You are here: Parliament home page > Parliamentary business > Publications and records > House of Commons Business papers > Question Book > Question Book - Part 1
          House of Commons portcullis
House of Commons		 Session 2008 - 09
Publications on the internet
The Questions Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 12 January 2009
Notes:
* Indicates a Question for Oral Answer.
+ Indicates a Question not included in the random selection process but accepted because the quota for that day had not been filled.
[N] Indicates a Question for Written Answer on a named day, i.e. the Member has indicated under S.O. No. 22(4) the day on which he wishes the Question to be answered.
[R] Indicates that a relevant interest has been declared.
 

 

Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Monday 12 January 2009
(the 'Questions Book')

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 12 January 2009

This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Monday 12 January of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

For other Written Questions for answer on Monday 12 January of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Monday 12 January see Part 2 of this paper.

Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
1
Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what the functions are of Constructionline in reducing the administrative, financial and compliance burden on small and medium-sized enterprises of multiple health and safety pre-qualification schemes in the public sector; and what account it takes of work already completed by the construction industry on health and safety.
(246097)
2
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many copies UK Trade and Investment produced of the Marketing the UK Like Never Before document; and how much they cost to produce.
(246205)
3
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what recent steps the Government has taken to fund small business growth.
(245470)
4
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246352)
5
N 		Justine Greening (Putney): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what estimate his Department has made of the number of small and medium-sized enterprises registered with the Supply2.gov.uk website in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08; what projection he has made of the equivalent figure for 2008-09; and of these, how many renewed their annual registration in each such year.
(246767)
6
N 		Justine Greening (Putney): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what estimate his Department has made of the amount paid to Supply2.gov.uk in subscription fees for (a) Free Location Service, (b) Regional Area Service, (c) Home County Service and (d) National Service in (i) 2006-07, (ii) 2007-08 and (iii) 2008-09.
(246768)
7
N 		Justine Greening (Putney): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of running the Supply2.gov.uk website in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08; and what he estimates this cost to be in 2008-09.
(246769)
8
N 		Justine Greening (Putney): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many businesses were registered with Supply2.gov.uk in each month since June 2006; and how many he expects to register in each month to March 2009.
(246770)
9
N 		Justine Greening (Putney): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many contracts were awarded to small and medium-sized enterprises through the Supply2.gov.uk website in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08; how many he expects to be so awarded in 2008-09; and what estimate he has made of the monetary value of such contracts.
(246771)
10
Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many people were declared bankrupt in North Devon in each year since 1997.
(246698)
11
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many meetings he and Ministers of his Department have had with (a) tobacco companies and (b) those working on behalf of tobacco companies in the last three months.
(246588)
12
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how much has been allocated for bonuses for staff within his Department in 2008-09.
(246589)
13
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, which external companies and organisations have been used by his Department to provide training for fast stream civil service staff in his Department in the last three years; and how many staff participated in such training.
(246590)
14
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how much his Department spent on works and refurbishment to offices allocated to Ministers in departmental buildings in the last 12 months.
(246592)
15
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how much his Department spent on digital media training courses provided by the Internet Advertising Bureau in 2008; how many such training sessions have been held in 2008; and how many staff members in his Department attended at least one such training course.
(246593)
16
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2008, Official Report, column 471W, on official visits: Russia, if he will place in the Library the list of the Secretary of State's engagements during his visit to Russia in October 2008.
(246762)
17
N 		Mark Hunter (Cheadle): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what recent meetings his Department has had with internet service providers on websites which advocate anorexic or bulimic practices.
(246755)
18
N 		Mark Hunter (Cheadle): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what steps his Department has taken to encourage internet service providers to practise regulation of websites which advocate anorexic or bulimic practices.
(246757)
19
N 		Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what assistance has been provided to local authorities and health trusts to enable them to meet the new payment target of 10 days for small and medium-sized enterprises.
(246106)
20
N 		Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what steps he has taken to ensure that Government departments, local authorities and health trusts are complying with his policy to pay small and medium-sized enterprises within 10 days.
(246108)
21
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what the operating costs were for each regional development agency in England in (a) 2006, (b) 2007, (c) July 2008, (d) August 2008, (e) September 2008 and (f) October 2008; and what he assesses the effect on for the economy was of the operation of the regional development agencies.
(246088)
22
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what estimate he has made of the benefit to the local economy arising from the operation of Yorkshire Forward since 2006.
(246169)
23
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many businesses he estimates have been the subject of liquidation or other insolvency procedures during 2008-09.
(246170)
24
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many bankruptcy orders for self-employed individuals he estimates have occurred in 2008-09.
(246171)
25
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies for public access to services.
(246991)
26
Ms Angela C. Smith (Sheffield, Hillsborough): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what the cost to Royal Mail was of (a) producing and (b) delivering the Christmas cards it recently sent to every household in the UK.
(246157)
27
N 		Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, whether discussions have taken place between the North Western Regional Development Agency and Lancaster City Council on the Central Park Scheme in the west end of Morecambe.
(246101)
28
Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many small and medium-sized enterprises were registered in (a) Stockport Metropolitan Borough, (b) Greater Manchester and (c) the North West in each of the last five years.
(246075)
29
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department and its agencies since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the advisers so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246658)
30
N 		Mr Edward Vaizey (Wantage): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what progress has been made in investigating whether Canadian subsidies to the video games industry breach World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules; and when the Government expects to lodge a formal complaint with the WTO.
(246712)
31
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what assessment he has made of the effect of part privatisation of Royal Mail on the number of jobs in the organisation; and if he will make a statement.
(246804)
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer
32
N 		Mr John Baron (Billericay): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department will reply to the hon. Member for Billericay's letter of 21 October 2008 about his constituent, Mr S Ford.
(246128)
33
N 		Sir John Butterfill (Bournemouth West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Bournemouth West of 13 October, 3 November and 11 December 2008 in respect of his constituent Mr Ian Wilson and deposits with Icelandic banks.
(246206)
34
Sir John Butterfill (Bournemouth West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps have been taken by the Financial Services Authority to safeguard depositors in the Derbyshire Building Society's Isle of Man subsidiary.
(246802)
35
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent steps the Government has taken to aid banks in providing capital to businesses.
(245467)
36
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent steps the Government has taken to assist people paying their mortgages.
(245468)
37
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent steps the Government has taken to reform regulation of the financial markets.
(245469)
38
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government has taken to monitor the effects of recapitalisation of major British banks.
(245471)
39
N 		Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effects on the cash flows of small businesses of the reductions in the flat rate of value added tax simultaneously with the reduction in the standard rate to 15 per cent.
(246760)
40
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246338)
41
Justine Greening (Putney): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the (a) monetary value and (b) quantity of loans funded from the European Investment Bank made to UK companies in (i) November 2008 and (ii) December 2008; and what estimate he has made of the value and quantity of such loans in (A) January 2009 and (B) February 2009.
(246765)
42
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what reports he has received on the determination by the US Administration on 17 December 2008 that Assa Corporation is created and controlled by Bank Melli; and whether he has made representations to the relevant Channel Islands authorities on the operations in Jersey of Assa Company Ltd and its subsidiaries.
(246397)
43
N 		Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much national debt was repaid in each year since 1997.
(246574)
44
N 		Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of the likely cost of the research to explore customer experiences of the Offshore Disclosure Facility.
(245836)
45
N 		Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of the likely cost of each consultant interview under the research to explore customer experiences of the Offshore Disclosure Facility.
(245837)
46
N 		Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many customers are to be interviewed as part of the research to explore customer experiences of the Offshore Disclosure Facility.
(245838)
47
N 		Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the purpose of the research to explore customer experiences of the Offshore Disclosure Facility is; and if he will make a statement.
(245839)
48
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints about advertisements sponsored or funded by his Department were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in each year from 1997 to 2008; and how many of these were upheld by the ASA in each year.
(246642)
49
N 		Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many awards of child tax credit were made for (a) 2001-02 and (b) 2002-03; and what estimate he has made of the number of eligible claimants in each of those years.
(246789)
50
Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons he has not responded to the Ombudsman's report on Equitable Life; and when he expects to do so.
(246164)
51
N 		Chris Huhne (Eastleigh): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to table B4 of the Pre-Budget Report, on the fiscal balances compared with Budget 2008, what the figures for the cyclically-adjusted (a) surplus on the current budget and (b) net borrowing are as a percentage of potential gross domestic product for each year.
(245884)
52
Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to reply to the letter to him dated 28 October 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms J. Ferneyhough.
(246528)
53
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has made of the number of people registered on the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system who had additional undeclared sources of income in each of the last 12 months; how much uncollected tax revenue this figure represented (a) in total and (b) as a proportion of the estimated total tax owed by these people through PAYE in each of those months; and what estimate HMRC has made of the value of uncollected income tax as a proportion of the total income tax that was collected through PAYE in each of the last 12 months.
(246178)
54
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to raise the tax free threshold under the rent-a-room scheme.
(246534)
55
Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Private Finance Initiative schemes were concluded in each of the last 10 years; what their capital value was; what the repayment amount is; and over how many years this is to be repaid.
(246703)
56
Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cumulative total of Private Finance Initiative capital schemes is since inception; and what the total repayment amount for these schemes is.
(246704)
57
Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Private Finance Initiative schemes are in the process of being completed; and what their (a) capital value and (b) repayment amount is.
(246705)
58
Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of Private Finance Initiative schemes are taken into account when calculating the national debt.
(246706)
59
N 		David Mundell (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to lay before Parliament the factual paper on the Barnett formula.
(246413)
60
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to local authorities of the increase in national insurance contributions for employers announced in the Pre-Budget Report 2008.
(246393)
61
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 26 November 2008, Official Report, column 128W, on care vouchers, if he will place in the Library a copy of (a) the modelling his Department has undertaken of the scheme and (b) the work carried out on its cost effectiveness.
(246406)
62
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy that the Office of Government Commerce ensure that the public sector procurers recognise any pre-qualification scheme that conforms to the core criteria in the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations; and whether he intends to bring forward proposals for a specific scheme.
(246866)
63
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies for public access to services.
(246982)
64
N 		Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to respond to the letters dated 10 July 2008 and 13 August 2008 from the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Banff and Buchan on fuel costs and farming industry; and what the reasons are for the time taken to reply.
(245911)
65
N 		Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total gross amount paid to the EU budget was by each EU member state in the last year for which figures are available.
(246688)
66
N 		Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to reduce the level of the UK's net contribution to the EU budget until the level of UK debt is reduced to below the average of EU countries; and if he will make a statement.
(246689)
67
Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support employees in Dartford facing redundancy in the near future.
(246094)
68
Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will raise the tax-free threshold of £30,000 for redundancy payments.
(246095)
69
Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many fines have been issued to employers in the North West for paying employees at rates below the national minimum wage.
(246069)
70
Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue was raised from value added tax on sales of domestic microgeneration technology of each type in each of the last three financial years.
(246286)
71
Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue was raised from value added tax on domestic insulation products in each of the last three financial years.
(246287)
72
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department and its agencies since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the advisers so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246660)
73
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the (a) cost and (b) staff time of piloting face-to-face visits for tax credit customers in November and December 2008.
(246575)
74
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit claims were ended as a result of relationship breakdown in each month of 2006-07; and what the size of the credit claimed was in each case.
(246576)
75
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library a copy of the results of the research undertaken by HM Revenue and Customs on the reasons why some people without children do not claim working tax credit.
(246582)
76
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what targets his Department has set for the time taken to process (a) a notification of a tax credit claimant's change of circumstances and (b) any subsequent amendment of a tax credit award; and if he will make a statement.
(246608)
77
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how long on average it has taken to process a notification of (a) a tax credit claimant's change of circumstances and (b) any subsequent amendment of a tax credit award in each year since the scheme's introduction; and if he will make a statement.
(246609)
78
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many notifications of changed circumstances relating to tax credits HM Revenue and Customs received in each month of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
(246610)
79
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much and what proportion of working tax credit underpayments owing to (a) official error and (b) customer error was subsequently paid in each year since the scheme's introduction; and if he will make a statement.
(246611)
80
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much and what proportion of working tax credit overpayments owing to (a) official error and (b) customer error was recovered in each year since the scheme's introduction; and if he will make a statement.
(246612)
81
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was (a) overpaid and (b) underpaid in working tax credits owing to (i) official error and (ii) customer error in each year since the scheme's introduction; what the average discrepancy per case is; and if he will make a statement.
(246613)
82
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of working tax credit claims were (a) overpaid and (b) underpaid owing to (i) official error and (ii) customer error in each year since the scheme's introduction; and if he will make a statement.
(246614)
83
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much and what proportion of child tax credit underpayments owing to (a) official error and (b) customer error was subsequently paid out in each year since their introduction; and if he will make a statement.
(246615)
84
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much and what proportion of tax credit overpayments owing to (a) official error and (b) customer error was recovered in each year since their introduction; and if he will make a statement.
(246616)
85
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much and what proportion of tax credit underpayments owing to (a) official error and (b) customer error was subsequently paid out in each year since their introduction; and if he will make a statement.
(246617)
86
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much and what proportion of child tax credit claims were (a) overpaid and (b) underpaid owing to (i) official error and (ii) customer error in each year since their introduction; and if he will make a statement.
(246618)
87
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was (a) overpaid and (b) underpaid in child tax credits owing to (i) official error and (ii) customer error in each year since their introduction; what the average discrepency per case is; and if he will make a statement.
(246619)
88
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much and what proportion of child tax credit overpayments owing to (a) official error and (b) customer error was recovered in each year since their introduction; and if he will make a statement.
(246620)
89
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been (a) overpaid and (b) underpaid in tax credits owing to (i) official error and (ii) customer error in each year since their introduction; what the average discrepancy per case is; and if he will make a statement.
(246621)
90
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost of the increase in the tax credits income disregard from £2,500 to £25,000 in each financial year between 2008-09 and 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.
(246622)
91
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the effect on public expenditure of removing the second taper rate of 6.67 per cent. and increasing the first taper rate to (a) 46 per cent., (b) 45 per cent., (c) 44 per cent. and (d) 43 per cent. in each of the next five years; if he will estimate the number of people who would no longer be eligible for tax credits in each case; and if he will make a statement.
(246623)
92
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the tax credit helpline call centres have caller identification technology in place.
(246893)
93
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how long on average it took to answer calls made to the tax credits helplines for (a) claimants and (b) hon. Members in each of the last 24 months; what the duration of the (i) longest and (ii) shortest call to each was in each month; and what the average call duration was.
(246894)
94
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints about tax credits the Tax Credit Office has received in each of the last 24 months, broken down by type of communication.
(246895)
95
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many calls were (a) received on, (b) handled by and (c) unanswered by the tax credit helplines for (i) claimants and (ii) hon. Members in each of the last 24 months.
(246896)
96
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many calls have been received via the tax credit helpline for hon. Members in each month since it was established.
(246897)
97
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many new claims for tax credits have been made in each of the last 24 months.
(246898)
98
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Statement of 24 November 2008, Official Report, columns 489-504, on the Pre-Budget Report, what form the proposed trials of systems to make childcare payments more closely reflect childcare costs are to take; where and when they are planned to take place; and when the results will be made available.
(246899)
99
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to publish the Government's response to its consultation on the tax credit system.
(246900)
100
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, in how many and what proportion of disputed tax credit cases the liabilities were (a) wholly and (b) partly written off in each month since April 2003.
(246901)
101
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of tax credit claims were disputed in each month between April 2003 and April 2008.
(246902)
102
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of tax credit claims were (a) overpaid and (b) underpaid owing to (i) official error and (ii) customer error in each year since the scheme's introduction; and if he will make a statement.
(246908)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families
103
John Battle (Leeds West): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, when he expects the free nursery education entitlement change from 12.5 hours to 15 hours a week to be implemented in Leeds West constituency; and if he will make a statement.
(246173)
104
Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of GCSE candidates resident in Enfield, Southgate constituency achieved A* to C grades in each examination taken in each of the last five years.
(246151)
105
N 		Frank Dobson (Holborn & St Pancras): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if he will review the appropriateness of arrangements for the amalgamation of local authority education and children's social services; and if he will make a statement.
(244337)
106
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246351)
107
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, which schools have joined the National Challenge as a consequence of their 2008 GCSE results.
(246082)
108
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many and what proportion of pupils eligible to receive free school meals attained a GCSE in (a) German, (b) French and (c) Spanish at grade A* in 2008.
(246083)
109
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many and what percentage of pupils who gained a GCSE at each grade in (a) applied business, (b) applied science, (c) health and social care and (d) leisure and tourism were educated in (i) the maintained sector and (ii) the independent sector in the latest period for which figures are available.
(246084)
110
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many pupils from (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools participating in the Young, Gifted and Talented Programme are eligible to receive free school meals.
(246085)
111
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, with reference to the Answer of 6 October 2008, Official Report, column 489W, on the General Certificate of Secondary Education, how many and what proportion of pupils eligible to receive free school meals attained one or more GCSEs at grade A in each year since 2002.
(246086)
112
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, with reference to the Answer of 6 March 2007, Official Report, columns1912-6W; columns 1898-1902W, on languages, if he will list the maintained mainstream schools where no pupils were entered for a GCSE in (a) a modern foreign language, (b) history and (c) geography in 2007, indicating the local authority in each case.
(246087)
113
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many and what percentage of mainstream maintained schools did not enter any pupils for an A level in a modern foreign language in each year since 2005.
(246154)
114
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whether Ministers from his Department were consulted on the terms of the contract drawn up between the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and ETS to deliver the key stage 2 and key stage 3 national curriculum tests.
(246192)
115
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, on what occasions during 2008 referred to in the Sutherland Inquiry reference: 4.137, officials from his Department escalated their assessment of risk associated with the marking of key stage 3 and key stage 2 national curriculum tests to Ministers; and what subsequent action Ministers took on each such occasion.
(246273)
116
Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whether Ministers from his Department had access to the documents and information associated with the procurement of the contract with ETS Europe to deliver the key stage 2 and key stage 3 national curriculum tests.
(246274)
117
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many complaints about advertisements sponsored or funded by his Department were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in each year from 1997 to 2008; and how many of these were upheld by the ASA in each year.
(246643)
118
N 		Mark Hunter (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps his Department has taken to encourage internet service providers to practise greater self-regulation in the area of pro-anorexia or pro-bulimia websites.
(246090)
119
N 		Mark Hunter (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what recent steps his Department has taken to promote awareness among parents of the dangers of pro-anorexia and pro-bulimia websites.
(246091)
120
N 		Mark Hunter (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what recent meetings his Department has had with internet service providers regarding websites which are pro-anorexia or pro-bulimia.
(246092)
121
Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many schools in (a) Herefordshire, (b) Shropshire, (c) Worcestershire and (d) the West Midlands have applied for trust status.
(246758)
122
Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, who the main external partners supporting Herefordshire Trust Schools will be; and if he will make a statement.
(246759)
123
N 		Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps he plans to take following the recommendations from Sir Jim Rose relating to the school curriculum; and if he will make a statement.
(245912)
124
Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what (a) meetings and (b) discussions took place between Ministers and Mr Ken Boston of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority between 1 November 2008 and 16 December 2008; and if he will make a statement.
(246134)
125
Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, pursuant to the Statement of 16 December 2008, Official Report, columns 991-93, on the Sutherland Inquiry, on what dates between June 2007 to July 2008 staff of his Department drew their own assessments of risks in the Key Stage Testing Contract to the attention of Ministers in his Department; what concerns were raised; what action Ministers took in each case; and if he will make a statement.
(246177)
126
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service employees have management responsibilities; and what responsibilities were allocated to each employee payband (a) at the latest date for which information is available and (b) five years prior to that date.
(246772)
127
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by his Department for public access to services.
(246990)
128
N 		Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what place there will be for co-operative sport in the new primary curriculum.
(246538)
129
N 		Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what part physical education lessons will play in the new primary curriculum.
(246539)
130
N 		Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what assessment has been made of the impact of the provision of the new primary curriculum relating to physical education on childhood obesity rates.
(246540)
131
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department and its agencies since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the advisers so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246661)
Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
132
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many Airwave handsets issued to his Department have been lost in each year since their introduction; and how many handsets issued to his Department have been disabled by the service provider through (a) loss, (b) breakage and (c) other reasons in each such year.
(246184)
133
N 		Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what procedures will be applied to overpayments of pensions to former civil servants.
(246275)
134
Mr Douglas Carswell (Harwich): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what the role of the (a) Cabinet Secretary and (b) his Department is in the investigation of unauthorised disclosures of information from Government departments.
(246360)
135
N 		Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many (a) UK nationals, (b) UK-born people, (c) foreign nationals, (d) non-UK EU nationals and (e) non-EU nationals of working age were in employment in each workforce sector in (i) each of the last four quarters and (ii) each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will also express such numbers as a proportion of the workforce in each sector in each period.
(246179)
136
N 		Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many (a) UK nationals, (b) UK-born people, (c) foreign nationals, (d) non-UK EU nationals and (e) non-EU nationals of working age were in employment in (i) the public sector and (ii) the private sector in each of (A) the last four quarters and (B) the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will also express such numbers as a proportion of each sector in each case.
(246180)
137
N 		Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, with reference to the Answer to the hon. Member for Yeovil of 19 October 2007, Official Report, column 1353-5W, on migrant workers, what his most recent estimate of the number of migrant workers in the UK between 1997 and 2012 is.
(246719)
138
N 		Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many (a) males, (b) females, (c) foreign nationals and (d) individuals have been in (i) public sector employment, (ii) private sector employment and (iii) employment in each year since 1978.
(246806)
139
N 		Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many (a) jobs, (b) private sector jobs and (c) public sector jobs there were in the UK in each year since 1979.
(246807)
140
Christopher Fraser (South West Norfolk): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what assessment his Department has made of the effects on the third sector of his Department's strategy for commissioning public services.
(246142)
141
Christopher Fraser (South West Norfolk): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what assessment he has made of the cost effectiveness of Government policies to build capacity in the third sector.
(246143)
142
Christopher Fraser (South West Norfolk): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what recent assessment he has made of the cost effectiveness of his Department's policies on support for volunteering.
(246144)
143
Christopher Fraser (South West Norfolk): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on charitable bodies of the economic downturn.
(246145)
144
Christopher Fraser (South West Norfolk): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what role (a) the Cabinet Secretary and (b) his Department has in investigations of unauthorised disclosures of information from Government departments.
(246146)
145
Christopher Fraser (South West Norfolk): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what steps the Government is taking to support charities in the economic downturn.
(246147)
146
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246336)
147
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, when the Horizon Scanning Forum led by his Department was established; what its role and composition is; how often it meets; and what the role of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is in the forum.
(246279)
148
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what procedures his Department has put in place to ensure that laptop computers on loan from his Department to civil servants in other Government departments are accounted for; and who is responsible for their replacement if they are lost.
(246307)
149
N 		Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what guidance his Department has issued about the rules on commercial confidentiality and disclosure of information in response to Parliamentary Questions.
(245473)
150
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many complaints about advertisements sponsored or funded by his Department were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in each year from 1997 to 2008; and how many of these were upheld by the ASA in each year.
(246645)
151
N 		Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what steps the Government is taking to support charities during the economic downturn.
(246535)
152
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what the Office of National Statistics' most recent estimate is of the number of (a) EU nationals living in the UK and (b) UK nationals living in other EU member states.
(246245)
153
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies for public access to services.
(246974)
154
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what the average change in prices was for (a) beer and (b) wines and spirits on (i) sales and (ii) off sales in real terms in each year since 1987; and what the change in average weekly earnings was between each of those years.
(246754)
155
N 		David Taylor (North West Leicestershire): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, with reference to the Answer of 7 May 2008, Official Report, column 885W, on the recording of hospitality received by senior civil servants in 2007, how he plans to publish the list of hospitality received by members of departmental boards during 2007; and what timetable he has set for publication.
(245315)
156
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department and its agencies since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the advisers so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246663)
157
N 		Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, on what date statistical data will next be published on excess winter deaths; and if he will make a statement.
(246098)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
158
Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield, Attercliffe): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many bids from local authorities to build new housing for rent have been (a) received and (b) approved by her Department; and which local authorities have made such bids.
(246785)
159
Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield, Attercliffe): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many bids her Department has (a) received and (b) approved for the purchase of unsold private housing, broken down by (i) local authority area, (ii) type of property and (iii) type of purchaser.
(246786)
160
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many Airwave handsets issued to fire and rescue services have been lost in each year since their introduction; and how many handsets issued to fire and rescue services have been disabled by the service provider following (a) loss, (b) breakages and (c) other reasons in each year since the service's introduction.
(246153)
161
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of levels of satisfaction amongst (a) private rented sector tenants and (b) other tenants in London.
(246599)
162
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many private sector landlords in London own fewer than 10 properties; and what proportion housing stock in London such properties represent.
(246803)
163
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the change has been in (a) the size of the private rented sector and (b) average mortgage costs since 2000.
(246827)
164
N 		Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what her Department's latest estimate is of the number of families for each London borough housed in (a) council, (b) housing association and (c) private sector tenancies allocated by local authorities; and what the equivalent figures were for (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08.
(246951)
165
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many former prisoners are employed by her Department; and what her Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246350)
166
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what response she plans to make to the recommendation on page 32 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise on the composition of local partnerships.
(246193)
167
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what response she plans to make to the recommendation in paragraph 73 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise on collection of information at local level; and if she will make a statement.
(246194)
168
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what response she plans to make to the recommendation in paragraph 75 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise on the flow of information between councils and police forces.
(246195)
169
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what response she plans to make to the recommendation on page 31 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise on the capacity of councils in respect of activity in connection with the Prevent programme.
(246196)
170
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what response she plans to make to the recommendation on page 28 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise on sharing experience of counter-terrorism operations.
(246212)
171
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to review her Department's policy on protective marking and vetting of documents, in response to paragraph 77 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise; and if she will make a statement.
(246226)
172
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to ensure that briefing on the Prevent programme is extended to all frontline council staff, in response to paragraph 120 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise.
(246229)
173
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to promote the joint briefing of front line council staff and neighbourhood policing teams on the Prevent programme, in response to paragraph 160 of the Audit Commission's report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise.
(246230)
174
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to provide research on the causes of violent extremism to local partnerships, in response to paragraph 170 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise.
(246231)
175
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to develop National Indicator 35 in response to the recommendation on page 52 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise.
(246232)
176
N 		Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the cost of maintaining the regional fire control centre in Taunton was in November 2008.
(246571)
177
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many complaints about advertisements sponsored or funded by her Department were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in each year from 1997 to 2008; and how many of these were upheld by the ASA in each year.
(246644)
178
Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which local authorities have not spent any Section 106 monies on capital programmes within their districts in the latest period for which figures are available.
(246864)
179
Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the number of local authorities who have access to Section 106 monies for the purpose of building social housing which have not yet spent this money; and if she will make a statement.
(246865)
180
N 		Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which local authorities have not met the 10 day invoice payment target to small and medium-sized enterprises.
(246104)
181
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to issue a formal government response to the Killian-Pretty review.
(246367)
182
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, through which funding streams her Department plans to contribute towards (a) supporting housing, (b) countering social exclusion and (c) regeneration in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10.
(246368)
183
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much the North West Regional Assembly spent on producing its digital versatile disc entitled Gypsy and Travelling Show People.
(246369)
184
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the number of unauthorised traveller sites in England.
(246370)
185
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, in respect of which areas reviews of Green Belt and the provision of traveller sites are recommended in draft regional spatial strategies.
(246371)
186
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many embedded communicators have been installed in her Department's information and communications systems.
(246372)
187
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what use her Department has made of data held on the (a) home condition report and (b) energy performance certificate register.
(246373)
188
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what reasons the Audit Commission has requested councillors of Arun Council to provide details of their personal bank accounts.
(246374)
189
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether small businesses will be automatically exempted from supplementary business rates.
(246375)
190
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what definition of empty her Department uses for the purposes of determining empty property exemptions for business rates.
(246376)
191
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the average price of a (a) post-1960s detached house and (b) post-1960s flat within a block of flats in England was according to records collated by the Valuation Office Agency in each six month period since January 1997.
(246377)
192
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what business rate multiplier she plans to use for (a) small firms and (b) medium and large firms in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10.
(246378)
193
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what data which her Department used to gather from local authorities is no longer gathered as a result of the adoption of the national indicator set.
(246379)
194
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the average non-domestic rates bill in England in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10.
(246380)
195
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the Valuation Tribunal Service has a non-domestic rates manual equivalent to that which it has regarding council tax.
(246381)
196
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the net revenue from non-domestic rates in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10.
(246382)
197
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what timetable she has set for her Department's review of the practice known as garden grabbing; and whether she plans to appoint an independent panel to conduct the review.
(246383)
198
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what changes have been made to planning guidance issued by her Department on mineral extraction since 1997.
(246384)
199
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will make publicly available the location-related datasets for (a) the 10,000 localities drawn up by the Valuation Office Agency for council tax valuations and (b) the 90,000 sub-locations drawn up by the Valuation Office Agency for business rates valuations as referred to on page 29 of her Department's location strategy.
(246385)
200
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the financial value of the threshold level of rate relief in London for small firms in relation to (a) small business rate relief, (b) exemption from empty property business rates and (c) exemption from supplementary business rates will be in 2009-10.
(246386)
201
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of empty properties have a rateable value of less than £15,000.
(246387)
202
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, under what circumstances automated teller machines are liable for empty property business rates.
(246388)
203
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many people were employed by local government in England in each year since 1996-97.
(246389)
204
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what timetable she has set for the designation of regional development agencies as regional planning bodies.
(246390)
205
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much (a) the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) and (b) agents working on behalf of the VOA have spent on the automated valuation model since September 2005.
(246391)
206
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what cap she plans to impose on the rate at which supplementary business rates are imposed.
(246392)
207
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether she expects the 2010 business rates revaluation to be revenue-neutral.
(246546)
208
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much funding has been allocated for Social Homebuy in each of the next three years.
(246718)
209
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield of 25 January 2008, Official Report, columns 233-4W, on local authorities: grants, what the grant per capita to each local authority (a) was in 2008-09 and (b) is expected to be in 2009-10; and what the average grant per capita to (i) district councils, (ii) unitary councils, (iii) county councils, (iv) metropolitan councils and (v) London boroughs (1) was in 2008-09 and (2) is expected to be in 2009-10.
(246805)
210
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield of 19 November 2008, Official Report, column 511W, on local government: bank services, what estimate has been made of the financial losses to local authorities from the collapse of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International.
(246940)
211
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 17 November 2008, Official Report, column 97W, on domestic waste: waste disposal, who the (a) managing, (b) certifying and (c) audit authority for each of the EU Interreg programmes listed is.
(246942)
212
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield of 19 November 2008, Official Report, column 514W, on Valuation Office: databases, if she will place in the Library a copy of the specification and plans used by Ordnance Survey to align the databases
(246943)
213
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield of 19 November 2008, Official Report, column 514W, on Valuation Office: databases, what the estimated cost to Ordnance Survey of the database alignment exercise is.
(246944)
214
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 30 October 2008, Official Report, column 1284W, on non-domestic rates: valuation, how many sub-locations there are in each billing authority in Greater London.
(246945)
215
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield of 19 November 2008, Official Report, columns 507-8W, on housing: low incomes, what type of property attribute or information the field, valuation cloned or not, signifies.
(246946)
216
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield of 19 November 2008, Official Report, columns 508-9W, on local authorities: business, what additional business rate multiplier is applied in each of the business improvement districts.
(246947)
217
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by (a) her Department and (b) its executive agencies for public access to services.
(246989)
218
Mr Ken Purchase (Wolverhampton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for how many days a year Ms Jenny Watson is contracted to work for the Audit Commission; and what remuneration she receives for that work.
(246858)
219
Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to increase the supply of allotments.
(246361)
220
Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when she expects to make a statement on the structure of Suffolk and Norfolk local government.
(246690)
221
N 		Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether retention of the status quo is a possible option for the future structure of local government in Suffolk and Norfolk.
(246691)
222
N 		Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to include the status quo as an option in consultation on the future structure of Suffolk and Norfolk local government.
(246692)
223
N 		Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy that local referendums be held in Suffolk and Norfolk on the reorganisation of local government; and if she will include the option of retaining the status quo in the referendum.
(246693)
224
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what expert advisers have been commissioned by her Department and its agencies since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the advisers so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246662)
225
David Wright (Telford): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has provided to local authorities on the production of health impact assessments relating to opencast coal mining planning applications.
(246421)
226
David Wright (Telford): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many planning applications for opencast coal mining in the UK have had health impact assessments produced as part of the process over the last 10 years.
(246422)
227
David Wright (Telford): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many opencast coal mining planning applications have been decided (a) by local authorities and (b) following call-ins during the last 10 years.
(246424)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
228
Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, within the Sports Governing Body Whole Sports Plans, by what standard means the baselines of participants have been determined.
(246763)
229
Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how his Department plans to monitor the effectiveness of the free swimming programme.
(246764)
230
Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will monitor the trends in the number of pay-and-play customers at sporting facilities during the economic downturn.
(246950)
231
Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the follow-up reports from the (a) Athens and (b) Sydney Olympics; and what steps he plans to take to ensure that the 2012 London Olympics has no detrimental effect on sporting participation in the UK.
(246952)
232
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246349)
233
Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much grant-in-aid Arts Council England received in each year since 1980.
(246417)
234
Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much revenue funding there was for theatre in England in each year since 1980.
(246418)
235
Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much local authority funding was provided for the arts in England in each year since 1980.
(246419)
236
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many complaints about advertisements sponsored or funded by his Department were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in each year from 1997 to 2008; and how many of these were upheld by the ASA in each year.
(246647)
237
Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much National Lottery funding Arts Council England has distributed for use on (a) capital projects and (b) non-capital projects in each year since its inception.
(246327)
238
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies for public access to services.
(246988)
239
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many journeys (a) he and his predecessors and (b) his officials made by aeroplane in the course of their duties in each of the last five years.
(246673)
240
N 		Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what undertakings his Department gave to the England and Wales Cricket Board on Chance to Shine funding during the formation of the National Sports Foundation; and what steps his Department has taken to fulfil these undertakings as part of the new Sport England Strategy.
(246121)
241
N 		Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of (a) the effectiveness of the 3 times 30 minute weekly participation target for cricket, (b) the effect this target has had on the England and Wales Cricket Board's recent Whole Sport Plan award from Sport England, (c) the effect of the reduction in the England and Wales Cricket Board's grant from Sport England on disabled and women's cricket and (d) participation rates in cricket in each year since Sport England began to provide funding for cricket; and if he will make a statement.
(246122)
242
N 		Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what undertakings have been made to non-Olympic sports in respect of their Sport England funding over the period 2008 to 2012.
(246123)
243
N 		Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what reasons the 2018 World Cup bid team has had no contact with Opposition parties.
(246868)
244
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department and its agencies since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the advisers so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246665)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence
245
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Airwave handsets issued to the Nuclear Accident Response Organisation have been lost in each year since their introduction; and how many handsets issued to the organisation have been disabled by the service provider through (a) loss, (b) breakage and (c) other reasons in each such year.
(246181)
246
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Airwave handsets issued to (a) the Ministry of Defence Police and (b) the Ministry of Defence Guard Service have been lost in each year since their introduction; and how many handsets issued to each service have been disabled by the service provider through (i) loss, (ii) breakage and (iii) other reasons in each such year.
(246182)
247
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Airwave handsets issued to armed forces units based on the UK mainland have been lost in each year since their introduction; and how many handsets issued to UK-based forces have been disabled by the service provider through (a) loss, (b) breakage and (c) other reasons in each such year.
(246183)
248
N 		Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many weapons of each type have (a) been stolen and (b) gone missing from armed forces bases in each of the last five years.
(246124)
249
N 		Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many weapons of each type have (a) gone missing and (b) been stolen from the Army in each of the last five years.
(246125)
250
N 		Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what procedures are in place to prevent weapons used by British servicemen and women abroad being stolen and returned to the UK to be used illegally; and whether he has plans to improve those procedures.
(246126)
251
N 		Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many cases there were of British servicemen and women being disciplined for stealing armed forces' weapons (a) abroad and (b) within the UK in the last 12 months.
(246127)
252
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246348)
253
Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the timetable is for the deployment of the remaining 174 Mastiffs to Iraq and Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.
(246217)
254
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the clearing date is for each of the four Astute-class SSNs (a) under construction and (b) due for construction at Devonshire Hall, Barrow.
(246319)
255
Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on the issue of mercury-tipped ammunition to regular British troops serving in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.
(246604)
256
Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps are taken to monitor civilian populations who have been in danger of exposure to depleted uranium; and how many persons so exposed have responded to newspaper advertisements and have been voluntarily tested for contamination.
(246605)
257
Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what budget line was used for the £227 million expenditure on Astute overheads identified in the Ministry of Defence Major Projects Report 2007 from the Committee of Public Accounts, HC 433; and what effect this allocation had on expenditure on the UK nuclear deterrent programme in each year from 2005-06 to 2007-08.
(246699)
258
Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average amount of time was between the first contact signalling activation of a reserve member of the armed forces and that individual's mobilisation date in each year since 2000.
(246700)
259
Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many individuals in each branch of the armed forces have failed to complete successfully basic training in each year since 2000.
(246701)
260
Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions individual reservists' scheduled two-week training camps have been rescheduled within two months of the scheduled date in each year since 2000.
(246702)
261
Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason his Department commissioned an exercise to decontaminate the atomic test sites on Kiritimati in 2005.
(246872)
262
Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what levels of radioactivity were recorded during the 2005 decontamination exercise on Kiritimati; what materials were recovered during the exercise; what types of contamination were removed from the island; and at what levels.
(246874)
263
Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how long the 2005 decontamination exercise on Kiritimati took; and how much the exercise cost, broken down by category of expenditure.
(246875)
264
Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department takes to assist those who have lost an immediate relative in the armed forces to claim bereavement entitlement.
(246891)
265
Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the bereavement entitlement for families of service personnel is.
(246892)
266
Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress the Government has made on plans to invite private companies to bid to operate search and rescue services.
(246909)
267
Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent plans his Department has made to change numbers of (a) helicopters and (b) search and rescue crew personnel at search and rescue centres.
(246931)
268
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many complaints about advertisements sponsored or funded by his Department were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in each year from 1997 to 2008; and how many of these were upheld by the ASA in each year.
(246648)
269
N 		Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Afghanistan.
(246537)
270
N 		Mr David Jones (Clwyd West): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many training hours were flown from (a) RAF Linton-on-Ouse, (b) RAF Cranwell and (c) RAF Valley in each of the last three years for which records are available.
(246398)
271
N 		Mr David Jones (Clwyd West): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many flying training hours are planned to be flown from (a) RAF Linton-on-Ouse, (b) RAF Cranwell and (c) RAF Valley in each of the next three years.
(246399)
272
N 		Mr David Jones (Clwyd West): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what effect he estimates the award of the UK Military Flying Training System contract will have on the number of flying training hours flown from (a) RAF Linton-on-Ouse, (b) RAF Cranwell and (c) RAF Valley.
(246416)
273
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British nationals have been injured by unmanned drones operated by US forces since January 2002.
(246303)
274
Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department's working group on sustainable catering procurement objectives has made; what recommendations it has made; and if he will make a statement.
(246136)
275
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies for public access to services.
(246987)
276
Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the maintenance cost of Trident submarines in (a) 2013-14 and (b) each of the next five years.
(246939)
277
Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the next discussion between EU defence ministers about EU military options for the Democratic Republic of Congo to take place.
(246302)
278
Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in deciding where to baseport the Royal Navy's frigates.
(246099)
279
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost to the public purse has been of embedding journalists in the armed forces in each year since 1997.
(246741)
280
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department and its agencies since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246958)
281
Ann Winterton (Congleton): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the dimension specifications are for (a) the Cheetah Force Protection vehicle and (b) the Snatch Land Rover.
(246135)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
282
Mr Dai Davies (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on levying a windfall tax on the profits of energy companies; what representations he has received from (a) trades unions and (b) consumer groups on an energy windfall tax; what the reasons were for deciding against such a tax; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the transcript of his comments to Radio Five Live on 23 September on energy windfall taxes.
(246222)
283
Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate DTZ made of the (a) employment cost and (b) cost to the local economy of the Cardiff-Weston Barrage in its economic impact assessment presented to the Severn Tidal Power Feasibility Study; and if he will make a statement.
(246400)
284
Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which consultants have been commissioned to work on the Severn Tidal Power Feasibility Study; in what area of work each has been commissioned; and when he plans to publish their reports.
(246401)
285
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246347)
286
Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when he plans to reply to the letter to him dated 4 November 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr A. Lane.
(246527)
287
Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when he plans to reply to the letter to him dated 3 November 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr D.J. Fraser.
(246529)
288
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many claims for assistance made through the Warm Front scheme are outstanding.
(246876)
289
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many individuals received assistance from the Warm Front scheme in (a) Hemel Hempstead and (b) Hertfordshire in the last year.
(246877)
290
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the average waiting time was between applicants applying for assistance under the Warm Front scheme and the delivery of such assistance in the latest period for which figures are available.
(246878)
291
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many claims for assistance with heating made through the Warm Front scheme were rejected by his Department in the last period for which figures are available.
(246879)
292
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much was allocated by his Department for the Warm Front scheme in the last period for which figures are available.
(246880)
293
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many individuals have received assistance from the Warm Front scheme in the last 12 months.
(246881)
294
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment he has made of the efficiency of the Warm Front scheme in assisting vulnerable individuals who require heating for their homes; and if he will make a statement.
(246882)
295
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by his Department for public access to services.
(246975)
296
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many UK Ministers and officials attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Poznan on 13 December 2008; and what method of transportation each used.
(246697)
297
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many journeys (a) he and his predecessors and (b) his officials have made by aeroplane in the course of their duties since his Department's inception.
(246773)
298
Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much energy suppliers have spent on their carbon emissions reduction target obligations to date; and how the level of such spending is monitored by the Government.
(246285)
299
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department since its inception; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246972)
300
N 		Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the cost of establishing his Department has been; and how much has been spent on (a) relocation, (b) the logo, stationery, building signs and electronic media, (c) fees paid to advisers and consultants on establishment and (d) other transition costs.
(246356)
301
N 		Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much has been spent on the design and implementation of his Department's website to date; how much is forecast to be spent on the migration of relevant information on websites belonging to the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; when he expects such migration to occur; and if he will make a statement.
(246357)
302
Richard Younger-Ross (Teignbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the change in the price of domestic coal has been in each year since 2004; and if he will make a statement.
(246396)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
303
N 		Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's policy is on gamebird shooting; and if he will make a statement.
(246329)
304
Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield, Attercliffe): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what powers he intends to give to local authorities to ensure that water companies do all necessary work for which they are responsible as part of flood prevention programmes.
(246787)
305
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with British Waterway's on progress towards its target to expand its waterways network in the Cotswolds by 2012.
(246751)
306
N 		Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost was of the Rural Payments Agency's upgrade of its IT system to the Epsilon programme.
(245801)
307
N 		Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much his Department has spent on the public consultations it has held in the last 24 months.
(246137)
308
N 		Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2008, Official Report, column 485W, on agriculture: subsidies, how the £10,000 for additional costs was allocated.
(246402)
309
Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) water safety and (b) other environmental regulations are in place to prevent public access to grassed areas above covered reservoirs; if his Department will encourage water companies to allow such access, with particular reference to urban areas with limited access to green space; and if he will make a statement.
(246208)
310
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246346)
311
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 26 November 2008, Official Report, column 2188W, on horse racing, what assessment he has made of the levels of competence of veterinary surgeons charged with destroying injured horses on British racecourses.
(246315)
312
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what environmental protection legislation governs daycare centres which offer educational training for people with learning disabilities; and if he will make a statement.
(246321)
313
N 		Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he expects the Minister of State for Farming and the Environment to reply to the letters from the hon. Member for the Forest of Dean of 12 September and 26 November regarding surface water charges.
(246573)
314
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many complaints about advertisements sponsored or funded by his Department were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in each year from 1997 to 2008; and how many of these were upheld by the ASA in each year.
(246649)
315
Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will instruct the Forestry Commission to conduct a comprehensive survey of wood availability and use in the UK in 2009 in conjunction with the wood processing industry.
(246394)
316
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress the Environment Agency has made on assessing the risk of flooding from (a) surface water, (b) ground water flood risk and (c) coastal flood risk.
(246109)
317
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many local authorities have published schedules of works for maintenance of (a) rural rivers and (b) coastal areas at risk of flooding; and when each such schedule was published.
(246110)
318
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on developing a single set of guidance for local authorities and the public on the use and usefulness of sandbags and other alternative means of flood water management; and when such guidance will be published.
(246111)
319
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how the management of local flood risk by local authorities will be funded.
(246112)
320
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how the funding which his Department is making available to implement the Pitt Review recommendations will be allocated; and by what date such allocation will take place.
(246113)
321
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding his Department will provide for (a) the Environment Agency, (b) the water industry and (c) local authorities to develop tools and techniques to model surface water flooding.
(246114)
322
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding his Department plans to provide to enable (a) local authorities to meet their responsibilities for adopting and maintaining new build and re-developing sustainable drainage systems and (b) water companies' to meet their new responsibilities to adopt and maintain private sewers and lateral drains.
(246115)
323
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with (a) Ofwat and (b) the water industry on how to achieve risk-based standards for public sewerage systems.
(246116)
324
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with (a) Ofwat and (b) the water industry on funding of flood protection for critical infrastructure at risk of flooding.
(246117)
325
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with local authorities on collating and mapping main flood risk management and drainage assets; and what funding his Department has allocated to such activities.
(246118)
326
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Environment Agency with (a) insurance companies and (b) the water industry on sharing information to facilitate the management of flood risk.
(246119)
327
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which procedures have to be followed to enable a farmer to remove waste dumped on his farmland; what the cost of those procedures to the farmer is; what estimate he has made of the average cost to farmers of applying such procedures; and if he will make a statement.
(246278)
328
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what means are in place to ensure that Ofwat can regulate and check that water companies carry out the work required of them to allow price increases after the Ofwat Price Review; and what powers Ofwat has to enforce compliance.
(246779)
329
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy that water companies be allowed to spend any additional revenue accrued through water charges following the price review on protection for critical infrastructure from flooding.
(246780)
330
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the volume of water lost to leaks through water pipes on an annual basis; and how much he estimates is lost through leaks from water pipes of each individual water company.
(246781)
331
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations he has received on the issue of bad debt on the part of water companies.
(246782)
332
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made towards the implementation of the EU flood directive.
(246783)
333
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the proposed increases in water charges will reflect the work required to be undertaken by water companies to comply with the EU water framework directive.
(246784)
334
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies for public access to services.
(246980)
335
N 		Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many Single Payment Scheme payments for 2008 have been made to people in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency; and what percentage of farmers in that constituency have received payment.
(246102)
336
N 		Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of Single Payment Scheme payments for 2008 have been made in England.
(246103)
337
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department and its agencies since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246957)
338
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2008, Official Report, column 123W, on insects, if he will publish the assessment his Department has made of recent trends in the populations of wild bees.
(246596)
339
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of (a) flora and (b) fauna population trends on UK marine reefs.
(246811)
340
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the likely costs to (a) farmers and (b) abattoirs of the implementation of the EU regulations that require slaughterhouses to appoint an animal welfare officer; what assessment he has made of the effect of these regulations on the profitability of abattoirs; and if he will make a statement.
(246812)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
341
N 		Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect Afghani parliamentarians who speak out in favour of the rights of women, children and other vulnerable populations from threats made against them; and if he will make a statement.
(246544)
342
N 		Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK has offered any assistance to the authorities of Pakistan in connection with the investigation of the killing of Major-General Faisal Alawi.
(245486)
343
N 		Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether (a) he and (b) his officials have held discussions with the authorities of Pakistan on the death of Major-General Faisal Alawi.
(245487)
344
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) grants and (b) loans his Department has given to student organisations in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what the purpose was of the payment in each case.
(246859)
345
Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of (a) the legal system in Russia and (b) the Russian Federation's compliance with its commitments under the European Convention on Human Rights, with regard to the treatment of (i) Mikhail Khodorkovsky and (ii) Platon Lebedev.
(246835)
346
Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of progress on President Medvedev's commitment to end legal nihilism in the Russian legal system.
(246836)
347
Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions (a) he, (b) members of his Department and (c) UK representatives overseas have had with (i) members and (ii) representatives of the government of the Russian Federation on the ongoing imprisonment of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev.
(246837)
348
Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on (a) the ongoing imprisonment of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev and other individuals affected by the Yukos affair and the recent refusal of parole to them and (b) the role played by the Russian government and its agencies in their ongoing imprisonment.
(246838)
349
Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what arrangements the British Embassy in Moscow is making to monitor the forthcoming new trial of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev (a) unilaterally and (b) in co-operation with other EU embassies.
(246839)
350
Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if his Department will make representations to the Russian government on (a) the ongoing imprisonment of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev and (b) the recent decision by the Russian courts to limit the defendants' access to materials pertinent to their case.
(246840)
351
N 		Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what advice his Department provides to UK citizens on travel to Zimbabwe.
(246332)
352
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2008, Official Report, columns 699-700W, on Ilois: resettlement, when he expects the costs in the case of R (Bancoult) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to be finalised; and if he will make public the information when it becomes available.
(246288)
353
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations have been made to the US Administration on behalf of the death row prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal.
(244985)
354
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps the Government has taken to monitor the political situation in Zimbabwe.
(244986)
355
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps the Government has taken to monitor the hostage-taking crisis off Somalia.
(244987)
356
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps the Government has taken to monitor the situation in Darfur.
(244988)
357
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246345)
358
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government's policy is on achieving improvements to post-conflict stabilisation policy at the UN and EU; and what contribution the UK is making to these efforts in the areas of (a) strategy and leadership, (b) capacity and (c) funding, as referred to in his Department's Autumn 2008 Performance Report.
(246256)
359
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made on the development of a more deployable UK civilian capability, as referred to in his Department's Autumn 2008 Performance Report.
(246257)
360
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what areas were identified by his Department's June 2008 Stakeholder Survey as needing improvement, as referred to in his Department's Autumn 2008 Performance Report; and if he will place a copy of the survey in the Library.
(246258)
361
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place in the Library a copy of the latest annual survey of the UK's reputation in the US, China and India in the financial services, ICT, life sciences and energy sectors, as referred to on page eight of his Department's Autumn 2008 Performance Report.
(246259)
362
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what increased resources his Department has dedicated to tackling chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear terrorism threats, as referred to on page 12 of his Department's Autumn 2008 Performance Report.
(246260)
363
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made on his Department's Global Dialogue Strategy, as referred to on page 18 of his Department's Autumn 2008 Performance Report; and which 27 target country posts are involved.
(246261)
364
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reduction has been made in his Department's funding for public diplomacy as a result of its Allocative Efficiencies programme, as referred to on page 27 of his Department's Autumn 2008 Performance Report.
(246262)
365
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the reductions to the British Council's regional network in Russia are, as referred to on page 28 of his Department's Autumn 2008 Performance Report.
(246263)
366
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans there are for reductions in British Council (a) posts and (b) capital works on its estates, as referred to on page 28 of his Department's Autumn 2008 Performance Report; and which posts have been identified for closure.
(246264)
367
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how the planned allocative efficiencies for CSR07, set out in the Table of Value for Money Projects on page 26 of his Department's Autumn 2008 Performance Report, will be achieved; and if he will provide a breakdown of the changes.
(246265)
368
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to page 7 of his Department's Autumn 2008 Performance Report, what the meaning is of (a) laptop diplomats and (b) virtual embassies; and if he will make a statement.
(246266)
369
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to page 7 of his Department's Autumn 2008 Performance Report, what the risks are which remain to deploying and realising the full benefits of his Department's new IT system.
(246267)
370
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to page 7 of his Department's Autumn 2008 Performance Report, which 130 UK-based policy slots are in the process of being deleted; and what the 130 new positions created are.
(246268)
371
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what timescale has been agreed for the International Atomic Energy Agency to approve the conditions and modalities for a nuclear fuel bank, as set out in the Conclusions of the 2914th meeting of the General Affairs Council on 8 December 2008.
(246269)
372
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place in the Library a copy of a tri-departmental delivery plan on improving the UK's capability to prevent, manage and resolve conflict and build peace, referred to in his Department's Autumn 2008 Performance Report.
(246280)
373
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 7 February 2008, Official Report, column 1399W, on departmental reorganisation, what decisions have been made about the level of his Department's funding for science and innovation in financial years (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11.
(246281)
374
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government's contribution will be to the 25 million euro the European Union is planning to contribute for the creation of an International Atomic Energy Agency nuclear fuel bank; and if he will make a statement.
(246283)
375
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government has made a recent proposal to the Secretary General of the UN regarding the rotation of the countries holding a veto in the UN Security Council.
(246218)
376
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the UK last used its veto in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) (a) alone and (b) with one or more other members of the UNSC doing so at the same time separately or collectively, with other members of the UNSC.
(246219)
377
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many times the UK has used its veto in the UN Security Council (UNSC) (a) alone and (b) with one or more other members of the UNSC doing so at the same time in the last 20 years.
(246220)
378
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations the Government has made to the Secretary-General of the UN on reform of the UN.
(246221)
379
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether, in light of the EU-Morocco Association Agreement, the European Union has asked Morocco to define its borders.
(246317)
380
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many complaints about advertisements sponsored or funded by his Department were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in each year from 1997 to 2008; and how many of these were upheld by the ASA in each year.
(246650)
381
N 		Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.
(246536)
382
Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government plans to make to the Iraqi government on violence against Christians in Iraq.
(246815)
383
Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will make it its policy to support the creation of a self-governing province in northern Iraq linked to Iraq's central government situated in and around the Nineveh Plains and jointly governed by the Assyrian Chaldeans, Shabak, Yezidis and other ethnic groups living in that area.
(246816)
384
Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will urge the Iraqi government to conduct an investigation into the alleged involvement of the Kurdistan Democratic Party in the recent assassinations of Christians in Mosul, and to publish all that investigation's findings.
(246817)
385
Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will urge the Iraqi government to name publicly the suspects arrested for the recent targeted assassinations of Christians in Mosul.
(246818)
386
Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will urge the Kurdistan Democratic Party to ensure the return of all Christian-owned land and houses misappropriated by the Kurds.
(246819)
387
Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will urge the Iraqi government to support the rights of Iraq's minorities by reinstating Article 50 in the new provincial elections law.
(246820)
388
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies for public access to services.
(246979)
389
Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the whereabouts and safety of the human rights activist Jestina Mukoko, Director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project; and what representations he has made to the Zimbabwean authorities regarding her disappearance.
(246291)
390
Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether it is the Government's policy that former Zanu-PF Minister Florence Chitauro should be included in the list of those subject to an EU assets ban and travel freeze; and if he will make a statement.
(246292)
391
Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which UK-based companies have been involved in the exportation of (a) cassiterite, (b) coltan and (c) wolframite from the Democratic Republic of Congo, as referred to in the report of 12 December 2008 by the UN panel of experts (S/2008/773).
(246293)
392
Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what military training the UK has given to the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo in the Democratic Republic of Congo since 2005.
(246294)
393
Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the governments of (a) Uganda, (b) Rwanda and (c) Burundi on compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1807 for the Democratic Republic of Congo.
(246295)
394
Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the government of Rwanda following the report on 12 December 2008 by the UN panel of experts (S/2008/773), on that report's allegation that the Rwandan government is supporting the rebel group National Congress for the Defence of the People in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and if he will make a statement.
(246296)
395
Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the report by the UN panel of experts (S/2008/773), with particular reference to its allegation that the Rwandan government has provided support to the rebel group the National Congress for the Defence of the People in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
(246297)
396
Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate has been made of the profits accrued from the illegal diamond trade in Zimbabwe in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proposals the Government has put forward to stop the trade.
(246298)
397
Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the government of Sri Lanka on the arrest and trial of those responsible for the killing of local aid workers from the organisation Action Contre La Faim in August 2006.
(246299)
398
Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government supports proposals to widen MONUC's mandate to include the establishment of border-monitoring teams to check goods entering the Democratic Republic of Congo.
(246305)
399
N 		Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 26 November 2008, Official Report, columns 1742-43W, on Afghanistan: peacekeeping operations, how he plans to inform the House of the implications of the Afghan review; and if he will make a statement.
(246310)
400
N 		Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 26 November 2008, Official Report, columns 1795-96W, on USA: Central Asia, what the grade is of each of the two personnel from his Department contributing to the work of the American Central Command Assessment Team.
(246311)
401
Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of whether the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has taken steps to establish an independent and effective vetting process to exclude individuals suspected of having committed crimes under international law or other human rights violations from its security forces.
(246314)
402
Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 26 November 2008, Official Report, column 1742W, on Afghanistan: peacekeeping operations, when he expects to publish the results of the detailed periodic assessment of the Government's Afghanistan strategy.
(246328)
403
Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations about reported attacks on the title and practice of the Christian Syriac Orthodox Church in Turkey to that country's government; and if he will make a statement.
(246694)
404
Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on the countries which have been recognised by (a) the UK, (b) the US, (c) Russia, (d) France, (e) Germany, (f) China and (g) Israel since 1998 without the approval or with only partial approval of the countries in question.
(246320)
405
N 		Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 12 November 2008, Official Report, column 1183W, on British nationality: detainees, and with reference to the Minister of State's letter of 10 December 2008 to the hon. Member for Chichester, in how many of the four cases (a) the British nationals complained of mistreatment, (b) consular access was requested, (c) consular access was granted and (d) the detainees were visited by other British officials.
(245488)
406
N 		Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 26 November 2008, Official Report, columns 1741-2W, on Afghanistan: detainees, if he will now disclose the relevant information.
(246739)
407
N 		Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2008, Official Report, column 1201W, on Diego Garcia: rendition, for what reasons he has not passed this information to the police; whether he has examined the possibility that criminal offences may have been committed in relation to the two rendition flights through Diego Garcia; and if he will make a statement.
(246740)
408
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department and its agencies since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246956)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Health
409
Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the role of the NHS national operating framework is with regard to supporting a national dementia strategy.
(246407)
410
Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support the NHS national operating framework gives to carers with respite care and funding for short breaks.
(246408)
411
Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assistance is provided by his Department for carers' training; and if he will make a statement.
(246409)
412
Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the NHS national operating framework is intended to assist carers; and if he will make a statement.
(246410)
413
Mr David S. Borrow (South Ribble): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding the Government is providing to each local authority in AIDS support grant in 2008-09.
(246308)
414
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his latest assessment is of the financial position of (a) Havering Primary Care Trust and (b) Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust; and if he will make a statement.
(246821)
415
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many finished admission episodes there were for injuries from assaults by a sharp object, including knives, in each NHS trust where the patient was aged (a) under 10, (b) 10 to 15, (c) 16 to 18, (d) 19 to 25, (e) 26 to 35. (f) 36 to 45 and (g) 46 years and older in each of the last 10 years.
(246822)
416
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many finished admission episodes there were for gunshot wounds in each NHS trust in each of the last 10 years.
(246823)
417
N 		Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what reports he has received of the prevalence of new variant CJD in the population carrying the MV gene; and what steps he is taking in response to such reports.
(246359)
418
N 		Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many individuals with an NHS number were foreign nationals in each year since 1997.
(246871)
419
Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his estimate is of the number of adverse reactions from medicinal drugs in each of the last three years.
(246156)
420
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246344)
421
Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many meetings Ministers in his Department have held with (a) the British Dental Association and (b) other dental organisations in the last 12 months.
(246624)
422
Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what consideration he gave to appointing a practising NHS community dentist to the Independent Group to review NHS dentistry; and if he will make a statement.
(246791)
423
Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on how many occasions in the last 12 months each of his Department's Ministers visited (a) an NHS dentist, (b) a private dentist and (c) an optometrist as part of their official duties.
(246792)
424
Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how sufficient stocks of medicines to meet patient demand will be ensured when the new pharmaceutical price regulation scheme is implemented.
(246793)
425
Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has agreed with medicines manufacturers stock compensation arrangements for pharmaceutical wholesalers when the new pharmaceutical price regulation scheme is implemented.
(246794)
426
Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has conducted an assessment of the effects of the new pharmaceutical price regulation scheme on the availability of medicines.
(246795)
427
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of potential links between the use of the mood-stabiliser lithium and increased mitochondrial damage; and if he will make a statement.
(246306)
428
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of disinfectant wipes using quarternary ammonium-based formulas against Clostridium difficile.
(246318)
429
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what standards of accreditation are required by NHS trusts of laboratories testing products for use in NHS hospitals; what powers his Department has to enforce those standards; and if he will make a statement.
(246326)
430
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Healthcare Commission's annual healthcheck for 2008-09 will include an assessment of primary care trust performance as providers and commissioners against National Institute for Heath and Clinical Excellence clinical guidelines.
(246674)
431
Stephen Hesford (Wirral West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what provisions have been made to enable older people with debilitating health conditions to travel to treatment centres outside their locality from April 2008.
(246224)
432
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many complaints about advertisements sponsored or funded by his Department were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in each year from 1997 to 2008; and how many of these were upheld by the ASA in each year.
(246651)
433
Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent steps he has taken to increase access to NHS dentistry; and if he will make a statement.
(246168)
434
N 		Mark Hunter (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent meetings his Department has had with internet service providers regarding websites which are pro-anorexia or pro-bulimia.
(245489)
435
N 		Mark Hunter (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent steps his Department has taken to promote awareness among parents of the dangers of pro-anorexia and pro-bulimia websites.
(246089)
436
Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions there have been between the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and specialist clinicians on future appraisals of biosimilar medicines; and if he will make a statement.
(246079)
437
Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department has issued to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on the safety precautions to be reflected in NICE guidances on biosimilar medicines; and what account NICE takes of the safety precautions recommended by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and the European Medicines Agency in formulating such guidance.
(246080)
438
Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research he has commissioned on the regulation of the sunbed industry in other countries for benchmarking purposes in the last two years.
(246160)
439
Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on (a) the use of sunbeds in the health and fitness facilities operated by local authorities and (b) the risks associated with such use.
(246161)
440
Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on (a) the health risks associated with sunbeds and (b) the regulation of the sunbed industry in the last 12 months.
(246162)
441
Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent meetings his Department has had with representatives of the sunbed industry on options for sunbed regulation.
(246163)
442
Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what options are being considered for regulation of (a) the sunbed industry and (b) sunbed usage by persons under 18 years of age.
(246209)
443
Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made since the Cancer Reform Strategy was published in December 2007 on (a) reviewing options for regulation of the sunbed industry, (b) gathering information on the number and distribution of sunbeds and (c) gathering information on the scale of sunbed use by minors.
(246210)
444
N 		Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of invoices to his Department payable to small and medium-sized enterprises which are settled within 10 days.
(245913)
445
N 		Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which health trusts have not met the 10 day invoice payment target to small and medium-sized enterprises.
(246105)
446
N 		Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will encourage the Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust to settle its invoices to small and medium-sized enterprises within the target of 10 days.
(246107)
447
N 		Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken, or intends to take, to ensure that incomplete or invalidated data returns from NHS bodies shared across Government for internal purposes are not used publicly.
(246687)
448
N 		Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he was informed by the NHS information centre that data relating to patients attending hospital with knife wounds, provided to 10 Downing Street, had been or was due to have been published.
(246696)
449
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 26 June 2008, Official Report, columns 519-22W, on NHS: personal records, how many nutrition-related adverse incidents were recorded in each month between January 2005 and December 2007 in each NHS trust.
(246405)
450
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of recent sterling exchange rate changes on the cost of (a) medical, (b) surgical equipment and (c) pharmaceutical supplies.
(246549)
451
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what drugs and healthcare products are imported for use by the NHS; and on which products exchange rate changes affect prices.
(246550)
452
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage in cost terms of the products purchased by (a) his Department, (b) the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency, (c) NHS and primary care trusts and (d) regional procurement hubs are imported on which currency exchange rates will have an effect on price.
(246551)
453
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the arrival of (a) volunteer responders, (b) paramedics and (c) other ambulance service staff stops the clock for the purposes of recording the ambulance target arrival times.
(246552)
454
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to mitigate the impact of recent exchange rate changes on the overseas activities of (a) his Department and (b) the NHS.
(246553)
455
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what (a) his Department's and (b) the NHS's forecast (i) net euro and (ii) net US dollar exposure is in 2008-09; what it was in 2007-08; and what revisions were made to those forecasts in light of foreign exchange movements.
(246554)
456
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which NHS trusts have (a) leases and (b) private finance initiative undertakings; and what the value of such leases and initiatives are in each case.
(246555)
457
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the use of international financial reporting standards on the budgets of (a) the NHS and (b) foundation trusts.
(246556)
458
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the projected surplus or deficit for NHS trusts (a) against current accounting standards and (b) against international financial reporting standards in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10.
(246557)
459
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps (a) his Department and (b) the NHS is taking to mitigate the possible effects of foreign exchange movements on their budgets; and if he will make a statement.
(246563)
460
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what (a) his Department's and (b) the NHS's current corporate planning assumption rates are regarding foreign exchange movements.
(246564)
461
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what net effect foreign exchange movements had on (a) his Department's and (b) the NHS's budget in each year since 2001-02.
(246565)
462
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what deposits (a) his Department and (b) the NHS has overseas.
(246566)
463
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what (a) sterling and (b) foreign exchange deposits (i) his Department and (ii) the NHS has abroad.
(246567)
464
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the likely effects of recent exchange rate changes on the savings targets of the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency.
(246568)
465
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2008, Official Report, column 444W, how much the second homes allowance for David Nicholson and Bill Kirkup were; where the second homes are; and for what reasons they are eligible for the allowance.
(246707)
466
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, in which NHS trusts have transplant operations been performed on foreign nationals in the last 12 months; which organs or tissues were transplanted in each case; and how the (a) trust and (b) NHS were remunerated for the procedure.
(246830)
467
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether NHS trusts may refuse to perform transplants for (a) non-UK citizens and (b) nationals of EU member states.
(246831)
468
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether foreign nationals receiving transplants in the UK receive organs and tissues (a) from their country of origin, (b) from the UK and (c) from other countries.
(246832)
469
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many organs the NHS received from abroad in each of the last 10 years; and how many were successfully transplanted.
(246833)
470
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the forthcoming Green Paper on social care will include proposals on supporting people.
(246834)
471
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which trusts' financial balances are most at risk from being reported under international financial reporting standards; and what the balance in question is in each case.
(246841)
472
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which GP practices depend on the minimum practice income guarantee to continue in operation.
(246856)
473
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been spent on banner stands bearing his image and title since his appointment; and how many such stands have been procured.
(246857)
474
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were employed as (a) managers and senior managers, (b) nurses and midwives and (c) administrative and clerical staff in each primary care trust in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08.
(246558)
475
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients were harmed as a result of an error or missed diagnosis in (a) Hemel Hempstead, (b) Hertfordshire and (c) England in the last 12 months.
(246561)
476
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many instances of tuberculosis have been recorded in (a) Hemel Hempstead and (b) Hertfordshire in each quarter of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
(246562)
477
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what indicators his Department uses to evaluate the oral health of patients in England.
(246776)
478
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the relative level of oral health in England in comparison with previous years.
(246777)
479
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve the oral health of patients in England.
(246778)
480
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost of undertaking the review of NHS dentistry in England; and if he will make a statement.
(246867)
481
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies for public access to services.
(246973)
482
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many journeys (a) he and his predecessors and (b) his officials made by aeroplane in the course of their duties in each of the last five years.
(246666)
483
Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department issues to prescribers on special medicines.
(246355)
484
Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will investigate the effectiveness of disinfectant wipes using chlorine-based formulae against clostridium difficile.
(246246)
485
N 		Mr Robert Syms (Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the impact of the current Modernising Scientific Careers proposals on the career pathways of clinical physiologists.
(246215)
486
N 		Mr Robert Syms (Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the timetable is for action on the regulation of hearing aid dispensers; and if he will make a statement.
(246216)
487
Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what proportion of NHS dental patients (a) on the Isle of Wight and (b) in each primary care trust area in Hampshire were on their local dentists' panel in each year since 1998.
(246100)
488
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department and its agencies since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246955)
Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department
489
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Airwave handsets issued to the UK Border Agency have been lost in each year since their introduction; and how many handsets issued to the Agency have been disabled by the service provider through (a) loss, (b) breakage and (c) other reasons in each such year.
(246188)
490
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Airwave handsets issued to the National Policing Improvement Agency have been lost in each year since their introduction; and how many handsets issued to the Agency have been disabled by the service provider through (a) loss, (b) breakage and (c) other reasons in each such year.
(246189)
491
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Airwave handsets issued to the Serious and Organised Crime Agency have been lost in each year since their introduction; and how many handsets issued to the Agency have been disabled by the service provider through (a) loss, (b) breakage and (c) other reasons in each such year.
(246190)
492
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to introduce drinking banning orders.
(246714)
493
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the information on the performance of the Serious and Organised Crime Agency's (SOCA's) asset recovery functions she plans to publish will include assets recovered by another agency principally as a result of SOCA activity or information supplied by SOCA.
(246715)
494
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the likelihood of a link between illegal radio broadasting and organised criminal gangs.
(246716)
495
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many British Standards Institute kite marks for internet content control software have been issued, and to whom, pursuant to the initiative announced by the Home Office in December 2006; and if she will make a statement.
(246842)
496
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average waiting time to process Criminal Records Bureau checks in each police force area was in the latest period for which information is available.
(246843)
497
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many local authorities have contacted her Department with enquiries concerning the establishment of alcohol disorder zones.
(246844)
498
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with Ministerial colleagues and officials in the Ministry of Justice on implementing the proposed three strikes enforcement regime for cannabis possession pursuant to its re-classification as a Class B drug; and if she will make a statement.
(246845)
499
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will issue new guidance to police on the issuing of warnings, cautions and charging for possession of cannabis following its re-classification as a Class B drug.
(246846)
500
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate she has made of the number of children illegally trafficked into the UK.
(246847)
501
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 16 October 2008, Official Report, column 1430W, on computers: crime, when she plans to launch the consultation on plans to extend the application of serious crime prevention orders to offences under the Computer Misuse Act 1990.
(246848)
502
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the likely impact on levels of fraud and other financial crime of the downturn in the economy.
(246849)
503
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the extent to which (a) legally held firearms and (b) illegally held firearms were used to commit crimes in each of the last five years.
(246850)
504
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the use of (a) anti-social behaviour orders, (b) acceptable behaviour contracts and (c) individual support orders since the publication of the National Audit Office's report on anti-social behaviour, HC (2006-07) 99, in December 2006.
(246851)
505
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) warnings were given, (b) cautions were issued and (c) prosecutions were brought for the illegal possession of knives in each of the last three years, broken down by police force area.
(246852)
506
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the European database of dangerous offenders to prevent homicide associated with organised crime is expected to be operational; and what funding her Department has allocated to the database.
(246853)
507
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times the National Retail Crime Steering Group has met.
(246854)
508
James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding her Department (a) spent on and (b) committed to the police portal; why the police portal was withdrawn; what plans she has to introduce a secure online reporting system for use by police forces; and if she will make a statement.
(246855)
509
N 		Rosie Cooper (West Lancashire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department expects to issue Mr Emiljano Beqo (FCO number 22920) with a visa via the British Embassy in Athens.
(245958)
510
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps the Government has taken to reduce levels of car thefts.
(244560)
511
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps the Government has taken to support victims of crime.
(244561)
512
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps the Government has taken to reduce levels of retail theft.
(244562)
513
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps the Government has taken to reduce levels of youth crime.
(244563)
514
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many former prisoners are employed by her Department; and what her Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246343)
515
Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to dissuade individuals from joining gangs.
(246745)
516
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department plans to take to provide more information identifying factors that make some people vulnerable to becoming involved in violent extremism, as noted on page 23 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise; and if she will make a statement.
(246200)
517
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has plans to review her Department's policy on protective marking and vetting of documents in response to paragraph 77 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise; and if she will make a statement.
(246227)
518
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has plans to develop a suite of information sources to be used at local level in relation to counter-terrorism, in response to paragraph 60 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise.
(246228)
519
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has (a) approved and (b) inspected a breeding centre operated by Vanny Bio-Research at Prek Eng in Cambodia as an overseas primate supply and breeding facility to export primates to the UK for the purposes of scientific research; and what recent representations she has received on breeding of long-tailed macaques for research in Cambodia, with particular reference to the Vanny Bio-Research Centre.
(246174)
520
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many complaints about advertisements sponsored or funded by her Department were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in each year from 1997 to 2008; and how many of these were upheld by the ASA in each year.
(246641)
521
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average daily cost of detaining an illegal immigrant in a detention centre was in the most recent period for which figures are available.
(246235)
522
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) educational facilities and (b) healthcare facilities have been (i) raided on suspicion of and (ii) fined for providing a service to an illegal immigrant by the UK Border Agency and its predecessors since 2004; and what the (A) offence and (B) amount of the fine was in each case.
(246236)
523
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many repatriations of people from the UK China has (a) accepted in each year since 2001 and (b) agreed to accept in each of the next four years.
(246237)
524
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many illegal workers are estimated to be residing in the UK.
(246238)
525
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many illegal immigrants have been deported from the UK in each year since 2004.
(246239)
526
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what businesses the UK Border Agency and its predecessors has raided on suspicion that they were employing illegal immigrants in each of the last six years; and what businesses (a) were fined and (b) had a civil penalty imposed on them for employing such immigrants in each of those years.
(246240)
527
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many undocumented immigrants have been (a) repatriated, (b) held in detention and (c) released after being arrested in raids by the UK Border Agency and its predecessors in each year since 2001.
(246241)
528
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many raids upon businesses the UK Border Agency and its predecessors undertook in each year since 2004; and how many undocumented immigrants were arrested in those raids.
(246242)
529
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many suspected illegal immigrants were discovered as lorry stowaways at motorway service areas, broken down by location, in each month since January 2005.
(246243)
530
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Zimbabwe nationals are detained in detention centres awaiting deportation back to Zimbabwe; how many of these people have been convicted of a crime in the UK; and how many of those have completed their sentences.
(246244)
531
Chris Huhne (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many illegal immigrants have registered at reception centres in (a) Liverpool and (b) Croydon following detection as lorry stowaways in each month since January 2005.
(246271)
532
N 		Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals were awaiting determination in respect of applications for indefinite leave to remain in postal areas (a) PE1, (b) PE2, (c) PE3 and (d) PE4 in each quarter since May 2005; and if she will make a statement.
(246149)
533
N 		Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals who had no legal basis to remain in the UK and who were normally resident in the Peterborough City Council area have been deported since May 2005; and if she will make a statement.
(246150)
534
Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to reply to the letter to her dated 30 October 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Sehir Hussain.
(246525)
535
Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to reply to the letter to her dated 3 November 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Luis Lamb.
(246526)
536
Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to reply to the letter to her dated 28 October 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr . Benmeddah.
(246530)
537
Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to reply to the letter to her dated 7 November 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Hidal Ibrahim Takroori.
(246531)
538
N 		Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cars were seized for being uninsured in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available.
(245886)
539
Mr Denis MacShane (Rotherham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when a reply will be sent to the right hon. Member for Rotherham's letter of 5 October 2008 addressed to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in respect of Mr Charles Spencer and a visa request for a Ukrainian national, Ms Natalia Dvokriadkina.
(246316)
540
Mr Denis MacShane (Rotherham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many vehicles in use by the Metropolitan Police were manufactured outside the UK.
(246713)
541
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by (a) her Department and (b) its executive agencies for public access to services.
(246978)
542
Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) individuals and (b) establishments have been prosecuted for selling alcohol to under-age people in (i) Stockport Metropolitan Borough, (ii) Greater Manchester and (iii) the North West in each of the last five years.
(246070)
543
Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions of people aged 10 to 17 years for being drunk and disorderly there were in (a) Stockport Metropolitan Borough, (b) Greater Manchester and (c) the North West in each year since 1997.
(246071)
544
Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people aged (a) 16 and under, (b) between 17 and 18, (c) between 18 and 21 and (d) 21 years were arrested for carrying firearms in (i) Stockport Metropolitan Borough, (ii) Greater Manchester and (iii) the North West in each of the last five years.
(246072)
545
Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people aged (a) 16 and under, (b) between 17 and 18, (c) between 18 and 21 and (d) 21 years were arrested for carrying knives in (i) Stockport Metropolitan Borough, (ii) Greater Manchester and (iii) the North West in each of the last five years.
(246073)
546
Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many recorded incidents of violent crime there were in (a) Stockport Metropolitan Borough, (b) Greater Manchester and (c) the North West in each of the last five years.
(246074)
547
N 		Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many arrests have been made under terrorism legislation in each of the last five years; and how many of such arrests have resulted in (a) charges and (b) convictions.
(246065)
548
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what expert advisers have been commissioned by her Department and its agencies since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the advisers so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246659)
549
Hywel Williams (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many instances of (a) burglary, (b) shoplifting and (c) handling of stolen goods were recorded in each of the last three years.
(246601)
550
Hywel Williams (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the likely effect of the economic downturn on levels of recorded crime.
(246602)
551
Hywel Williams (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with Ministerial colleagues on issuing identity cards with text in both the Welsh and English languages; and what consideration she has given to the proposal.
(246603)
552
Hywel Williams (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what projections she has made of trends in the level of demand for police services as a result of the economic downturn; and what consideration she has given to allocating additional resources to police services in this respect.
(246954)
553
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the replication rate is of records on the Police National Computer and the National DNA Database, broken down by records relating to people aged (a) under 10 years, (b) 10 to 17 years and (c) 18 years and older; and if she will make a statement.
(246638)
554
David Wright (Telford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which local authorities have designated zones where street drinking is banned.
(246423)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills
555
Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what recent discussions he has had with (a) sector skills councils and (b) individual employers on the revised Apprenticeship Blueprint, with particular reference to (i) college-based and (ii) work-based programmes.
(246312)
556
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246341)
557
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many complaints about advertisements sponsored or funded by his Department were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in each year from 1997 to 2008; and how many of these were upheld by the ASA in each year.
(246652)
558
Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many institutions assessed in the 2008 research assessment exercise had at least five per cent. of the research activity in one of their submissions rated as (a) four stars, (b) three stars, (c) two stars and (d) one star; and if he will make a statement.
(246606)
559
Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, if he will make it his policy that the Higher Education Funding Council has as objectives for the distribution of quality-related research funding to universities to ensure that (a) world leading, internationally excellent and internationally recognised research is funded wherever it has been found and (b) universities with profiles in research which have received national recognition receive funding.
(246607)
560
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies for public access to services.
(246977)
561
Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what appeals process is available for academic staff who dispute their gradings under the higher educational role analysis evaluation process; and if he will make a statement.
(246284)
562
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department and its agencies since its inception; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246971)
563
N 		Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how much has been spent on the charitable research projects at higher education institutions which receive funding from the Charity Research Support Fund in each year since its creation.
(246248)
564
N 		Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how much funding has been provided by UK charities for (a) medical research and (b) cancer research in higher education institutions in each of the last five academic years; and what information his Department has on equivalent figures in other European countries for benchmarking purposes.
(246249)
565
N 		Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what the planned expenditure for the Charity Research Support Fund is for 2009-10.
(246250)
566
Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what buildings are occupied by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC); what the cost of occupying these buildings is in 2008-09; when each of the lease agreements for occupying these buildings expires; and to what use those buildings will be put following the abolition of the Learning and Skills Council in 2010.
(246251)
567
Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many staff employed by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) he expects will become employed by (a) local authorities, (b) the Young People's Learning Agency, (c) the Skills Funding Agency and (d) the National Apprenticeship Service in 2010; and whether all current LSC staff will be offered alternative employment
(246252)
568
Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, whether staff currently employed by the Learning and Skills Council will continue to be covered by the Civil Service Pension Scheme if they become employed by (a) local authorities, (b) the Young People's Learning Agency, (c) the Skills Funding Agency and (d) the National Apprenticeships Service in 2010.
(246272)
Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development
569
N 		Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of UK aid to Afghanistan is intended to assist children in 2008-09; what steps his Department is taking to deal with unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan, with particular reference to the protection of children; and if he will make a statement.
(246541)
570
N 		Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department takes to ensure that aid to Afghanistan (a) is used to strengthen local and national civil society and the Afghan government and (b) reaches those most in need, particularly children; what steps his Department takes to ensure that bodies in Afghanistan receiving aid are held accountable for where the aid goes; and if he will make a statement.
(246542)
571
N 		Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking to protect (a) Afghani people, (b) vulnerable populations in Afghanistan and (c) children in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.
(246543)
572
N 		Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking to assist the Afghan government to uphold its commitments under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; and if he will make a statement.
(246545)
573
Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe.
(246204)
574
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many hybrid vehicles his Department (a) owns and (b) owned in 2007-08.
(246869)
575
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what policies his Department has to monitor his staff's vehicle usage.
(246870)
576
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what provision has been made to train his Department's staff on the implementation and use of the new Quest system; and what the cost of such training per staff member will be.
(246884)
577
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much was spent on the implementation of Quest for (a) additional fees to consultants and (b) staff overtime.
(246885)
578
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether his Department will have met all of its Public Service Agreement targets by the end of the 2005 to 2008 plan.
(246886)
579
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what major measurable indicators his Department is contributing to addressing international poverty, as referred to in the Public Service Agreement.
(246887)
580
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the cost has been to his Department of installation of video-conferencing facilities; and whether there are ongoing maintenance contract costs associated with these facilities.
(246888)
581
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many of his Department's employees have been (a) investigated, (b) disciplined following investigation and (c) dismissed following investigation since the inception of the Fraud Response Unit.
(246889)
582
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, for how long each of the staff on secondment from his Department have been on secondment; and whether there is a maximum permitted length for such secondments.
(246890)
583
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the role of his Department's Diversity Champion is; and what the process for selecting the champion is.
(246910)
584
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what his Department's performance against each of its diversity targets was at the 2008 deadline.
(246911)
585
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether his Department has made workplace adjustments to accommodate employees with a disability.
(246912)
586
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, on how many occasions his Department has received complaints on staff (a) recruitment and (b) selection in the last 12 months.
(246913)
587
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many people of each (a) sex and (b) ethnicity were appointed to the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the last five years.
(246914)
588
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much his Department spent on agency temporary staffing for its UK offices in the last three years.
(246915)
589
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recommendations have been made by the Carbon Trust to his Department following energy audits conducted on its buildings; and what progress has been made on implementing these recommendations.
(246916)
590
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to his Department's Annual Report 2008, chapter 10, point 10.4, how many times each committee met during 2006-07; and what expenses were incurred in holding those meetings.
(246920)
591
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff posts (i) have been and (ii) are planned to be ended in each division as part of the restructuring in his Department referred to in his Department's Annual Report 2008, chapter 10, point 10.16; and what reduction in expenditure is expected to arise from this restructuring.
(246921)
592
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, who each person is categorised as Head of Profession as referred to in his Department's Annual Report 2008, chapter 10, point 10.7; and what (a) professional qualifications and (b) work experience each has in relation to international development.
(246922)
593
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many times the departmental-wide working group established to provide comments and contribute to organisational directions for the Corporate Plan has met; who chairs the group; and what the names and positions are of each member of the group.
(246923)
594
Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much was paid to the external team who undertook the 2007 Capability Review.
(246924)
595
Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the UK National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325, what steps the Government is taking to ensure the needs of Afghan civil society, with particular reference to local and national women's organisations, are taken into account in the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
(246213)
596
N 		Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the cost to the public purse has been of the Afghan Social Outreach programme; and how its performance is assessed.
(246708)
597
N 		Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many non-governmental organisations are contracted by the Government to work in Helmand province; and what projects they are undertaking.
(246710)
598
N 		Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what systems are in place to co-ordinate all international aid efforts in Afghanistan.
(246711)
599
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246342)
600
N 		Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when he expects the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to reply to the letters of 21 October and 1 December from the hon. Member for the Forest of Dean on mine harvesting in Cambodia.
(246572)
601
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many complaints about advertisements sponsored or funded by his Department were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in each year from 1997 to 2008; and how many of these were upheld by the ASA in each year.
(246654)
602
Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment has been made of the humanitarian situation in Somalia; and if he will make a statement.
(246167)
603
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what his most recent estimate was of the cost to the public purse of the proposed St Helena airport before the pause in negotiations on the airport was announced.
(246301)
604
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when he plans to publish the environmental impact assessment of the proposed St Helena airport development.
(246313)
605
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of distribution of humanitarian aid in Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.
(246158)
606
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by his Department for public access to services.
(246976)
607
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many journeys (a) he and his predecessors and (b) his officials made by aeroplane in the course of their duties in each of the last five years.
(246667)
608
Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment has been made of the humanitarian situation in the Vanni area of Sri Lanka following (a) the government of Sri Lanka's order to UN agencies and humanitarian non-governmental organisations to withdraw their staff and operations from the region on 5 September 2008 and (b) the flooding from Cyclone Nisha in November 2008.
(246290)
609
Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many UK humanitarian workers have been refused visas to enter Zimbabwe since November 2008; and if he will make a statement.
(246300)
610
Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether it is the Government's policy to support calls for a suspension of Zimbabwe from the Kimberley Process for diamonds.
(246304)
611
David Taylor (North West Leicestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what (a) funding and (b) other support his Department is providing in 2008-09 for organisations in Guatemala that seek to increase the number of investigations and prosecutions of violent offences against women in that country.
(246415)
612
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246959)
613
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what aid the UK has provided to (a) Zimbabwe and (b) sub-Saharan Africa in each of the last five years; what he expects UK's aid commitment to his region to be in each of the next three years; what assessment he has made of the work undertaken by (i) the UK and (ii) the international community to further the United Nations Declaration on the New Partnership for Africa's Development; and if he will make a statement.
(246808)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Justice
614
Mr David Anderson (Blaydon): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what staff resources the National Offender Management Service proposes to allocate to directors of offender management.
(246138)
615
Mr David Anderson (Blaydon): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what salary the National Offender Management Service proposes to pay its directors of offender management.
(246139)
616
Mr David Anderson (Blaydon): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) job description and (b) person specification for the post of director of offender management is.
(246140)
617
Mr David Anderson (Blaydon): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the cost savings from the change from regional offender managers to directors of offender management in the National Offender Management Service.
(246141)
618
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Airwave headsets issued to HM Prison Service have been lost in each year since their introduction.
(246155)
619
N 		James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have received the maximum penalty for an offence under section 12(4) of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 since the Act came into force.
(246861)
620
Philip Davies (Shipley): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his Answer of 26 November 2008, Official Report, columns 1691-2W, on sexual offences: drugs, how many of the 11 convicted sex offenders referred for initial assessment have been given anti-libidinal drug treatment.
(246325)
621
Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the merits of converting probation boards into probation trusts; what will happen to a probation board if it fails to convert into a probation trust within the required timescale; and if he will make a statement.
(246926)
622
Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many probation posts he estimates will be lost as a result of the budget cuts anticipated during (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10, (c) 2010-11 and (d) 2011-12.
(246927)
623
Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many staff with (a) a probation background and (b) a prison background are currently employed in the National Offender Management Service at (i) Grade 7, (ii) Grade 6 and (iii) above Grade 6.
(246928)
624
Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the National Offender Management Service staffs' training record is based on a prison service template.
(246929)
625
Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish (a) the Offender Management Strategy 2008 and (b) the evidence base on which it draws.
(246930)
626
N 		Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2008, Official Report, columns 300-01W, on open prisons: prisoner escapes, what each of the 125 offences committed by prisoners while unlawfully at large in each of the last 24 months was.
(246289)
627
Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to record incidents of violence or threats made against people on unpaid work projects following the implementation of the visible vests policy.
(246743)
628
Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many reported incidents of violence there were against people undertaking unpaid work projects in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08 and (c) 2008-09.
(246744)
629
Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he plans to take to ensure that individuals placed on unpaid work who are known to be involved in gangs are protected from members of rival gangs.
(246746)
630
Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many individuals have been sentenced to intensive unpaid work in the 10 knife action programme areas for knife-related crimes.
(246747)
631
Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been sentenced to custody in the 10 knife action programme areas for knife-related crimes.
(246748)
632
Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been given community supervision orders in the 10 knife action programme areas for knife-related crimes.
(246749)
633
Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the size of the Probation Service's caseload in England and Wales is for (a) community supervision, (b) licence and (c) through care.
(246750)
634
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of prisoners in each prison who have converted to Islam while in prison in (a) 2008 and (b) each of the previous five years.
(246533)
635
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many complaints about advertisements sponsored or funded by his Department were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in each year from 1997 to 2008; and how many of these were upheld by the ASA in each year.
(246646)
636
Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department intends to consult on the merits of having people undertaking community service wearing high-visibility jackets.
(246166)
637
N 		Mark Hunter (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of Probation Service staff expected to leave Greater Manchester probation area as a result of (a) natural wastage, (b) retirement and (c) redundancy in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) and 2011-12.
(245490)
638
N 		Mark Hunter (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimated share of national Probation Service savings the Greater Manchester probation area is expected to achieve in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12.
(245491)
639
N 		Mark Hunter (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the forecast reduction in previously planned expenditure is for the Greater Manchester probation area in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12.
(245492)
640
N 		Mark Hunter (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the flat cash grant allocation for the Greater Manchester probation area is for (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12.
(245493)
641
Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to publish the Government's response to the consultation on extending the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
(246532)
642
Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what account is taken of the security categorisation of prisoners when making decisions about moving prisoners to secure hospitals.
(246207)
643
Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 24 November 2008, Official Report, columns 873-4W, on prisons: complaints, how many complaints by prison officers have been made against fellow officers at HMP Whitemoor on the grounds of (a) sexual discrimination, (b) sexual harassment, (c) homophobic behaviour and (d) racial discrimination in each of the last 10 years; what proportion of these complaints were upheld; what proportion of those making such complaints received compensation payments; and how much each received.
(246172)
644
N 		Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how long on average it takes for an ex-prisoner to receive his discharge grant.
(246066)
645
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies for public access to services.
(246986)
646
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many journeys (a) he and his predecessors and (b) his officials made by aeroplane in the course of their duties in each of the last five years.
(246669)
647
Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many community orders were issued in (a) Stockport Metropolitan Borough, (b) Greater Manchester and (c) the North West in each of the last five years.
(246076)
648
Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people were (a) cautioned and (b) fined for speeding in (i) Stockport Metropolitan Borough, (ii) Greater Manchester and (iii) the North West in each of the last five years.
(246077)
649
Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people resident in (a) Stockport Metropolitan Borough, (b) Greater Manchester and (c) the North West were (i) arrested under suspicion and (ii) convicted of driving when drunk in each quarter of the last five years.
(246078)
650
Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many offenders were (a) cautioned and (b) issued with penalty notices for disorder in (i) the Devon and Cornwall police force area and (ii) England in 2007.
(246225)
651
N 		Mr Edward Timpson (Crewe & Nantwich): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the effect on trends in the prison population of implementing section 12 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004.
(245477)
652
Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many vacancies there were in (a) the Courts Service and (b) the Bailiff Service (i) on the Isle of Wight and (ii) in Hampshire in each of the last five years.
(246148)
653
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department and its agencies since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the advisers so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246664)
654
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has consulted the Electoral Commission on whether the proposed new powers of entry for the Electoral Commission in the Political Parties and Elections Bill will potentially allow entry into the homes of (a) trades union staff and (b) trades union members who donate to a political party through paying a political levy, in trades unions that affiliate to a political party; and if he will make a statement.
(246726)
655
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what effect the planned reductions in his Department's spending will have on (a) progress on the proposed CORE electoral database and (b) numbers of staff in his Department's electoral law and regulation division.
(246727)
656
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to table an amendment to the Political Parties and Elections Bill to restrict the Electoral Commission's powers of entry into regulated donees in respect of (a) the offices of hon. Members within Parliament, (b) the offices of noble Lords within Parliament and (c) the parliamentary offices located at 4 Millbank.
(246728)
657
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 15 September 2008, Official Report, column 2028W, on political parties: finance, what assumptions were made in preparing the impact assessments for the Bill of the consequences of the Electoral Commission guidance on trigger rules being issued after the rules have been commenced at Royal Assent.
(246731)
658
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he intends that the Political Parties and Elections Bill will be enacted before the June 2009 European and local elections.
(246732)
659
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 15 September 2008, Official Report, column 2028W, on the Political Parties and Elections Bill 2007-08, in what ways the proposed new trigger rules, prior to the publication of guidance, will remedy the difficulties with the old trigger rules referred to (a) in the case of Fiona Jones and R v. Desmond Whicher [1999] EWCA Crim 1094 and (b) the Fifth Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life; and if he will make a statement.
(246733)
660
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 15 September 2008, Official Report, column 2028W, on the Political Parties and Elections Bill 2007-08, if he will issue guidance on whether the proof of two elements (a) that the expenditure should be closely related to the machinery of an election and (b) that the expenses should be primarily or principally incurred for the promotion of the interests of the candidate will again apply in defining local candidate expenditure under the reintroduced trigger rules.
(246734)
661
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to raise the de minimis level for recording donations to political parties from £200 to reflect inflation since the limit was first introduced.
(246736)
662
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 6 November 2008, Official Report, column 752W, on political parties: finance, if he will make it his policy for statutory guidance which is approved by the Secretary of State and which originates from government-sponsored legislation to be compliant with the Government's Code of Practice on Guidance on Regulation, with specific reference to the time for consultation on and compliance with regulation.
(246737)
663
N 		Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his proposed definition is of reasonable cause for a magistrate to give permission for the Electoral Commission to use its new suggested powers of entry.
(246738)
664
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 17 September 2008, Official Report, columns 2291-2W, on political parties: finance, whether hon. Members who are deemed to have breached the rules of the Communications Allowance by the House, by virtue of promoting themselves in a partisan manner, will be deemed to have triggered their local candidates' election expenses under the proposed new trigger rules.
(246742)
665
Hywel Williams (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average caseload of probation staff was in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08; and what estimate he has made of the average caseload in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10.
(246600)
666
Hywel Williams (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what projections he has made of trends in the level of demand for services provided by (a) the Probation Service, (b) HM Courts Service and (c) HM Prison Service as a result of the economic downturn; and what consideration he has given to allocating additional resources to each in this respect.
(246953)
Questions to the Leader of the House
667
N 		Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury): To ask the Leader of the House, what procedures will be applied to over-payments of pensions to former hon. Members.
(246276)
668
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Leader of the House, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2008, Official Report, column 461W, on hon. Members: allowances, what criteria govern the circumstances under which hon. Members may ask for an advance from the 2009-10 communication allowance allocation.
(246729)
669
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Leader of the House, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2008, Official Report, column 461W, on hon. Members: allowances, from what date hon. Members will be able to ask for a communication allowance advance from the year 2010-11.
(246730)
670
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Leader of the House, what expert advisers have been commissioned by her Office since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246960)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
671
N 		Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people were on the sex offenders' register in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.
(246331)
672
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246337)
673
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies for public access to services.
(246985)
674
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many journeys (a) he and his predecessors and (b) his officials made by aeroplane in the course of their duties in each of the last five years.
(246671)
675
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department and its agencies since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246963)
Questions to the Minister for the Olympics
676
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Minister for the Olympics, how many former prisoners are employed by her Office; and what her Office's policy is on the employment of former prisoners.
(246354)
677
N 		Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking): To ask the Minister for the Olympics, whether the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games have presented their requirements for the venue of the Olympic shooting events in respect of (a) ranges and facilities, (b) security, (c) costs, (d) transport facilities, (e) accommodation and (f) legacy to the authorities at Bisley shooting ground; and if she will make a statement.
(245802)
678
N 		Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Minister for the Olympics, what alternative sources of funding for the athletes' village (a) she and (b) the Olympic Delivery Authority is considering; and if she will make a statement.
(246120)
679
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Minister for the Olympics, what expert advisers have been commissioned by her Office since its incepton; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246966)
Questions to the Prime Minister
680
Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Prime Minister, whether new procedures for (a) the analysis and (b) the publication of intelligence material have been put in place since he became Prime Minister; and if he will make a statement.
(246282)
681
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Prime Minister, how many complaints about advertisements sponsored or funded by his Office were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in each year from 1997 to 2008; and how many of these were upheld by the ASA in each year.
(246657)
682
N 		Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Prime Minister, whether he or any Minister, civil servant or adviser sought to influence the content of Mr Speaker's Statement of 3 December 2008, Official Report, columns 1-3.
(246591)
683
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Prime Minister, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Office since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246970)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland
684
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246334)
685
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by his Department for public access to services.
(246984)
686
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many journeys (a) he and his predecessors and (b) his officials made by aeroplane in the course of their duties in each of the last five years.
(246670)
687
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department since its inception; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246964)
Questions to the Solicitor General
688
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Solicitor General, how many former prisoners are employed by her Office; and what her Office's policy is on the employment of former prisoners.
(246353)
689
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Solicitor General, what expert advisers have been commissioned by the Law Officers' Departments and their agencies since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246968)
Questions to the honourable Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
690
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the honourable Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what assessment the Electoral Commission has made of the proposals in the Political Parties and Elections Bill that political parties and other donees must take reasonable steps to verify the accuracy of the new declarations for donations over £200; and what assessment the Commission has made of the accuracy of the accompanying Ministry of Justice impact assessment on the issue.
(246735)
691
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the honourable Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what expert advisers have been commissioned by the Electoral Commission since its inception; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246967)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport
692
N 		Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons the proposed works to the A303 are not to be carried out in a manner that leaves one direction open to traffic; and if he will review the proposed working arrangements.
(246152)
693
N 		Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) reviews, (b) consultation and (c) taskforces his Department is (i) responsible for and (ii) planning to undertake or establish; on what date each such initiative that is in progress (A) started and (B) is expected to be completed; and what the purpose is of each.
(246309)
694
N 		Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) original and (b) latest estimated cost is of (i) the Cambridgeshire guided busway and (ii) the Luton-Dunstable busway.
(246330)
695
Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 19 November 2008, Official Report, columns 480-1W, on aviation: exhaust emissions, whether his forecast was based on an assumption that the growth of aviation after 2030 will be limited by capacity constraints.
(246322)
696
Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 19 November 2008, Official Report, columns 480-1W, on aviation: exhaust emissions, what the figures would be if it were assumed that between 2030 and 2050 aviation were to continue to grow at the same rate as forecast up to 2030.
(246323)
697
Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 19 November 2008, Official Report, columns 480-1W, on aviation: exhaust emissions, what capacity constraints are likely to limit the growth of aviation in the UK after 2030.
(246324)
698
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Airwave handsets issued to the British Transport Police (BTP) have been lost in each year since their introduction; and how many handsets issued to the BTP have been disabled by the service provider through (a) loss, (b) breakage and (c) other reasons in each such year.
(246185)
699
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Airwave handsets issued to the Marine and Coastguard Agency have been lost in each year since their introduction; and how many handsets issued to the Agency have been disabled by the service provider through (a) loss, (b) breakage and (c) other reasons in each such year.
(246186)
700
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Airwave handsets issued to the Highways Agency have been lost in each year since their introduction; and how many handsets issued to the Agency have been disabled by the service provider through (a) loss, (b) breakage and (c) other reasons in each such year.
(246187)
701
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many private helicopter movements there were in the air space above Greater London in each year since 1997.
(246825)
702
N 		Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the 1979 agreement between BAA and West Sussex County Council would continue to bind any new owner of Gatwick Airport and prevent them from building a new runway before 2019.
(246411)
703
N 		Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has taken part in discussions with BAA on proposals to build a second runway at Gatwick Airport once the Gatwick Agreement runs out in 2019.
(246412)
704
N 		Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consideration has been given by his Department to the electrification of the Barking to Gospel Oak London overground railway line; and if he will make a statement.
(246937)
705
Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proposals there are to change staffing levels at stations operated by First Great Western on the line from London to Swindon and Bristol Parkway; and if he will make a statement.
(246395)
706
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246339)
707
Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason the planned work to upgrade the Barking to Gospel Oak railway line has been delayed until 2013-14.
(246420)
708
N 		Mr Robert Goodwill (Scarborough & Whitby): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his most recent estimate is of the number of outstanding parking adjudication cases in London; and what the equivalent figures were (a) 12 and (b) 24 months previously.
(245835)
709
Justine Greening (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people attended the air quality technical meeting on 28 September 2007 regarding the project for the Sustainable Development of Heathrow; which organisations those individuals were representing; and if he will make a statement.
(246774)
710
Justine Greening (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what additional risks have been added to the Heathrow Expansion Risk Register since 9 October 2007; and what the (a) inherent risk, (b) measures in place, (c) residual risk, (d) status and (e) further action are assessed by his Department for each risk.
(246775)
711
Justine Greening (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the status is on the most recent edition of the Heathrow Expansion Risk Register of risk (a) 1.1.2, (b) 1.1.6, (c) 1.1.7, (d) 1.2.1, (e) 1.2.2, (f) 1.2.4, (g) 1.3.1, (h) 1.3.6, (i) 1.3.7, (j) 2.1.1, (k) 2.1.2, (l) 2.1.3, (m) 2.1.4, (n) 2.1.5, (o) 2.1.6, (p) 2.1.7, (q) 2.2.1, (r) 2.2.4, (s) 2.2.5, (t) 2.2.6a, (u) 2.2.6b, (v) 2.2.7, (w) 2.2.8, (x) 2.2.9, (y) 2.2.10, (z) 3.1.1, (aa) 3.1.2, (bb) 3.1.3, (cc) 3.13, (dd) 3.2.2, (ee) 3.2.1, (ff) 3.3.1, (gg) 3.3.2, (hh) 3.3.3, (ii) 3.3.5, (jj) 3.3.6 and (kk) 3.3.7 as identified by the numbering on the Heathrow Expansion Risk Register as at October 2008.
(246917)
712
Justine Greening (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the most recent edition of the Heathrow Expansion Risk Register records as (a) measures in place and (b) further action required in respect of risk (i) 1.1.2, (ii) 1.1.6, (iii) 1.1.7, (iv) 1.2.1, (v) 1.2.2, (vi) 1.2.4, (vii) 1.3.1, (viii) 1.3.6, (ix) 1.3.7, (x) 2.1.1, (xi) 2.1.2, (xii) 2.1.3, (xiii) 2.1.4, (xiv) 2.1.5, (xv) 2.1.6, (xvi) 2.1.7, (xvii) 2.2.1, (xviii) 2.2.4, (xix) 2.2.5, (xx) 2.2.6a, (xxi) 2.2.6b, (xxii) 2.2.7, (xxiii) 2.2.8, (xxiv) 2.2.9, (xxv) 2.2.10, (xxvi) 3.1.1, (xxvii) 3.1.2, (xxviii) 3.1.3, (xxix) 3.13, (xxx) 3.2.2, (xxxi) 3.2.1, (xxxii) 3.3.1, (xxxiii) 3.3.2, (xxxiv) 3.3.3, (xxxv) 3.3.5, (xxxvi) 3.3.6 and (xxxvii) 3.3.7 as identified by the numbering on the Heathrow Expansion Risk Register as at October 2008.
(246918)
713
Justine Greening (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his latest assessment is of the (a) inherent and (b) residual risk for (i) impact and (ii) likelihood of occurrence in respect of risk (A) 1.1.2, (B) 1.1.6, (C) 1.1.7, (D) 1.2.1, (E) 1.2.2, (F) 1.2.4, (G) 1.3.1, (H) 1.3.6, (I) 1.3.7, (J) 2.1.1, (K) 2.1.2, (L) 2.1.3, (M) 2.1.4, (N) 2.1.5, (O) 2.1.6, (P) 2.1.7, (Q) 2.2.1, (R) 2.2.4, (S) 2.2.5, (T) 2.2.6a, (U) 2.2.6b, (V) 2.2.7, (W) 2.2.8, (X) 2.2.9, (Y) 2.2.10, (Z) 3.1.1, (AA) 3.1.2, (BB) 3.1.3, (CC) 3.13, (DD) 3.2.2, (EE) 3.2.1, (FF) 3.3.1, (GG) 3.3.2, (HH) 3.3.3, (II) 3.3.5, (JJ) 3.3.6 and (KK) 3.3.7 as identified by the numbering on the Heathrow Expansion Risk Register as at October 2008.
(246919)
714
Justine Greening (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Heathrow Expansion Risk Register, what change there has been to his Department's assessment of (a) inherent risk, (b) measures in place, (c) residual risk, (d) status and (e) further action required since the October 2008 update to the register in respect of closed risk (i) 1.1.1, (ii) 1.1.3, (iii) 1.1.4, (iv) 1.1.5, (v) 1.2.3, (vi) 1.2.5, (vii) 1.3.2, (viii) 1.3.4, (ix) 1.3.5, (x) 1.4.1, (xi), 1.4.2, (xii) 1.5.1, (xiii) 1.6.1, (xiv) 1.6.2, (xv) 1.6.3, (xvi) 2.2.3 and (xvii) 3.3.4.
(246925)
715
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many complaints about advertisements sponsored or funded by his Department were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in each year from 1997 to 2008; and how many of these were upheld by the ASA in each year.
(246655)
716
Mrs Sharon Hodgson (Gateshead East & Washington West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 17 November 2008, Official Report, column 38W, on roads: accidents, how many and what proportion of (a) men and (b) women between 15 and 24 years old were killed in a road traffic accident in each local authority area in England in each of the last 10 years.
(246214)
717
Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that there is minimal disruption over the Christmas period from improvements works to the West Coast Main Line.
(246165)
718
N 		Mark Hunter (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department spent on publicity for rail services in each year since 1997.
(245476)
719
N 		Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the accuracy of information held on the Motor Insurance Database.
(245914)
720
Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will review the Highways Agency's plans to close the A303 in Somerset and Wiltshire for 14 weeks from February 2009; and if he will make a statement.
(246132)
721
Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will reject the proposals of South West Trains to reduce opening hours at over 100 of its stations.
(246133)
722
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies for public access to services.
(246983)
723
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many journeys (a) he and his predecessors and (b) his officials made by aeroplane in the course of their duties in each of the last five years.
(246668)
724
Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many tugs are on standby in UK ports to assist vessels in distress around the coast.
(246096)
725
Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will estimate the loss to the economy caused by delays to rail services in the first six months of the 2008-09 financial year.
(246403)
726
Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward proposals to introduce the Swiss model of re-railing.
(246404)
727
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department and its agencies since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246961)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales
728
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246335)
729
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by his Department for public access to services.
(246981)
730
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department since its incepton; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246965)
731
Mrs Betty Williams (Conwy): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2008, Official Report, column 260W, on Revenue and Customs: Wales, what arrangements other business units relocating from Bangor have in place to ensure continuation of the provision across north Wales of the Welsh language service.
(246788)
732
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and (b) the Welsh Assembly Government on (i) the future of public sector broadcasting and (ii) the implementation of digital switchover in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
(246810)
Questions to the Minister for Women and Equality
733
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, how many former prisoners are employed by the Government's Equalities Office; and what the Office's policy is on the employment of former prisoners.
(246333)
734
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, what expert advisers have been commissioned by the Government Equalities Office since its establishment; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246969)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
735
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Airwave handsets issued to his Department's Fraud Investigation Service have been lost in each year since their introduction; and how many handsets issued to the Service have been disabled by the service provider through (a) loss, (b) breakage and (c) other reasons in each such year.
(246191)
736
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which benefits provided by his Department take account of assumed interest on saving in calculating entitlements; how frequently assumed interest rates are reviewed; when the last such review took place; what the assumed rate of interest is; and if he will make a statement.
(246358)
737
N 		Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will undertake a review of the regulations governing the way in which the notional return for savings in excess of £6,000 are assessed for those aged over 60 and applying for pension credit.
(245478)
738
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what methodology was used to calculate the additional entitlement to the state pension for those over 80 years of age.
(246756)
739
Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has plans to accept osteoarthritis of the knee as a qualifying condition for industrial injuries disablement benefit; and if he will make a statement.
(246093)
740
Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.
(246340)
741
N 		Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) that those receiving payments from his Department may opt to use the Post Office card account on the same basis as any other method of payment and (b) that the process to select the option to use the Post Office card account is neutral in its effect as between alternative payment methods.
(245472)
742
N 		Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library a copy of the (a) invitation to tender, (b) specifications and (c) descriptive documents relating to the Post Office card account tender process.
(245474)
743
N 		Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the change in revenue which the Post Office will experience as a result of the award of the Post Office card account contract in each year of the contract period.
(245475)
744
N 		Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Statement of 13 November 2008, Official Report, columns 965-82, on the Post Office Card Account, for what reason the addition of the ability to make direct debit payments through the Post Office Card Account would have made it more difficult to award the contract to the Post Office without completing the tender process.
(245494)
745
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons the number of his Department's IT staff have fallen every year since 2004-05; and if he will make a statement.
(246675)
746
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many laptops his Department owns which are (a) encrypted and (b) unencrypted.
(246676)
747
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department's critical IT systems are.
(246677)
748
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place a copy of his Department's IT strategy in the Library.
(246678)
749
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place a copy of his Department's skills framework for IT staff in the Library.
(246679)
750
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to become an intelligent customer in IT procurement.
(246680)
751
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how the performance of his Department's IT contracts with (a) BT and (b) EDS are measured; and how the relevant performance data are validated.
(246681)
752
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment of value for money he has made of his Department's IT contracts with (a) BT and (b) EDS.
(246682)
753
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department issues on (a) the methodology, (b) project planning and (c) risk and issue management of its IT projects.
(246683)
754
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether benefit payment systems are able to record total benefits received by (a) individuals and (b) households.
(246684)
755
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department maintains a register of its software licences.
(246685)
756
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department's IT projects are required to be supported by (a) a project initiation document, (b) a documented business case and (c) a cost-benefit analysis.
(246686)
757
N 		Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2008, Official Report, column 616W, on income support: ex-servicemen, what proportion of the weekly payments of compensation schemes are disregarded; and if he will make a statement.
(246761)
758
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2008, Official Report, column 399W, on departmental ICT, if he will place in the Library a copy of the risk management framework referred to in the Answer.
(246933)
759
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2008, Official Report, column 400W, on departmental ICT, what priorities for improvement were identified as a result of the annual user satisfaction surveys in each of the last 10 years.
(246934)
760
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of of 15 December 2008, Official Report, column 400W, on departmental ICT, if he will place a copy in the Library of his Department's business contingency plans referred to in the Answer.
(246935)
761
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of of 15 December 2008, Official Report, column 401W, on departmental ICT, which are the projects which have IT input.
(246936)
762
Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2008, Official Report, column 398W, on departmental data protection, where the data centres are located; who manages them; and what steps have been taken to test their physical security.
(246938)
763
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints about advertisements sponsored or funded by his Department were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in each year from 1997 to 2008; and how many of these were upheld by the ASA in each year.
(246656)
764
Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Health and Safety Executive will publish a response to the guidance on controlling the health risks associated with working with UV tanning equipment consultation.
(246211)
765
Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance has been issued to staff at Jobcentre Plus on whether claimants should be awarded employment and support allowance or jobseeker's allowance; and if he will make a statement.
(246130)
766
Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what targets have been set for Jobcentre Plus offices in relation to (a) jobseeker's allowance and (b) employment and support allowance; and if he will make a statement.
(246131)
767
Tom Levitt (High Peak): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether contractors delivering back-to-work services for jobseeker's allowance claimants will refer non-compliant claimants to Jobcentre Plus before or after a decision is made on whether to impose sanctions on the client.
(246270)
768
N 		Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what (a) methodology and (b) assumptions Jobcentre Plus uses in calculating its national workload forecasts; and if he will make a statement.
(245479)
769
N 		Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library a copy of the most recent version of Jobcentre Plus's Social Fund Work Status Report statistics.
(245480)
770
N 		Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how often Jobcentre Plus updates its national workload forecasts; and what period is covered by each forecast.
(245481)
771
N 		John Mason (Glasgow East): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the (a) cost and (b) administrative expenditure which would be incurred by paying winter fuel payments on a pro-rata basis to those who attain the qualifying age after the qualifying period (i) as a transitional measure in the year 2008-09 and (ii) on average per year from 2008-09.
(246063)
772
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the recommendations of the 2006 Carpenter Report, if he will support a set of core criteria for health and safety pre-qualifications, as a baseline for recognising competences across different pre-qualification schemes.
(246829)
773
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have claimed pension payments from the pension protection fund in (a) Hemel Hempstead and (b) Hertfordshire in each of the last five years.
(246559)
774
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of families in (a) Hemel Hempstead and (b) Hertfordshire who have received benefits as a result of the Government's policy on welfare reform.
(246560)
775
Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies for public access to services.
(246992)
776
Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many journeys (a) he and his predecessors and (b) his officials made by aeroplane in the course of their duties in each of the last five years.
(246672)
777
Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department and its agencies since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.
(246962)
778
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what employment support through Jobcentre Plus has been available to lone parents with children under the age of 12 since the changes to the eligibility rules for income support came into effect in November 2008; what such support will be available to lone parents with (a) children under the age of 10 when the changes to the eligibility rules for income support come into effect in October 2009 and (b) children under the age of seven when the changes to the eligibility rules for income support come into effect in November 2010; and if he will make a statement.
(246547)
779
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which employment service contractors in each region did not have their contract for employment services renewed under each (a) New Deal, (b) Employment Zone and (c) Pathways to Work programme in each of the last eight years; and if he will make a statement.
(246548)
780
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was paid to (a) private and (b) voluntary sector employment service contractors in each region under each (i) New Deal, (ii) Employment Zone and (iii) Pathways to Work programme in each of the last eight years; and if he will make a statement.
(246569)
781
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what employment rates were achieved in each region by (a) private and (b) voluntary sector employment service contractors under each (i) New Deal, (ii) Employment Zone and (iii) Pathways to Work programme in each of the last eight years; and if he will make a statement.
(246570)
782
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons some Child Support Agency cases are processed clerically; and how procedures differ between those cases processed clerically and those processed electronically.
(246578)
783
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what procedures are in place to verify and monitor the accuracy of disability living allowance award entitlement decisions.
(246579)
784
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) average, (b) lowest and (c) highest salary paid to a Jobcentre Plus personal adviser is in each region.
(246580)
785
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many children lived in (a) absolute and (b) relative poverty in each year between 1979 and 1997.
(246581)
786
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) men and (b) women he estimates will begin claiming the basic state pension between the end of the first full week in December 2008 and the end of (i) January and (ii) February 2009.
(246583)
787
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library a copy of (a) the list of responsibilities, (b) the job description and (c) the personal specification used when advertising a Jobcentre Plus personal adviser vacancy.
(246584)
788
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the minimum educational requirements necessary to become a Jobcentre Plus personal adviser are.
(246586)
789
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of Jobcentre Plus staff are paid at the minimum wage rate.
(246587)
790
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average (a) daily, (b) weekly and (c) monthly level of housing benefit claimed per claimant was (i) in total and (ii) in each of the smallest geographical areas for which figures are available, in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
(246594)
791
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) agreed contract employment target, (b) award payment structure per client and (c) names were of each (i) private and (ii) voluntary contractor for each (A) New Deal, (B) Employment Zone and (C) Pathways to Work programme in each region that involved contracting out employment services in each of the last eight years; and if he will make a statement.
(246595)
792
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average processing time was for (a) new housing benefit claims and (b) reassessed housing benefit claims (i) in total and (ii) in each of the smallest geographical areas for which figures are available in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
(246597)
793
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average length of time was for a housing benefit claim to be suspended pending a reassessment following notification of a change of circumstances (a) in total and (b) in each of the smallest geographical areas for which figures are available in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
(246598)
794
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library a list of each Jobcentre Plus office that has closed in each year since 2002, including (a) the full address, (b) the date on which the office closed, (c) a description of the services the office offered and (d) details of the number of staff employed in the office prior to closure, broken down by type of staff; and if he will make a statement.
(246625)
795
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the recent announcement to recruit 6,000 new Jobcentre Plus frontline staff positions includes the retention of those employed to support the introduction of the employment support allowance; and if he will make a statement.
(246626)
796
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much has been allocated to cover the costs of processing applications for each benefit that the Department administers in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.
(246628)
797
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average cost to his Department is of processing a benefit application for each benefit that his Department administers; and if he will make a statement.
(246629)
798
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department's latest projections are for (a) unemployment and (b) claimant count in each month in each of the next three years, (i) in total and (ii) broken down by the lowest possible geographical area for which projections are available.
(246630)
799
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 25 November 2008, Official Report, column 1368W, on the Child Support Agency, if he will place in the Library a copy of the overview of the Child Maintenance Enforcement Commission's policy on negotiating the recovery of debt.
(246631)
800
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples will become eligible for (i) guarantee credit only, (ii) savings credit only and (iii) guarantee and savings credit as a result of the changes to the minimum income guarantee level announced in the Pre-Budget Report; and if he will make a statement.
(246639)
801
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of applicants for employment support allowance have successfully passed the Work Capabilities Assessment since it was introduced; and if he will make a statement.
(246640)
802
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 4 November 2008, Official Report, columns 263-4W, on Jobcentre Plus: manpower, what Jobcentre Plus's latest estimate is of the number of (a) staff and (b) personal advisers there will be in each of the next 12 quarters, broken down into the smallest geographical area for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
(246717)
803
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the cost in real terms to the public purse of paying winter fuel allowance in respect of all children under five in receipt of the higher care component of disability living allowance in each of the next five years.
(246720)
804
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much incapacity benefit was overpaid due to (a) fraud, (b) official error and (c) customer error in each of the last 10 years; and what proportion of the total expenditure on incapacity benefit this represented in each of these years.
(246721)
805
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was spent on working-age recipients of jobseeker's allowance and (b) income support in each of the last 10 years.
(246722)
806
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the additional annual cost to the public purse of uprating the basic state pension in line with earnings from 2010-11.
(246723)
807
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of an annual increase in the earnings limit for carer's allowance of (a) £5, (b) £7.50, (c) £10, (d) £12.50, (e) £15, (f) £17.50, (g) £20, (h) £22.50 and (i) £25 in each of the next six years.
(246724)
808
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of an annual increase in carer's allowance of (a) £3, (b) £4, (c) £5, (d) £6, (e) £7, (f) £8, (g) £9 and (h) £10 a week in each of the next six years.
(246725)
809
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) carers and (b) carers providing more than (i) 20 hours and (ii) 35 hours per week of care are receiving incapacity benefit; and if he will make a statement.
(246752)
810
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) carers and (b) carers providing more than (i) 20 hours and (ii) 35 hours per week of care who are receiving incapacity benefit also have underlying entitlement to carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement.
(246753)
811
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much has been spent on average per claimant on the New Deal for (a) Young People, (b) 25 Plus, (c) 50 Plus, (d) Disabled People, (e) Lone Parents, (f) Partners and (g) Musicians in each year since each scheme was established; and if he will make a statement.
(246790)
812
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 17 September 2008, Official Report, column 2226W, on sight impaired: disability living allowance, how much it would cost to extend the winter fuel payment to the same group of people with severe sight impairment.
(246863)
813
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 17 September 2008, Official Report, column 2226W, on sight impaired: disability living allowance, for what reasons 2010-11 is the earliest date at which the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance could be extended to people registered blind.
(246883)
814
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many unprocessed jobseeker's allowance claims there were in each of the last six months, broken down by (a) region and (b) Jobcentre Plus district; what the average claim processing time was in each case; and if he will make a statement.
(246903)
815
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) planned and (b) actual cost of each IT project completed by his Department and its agencies since 1997 was; what costs have been incurred on IT projects not yet completed; what the estimated cost of each incompleted project is; and if he will make a statement.
(246904)
816
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many jobseeker's allowance claimants there were per Jobcentre Plus (a) staff member and (b) personal adviser in each of the last 12 months, broken down by region; and if he will make a statement.
(246905)
817
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much and what proportion of the Social Fund has been awarded in 2008-09 to date; how much has been awarded in (a) crisis loans, (b) budgeting loans and (c) community care grants; and if he will make a statement.
(246906)
818
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the average sum to be lent under the Lone Parent Transition Loans in the next 12 months; what assessment he has made of the effect on this figure of changes to the eligibility rules for income support; and if he will make a statement.
(246907)
819
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many participants in the New Deal for (a) Young People, (b) 25 Plus, (c) 50 Plus, (d) Disabled People, (e) Lone Parents, (f) Partners and (g) Musicians entered into work for 13 weeks in each (i) quarter and (ii) year since the scheme's inception; what proportion of participants this figure represented in each case; and if he will make a statement.
(246949)
Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
820
Mr Dai Davies (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what recent discussions he has had with power generation companies on the interference of wind power generators with television signal reception.
[Transferred] (246223)
821
Justine Greening (Putney): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what estimate he has made of the proportion of publicly-listed companies which complied with the provisions of the Companies Act 1985 to submit their payment terms to Companies House in the latest period for which figures are available.
[Transferred] (246766)
822
Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what assessment he has made of the impact of next generation broadband on the quality of broadband service available to (a) rural and (b) urban communities; and if he will make a statement.
[Transferred] (246809)
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer
823
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what aviation taxes are imposed on the use of private helicopters.
[Transferred] (246824)
824
Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue has been raised by aviation taxes on the use of private helicopters in each year since 1997.
[Transferred] (246826)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families
825
Mr Mark Field (Cities of London & Westminster): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, whether his recent announcement on the extension of copyright term in principle extends to both performers and producers.
[Transferred] (246695)
Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
826
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what the (a) employment and (b) unemployment rate for (i) women, (ii) men and (iii) people aged (A) 16 to 24, (B) 25 to 34, (C) 35 to 49 and (D) 50 to 60 years educated to degree level was in each month of the last 10 years.
[Transferred] (246577)
827
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many (a) men and (b) women he estimates will reach state pension age between the end of the first full week in December 2008 and the end of (i) January and (ii) February 2009.
[Transferred] (246585)
828
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many people had been claiming jobseeker's allowance for a period of (a) less than one month, (b) less than three months, (c) between three and six months, (d) between six and nine months, (e) between nine and 12 months, (f) between 12 and 18 months, (g) between 18 and 24 months and (h) more than 24 months in each month of each of the last four years to date; and if he will make a statement.
[Transferred] (246627)
829
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many married couples without children are unemployed and in receipt of jobseeker's allowance and are (a) local authority tenants and (b) private tenants (i) in total and (ii) broken down by the smallest geographical area for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
[Transferred] (246632)
830
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many married couple families without children have the head of the family working up to (a) 16 hours a week and (b) 30 hours a week on no more than the national minimum wage, broken down by those that are (i) local authority tenants and (ii) private tenants (A) in total and (B) broken down by the smallest geographical area for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
[Transferred] (246633)
831
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many married couple families with (a) one child and (b) two children are unemployed and in receipt of jobseeker's allowance and are (i) local authority tenants and (ii) private tenants (A) in total and (B) broken down by the smallest geographical area for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
[Transferred] (246634)
832
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many married couple families with (a) one child and (b) two children have the head of the family working (i) 16 hours a week and (ii) 30 hours a week on no more than the national minimum wage, broken down by those that are (A) local authority tenants and (B) private tenants (1) in total and (2) broken down by the smallest geographical area for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
[Transferred] (246635)
833
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many lone parents with (a) one child and (b) two children are unemployed and in receipt of jobseeker's allowance and are (i) local authority tenants and (ii) private tenants (A) in total and (B) broken down by the smallest geographical area for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
[Transferred] (246636)
834
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many lone parents with (a) one child and (b) two children are working up to (i) 16 hours a week and (ii) 30 hours a week on no more than the national minimum wage, broken down by those that are (A) local authority tenants and (B) private tenants (1) in total and (2) broken down by the smallest geographical area for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
[Transferred] (246637)
835
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many single people aged 25 or over are unemployed and in receipt of jobseeker's allowance and are (a) local authority tenants and (b) private tenants (A) in total and (B) broken down by the smallest geographical area for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
[Transferred] (246813)
836
Jenny Willott (Cardiff Central): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many single people aged 25 or over are working an average of (a) 16 hours a week and (b) 30 hours a week on the national minimum wage, broken down by those that are (i) local authority tenants and (ii) private tenants (A) in total and (B) broken down by the smallest geographical area for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
[Transferred] (246814)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence
837
N 		Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Prime Minister's statement of 18 December 2008 on Iraq, what legal protection UK forces will have under either international or Iraqi domestic law if the draft law on the status of UK forces currently before the Iraq Parliament is not brought into effect by 1 January 2009.
[Transferred] (246828)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
838
N 		Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Denmark on the slaughter of dolphins in its territorial waters.
[Transferred] (245885)
839
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 17 November 2008, Official Report, column 97W, on domestic waste: waste disposal, if he will publish the project specification of each of the three EU Interreg programmes listed.
[Transferred] (246941)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
840
N 		Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK personnel are working for the UN assistance mission in Afghanistan.
[Transferred] (246709)
841
Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the compliance of relevant UK (a) legislation and (b) regulations with the requirements of the EU Common Position on defining common rules governing the control of exports of military technology and equipment; and if he will make a statement.
[Transferred] (246129)
Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department
842
N 		James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been convicted of the offence of consuming alcohol in a designated place in each of the last five years.
[Transferred] (246860)
843
N 		James Brokenshire (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been convicted of an offence under section 147A(1)(a) of the Licensing Act 2003 in each year since the offence was created.
[Transferred] (246862)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Justice
844
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he plans to take to improve the engagement between the Counter Terrorism Network and borough command units referred to in paragraph 111 of the Audit Commission report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise.
[Transferred] (246175)
845
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he plans to take to establish the effective local links between partnerships and prisons and probation services referred to in paragraph 112 of the Audit Commission report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise.
[Transferred] (246176)
846
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to increase engagement between neighbourhood policing teams, council officers delivering frontline services and local communities, as suggested in paragraph 117 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise.
[Transferred] (246197)
847
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he plans to take to ensure that all neighbourhood policing teams are provided with sufficient (a) briefing and (b) awareness-raising training on extremism and terrorism, as mentioned in paragraph 118 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise.
[Transferred] (246198)
848
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what response he plans to make to the Audit Commission's recommendation that reliable information flows between councils and police forces serving similar communities across the UK be developed, as contained in paragraph 75 of its November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise.
[Transferred] (246199)
849
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what response he plans to make to the Audit Commission's recommendation that the Security Service, the Association of Chief Police Officers and regional government offices develop an agreed structure for information sharing at an appropriate level between the police, councils and other partners, referred to on page 22 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise.
[Transferred] (246201)
850
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he plans to take to ensure that partnerships (a) regularly reassess their readiness to cope with a counter-terrrorism operation in their area and (b) ensure that learning from experiences elsewhere is incorporated in their consequence management arrangement, as recommended on page 28 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise.
[Transferred] (246202)
851
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he plans to take to ensure that information held by the security services, police counter-terrorism specialists and the Counter Terrorism Network is shared more effectively with local councils and Basic Command Unit commanders in response to the recommendation at paragraph 20 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise.
[Transferred] (246203)
852
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he plans to take to ensure that police services provide targeted assistance to people who are at risk of falling under the influence of extremism, as referred to in paragraph 36 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise.
[Transferred] (246233)
853
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans (a) his Department and (b) his Department's Research Information and Communications Unit have to respond to the recommendation on page 13 of the Audit Commission's November 2008 report Preventing Violent Extremism: Learning and Development Exercise on using the experience of small partnerships.
[Transferred] (246234)
Questions to the Leader of the House
854
Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury): To ask the Leader of the House, how much has been overpaid on pensions to former hon. Members during the last three financial years; what the reasons were for this overpayment; and whether the amount overpaid will be recovered from recipients.
[Transferred] (246277)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport
855
Robert Neill (Bromley & Chislehurst): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield of 19 November 2008, Official Report, columns 509-10W, on local authorities: debt collection, whether the powers for local authorities to use certified bailiffs to collect unpaid parking fines existed prior to the introduction of the 2007 regulations.
[Transferred] (246948)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
856
Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has held discussions with European Union counterparts on sun tanning equipment safety issues in the last two years; and if he will make a statement.
[Transferred] (246159)

 
contents
 
House of Commons home page Houses of Parliament home page House of Lords home page search page enquiries
© Parliamentary copyright 2009
Revised 12 January 2009