funding of sport in 2008-09. | | (202346) | 183
| Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what savings his Department has identified as part of the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review value for money programme; and when he expects these savings to be realised. | | (202347) | 184
| Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 22nd February 2008, Official Report, column 1049W, on departmental ICT, how many missing or stolen (a) laptops and (b) personal digital assistants have been replaced by his Department; and at what cost. | | (202477) | 185
N | Mr Edward Vaizey (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he plans to publish the report on science and heritage prepared for his Department by Mike Dixon. | | (202025) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 186
N | Adam Afriyie (Windsor): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of armed forces personnel have a university degree. | | (202166) | 187
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many fully armed personnel carriers are deployed in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan. | | (202170) | 188
| Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many hours of Joint Personnel Administration training are required before personnel become qualified. | | (202354) | 189
| Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the effects on his Department's expenditure of the introduction of Joint Personnel Administration in each year since 2005. | | (202355) | 190
| Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people in his Department were trained in Joint Personnel Administration in each year since 2005. | | (202356) | 191
| Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department spent on Joint Personnel Administration training in each year since 2005. | | (202358) | 192
| Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's policy on charging charities to host fundraising events on Ministry of Defence property is. | | (202383) | 193
| Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been paid to his Department by charity organisations for the use of its property in each year since 1997. | | (202384) | 194
| Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the technical arrangement between NATO Kosovo Force and the EU rule of law civilian mission to be finalised; and what assessment he has made of the effects on military and civilian operations in Kosovo of the time taken to secure finalisation. | | (202385) | 195
| Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what dates, and for what duration unauthorised Russian military aircraft have penetrated UK airspace over the last 12 months. | | (202626) | 196
| Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when a decision will be made on whether to proceed with the future Lynx project. | | (202321) | 197
| Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what consideration was given to the role of helicopter engineering as a part of the UK's key technologies and capabilities during the production of the Defence Industrial Strategy White Paper. | | (202322) | 198
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 23rd April 2008, Official Report, column 1924W, on the departmental internet, from which networks write access to Wikipedia has been blocked; when the decision to block them was made; for what reasons it was made; and if he will place in the Library his Department's documentation of the decision. | | (202379) | 199
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 23rd April 2008, Official Report, column 1924W, on departmental internet, whether it is possible to determine which creations and amendments to Wikipedia made before January 2008 were made by (a) military and (b) Civil Service personnel. | | (202382) | 200
N | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 26th February 2008, transferred from the Department for Transport, on the Avro Vulcan Project. | | (202163) | 201
| Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire dated 19th March 2008 on Gurkhas (Reference: MC01743/2008). | | (202386) | 202
N | Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to make final decisions on the baseporting of frigates and submarines at Devonport Naval Base. | | (201994) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 203
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Environment Agency will publish its Strategy for Flood Risk Management for 2009 to 2014. | | (202515) | 204
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of (a) the adequacy of the Government's funding of Natural England and (b) the effect of funding levels on Natural England's ability to support local groups such as the Stroud Valleys Project in Stroud constituency. | | (202427) | 205
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will hold discussions on the new bovine tuberculosis strategy with the RSPCA. | | (202432) | 206
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has powers to sanction those local authorities that do not offer waste disposal free of charge to schools and prisons. | | (202485) | 207
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the level of reductions necessary for each household from 2002 to 2050 assuming the current breakdown of carbon dioxide emissions between the different component elements for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by (a) 60 per cent. and (b) 80 per cent. to be achieved by 2050. | | (202488) | 208
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will review the powers and responsibilities of internal drainage boards (IDBs) including the opportunity for areas currently not covered by an IDB to opt in to those services. | | (202491) | 209
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations he has received on the relationship between bio fuels and rising food prices; and if he will make a statement. | | (202551) | 210
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effect of biomass production on food prices over the last five years. | | (202114) | 211
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the area of land required to produce equivalent amounts of organic and non-organic food. | | (202116) | 212
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the percentage increase was in the cost of a fishing licence for an (a) adult and (b) old age pensioner in 2007-08; and if he will make a statement. | | (202117) | 213
| Mr John MacDougall (Glenrothes): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent estimate he has made of the extent of dog fighting; what steps are being taken to prevent dog fighting; and if he will make a statement. | | (202336) | 214
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will ensure that compensation is provided to under-10 metre fishing fleets when new catch limits are in place. | | (201921) | 215
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what consideration has been given to the situation of under-10 metre fleets that use sustainable rod and line fishing methods in formulating fisheries policy. | | (201922) | 216
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the timetable is for discussions between his Department and the Marine and Fisheries Agency with regard to changes to the under-10 metre fleet catch limits. | | (201923) | 217
| Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6th March 2008, Official Report, column 2716W, on departmental ICT, how many of the missing or stolen (a) laptops, (b) mobile telephones and (c) personal digital assistants have been replaced by his Department; and at what cost. | | (202437) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 218
N | Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Russian Federation counterpart on the UK's recognition of the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo. | | (202111) | 219
N | Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to visit Cuba. | | (202112) | 220
| Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to his recent comments in Pakistan, whether his officials are currently conducting talks with members of the Taleban or their associates in Afghanistan and Pakistan. | | (202645) | 221
N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Chinese authorities on the conditions placed on British athletes participating in the Beijing Olympics. | | (202165) | 222
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with governments in Southern Africa following the elections in Zimbabwe on political and economic stability. | | (202158) | 223
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department's advice to UK citizens living in or travelling to Kenya has changed in the last month. | | (202159) | 224
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps the Government has taken to promote human rights in developing countries. | | (200976) | 225
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many troops each country has committed to the UNAMID force. | | (202428) | 226
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what countries have made provisional commitments to supply helicopters to UNAMID. | | (202429) | 227
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has received recent reports on British arms dealers trading with the government of Iran. | | (202489) | 228
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received on rising food prices internationally, with particular reference to staples such as rice; and if he will make a statement. | | (202581) | 229
| Mr John Grogan (Selby): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on what occasions representatives of Bell Pottinger or Chime Communications have requested advice from his Department in relation to whether they should provide public affairs or public relations services to foreign governments. | | (202352) | 230
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he plans to take in the week beginning 28th April to monitor the (a) treatment and (b) risk of torture of Mr Simon Mann in Black Beach Prison, Equatorial Guinea; and whether Mr Mann is still being continuously shackled. | | (198172) | 231
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he plans to take in the week beginning 5th May to monitor the (a) treatment and (b) risk of torture of Mr Simon Mann in Black Beach Prison, Equatorial Guinea; and whether he has received reports on whether Mr Mann is still being continuously shackled. | | (202156) | 232
N | Mr Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Coldfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the execution of the warrants from the International Criminal Court in relation to Darfur in respect of Ali Koshyb and Ahmed Harun. | | (202310) | 233
| Mr Mohammad Sarwar (Glasgow Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the government of Pakistan on the repatriation of Afghan refugees in that country. | | (202577) | 234
| Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effects of the US naval presence in the Mediterranean Sea on the surrounding regions. | | (202373) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 235
| Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the budget of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority is for 2008-09; and how much of this is provided (a) by central Government and (b) by pharmaceutical companies. | | (202388) | 236
| Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many embryonic stem cells exist in the United Kingdom; and how much expenditure has been incurred in acquiring them. | | (202389) | 237
| Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the terms of reference are of the umbilical cord blood review being undertaken by his Department; and which organisations and individuals have accepted invitations to the review meeting on 28th May 2008. | | (202390) | 238
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government plans to take to address health problems associated with consumption of super-strength lager. | | (200977) | 239
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government has taken to widen accessibility of health advice and check-ups for NHS patients. | | (200978) | 240
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government has taken to reduce the incidence of heart attacks. | | (200979) | 241
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the quality of hospital food; and if he will assess the potential of local sourcing in improving its quality. | | (202430) | 242
N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients resident in Wales (a) received rehabilitation treatment at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Disease, Bath and (b) were referred for such treatment but failed to receive sanction for the referral in each of the last eight years for which figures are available. | | (202171) | 243
N | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of people who die alone. | | (202204) | 244
| John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on the provision of wafarin monitoring services by private providers; and what assessment he has made of the provision of such services by a private provider in the Birmingham area. | | (202357) | 245
| Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on implementing the NHS Diabetes National Service Framework in Peterborough constituency; and if he will make a statement. | | (202435) | 246
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many new hospitals were commissioned in each of the last five years; and how many of them were commissioned under the private finance initiative model. | | (202532) | 247
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospital extensions were commissioned in each of the last five years; and how many of them were commissioned under the private finance initiative model. | | (202533) | 248
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many construction projects his Department undertook in each of the last three years for which the capital cost was greater than £1.5 million; and what the combined value was of these projects. | | (202538) | 249
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many construction projects his Department undertook in each of the last three years for which the capital cost was less than £1.5 million; and what the combined value of these projects was. | | (202540) | 250
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many delayed transfers of care from acute beds there have been in each NHS trust in the last 12 months; and what proportion of all transfers of care from acute beds this represents in each trust. | | (202544) | 251
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the scientific basis is for the Food Standards Agency's campaign to reduce hypertension by lowering salt intake; and how much the campaign has cost. | | (202441) | 252
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what consideration his Department has given to the use of ultra-violet germicidal irradiation disinfection devices in the healthcare sector. | | (202442) | 253
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has investigated the use of ultra-violet germicidal irradiation technology in combating tuberculosis infection. | | (202443) | 254
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to commission research into the effects and merits of ultra-violet germicidal irradiation technology; what assessment has been made of (a) the costs and (b) the merits of introducing such technology; and if he will make a statement. | | (202444) | 255
N | Judy Mallaber (Amber Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to support the continuation of research into gene therapy for inherited blindness conducted at Moorfields Hospital and the Institute of Ophthalmology; and if he will make a statement. | | (202308) | 256
| Anne Milton (Guildford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 30th January 2008, Official Report, column 1003W, on community nurses: manpower, how many community matrons are employed in the NHS; and if he will place in the Library information on the local intelligence which suggests that the number of community matrons may be higher than the official figure. | | (202565) | 257
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the percentage of people with Parkinson's disease not referred to a specialist for diagnosis in each of the last five years. | | (202371) | 258
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of training given to staff in residential care homes on dealing with residents with Parkinson's disease. | | (202452) | 259
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the level of support given to carers of those with Parkinson's disease. | | (202453) | 260
| Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of people with Parkinson's disease in each of the last three years; and how many consulted a Parkinson's disease nurse specialist in each year. | | (202454) | 261
| Mr Chris Mullin (Sunderland South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list each of the consultations undertaken on the provision of stoma and incontinence appliances, giving in each case the dates of commencement and closure; when he expects the process to be complete; how much is has cost; and if he will make a statement. | | (202348) | 262
| Mr Chris Mullin (Sunderland South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the opinions of patients has been sought in the consultations conducted on the provision of stoma and incontinence products; and if he will make a statement. | | (202349) | 263
N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what criteria are used to appoint authorised persons to inspect (a) central sterile stores and (b) management of infection control. | | (202167) | 264
N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people of working age were assessed for social care needs in each local authority in 2007-08; and how many people so assessed were found to have a (a) low, (b) moderate, (c) substantial and (d) critical level of social care need in each local authority. | | (202313) | 265
N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people of working age who were assessed for social care needs in 2007-08 and found to have a level of social care need (a) did and (b) did not go on to receive state funded social care support from their local authority. | | (202314) | 266
N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people of working age in each local authority area received state funded social care support in each of the last 10 years. | | (202315) | 267
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library the minutes of the 15th October 2007 meeting of the National Child Health Immunisation Board. | | (202326) | 268
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 27th February 2006, Official Report, column 439W, on the European Health Insurance Card, if he will place in the Library minutes of discussions of the potential costs and benefits of the proposed National Health Service card with the NHS Connecting for Health National Programme for IT; and what his policy on whether to introduce an NHS card. | | (202327) | 269
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the reasons are for deciding that (a) individuals may not opt out of having their demographic data placed on the Spine and (b) not having demographic data on the Spine will prevent individuals accessing NHS treatment; and whether he informed the Health Committee during their recent review of the NHS patient record that individuals would not be able to opt out of having their demographic details on the Spine. | | (202328) | 270
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has had negotiations with Fujitsu on that company (a) exiting and (b) changing their contracts with Connecting for Health; and what minimum number of suppliers to the central Connecting for Health contracts is allowed under the terms of the NHS IT programme. | | (202329) | 271
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, who is undertaking the independent evaluation of the electronic patient records pilot; what their terms of reference are; and when the report will be published. | | (202380) | 272
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, from what date the time taken by the Healthcare Commission to deal with a complaint is measured. | | (202381) | 273
| Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 29th February 2008, Official Report, column 1972W, on departmental ICT, how many of the missing or stolen (a) laptops, (b) mobile telephones and (c) personal digital assistants have been replaced by his Department; and at what cost. | | (202440) | 274
| Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has received representations from low-volume millers on the application of mandatory fortification with folic acid of bread and flour; and if he will make a statement. | | (202431) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 275
N | Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what active operations members of security forces of foreign states are permitted to undertake in the UK; and what restrictions apply to them. | | (202113) | 276
| Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many crimes involving violence against a person were recorded in (a) North East Hampshire, (b) East Hampshire, (c) Winchester and (d) Romsey constituencies in each of the last five years. | | (202377) | 277
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral Answer of 21st April 2008, Official Report, column 1040, what definition of lorry drops her Department uses in relation to the detection and detaining of suspected illegal immigrants. | | (202570) | 278
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much each police force (a) requested in recharge payments and (b) received in recharge payments from the Immigration Service where immigration officers authorised the detention of a suspected illegal immigrant, in each of the last three years for which figures are available. | | (202571) | 279
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral Answer of 21st April 2008, Official Report, column 1040, which constabularies have immigration crime partnerships; and what funding her Department has made available for them. | | (202572) | 280
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what procedures her Department has in place for processing suspected illegal immigrants when the immigration detention estate is unable to provide accommodation. | | (202575) | 281
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions the immigration detention estate reached full capacity in each of the last five years. | | (202576) | 282
| Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps are taken in relation to illegal immigrants detained in police or immigration custody in circumstances where there is a lack of capacity within the immigration detention estate. | | (202609) | 283
N | Charles Hendry (Wealden): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many crimes involving violence against a person were recorded in Wealden constituency in each of the last five years. | | (202176) | 284
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she was consulted in relation to the policy of Lancashire Police of giving free buttered toast to late night revellers to prevent violence; whether she plans to issue guidance to other police forces on the policy of giving food to deter potential troublemakers; and if she will make a statement. | | (202115) | 285
N | Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many crimes of violence against the person were recorded in Mid Worcestershire constituency in each of the last five years. | | (201292) | 286
N | Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many crimes of violence against the person were recorded in Worcester constituency in each of the last five years. | | (201293) | 287
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the identity card will hold details of eligibility for NHS care. | | (202323) | 288
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what links she has considered between the identity card programme and the European Health Insurance Card. | | (202324) | 289
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many crimes of violence against the person were recorded in (a) Eddisbury, (b) Crewe and Nantwich, (c) City of Chester, (d) Wallasey and (e) Weaver Vale constituencies in each of the last three years. | | (202325) | 290
N | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people (a) without a criminal conviction and (b) in total had their profiles recorded on the national DNA database in each of the last three years. | | (201987) | 291
| Mr John Randall (Uxbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will instigate a joint review by the police and prosecution inspectorates into wildlife crime in England. | | (202680) | 292
| Mr John Randall (Uxbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many wildlife crime officers there were in each year since 1997 for which figures are available, broken down by region. | | (202681) | 293
| Mr John Randall (Uxbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many wildlife crimes were committed in each year since 1997 for which figures are available, broken down by region; and how many successful prosecutions there were. | | (202682) | 294
N | Helen Southworth (Warrington South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people under the age of 18 years were reported missing to the police in each police force area in the latest period for which figures are available. | | (202225) | 295
N | Helen Southworth (Warrington South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of reports of missing persons involved co-operation between different police forces in the last financial year. | | (202226) | 296
N | Helen Southworth (Warrington South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which police forces are using computerised data systems for management and recording of missing persons reports. | | (202229) | 297
N | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 19th March 2008, on the proposed abolition of the ancestry visa (reference: M4545/8). | | (202164) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 298
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what vocational training and courses are available to provide the skills needed for the energy efficiency and renewable energy sectors; and whether there are plans further to establish such courses. | | (202628) | 299
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what steps the Energy and Utility Skills Sector Skills Council is taking to ensure that the UK has an adequate supply of people with the skills needed for the energy efficiency and renewable energy sectors. | | (202630) | 300
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what steps the Cogent Sector Skills Council is taking to ensure that there is an adequate supply of people with the skills needed for the nuclear waste industries. | | (202632) | 301
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect on family incomes of young people taking on work-based apprenticeships with day release to college which are not eligible for Education Maintenance Allowance and which result in the loss of child benefit, tax credits, child support agency and other passported benefits. | | (202425) | 302
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, who took the decision to link the interest rate on student loans to the Retail Price Index; and if he will make a statement. | | (202579) | 303
N | Stephen Williams (Bristol West): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, when he plans to answer Question 194196, tabled on 11th March 2008, on undergraduate maintenance grants; and what the reasons are for the time taken to reply. | | (202022) | 304
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what proportion of the foundation learning tier under the (a) adult learner response strand and (b) employer response strand has been allocated to (i) 14 to 19 year olds and (ii) 19 and over in (A) 2008-09, (B) 2009-10 and (C) 2010-11. | | (202433) | 305
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, whether responsibility for funding the 14 to 19 foundation learning tier will be transferred to local authorities in 2010-11. | | (202434) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 306
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what percentage of children under 11 years of age in Zimbabwe were estimated to be enrolled in full-time education in (a) 1997 and (b) 2007. | | (202157) | 307
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent steps the Government has taken to assist sustainable development in Rwanda. | | (200975) | 308
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what reports he has received on the effect of increased levels of banditry in Darfur on the delivery of food supplies, and in particular the World Food Programme; and how many (a) people and (b) children this has put at risk. | | (202490) | 309
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of whether UNICEF funds donated to educational projects in Sri Lanka are being properly spent on those projects; and if he will make a statement. | | (202495) | 310
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what response he has made to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund assessment that food insecurity could lead to mass starvation and civil unrest amongst many of the world's poorest peoples. | | (202496) | 311
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what reports he has received of the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war in Darfur. | | (202497) | 312
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations he has made to the UNAMID force in Darfur on the numbers of women peacekeepers. | | (202498) | 313
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations he has received on rising food prices internationally, with particular reference to staples such as rice; and if he will make a statement. | | (202550) | 314
| Mr Mohammad Sarwar (Glasgow Central): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance is being provided to the remaining victims of Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh. | | (202573) | 315
| Mr Mohammad Sarwar (Glasgow Central): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the rising cost of rice on the poorest developing countries. | | (202574) | 316
N | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 5th March 2008, on economic partnership agreements. | | (202161) | 317
| Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 7th February 2008, Official Report, column 1381W, on departmental ICT, how many of the lost or stolen (a) laptops and (b) personal digital assistants have been replaced by his Department; and at what cost. | | (202507) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Justice 318
| Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effects on prisoners of being released early. | | (202319) | 319
N | Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what percentage of those in each (a) young offender institution and (b) secure training centre were in education at the latest date for which figures are available. | | (202023) | 320
N | Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people under the age of 21 years were serving sentences for public protection offences at the latest date for which figures are available. | | (202024) | 321
N | Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what percentage of inmates in each (a) young offender institution and (b) secure training centre has daily access to a telephone to communicate with family. | | (202026) | 322
N | Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many incidents of (a) inmate on inmate and (b) inmate on staff violence were reported in each (i) young offender institution and (ii) secure training centre in each of the last five years. | | (202027) | 323
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people aged (a) under 16 and (b) between 16 and 25 years were convicted of a violent crime in each of the last five years. | | (202231) | 324
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many foreign national prisoners were (a) released from prison and (b) removed from the UK in each of the last five years. | | (202234) | 325
N | Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to answer Question 196558, on the home detention curfew, tabled on 19th March 2008. | | (202312) | 326
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many additional hours of duty police officers undertook in each police authority area to implement Operation Safeguard in each of the last 24 months. | | (202508) | 327
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the maximum time is for which a prisoner may be confined in a prisoner transport vehicle without a break. | | (202509) | 328
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his Department's definition of operational emergency is in relation to prisons and young offender institutions; and what such operational emergencies have taken place in (a) the Prison Service and (b) privately-managed prisons in each of the last 36 months. | | (202510) | 329
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many new prison blocks have been commissioned in each of the last five years; and how many of them were commissioned under the private finance initiative model. | | (202529) | 330
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many new prisons have been commissioned in each of the last five years; and how many of them were commissioned under the private finance initiative model. | | (202530) | 331
| Mr John MacDougall (Glenrothes): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prosecutions there were for dog fighting in the last 12 months. | | (202335) | 332
| Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have applied for a non-molestation order since 1st July 2007. | | (202580) | 333
| Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 18th February 2008, Official Report, column 187W, on departmental ICT, how many of the missing or stolen (a) laptops and (b) personal digital assistants have been replaced by his Department; and at what cost. | | (202506) | Questions to the Leader of the House 334
| Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Leader of the House, how many computers in hon. Members' offices provided by PICT are marked with the instruction that they are not to be used after 8th May 2008; and if she will make a statement. | | (202320) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 335
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 10th January 2008, Official Report, column 765W, on police stations: closures, when he expects the review to be published on possible police station closures in Northern Ireland. | | (202205) | 336
N | Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many Taser guns have been purchased by the police in Northern Ireland; and whether there have been any instances of their use. | | (202206) | Questions to the Minister for the Olympics 337
N | Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Minister for the Olympics, how much and what proportion of the finance for the cost of the construction of the athletes' village for the 2012 Olympic Games is planned to be raised on the debt markets. | | (201988) | 338
N | Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Minister for the Olympics, what recent discussions she has had with Bovis/Lend Lease on raising capital for financing the construction of the Olympic village. | | (201989) | 339
N | Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Minister for the Olympics, when she expects to announce the award of the contract for the construction of the athletes' village for the 2012 Olympics. | | (201990) | 340
N | Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Minister for the Olympics, what her most recent estimate is of the public funding to be allocated to supporting the broadcast and media centres at the Olympic village for the 2012 Olympics. | | (201991) | 341
N | Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Minister for the Olympics, if she will provide a breakdown by main budget heading of the £492 million figure announced in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's Annual Olympics Report of January 2008 allocated to construction of the (a) broadcast and media centres and (b) Olympic village for the 2012 Olympics. | | (201992) | Questions to the Solicitor General 342
N | John Austin (Erith & Thamesmead): To ask the Solicitor General, whether the Attorney General has sought views from other Government departments about providing consent for the Serious Fraud Office to pursue a prosecution relating to alleged corrupt activity in Bosnia by the UK-based company EFT. | | (200807) | 343
N | John Austin (Erith & Thamesmead): To ask the Solicitor General, what the reasons are for the time taken by the Attorney General's Office to decide the application for consent for the Serious Fraud Office to pursue an overseas corruption prosecution related to an alleged corrupt activity in Bosnia by a UK-based company. | | (201993) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 344
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will assess the effect of the addition of five per cent. blend of biodiesel in fuel tanks to fuel on commercial bus operations of fungus growth in such tanks. | | (202484) | 345
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the effect of the introduction of the nationwide concessionary fare scheme on (a) the level of eligibility set by local authorities and (b) the level of access by disabled people. | | (202493) | 346
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will introduce another Kickstart initiative to help the commercial bus industry to introduce new and enhanced services. | | (202518) | 347
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will consult the producers of satellite navigation systems to discuss the display of routes unsuitable for motorised vehicles. | | (202568) | 348
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people aged (a) under 16, (b) between 16 and 25 and (c) over 25 years died in road accidents in (i) Lancashire and (ii) England in each of the last five years. | | (202232) | 349
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much money was spent on road (a) maintenance and (b) construction in each of the last five years. | | (202233) | 350
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) quantity and (b) type is of fossil fuels used to extract, refine and manufacture each metric tonne of road-quality asphalt used on roads. | | (202511) | 351
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the level of carbon dioxide emissions per metric tonne of road-quality asphalt from (a) all stages of its manufacture for use on roads and (b) the process of laying onto road surfaces in the latest period for which figures are available; and what assumptions are made in each calculation. | | (202512) | 352
N | Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26th March 2008, Official Report, column 173W, on railways: consultants, what work is being carried out by consultants on behalf of her Department on the feasibility of a high speed rail link between London and Birmingham. | | (202168) | 353
N | Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26th March 2008, Official Report, column 172W, on railways, what work is being done by her Department on the feasibility of a high speed rail link between London and Birmingham. | | (202169) | 354
N | Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the new carriages for Thameslink announced on 9th April 2008 are in addition to the new carriages announced in July in the White Paper, Delivering a Sustainable Railway. | | (202209) | 355
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason the M180 was closed on 31st March 2008; on whose authority the closure took place; and what guidance she issues on the appropriate action to be taken in closing motorways following an incident. | | (201289) | 356
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the damage caused to the highway network in the East Riding of Yorkshire as a result of flooding in 2007; and what additional sum is to be paid to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council to compensate for the damage. | | (201290) | 357
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Highways Agency will spend on radio broadcasting in 2008-09; for what reason such allocations have been made; and if she will make a statement. | | (201291) | 358
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3rd April 2008, Official Report, column 1195W, on departmental internet: Wikipedia, whether former Ministers and special advisers in her Department have created or amended Wikipedia entries; and (a) on which dates and (b) from which IP range the amendments listed in the Answer were made. | | (202378) | 359
N | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many representations she has received from Essex County Council on the adequacy of the A12 since 2005. | | (202119) | 360
N | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will allocate funds to the Highways Agency to hold an inquiry into the adequacy of the A12 from London to Ipswich. | | (202120) | 361
N | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has for improvements to the A12 through Essex to Ipswich; and if she will make a statement. | | (202121) | 362
N | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will allocate funds to Essex County Council to undertake improvements to the A12 through Essex; and if she will make a statement. | | (202122) | 363
N | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people were (a) killed, (b) seriously injured and (c) slightly injured in accidents involving powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters in each of the last five years for which figures are available. | | (202123) | 364
| Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 5th March 2008, Official Report, column 2533-4W, on departmental ICT, how many of the missing or stolen (a) laptops, (b) mobile telephones and (c) personal digital assistants have been replaced by her Department; and at what cost. | | (202439) | Questions to the Minister for Women and Equality 365
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, what assessment she has made of the ability of public bodies to bring procurement back in house because of equality issues when it has been contracted out. | | (202494) | 366
| Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, pursuant to the Answer of 10th January 2008, Official Report, column 687W, on equal pay, when her Department will conduct an equal pay audit in 2008. | | (202549) | 367
| Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, what (a) projects, (b) initiatives and (c) programmes the Government Equalities Office has (i) started and (ii) concluded since its creation. | | (202569) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 368
N | Danny Alexander (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 20th March 2008, Official Report, column 1405W, if he will place in the Library a copy of the report on Jobcentre Plus's investigation into the feasbility of introducing advance payments. | | (202207) | 369
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many construction industry businesses were (a) prosecuted and (b) fined for breaches of health and safety regulations in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) the UK in each year since 1997. | | (202457) | 370
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many construction industry site visits were carried out by Health and Safety Executive inspectors in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997. | | (202458) | 371
N | Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many work-related (a) deaths and (b) injuries occurred in the construction industry in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07 and (iii) 2007-08. | | (202309) | 372
| Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 26th March 2008, Official Report, column 179W, on departmental ICT, how many of the missing or stolen (a) laptops, (b) mobile telephones and (c) personal digital assistants have been replaced by his Department; and at what cost. | | (202436) | 373
| Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which local authorities have been consulted on proposed jobcentre plus closures. | | (202607) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 374
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the proportion of local authorities charging for pest control services at the latest date for which figures are available according to estimates of (a) his Department and (b) the Audit Commission. | | [Transferred] (202555) | 375
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made in meeting the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan target of reducing emissions from the UK's residential housing stock by 31 per cent. on 1990 levels by 2020. | | [Transferred] (202617) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 376
| Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the United States government on the deployment of US Navy warships along the coast of Lebanon. | | [Transferred] (202374) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 377
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether local authorities have recruited additional staff to take account of the change in April in their responsibilities under parking regulations. | | [Transferred] (202492) |
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