Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2007 - 08
Publications on the internet
The Questions Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Thursday 17 July 2008

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

Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Thursday 17 July 2008
(the 'Questions Book')

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Thursday 17 July 2008

This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Thursday 17 July of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

For other Written Questions for answer on Thursday 17 July of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Thursday 17 July see Part 2 of this paper.

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

1
Mr David Anderson (Blaydon): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many (a) forfeitures, (b) involuntary surrenders and (c) voluntary surrenders of tied public houses there were in each year since 2004.

(219908)

2
Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what estimate he has made of the value of goods exported from the UK to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories in the latest period for which figures are available.

(220064)

3
Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what his Department's policy is on offering support to UK companies to gain or maintain contracts with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

(220065)

4
Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what estimate he has made of the total value of goods from the UK that (a) were exported to the occupied Palestinian territories and (b) entered illegal Israeli settlements in each of the last two years.

(220066)

5
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what estimate he has made of the value of Israeli settlement produce entering the UK in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(220028)

6
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many staff there are in managerial posts in each regional development agency (RDA); what pay scales apply to such posts; how many such staff are employed on each scale; and what the average salary of managerial staff employed by RDAs is.

(220092)

7
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what change there has been in the number of (a) administrative and (b) managerial posts in each regional development agency in 2007-08; and what such changes he expects to occur in 2008-09.

(220096)

8
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what estimate he has made of potential levels of microgeneration in the UK using (a) solar power and (b) wind power in (i) 2010, (ii) 2015 and (iii) 2020.

(219881)

9
N Charles Hendry (Wealden): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, pursuant to the Answer of 20th May 2008, Official Report, column 257W, on Royal Mail: pensions, what the value of the investment fund established to support the Royal Mail pension plan was on (a) 31st March 2008 and (b) 30th June 2008.

(219779)

10
N Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will hold discussions with the Welsh Assembly Government and Ministerial colleagues on the environmental effects of the proposed Severn Barrage.

(219306)

11
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what plans he has for expenditure on clean coal technology over the next 10 years.

(220099)

12
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many tonnes of coal were mined from Britain's deep coal mines in 2007.

(220145)

13
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many tonnes of coal were imported into Britain in 2007.

(220146)

14
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what purchasing process is used by his Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219946)

15
David Taylor (North West Leicestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what the projected budget for each regulator for which his Department is responsible is for each financial year to 2011-12.

(219918)

16
Stephen Williams (Bristol West): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what assessment his Department has made of the likely levels of future competitiveness in the market for (a) urology-related products, (b) stoma-related products and (c) single-line items.

(220199)

Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

17
N Hugh Bayley (City of York): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the annual estate cost is of (a) Swinson House, York, (b) Hilary House, York, (c) Cherry Court, Hull and (d) Custom House, Hull; and until what dates the Government has contractual obligations to rent or lease each building.

(217940)

18
N Hugh Bayley (City of York): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff Hilary House, York can accommodate; whether the Government intends to retain this building until 2011; whether it is considering sub-leasing any part of the building before 2011; and if he will make a statement.

(217941)

19
N Hugh Bayley (City of York): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people used the HM Revenue and Customs enquiry centre at Swinson House in York in each of the last three years.

(217942)

20
N Hugh Bayley (City of York): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the Government will retain in York an HM Revenue and Customs enquiry centre, open to the public from 8.30am until 5.00pm Monday to Friday providing the current range of services, until 2011 at least; and what estimate he has made of the annual estate cost of doing so would be.

(217943)

21
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, from which overseas governments he has received representations on the proposed aviation duty; and if he will make a statement.

(220093)

22
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Special Liquidity Scheme in meeting its objectives.

(220094)

23
N Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the income to the Exchequer in 2007-08 had an investment income surcharge of the form in existence until 1983 been in place.

(219777)

24
N Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment (a) he and (b) HM Revenue and Customs have made of the implications for the Exchequer of new forms of trust created by the states of Jersey and other tax jurisdictions since 2005; and what representations the Government has made in response.

(219799)

25
N Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many reports he received under the terms of each double taxation agreement with a non-EU tax jurisdiction in each of the last five years.

(219800)

26
James Duddridge (Rochford & Southend East): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the headcount of HM Revenue and Customs is; and what projections for the headcount have been made for the period till 2010.

(220120)

27
N Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the environmental impact of closures of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) offices in Wales, including the impact of additional travel by HMRC staff.

(219639)

28
N Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what visits have been made by the workforce change team to each HM Revenue and Customs office in Wales which is proposed for closure; and what the date of each visit was.

(219640)

29
N Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff employed by HM Revenue and Customs in the debt management field force in Wales are fluent in the Welsh language.

(219641)

30
N Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what savings it is estimated will be made from the proposed closure of each HM Revenue and Customs office scheduled for closure in Wales.

(219642)

31
N Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the assessment he has made of the effect on local economies of closure of HM Revenue and Customs offices in Wales.

(219643)

32
Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many HM Revenue and Customs staff or call centre staff have been asked to postpone leave arrangements in the last six months; how many have agreed to do so; and what (a) financial and (b) other compensation has been offered to them.

(219866)

33
N Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of his proposed changes to vehicle excise duty on disabled people.

(219729)

34
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the likely effect of proposed vehicle excise duty increases on vehicle owners rural areas with limited public transport.

(220221)

35
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many companies in Tamworth have been (a) fined and (b) required to cease trading for non-compliance with national minimum wage provisions since 2005.

(220127)

36
Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what average percentage of the income of the lowest earning 10 per cent. of people is taxed.

(219842)

37
Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will reduce levels of fuel tax.

(219844)

38
Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the relationship between speculation on futures markets and prices of crude oil and gas.

(219851)

39
Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the effect on UK gross domestic product if non-domiciles working in the UK were to be included in the UK income tax system.

(219853)

40
Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the amount of revenue which would be raised by including non-domiciles in the UK income tax system.

(219854)

41
Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what average percentage of the income of the highest earning 10 per cent. of people in the UK is taxed.

(219855)

42
Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will conduct a needs-based analysis of Government funding of the devolved administrations.

(220048)

43
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on global oil prices.

(219983)

44
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of child tax credit on the economy.

(219984)

45
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many products made from endangered wildlife sources have been seized by HM Revenue and Customs in 2008 to date.

(220039)

46
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in Halifax received working tax credit in 2007-08.

(220148)

47
N Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Exchequer received in stamp duty from Scotland in each year since 2002.

(219128)

48
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what purchasing process is used by his Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219937)

49
N Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library a copy of the flyer that employers were asked to pass to married women with their pay slips in the 1970s with an election to pay the reduced rate of national insurance, to inform them about the phasing out of the reduced rate contribution.

(219778)

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

50
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how the Government plans to engage with (a) the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, (b) the Equality and Human Rights Commission and (c) the Scottish Human Rights Commission in formulating a response to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child's concluding observations.

(220101)

51
Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many people resident in Stroud constituency are on List 99.

(220281)

52
Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps his Department is taking to improve education provision for gypsy and traveller communities.

(220062)

53
Michael Gove (Surrey Heath): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of (a) deaf children and (b) all children failed to attain level 3 at key stage 2 English in the latest period for which figures are available.

(220142)

54
Michael Gove (Surrey Heath): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what arrangements are in place to ensure that the teaching of literacy is accessible to deaf children, with particular regard to the use of phonics.

(220143)

55
Michael Gove (Surrey Heath): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what arrangements are in place to ensure deaf children who fail to attain level 3 at key stage 2 English are receiving catch-up support tailored to their needs.

(220144)

56
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many and what proportion of staff in his Department are disabled; and what the average salary in his Department is of (a) full-time disabled staff, (b) full-time non-disabled staff, (c) part-time disabled staff and (d) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220192)

57
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what progress has been made in improving the provision of wheelchair services for children and young people since the publication of the Aiming High for Disabled Children document in May 2007.

(220201)

58
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, for what reasons the criteria for schools to become high performing specialist schools and entitled to a second specialism was changed.

(220213)

59
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what estimate he has made of the number of schools that no longer qualify for a second specialism following recent criteria changes; and what assessment he has made of the effect this change will have on (a) school finances and (b) his Department's finances.

(220220)

60
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, pursuant to paragraph 3.11 of the Carers at the heart of 21st-century families and communities report, how much of the £150 million funding for breaks for carers of disabled children will be provided by his Department over each of the next two years.

(220301)

61
Stephen Hesford (Wirral West): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what assessment he has made of the impact of alcohol dependency of one or both parents on family income; and what steps his Department is taking to protect the welfare of children in such circumstances.

(219921)

62
Stephen Hesford (Wirral West): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what allocation his Department has made for expenditure on technology training for secondary school teachers in 2008-09.

(219924)

63
Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many and which schools and academies have been designated as having a religious character since 1997.

(220229)

64
Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many teachers work in schools with a religious designation; and how many are in (a) voluntary aided, (b) voluntary controlled, (c) foundation and (d) academy schools.

(220230)

65
Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the cost of his Department's Academies Unit is (a) per pupil and (b) per year of operation.

(220231)

66
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many holiday club places were provided by his Department for school-age children in each of the last five years; what proportion provided services for (a) six hours or less, (b) between six and eight hours, (c) between eight and 10 hours and (d) more than 10 hours each day; and what information he holds on the average cost to parents of taking up such places.

(220029)

67
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the average (a) primary and (b) secondary school teacher's salary was in each local authority area in each of the last two years.

(220133)

68
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps he is taking to reduce the incidence of violence against teachers in schools.

(220134)

69
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many teachers in England have reported being the subject of violence perpetrated by (a) a pupil and (b) a parent or guardian of a pupil in each of the last five years.

(220135)

70
Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what guidance he provides to schools on reducing waste from the meals they provide.

(219847)

71
Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much has been allocated to provide further educational assistance to those with dyslexia-related reading difficulties in 2008-09; and to how many people such assistance will be provided in 2008-09.

(219856)

72
Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, which local authorities had data included in the School Food Trust Survey of school meal up-take 2007-08 for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools; and if he will make a statement.

(219865)

73
Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many (a) secondary and (b) primary schools have produced a disability equality scheme; and if he will make a statement.

(219895)

74
Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps he is taking to ensure that all schools produce a disability equality scheme; and if he will make a statement.

(219896)

75
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many academy schools there are in England.

(219890)

76
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, which local education authority has the highest number of academy schools.

(219891)

77
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what assessment he has made of changes in levels of educational attainment resulting from the establishment of academy schools.

(219892)

78
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what assessment he has made of the effects of academy schools on (a) the primary school sector in the relevant catchment area, (b) the local community and (c) the local economy.

(219893)

79
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what assessment he has made of the effects of academy schools on educational attainment in areas of relative (a) wealth and (b) deprivation.

(219894)

80
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what minimum criteria academy school sponsors must meet.

(219897)

81
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many applications for academy school status his Department is considering.

(219898)

82
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much funding is required from (a) private sector and (b) university partner sponsors of academy schools.

(219899)

83
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what estimate his Department has made of the average annual cost to local authorities of employing (a) supply teachers and (b) permanently employed teachers.

(219900)

84
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how his Department plans to improve attainment levels amongst Cumbrian pupils following the transition from primary to secondary education.

(219901)

85
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many and what proportion of people who left school in each region of England and Wales in 2007 (a) have secured full-time employment, (b) have secured part-time employment, (c) are on a training scheme and (d) are unemployed.

(219926)

86
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what purchasing process is used by his Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219948)

87
Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many schools were closed in each London borough as a result of industrial action on 16th and 17th July 2008.

(220125)

Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

88
Mr John Baron (Billericay): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, in what circumstances (a) special advisers and (b) civil servants may be seconded to work on by-election campaigns for a political party; and if he will make a statement.

(220067)

89
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many and what proportion of staff in (a) his Department and (b) the executive agencies for which he is responsible are disabled; and what the average salary in his (i) Department and (ii) executive agencies is of (A) full-time disabled staff, (B) full-time non-disabled staff, (C) part-time disabled staff and (D) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220181)

90
N Mr David Jones (Clwyd West): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what guidance he issues to special advisers on compliance with the provisions of the Civil Service Code in respect of online participation.

(219608)

91
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what purchasing process is used by his Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219947)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

92
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what budget her Department has allocated to the Read My Day/Blog-in-a-Box platform for each of the next three finanical years; and if she will make a statement.

(220194)

93
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many visits have been made to the International Centre of Excellence for Local e-Democracy website since its launch; and if she will make a statement.

(220195)

94
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans her Department has to maintain and promote the resources and toolkits developed by the International Centre for Excellence for Local e-Democracy; and if she will make a statement.

(220196)

95
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many community groups have created websites using the Voice platform sponsored by her Department since the platform was launched; and if she will make a statement.

(220286)

96
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much funding her Department has given to the International Centre for Excellence for Local e-Democracy to support the Voice platform; and if she will make a statement.

(220287)

97
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what budget allocation her Department has made for the maintenance of the Voice platform for each of the next two financial years.

(220288)

98
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many blogs by councillors and local government officers are registered on the ReadMyDay/Blog-in-a-Box platform sponsored by her Department; and if she will make a statement.

(220289)

99
Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many people resident in Stroud constituency are proscribed from working in the care and children's sector under (a) the Protection of Vulnerable Adults list and (b) the Protection of Children Act 1999 lists.

(220282)

100
Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath & Crayford): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans she has for re-opening the public inquiry on the Thames Gateway Bridge; and if she will make a statement.

(219877)

101
N Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the 100 most deprived wards in the UK were in (a) 2004 and (b) the most recent period for which figures are available.

(219631)

102
Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when she plans to publish the minutes of the Migration Impact Forum held on 21st May 2008.

(220119)

103
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of staff in (a) her Department and (b) the executive agencies for which she is responsible are disabled; and what the average salary in her (i) Department and (ii) executive agencies is of (A) full-time disabled staff, (B) full-time non-disabled staff, (C) part-time disabled staff and (D) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220191)

104
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to paragraph 3.11 in the Carers at the heart of 21st-century families and communities report, how much of the £150 million funding for breaks for carers of disabled children will be provided by her Department over each of the next two years.

(220302)

105
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what her most recent estimate is of the (a) number of calls to primary fires, (b) response times to primary fires, (c) number of calls to road traffic accidents, (d) response times to road traffic accidents and (e) percentage of targets met with respect to primary fires and road traffic accidents for each fire service in England in the latest period for which figures are available.

(220305)

106
N John Mann (Bassetlaw): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the number of local authorities exercising their discretionary powers to discount council tax for flood victims.

(219731)

107
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many capital grants her Department has awarded under the Places of Change Programme.

(219868)

108
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what consideration her Department has given to the conversion of Robinson House, Northampton under the Places of Change programme.

(219869)

109
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many (a) arms length management organisations (ALMOs) there are; and how many houses each ALMO manages.

(219870)

110
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the average social rent is in each region for (a) one bedroom, (b) two bedroom, (c) three bedroom and (d) four bedroom properties.

(219871)

111
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many people are on social housing waiting lists in each region.

(219872)

112
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans are under consideration by her Department for the reform of council tax.

(220033)

113
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what purchasing process is used by her Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219949)

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

114
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many and what proportion of staff in (a) his Department and (b) the executive agencies for which he is responsible are disabled; and what the average salary in his (i) Department and (ii) executive agencies is of (A) full-time disabled staff, (B) full-time non-disabled staff, (C) part-time disabled staff and (D) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220190)

115
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent estimate has been made of the number of households which have switched over to digital television in (a) Forest of Dean constituency, (b) Gloucestershire and (c) the UK.

(220200)

116
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent estimate has been made of the number of (a) people aged over 75 and (b) disabled people who have taken advantage of the digital switchover help scheme in (a) Forest of Dean constituency, (b) Gloucestershire and (c) the UK.

(220212)

117
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment has been made of the effect of recent changes in the cost of living and disposable household income on households' preparation for digital swithover.

(220214)

118
Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the revenue generated from product placement on ITV in the last 12 months.

(219858)

119
N Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions his Department had with (a) the organisers of Formula 1, (b) Milton Keynes Council and (c) other interested parties on the proposed move of the British Grand Prix from Silverstone to Donington Park; and on what dates each such discussion took place.

(219455)

120
N Mr Ian McCartney (Makerfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what meetings the Gambling Commission has held with (a) Gala Coral, (b) William Hill and (c) Ladbrokes or their representatives on betting shops in the last 12 months; what matters were discussed; what the outcomes were of the discussions; and if he will make a statement.

(219544)

121
N Mr Ian McCartney (Makerfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many betting shops in each region have been visited as part of the Gambling Commission Annual Visit Programme since September 2007; how many such shops in each region were found to be at risk of non-compliance with each of the Gambling Commission's three licensing objectives; what enforcement action has been taken; and if he will make a statement.

(219545)

122
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what purchasing process is used by his Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219950)

123
N David Taylor (North West Leicestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will discuss with those involved in the production of entertainment media the possible relationship between the on-screen depiction of smoking and rates of smoking amongst young people.

(219750)

124
N David Taylor (North West Leicestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has received recent representations on the classification of films which show positive images of smoking.

(219751)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence

125
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Iraq culture presentation given to the Civilians Deployed on Operations pre-Deployment Preparation Course Phase 2 on 10th July 2008 at Chetwynd Barracks.

(219992)

126
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what process is used to select the instructors for the Iraq culture brief for the Civilians Deployed on Operations pre-Deployment Preparation Course Phase 2 at Chetwynd Barracks.

(219993)

127
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the objective is of the Iraq culture brief in the Civilians Deployed on Operations pre-Deployment Preparation Course Phase 2 at Chetwynd Barracks.

(219994)

128
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what expenditure on (a) the war pension scheme and (b) the armed forces compensation scheme was in each year since 2004; and what estimates he has made of likely expenditure on each in each of the next three years.

(219995)

129
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what efficiency savings for the funding of regional prime contracts were (a) targeted and (b) achieved in each year since 2005.

(219996)

130
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) requirement and (b) actual number of (i) unit welfare officers and (ii) padres in each service is.

(219997)

131
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether departmental civilian staff deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan are issued with (a) mosquito nets and (b) insect repellent before leaving the UK.

(219998)

132
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK personnel are deployed on operations at each location.

(219999)

133
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which regiment or battalion forms the Spearhead Land Element (SLE); whether it is fully equipped; whether the present SLE is deployed; when the future SLE will take over from the present SLE; and what unit will form the next SLE.

(220000)

134
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what requirements are placed on vehicles in the British armed forces by EU environmental regulations.

(220001)

135
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, at what location training for Mastiff armoured vehicles is conducted.

(220002)

136
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which EU member states are contributing to the EU military mission to Chad and the Central African Republic; and what each is contributing.

(220003)

137
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to answer Question 190452, tabled on 26th February 2008, on theft of military supplies in transit from Pakistan to Afghanistan.

(220122)

138
Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18th February 2008, Official Report, column 95W, on departmental ICT, when he expects to provide a substantive answer.

(220124)

139
N Linda Gilroy (Plymouth, Sutton): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many foreign naval vessels and auxiliaries visited HM Naval Base Devonport under the auspices of Flag Office Sea Training in each of the last five years.

(219456)

140
N Linda Gilroy (Plymouth, Sutton): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Royal Naval vessels have taken part in training exercises in Plymouth under the auspices of Flag Office Sea Training for each of the last five years.

(219457)

141
N Linda Gilroy (Plymouth, Sutton): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) Royal Naval personnel and (b) civilian staff are employed in Plymouth by Flag Office Sea Training.

(219458)

142
N Linda Gilroy (Plymouth, Sutton): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the trained strength of HMS Vivid is.

(219459)

143
N Linda Gilroy (Plymouth, Sutton): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) Royal Naval personnel and (b) civilian staff are employed by the Hydrographic, Meteorological and Oceanographic Training Group.

(219460)

144
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the increase in his Department's expenditure on fuel costs in the last 12 months has arisen as a result of (a) an increase in unit costs and (b) an increase in the volume of fuel purchased.

(220103)

145
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons the Horsea Island diving facilities have been closed to the public; whether they will be re-opened to the public; and if he will make a statement.

(220136)

146
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of staff in (a) his Department and (b) the executive agencies for which he is responsible are disabled; and what the average salary in (i) his Department and (ii) the executive agencies is of (A) full-time disabled staff, (B) full-time non-disabled staff, (C) part-time disabled staff and (D) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220189)

147
Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost of deploying troops abroad was in each year since 1997.

(219850)

148
Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 16th June 2008, Official Report, columns 623-4W, on Iraq: peacekeeping operations, whether it is the policy of the Government that a renewed mandate for coalition forces in Iraq should include a timetable for withdrawal of coalition forces.

(220044)

149
Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the co-operation between schools and armed forces recruitment centres; and if he will make a statement.

(219914)

150
Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in ensuring British armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan are appropriately equipped.

(219915)

151
Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the armed forces will be competing in the forthcoming Olympic Games in China.

(220295)

152
Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when all housing accommodation for families of military personnel will be brought up to the highest ranked standard.

(220296)

153
Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the armed forces competed in each Olympic Games for which records are available.

(220298)

154
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what purchasing process is used by his Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219951)

155
N Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the contents of the review of detention practices in Iraq and Afghanistan he disclosed in his letter to the hon. Member for Chichester of 7th July 2008.

(219251)

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

156
N Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make a statement on his policy on amending the Linking Directive of the European Emissions Trading Scheme to enable the inclusion, under the scheme, of carbon credits from forest projects in the developing world.

(219540)

157
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what changes have been made to his Department's air quality monitoring programme in the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

(220205)

158
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many of his Department's air quality monitoring sites have been closed in each of the last three years; and how many air quality monitoring sites have been opened in that period, broken down by region.

(220206)

159
Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the European Commission on his policy on bovine tuberculosis.

(220058)

160
Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to hold discussions with the European Commission to initiate a vaccination of cattle strategy against bovine tuberculosis.

(220059)

161
Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the quantity of private land affected by the creation of the coastal corridor proposed in the draft Marine Bill.

(219910)

162
Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the amount of compensation payable to private landowners consequent on the creation of the coastal corridor proposed in the draft Marine Bill.

(219911)

163
Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the cost of the creation of the coastal corridor proposed in the draft Marine Bill.

(219912)

164
Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to improve access to coastal areas in the UK.

(219913)

165
Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations he has received on the creation of a coastal corridor proposed in the draft Marine Bill.

(219917)

166
N Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason the Government abstained from the vote on the proposed Pesticides Directive in the Council of Ministers in respect of changing approval of pesticides from risk-based to hazard-based examination.

(219447)

167
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of staff in (a) his Department and (b) the executive agencies for which he is responsible are disabled; and what the average salary in his (i) Department and (ii) executive agencies is of (A) full-time disabled staff, (B) full-time non-disabled staff, (C) part-time disabled staff and (D) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220188)

168
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many requests from planning authorities for responses on planning permission applications the Environment Agency has received in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09 to date.

(220217)

169
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many Environment Agency staff are working to process requests from planning authorities for responses on planning permission applications.

(220218)

170
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the current backlog is for requests from planning authorities for responses on planning permission applications to the Environment Agency; and what the current average waiting time for responses is.

(220219)

171
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Sandridge bromate contamination on (a) the Mimram River and (b) chalk aquifers in Hertfordshire.

(220109)

172
N Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of progress against his Department's objective of achieving fair access to public services for rural communities.

(219307)

173
Martin Horwood (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the volume and proportion of the annual potato crop which has been treated with anti-blight spray in each of the last three years.

(220085)

174
N Mr Peter Lilley (Hitchin & Harpenden): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, further to the Answer of 10th July 2008, Official Report, columns 1775-6W, on carbon emissions, what the implications of the Stern Review are for the tools that are used in Government to perform cost-benefit analysis, with particular reference to the appropriate discount rate to use.

(219547)

175
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much internal drainage boards in the Somerset Levels and Moors have spent on infrastructure projects for the maintenance and enhancement of sites of scientific interest and special protection areas since 1987.

(219927)

176
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the (a) capital and (b) revenue expenditure of internal drainage boards in the Somerset Levels and Moors has been since 1987.

(219928)

177
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the risk of flooding in the Somerset Levels and Moors was assessed as (a) in 1987 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available.

(219929)

178
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) local environment agency plans, (b) catchment flood management plans, (c) water management studies and (d) other catchment studies have been undertaken by the Environment Agency and its predecessors in the Somerset Levels and Moors since 1987.

(219930)

179
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been spent by the Environment Agency and its predecessor bodies on flood risk management in the Somerset Levels and Moors flood plain since 1987; and how much of that money was spent on (a) dedicated water management for nature conservation and (b) protection of special protection areas and sites of scientific interest.

(219931)

180
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the population of breeding wading birds and wintering waterbirds in (a) privately-owned and (b) publicly-owned land in the Somerset Levels and Moors was in (i) 1987 and (ii) at the most recent date for which figures are available.

(219932)

181
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much money has been spent in the Somerset Levels and Moors on the (a) environmentally sensitive areas, (b) countryside stewardship, (c) environmental stewardship and (d) natural England wildlife enhancement scheme.

(219933)

182
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the pilot badger cull in combating bovine tuberculosis; and if he will make a statement.

(220020)

183
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the financial position of the dairy industry; and what the current farm gate price for milk is.

(220021)

184
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make a statement on his plans for restructuring of internal drainage boards; and what assessment he has made of the effects of the restructuring on maintenance and dredging of watercourses in England.

(220022)

185
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many engineers are employed by (a) the Environment Agency in England and (b) internal drainage boards in England; and how many people will be employed by internal drainage boards after the restructuring programme is completed.

(220023)

186
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to encourage recycling with the use of financial incentives.

(220041)

187
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what changes there have been in levels of household recycling in Halifax since 1997.

(220042)

188
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what purchasing process is used by his Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219952)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

189
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many pictures of Afghan poppy fields have been taken by the Surveillance, Monitoring, Targeting and Verification project in each year of its operation; how many of these pictures have been used by the Afghan authorities in the fight against narcotics in each year; and if he will make a statement.

(220207)

190
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many staff the British Embassy Drug Team (BEDT) in Afghanistan has; and how often BEDT has met Afghan counter-narcotics officials in the last 12 months.

(220283)

191
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what expenditure his Department has incurred in establishing and maintaining the British Embassy Drug Team in Afghanistan since its establishment.

(220284)

192
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what expenditure his Department has incurred in establishing and maintaining the Surveillance, Monitoring, Targeting and Verification project since its establishment; and if he will make a statement.

(220285)

193
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what criteria his Department used to determine its support for the nomination of General Khodaidad to the post of Minister of Counter-Narcotics in the government of Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

(220290)

194
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which projects his Department sporsors as part of its counter-narcotics programme; what the objectives of each such project are; and how much funding his Department has provided for each such project in the last five years.

(220291)

195
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish the Government's counter-narcotics strategy for Afghanistan together with the names of its authors and significant contributors.

(220292)

196
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) diplomatic and (b) practical steps his Department is taking to support the establishment of a verifiable Middle East Zone free of weapons of mass destruction and associated delivery systems; and if he will make a statement.

(220104)

197
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many and what proportion of staff in (a) his Department and (b) the executive agencies for which he is responsible are disabled; and what the average salary in his (i) Department and (ii) executive agencies is of (A) full-time disabled staff, (B) full-time non-disabled staff, (C) part-time disabled staff and (D) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220187)

198
Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Venezuela on international drug trafficking.

(220054)

199
Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his Department's policy is on relations with Zimbabwe following the re-election of Robert Mugabe.

(219852)

200
N Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many staff were employed in the British Embassy in Tehran on (a) 30th June 2007 and (b) 30th June 2008, broken down by department; and how many he expects to be employed on 30th September 2008.

(219634)

201
N Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of (a) allegations of the International Criminal Court's prosecutors against the President of Sudan regarding responsibility for the situation in Darfur and (b) the effect of such allegations on the prospects for peace in the region.

(219542)

202
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with Middle Eastern governments on the testing of long range Iranian missiles.

(219902)

203
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what communications he has had with the Iranian government on the testing of its long range missiles.

(219903)

204
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his (a) Israeli, (b) Russian and (c) American counterparts on the testing of long range Iranian missiles.

(219904)

205
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the objectives of the Government are in its policy towards Zimbabwe.

(219905)

206
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the issue of whaling was raised during his meeting with the Icelandic Foreign Minister on 12th May; and if he will make a statement.

(220034)

207
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations the Government has made to the Icelandic government on the possible resumption of whaling in Iceland.

(220035)

208
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what purchasing process is used by his Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219953)

209
N Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many British police officers were stationed in Kabul at the latest date for which figures are available.

(219453)

210
N Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which Government departments he (a) consulted and (b) involved in the decision to authorise the deployment of British police officers to Kabul.

(219630)

211
N Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which countries have made their annual declaration to the Hague Code of Conduct against ballistic missile proliferation for (a) 2006 and (b) 2007.

(218467)

212
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of Israeli law with EU and international law in the areas of (a) torture and (b) the territorial boundaries of Israel in the context of the proposals made at the eighth meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council on EU-Israel relations.

(220233)

213
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of continuing Israeli settlement expansion on the EU aim of achieving a sovereign, independent, contiguous and viable Palestinian state.

(220234)

214
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of proposals for an EU-Israel Association Council Sub-Committee on Human Rights; what agreement has been reached on its (a) constitution, (b) membership, (c) powers, (d) remit and (e) proposed frequency of meetings; whether external organisations will be permitted to provide evidence of alleged human rights abuses to the Sub-Committee; whether the proceedings of the Sub-Committee will be published; whether its findings on human rights abuses will be reported to the Association Council; and in what ways the Sub-Committee will differ from the informal Working Group on Human Rights.

(220235)

215
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what criteria are used to determine whether Israeli representation is relevant in particular working groups established by the EU-Israel Association Council; and in which working groups such representation is considered relevant.

(220236)

216
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the extent to which settlement products have benefited from the mutual trade concessions agreed between EU and Israel for agricultural products, processed agricultural products or fisheries.

(220237)

217
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the extent to which products from the Palestinian Territories exported through Israel have benefited from the mutual trade concessions agreed between the EU and Israel for agricultural products, processed agricultural products or fisheries.

(220238)

218
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, of the 80 Israeli students who have received scholarships under the Erasmus Mundus exchange programme, how many were of (a) Jewish, (b) Arab and (c) Druze ethnicity; and how many were from institutions wholly or partly located in settlements in (i) East Jerusalem and (ii) the West Bank.

(220239)

219
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what issues were discussed at the EU-Israel Association Council's informal Working Group on human rights on 30th April 2008; what the outcomes of the meeting were; and whether the group recommended specific actions on the government of Israel's part.

(220240)

220
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, following the EU's calls to freeze all settlement activity and dismantle outposts erected since March 2001, how many such outposts have been dismantled; what deadline was given to Israel for compliance; and what steps will be taken in circumstances of continued settlement growth.

(220241)

221
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much the EU has provided to Israel for fuel and electricity for Gaza in the last 12 months; and whether such payments are made in advance of delivery.

(220242)

222
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of homes which have been built in settlements since the EU's initial call for a halt to Israeli settlement growth.

(220243)

223
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that information shared between the EU and Israel under the Co-operation in Justice and Home Affairs Initiative of the EU-Israel Association Council has not been obtained in circumstances which would be defined as torture in UK law.

(220244)

224
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, at what stage in its development he expects hon. Members to have the opportunity to scrutinise the next European Neighbourhood Action Plan regarding the EU-Israel Association Council; and if he will take steps to ensure that such an opportunity is provided before the action plan is agreed at EU level.

(220245)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Health

225
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that users of methadone who receive the drug on prescription are made aware of the risks associated with allowing children in their care access to the drug.

(220095)

226
Mary Creagh (Wakefield): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what basis social enterprises will be given access to the NHS Pension Scheme.

(220006)

227
Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many treatments in each treatment band were carried out by NHS dentists in (a) St. Ives constituency, (b) Cornwall and (c) England in each year since 2000.

(219906)

228
Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many contracts for NHS dentists there were in (a) St. Ives constituency, (b) Cornwall and (c) England in each year since 2000.

(219907)

229
Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve the health of Gypsy and Traveller communities.

(220063)

230
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which primary care trusts have completed a local equality impact assessment; and whether such assessments are collated centrally.

(220016)

231
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what requirements there are for primary care trusts to conduct local equality impact assessments; and what requirements there are for such assessments to cover cancer.

(220017)

232
Andrew Gwynne (Denton & Reddish): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to issue primary care trust allocations for (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11.

(219876)

233
N Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were allocated an individual budget in the pilot sites during the Individual Budget Pilot Programme; and how many were eligible for a budget, broken down by location.

(219445)

234
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what proportion of staff in (a) his Department and (b) the executive agencies for which he is responsible are disabled; and what the average salary in his (i) Department and (ii) executive agencies is of (A) full-time disabled staff, (B) full-time non-disabled staff, (C) part-time disabled staff and (D) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220186)

235
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he intends to take to improve the wheelchair service for children and young people as part of the forthcoming Child Health Strategy; and if he will make a statement.

(220222)

236
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made in improving the provision of wheelchair services for children and young people since the publication of Aiming High for Disabled Children in May 2007.

(220223)

237
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will publish the Child Health Strategy; and if he will make a statement.

(220224)

238
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to paragraph 3.11 in the Carers at the heart of 21st-century families and communities report, how much of the £150 million funding for breaks for carers of disabled children will be provided by his Department over each of the next two years.

(220304)

239
Stephen Hesford (Wirral West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated research on the impact of alcohol consumption on public health on Merseyside, with particular reference to its effect on child well-being; and if he will make a statement.

(219922)

240
David Howarth (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost to his Department was of conducting the last Public Health Laboratory Service survey into HIV and hepatitis rates in prisons.

(220098)

241
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the incidence of violent attacks against NHS staff.

(220130)

242
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nurses in England have reported being the subject of a violent incident perpetrated by (a) a patient and (b) a family member or friend of a patient in each of the last five years.

(220131)

243
Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance he provides to hospitals on reducing waste from the meals they provide.

(219846)

244
David Lepper (Brighton, Pavilion): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what account was taken of the undertaking given on 14th January 1998, Official Report, columns 357-8, in relation to the proportion of members of the board of the Food Standards Agency with relevant interests in the appointment of the current board members; and if he will make a statement.

(220279)

245
David Lepper (Brighton, Pavilion): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what proportion of the members of the board of the Food Standards Agency have a (a) current and (b) recent commercial interest in bodies regulated by the Agency.

(220280)

246
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether those born before 1st October 1991 and who are aged between 18 and 25 years will be offered the Cervarix vaccine.

(220019)

247
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the estimated annual GP-led average payment per registered patient will be in health centres.

(220024)

248
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to publish national figures on access to general practitioners.

(220025)

249
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the level of morale amongst general practitioners; and if he will make a statement.

(220026)

250
N Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to review the effectiveness of new GP-led health centres.

(219635)

251
N Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects the first GP-led health centre to open.

(219636)

252
N Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of primary care trusts have identified sites for GP-led health centres.

(219637)

253
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the budget is for each (a) non-departmental public body and (b) agency for which his Department is responsible for 2008-09.

(220100)

254
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ensure that people in rural areas who use GP practices for prescription dispensation will remain able to do so.

(219882)

255
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of public transport provision on accessibility of the health services in rural areas.

(219883)

256
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has for spending on primary care in (a) Cumbria and (b) Copeland constituency in the next three years.

(219884)

257
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been spent on (a) primary and (b) acute healthcare in (i) Cumbria, (ii) West Cumbria and (iii) Copeland constituency since 1997.

(219885)

258
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce inequalities of health outcomes and life expectancy within Cumbria.

(219886)

259
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to encourage closer working between social services and primary care providers in Cumbria.

(219887)

260
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding his Department is providing for hospice care within the NHS in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10.

(219888)

261
Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding his Department is providing for hospice care in the voluntary sector in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10.

(219889)

262
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to raise the awareness of young women about breast cancer.

(219988)

263
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what provision his Department has to support young women with cancer.

(219989)

264
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of people diagnosed with obesity in Halifax over the last 10 years.

(220010)

265
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to encourage men between the ages of 20 and 35 years to have regular medical check-ups.

(220011)

266
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to encourage people to have regular cholesterol and blood pressure tests.

(220012)

267
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to encourage people to learn resuscitation techniques for heart attack and stroke victims.

(220013)

268
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce levels of obesity.

(220030)

269
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to increase levels of children's health and well-being.

(220031)

270
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to extend access to GP surgeries; and if he will make a statement.

(220032)

271
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of anti-TNF drugs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

(220036)

272
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans are in place to make anti-TNF drugs more widely available for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

(220037)

273
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of rising food prices on levels of general health.

(220038)

274
Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on the proposed retail model for transforming community equipment services; and if he will make a statement.

(219916)

275
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what purchasing process is used by his Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219954)

276
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many abortions were carried out on women aged (a) 19, (b) 18, (c) 17, (d) 16, (e) 15, (f) 14 and (g) 13 years in England in each of the last three years (i) in total and (ii) broken down by region.

(220140)

277
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many births there were to mothers aged (a) 19, (b) 18, (c) 17, (d) 16, (e) 15, (f) 14 and (g) 13 years had in England in each of the last three years (i) in total and (ii) broken down by region.

(220141)

278
N Mr Andrew Smith (Oxford East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on options for care and funding in respect of the (i) consultation and (ii) forthcoming Green Paper on the future of social care and support services.

(219126)

279
N Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many bed days have been lost due to delayed discharges in the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust since the year to 14th October 2007.

(218464)

280
N Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information he has received from the West Kent Primary Care Trust on the financial support it provided to the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust in 2007-08 to assist that trust reduce the number of bed days lost due to delayed discharges.

(218465)

281
N Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what consideration he has given to extending leasehold enfranchisement to NHS hospitals occupying sites on long leases; and if he will make a statement.

(218468)

282
Ian Stewart (Eccles): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when a reply will be sent to the hon. Member for Eccles' correspondence of 4th February and 23rd April 2008 on the hepatitis B vaccine.

(219867)

283
N David Taylor (North West Leicestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what account he has taken of research on the effects in other countries of (a) prohibiting and (b) restricting the sale of tobacco from vending machines in formulating policy; and if he will make a statement.

(219748)

284
N David Taylor (North West Leicestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will bring forward proposals for the establishment of a body with responsibility for the regulation of all nicotine products; and if he will make a statement.

(219749)

285
Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which stakeholders he has consulted in the course of his Department's review of UK practice in the collection and use of umbilical cord blood; and if he will make a statement.

(219909)

286
Stephen Williams (Bristol West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the number of trainee doctors who will be paying for hospital-provided accommodation in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

(220228)

Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department

287
Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she expects a decision to be made on the immigration status of Mr Rajwant Karr (Ref 1583563).

(220123)

288
N Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) persons and (b) persons aged under 18 years have been convicted of an offence of possessing an offensive weapon in the form of a knife or bladed instrument since 1st April 2007; and how many have (i) received a custodial sentence and (ii) received a custodial sentence of two years or more, broken down by region.

(219638)

289
James Duddridge (Rochford & Southend East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many outstanding applications for asylum there were from Zimbabwean nationals in (a) Southend and (b) England and Wales at the end of (i) 2004, (ii) 2005, (iii) 2006 and (iv) 2007.

(220121)

290
Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward amendments to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 to implement the national agreement on arrangements for the use of interpreters, translators and language service professionals in investigations and proceedings within the Criminal Justice System, as revised in 2007; and if she will make a statement.

(219875)

291
Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been (a) apprehended, (b) charged and (c) imprisoned for drug importation and dealing offences as a result of maritime operations carried out by (i) the UK Border Agency and (ii) other agencies involved in border patrols in each year since 1997.

(220110)

292
Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the value of drugs seized in maritime operations by (a) the UK Border Agency and (b) other agencies involved in border patrols, expressed in 2008 prices, in each year since 1997.

(220111)

293
Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department spent on the visit of the Minister of State for Immigration and the media to UK Border Agency operations off the coast of Southampton in the week commencing 7th July 2008; and from which budget this expenditure was met.

(220112)

294
Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the purpose was of the border operations off the coast of Southampton in the week commencing 7th July 2008.

(220113)

295
Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many suspected (a) people traffickers and (b) trafficking victims have been intercepted in maritime operations by (i) the UK Border Agency and (ii) other agencies engaged in border patrol in each of the last three years.

(220114)

296
Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) budget for and (b) expenditure on maritime border patrols and operations was by (i) the UK Border Agency and (ii) other agencies involved in border patrol in each year since 1997.

(220115)

297
Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many operational hours were undertaken by boats and other marine craft operated by (a) the UK Border Agency and (b) other agencies engaged in border patrol in each year since 1997.

(220116)

298
Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many suspected illegal immigrants have been apprehended in British waters as a result of boarding inspections carried out by boats used by (a) the UK Border Agency and (b) other agencies in each year since 1997.

(220117)

299
Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) cutters, (b) inflatable craft and (c) other boats have been in use with (i) the UK Border Agency and (ii) other agencies undertaking border patrols in each year since 1997.

(220118)

300
N Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many major terrorist plots were disrupted in each of the last five years.

(219448)

301
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of staff in (a) her Department and (b) the executive agencies for which she is responsible are disabled; and what the average salary in her (i) Department and (ii) executive agencies is of (A) full-time disabled staff, (B) full-time non-disabled staff, (C) part-time disabled staff and (D) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220176)

302
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential relationship between rural crime and the use of ketamine.

(220303)

303
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate she has made of the level of (a) knife crime and (b) violent crime against the person in each (i) county and (ii) constituency in England and Wales.

(220306)

304
Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on whether disqualification from driving ordered by a court in a member state should apply in other member states.

(220052)

305
N David Howarth (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what account she took of academic research into the effects of Scared Straight programmes in formulating her policy that young people at risk of involvement in knife crime should visit convicted offenders in prison; what research papers on the subject her Department has evaluated; and if she will make a statement.

(219780)

306
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many vehicles have been confiscated as a result of anti-social behaviour in Tamworth constituency since 2005.

(220108)

307
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) businesses and (b) individuals were prosecuted for supplying alcohol to those under the age of 18 years in (i) England, (ii) Staffordshire and (iii) Tamworth constituency in each of the last three years.

(220129)

308
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the levels of incidence of (a) violent crime, (b) car crime, (c) robbery and (d) burglary in Tamworth constituency since 2006; and if she will make a statement.

(220132)

309
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 18th April 2006, Official Report, column 1WS, on the citizen information project, for what reason the proposal to use the National Identity Register as an adult population register is not listed as part of the 2008 Delivery Plan or Cost Reports; and if she will make a statement on the implications for the population register proposal of initial roll out of the National Identity Scheme to a distinct subset of the UK population for trialling.

(220246)

310
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 10th July 2008, Official Report, column 1769W, on identity cards, what the reasons are for the time taken to provide a response; and what additional resources have been allocated to the Independent Sentence Assurance Panel to allow it to fulfil its enhanced remit to include ICT assurance for the identity cards scheme.

(220293)

311
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 26th June 2008, Official Report, column 44W, on identity cards, where a single transaction creates an audit trail relating to more than one of the three biometric, biographical and administrative databases, whether the multiple audit trails will be brought together to create a fourth separate audit trail record to show what checks have taken place against a single transaction.

(220294)

312
Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the reasons for black people to be two and a half times more likely than white people to be stopped by police under stop and account powers.

(219843)

313
Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of religiously-motivated violence against (a) Muslims, (b) Jews, (c) Christians, (d) Sikhs, (e) Buddhists and (f) Hindus were recorded in each year since 1997.

(219849)

314
N Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many complaints the British Embassy in Tehran received on the visa application procedure in each of the last 36 months; and how many were dealt with within the target 24 hour response time.

(219628)

315
N Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for visas from Iranian citizens have been made in each of the last 36 months; and what percentage of applications in each month was successful.

(219629)

316
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the level of provision of policing in the sparsely populated countryside of North Yorkshire; and if she will make a statement.

(220018)

317
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many violent crimes were committed in central Halifax in the last period for which figures are available.

(220049)

318
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to address anti-social behaviour in local communities; and if she will make a statement.

(220050)

319
Clare Short (Birmingham, Ladywood): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when a reply will be sent to the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood's letter to the Border and Immigration Agency of 8th April 2008 on behalf of Mamta Devi, Home Office reference number D1104208 and her further letter of 23rd May 2008, correspondence reference B18481/8.

(219873)

320
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the percentage clear-up rate for knife crime in each region was in the last 12 months.

(219860)

321
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people in each region of England and Wales were charged with offences relating to knife crime in each of the last three years.

(219861)

322
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many offences were committed in each region of England and Wales in which a knife was employed by the perpetrator in each of the last three years.

(219864)

323
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what purchasing process is used by her Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219955)

324
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to her Department and its agencies was of employing private security firms to enforce deportation orders in each of the last five years.

(220208)

325
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) complaints and (b) claims have been made against her Department and its agencies and contractors, as a result of alleged injuries and assaults sustained during the enforcement of deportation orders in each of the last five years, broken down by (i) sex, (ii) age, (iii) nationality and (iv) location of alleged incident.

(220209)

Questions to the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission

326
N Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, what estimate he has made of the energy efficiency of Portcullis House in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

(219541)

327
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 8th July 2008, Official Report, columns 1452-3W, on annual leave, on what basis the leave arrangements for staff appointed to the Senior Commons Service were set; and whether there is any independent oversight of such leave arrangements.

(220004)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills

328
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what budget allocations have been made by the Learning and Skills Council for (a) schools and (b) further education colleges in each London borough (i) in each of the last three financial years and (ii) for each of the next two financial years; and if he will make a statement.

(220248)

329
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many and what proportion of staff in (a) his Department and (b) the executive agencies for which he is responsible are disabled; and what the average salary in his (i) Department and (ii) executive agencies is of (A) full-time disabled staff, (B) full-time non-disabled staff, (C) part-time disabled staff and (D) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220185)

330
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, pursuant to paragraph 3.11 in the Carers at the heart of 21st-century families and communities report, how much of the £150 million funding for breaks for carers of disabled children will be provided by his Department over each of the next two years.

(220299)

331
Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what the Government's policy is on variable university tuition fees.

(219848)

332
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what funding his Department makes available for adult courses in craft work in North Yorkshire; and if he will make a statement.

(220027)

333
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what assessment he has made of the performance of further education colleges in Halifax in the last 12 months.

(219987)

334
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what purchasing process is used by his Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219956)

335
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the reasons why students in further education who failed to complete their courses did so in the last three years.

(220138)

336
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many students in further education in England failed to complete their course in the last 12 months; and how many of them were in (a) the final year of their course and (b) the first year of their course (i) in total and (ii) broken down by region.

(220139)

337
N Mr Andrew Smith (Oxford East): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what recent assessment he has made of the opportunities for people completing apprenticeships to achieve higher education qualifications; and if he will make a statement.

(219127)

338
Stephen Williams (Bristol West): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what proportion of 16 year olds without a Level 2 qualification are in full-time education; and what proportion (a) achieved a Level 2 and remained in full-time education and (b) achieved a Level 2 and left full-time education in the latest period for which figures are available.

(220197)

339
Stephen Williams (Bristol West): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the potential for future innovation in the market for (a) urology-related products, (b) stoma-related products and (c) single-line items.

(220198)

340
Stephen Williams (Bristol West): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many live accounts are held by the Student Loan Company for which no repayment is currently being received, broken down by reason for the lack of repayment.

(220225)

341
Stephen Williams (Bristol West): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, whether trainee educational psychologists are expected to pay for their transport costs when visiting pupils during their placements; and if he will make a statement.

(220226)

342
Stephen Williams (Bristol West): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what estimate he has made of the additional costs incurred by students during non-paid work placements; and if he will make a statement.

(220227)

Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development

343
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many and what proportion of staff in his Department are disabled; and what the average salary in his Department is of (a) full-time disabled staff, (b) full-time non-disabled staff, (c) part-time disabled staff and (d) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220184)

344
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking to increase the protection of vulnerable children in Africa.

(219985)

345
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans there are to meet the global target of universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention.

(219986)

346
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what purchasing process is used by his Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219944)

347
David Taylor (North West Leicestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 21st November 2007, Official Report, columns 930-1W, on departmental official hospitality, when he expects the list for hospitality received in 2007 by senior civil servants in his Department to be published; and what the reasons are for the time taken to publish it.

(219923)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Justice

348
N Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people previously in receipt of incapacity benefit who have had their entitlement to benefit withdrawn following a medical assessment appealed against the decision in the last year for which figures are available; and how many of those appeals were successful.

(219451)

349
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which Ministers have represented the UK in state party examinations by UN treaty monitoring bodies in each of the last five years.

(220102)

350
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what training has been provided to civil servants on (a) human rights and (b) the Convention on the Rights of the Child in each of the last five years.

(220216)

351
N Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people aged (a) between 10 and 17 years, (b) between 18 and 24 years and (c) 25 years and over were (i) prosecuted and (ii) convicted of knife possession offences in each of the last five years.

(219443)

352
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of staff in (a) his Department and (b) the executive agencies for which he is responsible are disabled; and what the average salary in his (i) Department and (ii) executive agencies is of (A) full-time disabled staff, (B) full-time non-disabled staff, (C) part-time disabled staff and (D) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220173)

353
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many convictions for ketamine (a) use and (b) dealing there have been (i) in Forest of Dean constituency, (ii) in Gloucestershire and (iii) nationally in the last three years.

(220307)

354
N Chris Huhne (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people aged (a) under 16, (b) 16 to 18 and (c) over 18 years were (i) charged, (ii) convicted and (iii) sentenced to immediate custody for possession of a knife in each of the last five years.

(219252)

355
Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance he provides to prisons on reducing waste from the meals they provide.

(219845)

356
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what spare capacity was in prisons at the most recently available date; and if he will make a statement.

(220014)

357
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to conduct a review of the cost of telephone calls from prisons.

(220097)

358
Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will assess the likely implications for individuals' right to privacy of the proposal by Google to publish photographs of UK addresses on its Streetview website.

(220297)

359
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what purchasing process is used by his Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219945)

360
Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has received the report of Lord Ouseley into allegations of racism in the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

(220232)

Questions to the Leader of the House

361
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Leader of the House, how many and what proportion of staff in her Office are disabled; and what the average salary in her Office is of (a) full-time disabled staff, (b) full-time non-disabled staff, (c) part-time disabled staff and (d) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220183)

362
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Leader of the House, what purchasing process is used by her Office for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219943)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

363
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many and what proportion of staff in his Department are disabled; and what the average salary in his Department is of (a) full-time disabled staff, (b) full-time non-disabled staff, (c) part-time disabled staff and (d) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220174)

364
Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many prisoners sentenced in Northern Ireland have been transferred to prisons in (a) England and Wales and (b) Scotland in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

(220053)

365
Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many checks have been carried out on Northern Ireland residents by the Criminal Records Bureau in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

(220056)

366
Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, on how many occasions information provided by the Criminal Records Bureau in respect of Northern Ireland residents has proved to be erroneous in each of the last five years; by what means the errors were discovered in each case; and if he will make a statement.

(220057)

367
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the police clear-up rate for knife crime in Northern Ireland was in each command unit in the last 12 months.

(219859)

368
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people in Northern Ireland were charged with offences relating to knife crime in each of the last three years.

(219862)

369
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many offences were committed in each police command unit in Northern Ireland in which a knife was employed by the perpetrator in each of the last three years.

(219863)

370
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what purchasing process is used by his Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219942)

Questions to the Minister for the Olympics

371
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Minister for the Olympics, on what date invitations will be sent to prospective competing nations for the London 2012 (a) Olympic and (b) Paralympic Games.

(219990)

372
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Minister for the Olympics, what recent estimate she has made of the number of nations that will compete in the London 2012 (a) Olympic and (b) Paralympic Games.

(219991)

Questions to the Prime Minister

373
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Prime Minister, how many and what proportion of staff in his Office are disabled; and what the average salary in his Office is of (a) full-time disabled staff, (b) full-time non-disabled staff, (c) part-time disabled staff and (d) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220182)

374
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Prime Minister, what purchasing process is used by his Office for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219941)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland

375
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many and what proportion of staff in his Department are disabled; and what the average salary in his Department is of (a) full-time disabled staff, (b) full-time non-disabled staff, (c) part-time disabled staff and (d) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220175)

376
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what purchasing process is used by his Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219940)

Questions to the Solicitor General

377
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Solicitor General, how many and what proportion of staff in the Attorney General's Office are disabled; and what the average salary in the Office is of (a) full-time disabled staff, (b) full-time non-disabled staff, (c) part-time disabled staff and (d) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220180)

378
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Solicitor General, what purchasing process is used by the Law Officers' Departments for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219939)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport

379
N Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what aircraft types are used for scheduled domestic passenger flights in the UK; and what the passenger capacity is of each.

(219752)

380
N Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the written Ministerial Statement of 10th July 2008, Official Report, columns 88-90WS, on new cars: emissions targets, what position she has taken in discussions with the EU in respect of a possible derogation for Jaguar and Land Rover.

(219801)

381
N Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19th June 2008, Official Report, columns 1066-7W, on railways: finance, how much of the financial allocation for rail (a) has been allocated in 2008-09 and (b) was allocated in 2007-08 to (i) each train operating company and (ii) Network Rail.

(219802)

382
Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with L'Autorité de sûreté nucléaire (ASN) on its refusal to give further authorisations for plutonium shipments from Sellafield to the Areva plant at La Hague following receipt of a consignment of UK plutonium from Sellafield on 21st May; and what steps have been taken in response to the issues highlighted by ASN.

(220204)

383
Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she (a) has had and (b) plans to have with the British biofuels industry on the implications of the Gallagher review.

(220060)

384
Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what legislative changes are required to extend the target dates for the Renewables Transport Fuel Obligation.

(220061)

385
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of staff in (a) her Department and (b) the executive agencies for which she is responsible are disabled; and what the average salary in her (i) Department and (ii) executive agencies is of (A) full-time disabled staff, (B) full-time non-disabled staff, (C) part-time disabled staff and (D) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220177)

386
Stephen Hesford (Wirral West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many accidents have occurred on motorways since 2005.

(219919)

387
Stephen Hesford (Wirral West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what improvements her Department has made to road safety since 2005.

(219920)

388
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many fatalities there have been in road traffic accidents per hundred thousand passenger miles in each year since 1995.

(219878)

389
Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has identified any long-term structural problems in the Severn Tunnel.

(220046)

390
N Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people were removed from the approved driving instructors register following a criminal conviction for a sexual offence in each of the last two years.

(219454)

391
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has conducted research into the likely effect on the number of children and parents choosing to walk or cycle to school of the speed limit around their schools and homes being reduced to 20 miles per hour.

(220008)

392
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking with local authorities to ease traffic congestion in local communities.

(220009)

393
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans there are to introduce additional rolling stock on the Calder Valley line; and how many units are to be introduced.

(220043)

394
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many private bus companies are in operation.

(220045)

395
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to encourage the operation of park and ride schemes.

(220047)

396
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of implementing 20mph zones in the vicinity of (a) nurseries and (b) schools.

(220137)

397
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what purchasing process is used by her Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219938)

398
Mr John Spellar (Warley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which company manufactured, and in which country, the trains in service on Thameslink routes.

(219879)

399
Mr John Spellar (Warley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what arrangements her Department has put in place to monitor the purposes to which end users apply data provided by the UK on airline passengers travelling to the US.

(220193)

400
N Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make it her policy to revise the carbon sustainability and reporting requirements for biofuels in respect of biodiesel from palm oil grown on tropical peatland; and if she will make a statement.

(219627)

401
N Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in how many serious injury accidents left-hand drive heavy goods vehicles were involved in each of the last three years.

(218466)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales

402
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many and what proportion of staff in his Department are disabled; and what the average salary in his Department is of (a) full-time disabled staff, (b) full-time non-disabled staff, (c) part-time disabled staff and (d) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220178)

403
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what purchasing process is used by his Department for the purchase of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219936)

Questions to the Minister for Women and Equality

404
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, pursuant to paragraph 3.11 in the Carers at the heart of 21st-century families and communities report, how much of the £150 million funding for breaks for carers of disabled children will be provided by the Government Equalities Office over each of the next two years.

(220300)

405
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, pursuant to the Answer of 26th February 2008, Official Report, column 2831W, on equality, whether individual commissioners are required to give assurances that they support each of the objectives and statutory duties of the Equality and Human Rights Commission as a requirement of (a) appointment and (b) re-appointment.

(220005)

406
N John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, how many consultants were hired by the offices now comprising the Government's Equalities Office in 2006-07, broken down by (a) age, (b) gender, (c) sexual orientation, (d) race, (e) disability and (f) religion or belief.

(219632)

407
N John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, how many contracts the offices now comprising the Government's Equalities Office awarded to consultants in 2006-07; how many contracts went out to tender in 2006-07; what the value of each was; and which contracts were not put out to tender.

(219633)

408
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, what estimate she has made of the pay gap between men and women in each of the last three years.

(219925)

409
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, what purchasing process is used by the Government Equalities Office for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219935)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

410
N Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the Government's policy is on the future of incapacity benefit; what related initiatives he (a) has recently introduced and (b) plans to introduce; and if he will make a statement.

(219449)

411
N Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what arrangements are in place for the medical assessment of persons in receipt of incapacity benefit; which companies are used to carry out such assessments; what the terms of reference for such assessments are; and how their fees are calculated.

(219450)

412
N Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many persons in receipt of incapacity benefit were required to attend a medical assessment in the last year for which figures are available; and what the cost of such assessments was.

(219452)

413
N Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what additional (a) funding and (b) other support his Department plans to provide to Citizens Advice Bureaux in anticipation of the introduction of the employment and support allowance.

(219444)

414
N Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to paragraph 3.11 of the paper, Carers at the heart of 21st-century families and communities, how much of the £150 million funding for breaks for carers of disabled children his Department plans to provide in each of the next two years.

(219446)

415
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of staff in (a) his Department and (b) the executive agencies for which he is responsible are disabled; and what the average salary in his (i) Department and (ii) executive agencies is of (A) full-time disabled staff, (B) full-time non-disabled staff, (C) part-time disabled staff and (D) part-time non-disabled staff.

(220179)

416
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much has been spent on (a) employment and support allowance and (b) incapacity benefit in the latest year for which figures are available; and how much is expected to be spent on each in each of the next five years.

(220203)

417
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how the funding for the provision of short break services announced in the Aiming High for Disabled Children document, will be spent in each year over the Comprehensive Spending Review period.

(220210)

418
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of operational staff he estimates will be fully trained to operate the IT systems for the introduction of the employment and support allowance.

(220211)

419
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance on reasonable adjustments for people with mental health conditions he has issued to assist organisations in complying with the Disability Discrimination Act 2005.

(220215)

420
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many JobCentre Plus branches operate the customer account management system in anticipation of the introduction of the employment and support allowance.

(220247)

421
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many construction industry workers died as a result of workplace accidents in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007.

(219880)

422
N Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department is contributing to the £140 million fund announced on 6th June 2008 to encourage local authorities to offer free swimming.

(219730)

423
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of the working age population of Tamworth constituency received incapacity benefit in the latest period for which figures are available.

(220105)

424
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many residents in Tamworth constituency have active post office card accounts.

(220106)

425
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much and what proportion of each type of state benefit paid to residents in Tamworth constituency was paid into post office card accounts in each of the last five years.

(220107)

426
N Mr Ian McCartney (Makerfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many British nationals over state pension age failed the habitual residence test when resuming a residence in the UK in (a) 2004, (b) 2005, (c) 2006 and (d) 2007.

(219543)

427
N Mr Ian McCartney (Makerfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons the habitual residence test is applied to older British nationals who are returning to live in the UK.

(219546)

428
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was paid in housing benefit in the UK in each of the last three years.

(219874)

429
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of former Remploy workers who have found alternative employment.

(220015)

430
David Simpson (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what purchasing process is used by his Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

(219934)

431
N Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was spent by his Department on backdated annual payments of pension credit (a) in total and (b) broken down by the smallest geographical area for which figures are available in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

(219212)

432
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much of the money allocated to each local authority to make (a) exceptional hardship payments and (b) exceptional circumstances payments was unspent in each year between 1991 and 2001; and if he will make a statement.

(220086)

433
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the calculation of the amount allocated to local authorities for the payment of (a) exceptional hardship payments and (b) exceptional circumstances payments takes account of average rental prices (i) nationally and (ii) in the relevant local authority; and if he will make a statement.

(220087)

434
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much of the money allocated to each local authority to pay discretionary housing payments was unspent in each year since it was introduced; and if he will make a statement.

(220088)

435
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how the amount allocated to each local authority for the payment of discretionary housing payments is calculated; and if he will make a statement.

(220089)

436
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department allocated to each local authority for the payment of discretionary housing payments in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

(220090)

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

437
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what plans he has to encourage the installation of solar panels on domestic properties.

[Transferred] (220040)

Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

438
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what the (a) mean and (b) median wage for (i) men and (ii) women has been in each year since 2003.

[Transferred] (220126)

439
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what youth unemployment was in (a) Tamworth constituency, (b) Staffordshire, (c) the West Midlands and (d) the UK in each year since 2005.

[Transferred] (220128)

440
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many people aged between 18 and 25 years were unemployed (a) in 1997 and (b) at the most recent date for which figures are available.

[Transferred] (220147)

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

441
N Dr Nick Palmer (Broxtowe): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the global economic situation on individual consumers' carbon footprints.

[Question Unstarred] (219302)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Health

442
Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients have been prescribed methadone to help combat drug addiction in (a) England, (b) London, (c) the North East, (d) the Tees Valley district and (e) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each year since 1997.

[Transferred] (219857)

Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department

443
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what regulations govern the use of ultra-sonic youth deterrent devices.

[Transferred] (220091)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Justice

444
Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of defendants released early under the end of custody licence scheme have re-offended during their additional early release period.

[Transferred] (220051)

445
Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in respect of how many defendants remanded in custody on indictable-only matters had proceedings been terminated prior to arraignment or no evidence offered in each of the last five years; and how long on average each such defendant was detained in custody.

[Transferred] (220055)

Questions to the Minister for Women and Equality

446
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, if she will place in the Library the responses to the discrimination law review consultation.

[Transferred] (220202)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

447
Mrs Linda Riordan (Halifax): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Halifax received the winter fuel allowance in 2007-08.

[Transferred] (220149)

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Revised 17 July 2008