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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Wednesday 14 January 2009
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Wednesday 14 January 2009
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 14 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 Wednesday 14 January of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Wednesday 14 January see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 1
| Mr Richard Benyon (Newbury): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, when UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation staff last received a pay increase. | | (247764) | 2
| Mr Richard Benyon (Newbury): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what the maximum amount is that UK Trade and Investment senior staff can authorise to be spent on a consultant without making a full business case for doing so. | | (247765) | 3
| Mr Richard Benyon (Newbury): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how much the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation spent on external consultants in the last 12 months. | | (247766) | 4
| Mr Richard Benyon (Newbury): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation civilian posts advertised since 2 April 2008 have attracted no suitable applicants; and how many such appointments were refused by a successful applicant. | | (247767) | 5
| Mr Richard Benyon (Newbury): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation staff have applied for early release under the Ministry of Defence 2008 Early Severance Scheme. | | (247768) | 6
| Lorely Burt (Solihull): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many of the 100,000 jobs the Government expects to be created early this year are expected to arise in the construction industry. | | (247820) | 7
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many post office services are accommodated in church buildings; and where each is located. | | (248148) | 8
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what recent discussions he has had with the Competition Commission on its proposals to (a) strengthen the code of practice in the grocery sector and (b) set up an ombudsman. | | (248241) | 9
N | Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what recent discussions he has had with pubcos on their policy in providing discounts on beer sold to (a) traditional pubs and (b) supermarkets. | | (247159) | 10
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how much his Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years. | | (247924) | 11
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants in his Department received coaching in a foreign language in the last 12 months; what expenditure his Department incurred in providing such coaching; and in what languages such coaching was provided. | | (248069) | 12
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what the cost to the public purse of hotel accommodation for (a) the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and (b) his special advisers was for the three day tour that was undertaken between 7 and 9 January 2009; and which hotels (i) he and (ii) his special advisers stayed in during the tour. | | (247941) | 13
| John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will provide credit guarantee support for the purchase of vehicles to provide support for the motor industry. | | (248019) | 14
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many members of staff in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to his Department in each year since 1997. | | (248248) | 15
N | Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what the (a) total and (b) staffing cost of the Caio Review was. | | (247434) | 16
| Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, when the Secretary of State plans to reply to the letter of 14 November 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on Brother E Egan. | | (247867) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 17
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made in each month since June 2008 of the likely effects on small businesses as a result of the downturn in the economy; what assistance he plans to give during the next 12 months to small businesses; what representations he has received on this issue; from whom; what response he gave; and if he will make a statement. | | (247992) | 18
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the loss to the economy caused by the insolvency of (a) large and (b) medium-sized businesses during the 2008-09 financial year; which businesses declared themselves insolvent during this period; and if he will make a statement. | | (247993) | 19
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment has been made of the effect on the economy of recent changes to value added tax rates; what recent representations he has received on this issue; from whom; what responses he gave; and if he will make a statement. | | (247994) | 20
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of recent changes in the value of the pound against (a) the US dollar and (b) the euro on the UK (i) economy and (ii) tourist industry; and if he will make a statement. | | (247995) | 21
| Lorely Burt (Solihull): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he plans to take to ensure that the £3 billion capital spending which is being brought forward results in construction activity; and which projects will receive a portion of such funds. | | (247821) | 22
| Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the annual savings accruing to HM Revenue and Customs as a result of the closure of its Haverfordwest office. | | (247839) | 23
| Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the costs of closing the Haverfordwest HM Revenue and Customs office and relocating staff. | | (247843) | 24
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what restrictions he has put in place to prevent the payment of bonuses to bankers who work for those institutions in which the Government has a majority stake. | | (248145) | 25
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will publish the names of those on the inter-departmental working group set up to look into the repair of church buildings and the bodies they represent. | | (248146) | 26
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to issue a report on funding assistance for the repair of church buildings. | | (248147) | 27
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department's tests for potential entry to the euro were last used to make an assessment; and when the Government next plans to reassess performance against the tests. | | (248190) | 28
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the International Monetary Fund on its assessment of (a) public and (b) private debt in the UK. | | (248191) | 29
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons the HM Revenue and Customs website does not give a postal address for complaints. | | (248231) | 30
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much his Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years. | | (247923) | 31
| Justine Greening (Putney): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of (a) the total tonnage of waste and (b) the revenue from landfill tax on waste sent to landfill in (i) 2006, (ii) 2007 and (iii) 2008, broken down by (A) non-recyclable materials and (B) recyclable material in the form of (1) glass, (2) paper, (3) plastics, (4) organic waste, (5) wood, (6) metals, (7) textiles and (8) electronic items. | | (248046) | 32
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much of the projected expenditure on public sector pensions shown in table 4.1 of the Long-term Public Finance Report he expects will be financed from employee contributions. | | (247951) | 33
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which public sector pension schemes' (a) liabilities are included in box 4.3 and (b) expenditure is included in the projections in table 4.1 of the 2008 Long-term Public Finance Report. | | (247952) | 34
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) start and (b) end date of the 50-year period is over which he estimated that reforms to the Civil Service, NHS and teachers' pension schemes would save £13 billion. | | (247953) | 35
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discount rate was used to estimate the net present value of savings from reforms to the Civil Service, NHS and teachers' pension schemes. | | (247958) | 36
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the net present value of savings made by reforms to (a) the Police Pension Scheme, (b) the Armed Forces Pension Scheme and (c) the Firefighters' Pension Scheme on the same basis as he estimated that reforms to the Civil Service, NHS and teachers' pension schemes would save £13 billion over 50 years. | | (247962) | 37
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what changes to the number of active members in (a) the NHS Pension Scheme, (b) the Teachers' Pension Scheme, (c) the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme, (d) the Armed Forces Pension Scheme and (e) the Police Pension Scheme are assumed to take place over the projection period shown in table 4.1 of the 2008 Long-term Public Finance Report. | | (247968) | 38
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will break down the projected public expenditure on public service pensions shown in table 4.1 of the 2008 Long-term Public Finance Report to show expenditure attributable to (a) benefits already accrued and (b) future benefits on the same basis as in box 5.1 of the 2006 Long-term Public Finance Report. | | (247969) | 39
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assumed mortality rates for members of public sector pension schemes were used to calculate the figures in table 4.1 of the 2008 Long-term Public Finance Report; and whether these differ from the assumed rates underpinning population projections. | | (247971) | 40
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what average life expectancy was assumed for (a) male and (b) female members of the (i) NHS Pension Scheme, (ii) Teachers' Pension Scheme, (iii) Principal Civil Servants Pension Scheme and (iv) Armed Forces Pension Scheme aged 65 in (A) 2007, (B) 2017, (C) 2027, (D) 2037, (E) 2047 and (F) 2057 in calculating the figures in table 4.1 of the March 2008 Long-term Public Finance Report. | | (247973) | 41
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what average life expectancy was assumed for (a) male and (b) female members of the Police Pension Scheme aged 65 in (i) 2007, (ii) 2017, (iii) 2027, (iv) 2037, (v) 2047 and (vi) 2057 when calculating the figures in table 4.1 of the March 2008 Long-term Public Finance Report. | | (247977) | 42
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what differences there are between the assumptions on in-service mortality for members of public sector pension schemes underpinning the figures in table 5.1 of the 2006 Long-term Public Finance Report and those underpinning the figures in table 4.1 of the 2008 Long-term Public Finance Report. | | (247980) | 43
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer to the hon. Member for Yeovil of 31 October 2006, Official Report, column 317W, on public sector pensions, how he calculated the net present value of savings over a 50-year period without first estimating the savings that would be achieved in each year. | | (248012) | 44
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants in his Department received coaching in a foreign language in the last 12 months; what expenditure his Department incurred in providing such coaching; and in what languages such coaching was provided. | | (248072) | 45
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many withdrawals per 10,000 members of staff were assumed for (a) males and (b) females aged (i) 25, (ii) 30, (iii) 35, (iv) 40, (v) 45, (vi) 50, (vii) 55 and (viii) 60 in compiling table 4.1 of the 2008 Long-term Public Finance Report; and whether the same assumptions were used for members of each pension scheme. | | (248121) | 46
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assumption on salary inflation underpins the figures in table 4.1 of the 2008 Long-term Public Finance Report. | | (248122) | 47
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assumption on salary progression above salary inflation for (a) males and (b) females underpins the estimates of public sector pension costs in table 4.1 of the 2008 Long-term Public Finance Report; and whether different assumptions were used in respect of members of different pension schemes. | | (248123) | 48
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what allowance was made for the implementation of Agenda for Change and the new contracts for GPs and hospital consultants when assuming rates of salary progression in order to calculate the figures in table 4.1 of the Long-term Public Finance Report. | | (248124) | 49
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what changes were made to the assumed new entrant profiles for (a) the NHS Pension Scheme, (b) the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme, (c) the Teachers' Pension Scheme, (d) the Armed Forces Pension Scheme and (e) the Police Pension Scheme, taking account of (i) age, (ii) sex and (iii) salary at recruitment affecting the assumptions underpinning the projected public service pension costs in table 5.1 of the 2006 Long-term Public Finance Report and table 4.1 of the 2008 Long-term Public Finance Report. | | (248202) | 50
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assumed rates of ill-health retirement for (a) males and (b) females at ages (i) 25, (ii) 30, (iii) 35, (iv) 40, (v) 45, (vi) 50, (vii) 55 and (viii) 60 underpin projections for expenditure on public sector pensions in table 4.1 of the 2008 Long-term Public Finance Report. | | (248203) | 51
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assumptions were made about (a) the terms on which members of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme will be able to commute pension for tax-free cash, (b) the proportion who take the maximum cash available and (c) the extent to which other members use commutation options for the projected expenditure on public sector pensions detailed in table 4.1 of the 2008 Long-term Public Finance Report. | | (248204) | 52
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the mortality rates assumed to apply to existing active, deferred and pension members of public sector pension schemes in order to calculate the figures in table 4.1 of the Long-term Public Finance Report are the same as those used to estimate the stock of liabilities in box 4.3. | | (248211) | 53
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assumptions were made about (a) the proportion of members in public sector pension schemes who are in relationships that could potentially give rise to a survivors's pension and (b) the average age difference between pension scheme members and their potential survivors in compiling the figures in table 4.1 of the March 2008 Long-term Public Finance Report. | | (248212) | 54
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his estimate that reforms to the Civil Service, NHS and teachers' pension schemes would deliver savings with a net present value of £13 billion over 50 years is expressed in 2008 prices. | | (248213) | 55
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the age at retirement assumptions underpinning the projected public sector pension costs in table 4.1 of the 2008 Long-Term Public Finance Report are the same as those underpinning table 5.1 of the 2006 Long-Term Public Finance Report. | | (248214) | 56
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the earnings growth assumptions used to calculate the public service pension costs shown in table 4.1 of the 2008 Long-term Public Finance Report are the same as those underpinning the equivalent figures in the 2006 Long-term Public Finance Report. | | (248235) | 57
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether assumptions about rates of ill-health retirement amongst members of public service pension schemes underpinning table 4.1 of the 2008 Long-Term Public Finance Report are the same as those underpinning table 5.1 of the 2006 Long-Term Public Finance Report. | | (248236) | 58
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the figures in table 4.1 of the 2008 Long-Term Public Finance Report assume that members of public sector pension schemes who retire owing to ill-health experience the same mortality rates as other members. | | (248237) | 59
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many members of staff in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to his Department in each year since 1997. | | (248252) | 60
| Stewart Hosie (Dundee East): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was owed to the Public Works Loans Board at the end of each of the last five financial years by (a) the Scottish Executive and (b) parish councils in England. | | (248042) | 61
| Stewart Hosie (Dundee East): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was lent by the Public Works Loans Board to (a) the Scottish Executive and (b) parish councils in England in each of the last five financial years. | | (248043) | 62
| Stewart Hosie (Dundee East): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was paid to the Public Works Loans Board by (a) the Scottish Executive and (b) parish councils in England in each of the last five years. | | (248044) | 63
N | Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) total and (b) staffing cost of the Gowers Review of intellectual property was. | | (247436) | 64
N | Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) total and (b) staffing cost of the Cox Review of creativity in business was. | | (247437) | 65
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to announce changes to the Government's policy on income tax before the forthcoming Budget. | | (247964) | 66
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Government's policy on bank recapitalisation on the stability of the pound. | | (248132) | 67
| John Penrose (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to reply to the letters of 15 October 2008 and 9 December 2008 from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare on his constituent Mr Ian Wild. | | (248020) | 68
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the potential liability to the public purse of guaranteeing the deposits of UK citizens in the Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander Isle of Man bank for (a) all deposits, (b) deposits up to £50,000 and (c) deposits up to £100,000. | | (247844) | 69
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take urgent steps to protect UK citizens who had deposits in Isle of Man banks. | | (247845) | 70
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to protect investors who originally banked with the Derbyshire Building Society but who subsequently found themselves customers of Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander Isle of Man bank. | | (247846) | 71
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many UK citizens he estimates have lost their savings as a result of the collapse of Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander Isle of Man bank. | | (247847) | 72
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Isle of Man authorities on UK citizens' savings that were deposited with Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander Isle of Man bank. | | (247848) | 73
N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families claimed children's tax credit for 2002-03; if he will estimate the number of families who were eligible for the credit in that year; what the last date is on which claims for that year may be submitted; and if he will make a statement. | | (247170) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 74
| Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, of those pupils achieving A* and A grades at GCSE, how many were at (a) comprehensive, (b) independent and (c) grammar schools in each of the last five years for which figures are available. | | (247780) | 75
| Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what percentage of those pupils studying GCSE physics were at (a) comprehensive, (b) independent and (c) grammar schools in each of the last five years for which figures are available. | | (247781) | 76
| Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what percentage of those pupils studying GCSE chemistry were at (a) comprehensive, (b) independent and (c) grammar schools in each of the last five years for which figures are available. | | (247782) | 77
| Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what percentage of those pupils studying GCSE biology were at (a) comprehensive, (b) independent and (c) grammar schools in each of the last five years for which figures are available. | | (247784) | 78
| Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what percentage of those pupils taking the further mathematics GCSE were at (a) comprehensive, (b) independent and (c) grammar schools in each of the last five years for which figures are available. | | (247785) | 79
| Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, of those who achieved (a) A* and A and (b) A* to C grades at GCSE in (i) physics, (ii) biology, (iii) chemistry and (iv) further mathematics, what percentage were studying at (A) comprehensive, (B) independent and (C) grammar schools in each of the last five years. | | (247793) | 80
| Lorely Burt (Solihull): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many new schools he estimates will be opened by March (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011 and (d) 2012 through the (i) Building Schools for the Future programme, (b) Further Education programme and (c) Primary Education programme; and how these estimates differ from those made before the announcement of capital spending being brought forward made in the Pre-Budget Report. | | (247840) | 81
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many headteachers have been suspended for (a) three to six months, (b) six to nine months and (c) more than a year in the latest period for which figures are available. | | (248156) | 82
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on the suspension of (a) headteachers and (b) other teaching staff; and what grounds he has to intervene when such guidance has not been followed. | | (248157) | 83
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, which schools built under the Building Schools for the Future programme (a) have and (b) have not included sprinkler systems as part of the build. | | (248163) | 84
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many established child protection officer posts there are in each local authority; and how many child protection officers each local authority employed at the latest date for which figures are available. | | (248164) | 85
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, in what circumstances Ofsted may be required to inspect a school in the event of a suspension of a headteacher or other senior staff. | | (248165) | 86
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what duty local authorities have to report the suspensions of head teachers to his Department. | | (248166) | 87
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what powers his Department has to investigate the suspension of head teachers or other senior staff; and on what occasions such powers have been exercised in the last three years. | | (248167) | 88
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many overdue education maintenance allowance payments there were at the latest date for which figures are available; and when he expects all overdue payments to have been made. | | (248197) | 89
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many serious case reviews have been received by his Department in each year since their introduction, broken down by local authority; and if he will make a statement. | | (247814) | 90
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much his Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years. | | (247922) | 91
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, by what means his Department monitors and records the number of racially-triggered events occurring in schools; how many such events there were in maintained schools in Norfolk in the last 12 months; what steps he is taking to reduce the number of such events in the future; and if he will make a statement. | | (247763) | 92
| Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what reservations his Department is seeking to enter in relation to the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement. | | (248194) | 93
| John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, pursuant to his statement of 11 December 2008, Official Report, column 777, on serious case review numbers, when he expects to provide the information referred to. | | (247790) | 94
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many members of staff in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to his Department in each year since its inception. | | (248250) | 95
| Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what assessment he has made of the extent to which teacher training courses facilitates the use of fieldwork as a teaching method in schools. | | (247955) | 96
| Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps he is taking to improve the confidence of (a) science teachers and (b) geography teachers in using fieldwork. | | (247956) | 97
| Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, if his Department will commission research to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the state of fieldwork in secondary science education for 14 to 19 year olds. | | (247957) | 98
| Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, when he plans to reply to the letter of 17 November 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on Mrs R Campion. | | (247866) | 99
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps the Government has taken to protect children in schools from abuse in the last 12 months. | | (247934) | 100
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what steps he plans to take to assist social workers in protecting children. | | (247943) | 101
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what plans he has to amend the primary education syllabus to reduce the workload of (a) children and (b) teachers. | | (248134) | 102
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what risks have been identified in Key Stage 2 test administration in 2009; and if he will make a statement | | (248015) | 103
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what powers were (a) requested by and (b) granted to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in relation to the oversight of the 2009 Key Stage 2 tests; and if he will make a statement. | | (248016) | 104
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what plans he has to develop a national curriculum for religious education; and if he will make a statement. | | (248017) | 105
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many young people entitled to the education maintenance allowance received no payments between 1 September 2008 and 31 December 2008; and if he will make a statement. | | (248021) | 106
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many education maintenance allowance claims have yet to be processed; and if he will make a statement. | | (248022) | 107
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many education maintenance allowance claims have been lost since (a) 1 September 2008 and (b) 1 December 2008; and if he will make a statement. | | (248023) | 108
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what risks the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has identified in Key Stage 2 test delivery in 2009; and if he will make a statement. | | (248150) | 109
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much has been spent on children's centres in Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council area in the last 12 months. | | (247818) | 110
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the minimum age at which a child may be left alone is. | | (247822) | 111
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many places there were in maintained special schools in each of the last 10 years, broken down by local authority. | | (247853) | 112
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many and what percentage of inmates in young offender institutions have special educational needs. | | (247854) | 113
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many representations his Department has received on the closure of special schools since its inception. | | (247855) | 114
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what percentage of inmates in young offender institutions previously had looked-after status in each of the last 10 years. | | (247856) | 115
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many and what percentage of children's homes did not meet the national standards for care homes on the latest date for which figures are available. | | (247857) | 116
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many pupils at pupil referral units did not achieve an A*-G grade at GCSE in either English or mathematics in the most recent year for which records are available. | | (247858) | 117
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of initial assessments for children who may be at risk were carried out by care services within seven working days in the most recent year for which data is available. | | (247859) | 118
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many maintained special schools (a) opened and (b ) closed in 2007-08, broken down by local authority; and how many of those which opened were new builds. | | (247860) | 119
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the planned net expenditure on the provision of education for pupils with special educational needs is in each local authority for 2008-09. | | (247861) | 120
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many (a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) special schools have (i) two to four per cent., (ii) four to six per cent., (iii) six to eight per cent., (iv) eight to 10 per cent. and (v) more than 10 per cent. of its pupils in care. | | (247862) | 121
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, with reference to the Answer of 11 November 2008, Official Report, columns 1081-2W, on young people: antisocial behaviour, who will conduct the independent national evaluation; what procedure will be used to appoint the evaluator; and when the evaluation will be complete. | | (247863) | 122
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, with reference to the Statement of 20 November 2008, Official Report, column 376, on safeguarding children, who supplied him with the professional advice he was given regarding the publication of the serious case review. | | (247864) | 123
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2008, Official Report, column 1114W, on children: protection, how many representations concerning child protection his Department has referred to the Commission for Social Care Inspection or Ofsted since its inception. | | (247865) | 124
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what peer-designed materials are used within schools to ensure young people are aware of the implications of alcohol abuse. | | (247666) | 125
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many local education authorities have encouraged schools to use the Expect Respect education toolkit. | | (247668) | 126
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what guidance his Department has provided to local education authorities on use of the Expect Respect education toolkit. | | (247669) | 127
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what tendering process was undertaken by his Department before contracting the National Centre for Social Research to conduct research on forced marriage; which organisations were (a) informed of and (b) invited to tender for the contract; and what the (i) cost, (ii) timetable and (iii) terms of reference of the research are. | | (247671) | 128
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on child trafficking. | | (247672) | 129
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many children have gone missing from local authority care homes in each local authority in the last five years. | | (247673) | Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 130
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what the percentage change in the rate of conceptions among girls aged under (a) 18 and (b) 16 years in (i) Southend and (ii) Essex has been since 2004. | | (247753) | 131
N | Mr Douglas Carswell (Harwich): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what steps the Government is taking to support charities in the economic downturn. | | (246362) | 132
N | Mr Douglas Carswell (Harwich): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what assessment he has made of the effects on the third sector of his Department's strategies for commissioning public services. | | (246363) | 133
N | Mr Douglas Carswell (Harwich): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of his Department's policies designed to support volunteering. | | (246364) | 134
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what discussions has he had with representatives of the voluntary sector on the effect of the current economic situation on their activities. | | (248007) | 135
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how much his Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years. | | (248045) | 136
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what the cost of the Cabinet visit to Leeds was; and what the cost of (a) staff time, (b) staff travel, (c) staff accommodation, (d) Ministerial travel, (e) Ministerial accommodation, (f) hire and additional costs of venue, (g) publicity, (h) security and (i) cost associated Ministerial visits. | | (248039) | 137
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what the cost of the Cabinet visit to Liverpool was; and what the cost of (a) staff time, (b) staff travel, (c) staff accommodation, (d) Ministerial travel, (e) Ministerial accommodation, (f) hire and additional costs of venue, (g) publicity, (h) security and (i) associated Ministerial visits was. | | (248040) | 138
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many members of staff in (a) his Department and (b) the Prime Minister's Office have been (i) investigated, (ii) suspended and (iii) dismissed for losing (A) memory sticks, (B) laptop computers, (C) desktop computers and (D) mobile telephones in each year since 1997. | | (248259) | 139
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, whether he plans to repeat the data mash up competition Show Us a Better Way in 2009. | | (248188) | 140
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how much the (a) Futurebuilders fund, (b) Adventure Capital fund, (c) Community Builders fund and (d) Unltd have disbursed to social enterprises and social entrepreneurs since each was established. | | (248215) | 141
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many social enterprises were established during 2008. | | (248219) | 142
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many social enterprises have (a) been established and (b) ceased operating since 1997. | | (248220) | 143
| Mr Edward Timpson (Crewe & Nantwich): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what representations the Crewe Survey of the Duchy has received on the future of Crewe railway station. | | (248041) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 144
| Lorely Burt (Solihull): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many social rented homes she expects to be built in (a) 2009 and (b) 2010; and whether such homes will be built to Code Level Three. | | (247837) | 145
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the progress made in meeting the targets for Decent Homes; whether she expects the 2010 target to be met in respect of (a) Waltham Forest and (b) Redbridge; and if she will make a statement. | | (247982) | 146
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many responses she received to her Department's recent consultation on community land trusts; who the respondents were; and when she plans to bring forward proposals on (a) regulation and (b) funding of community land trusts. | | (248181) | 147
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to publish the Audit Commission's comprehensive performance assessment reports for 2006 on fire and rescue services in England. | | (248182) | 148
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to increase (a) the availability of and (b) access to affordable housing in rural areas. | | (248183) | 149
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the effect on rural communities of the Vital Villages programme. | | (248184) | 150
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what monitoring her Department carries out of the implementation and practice of whistleblowing policies by local authorities; and if she will make a statement. | | (247816) | 151
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has issued on whistleblowing policy in relation to individuals working in child protection in local authorities; and if she will make a statement. | | (247817) | 152
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much her Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years. | | (248033) | 153
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many members of staff in her Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to her Department in each year since its inception. | | (248245) | 154
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to buy stocks of land for social housing in the current economic situation. | | (248127) | 155
N | Anne Milton (Guildford): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many people have responded to the South East Plan proposals (a) via the website of the Government Office for the South East and (b) via the official consultation form. | | (247169) | 156
N | Anne Milton (Guildford): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many responses to the South East Plan have been received from addresses in the Guildford Borough Council area. | | (247178) | 157
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many Fire Service personnel there were in each year since 1997. | | (247686) | 158
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many fire engines there were in operation in each year since 1997. | | (247687) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 159
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, where those offices established to advise on the maintenance and repair of church buildings will be located. | | (248228) | 160
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps (a) his Department and (b) English Heritage are taking to assist church maintenance pilot projects in the dioceses of (a) Gloucester and (b) London. | | (248229) | 161
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he plans to take to assist voluntary organisations in applying for Heritage Lottery Fund grants. | | (248230) | 162
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much his Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years. | | (247914) | 163
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many members of staff in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to his Department in each year since 1997. | | (248246) | 164
N | Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the cost of the Creative Britain Review was to his Department; what financial contributions were made by other Government departments; and what what staff costs were involved. | | (247435) | 165
N | Mr Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the (a) total and (b) staffing cost of the Convergence Think Tank and its seminars was. | | (247438) | 166
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his policy is on the provision of naturist beaches. | | (248130) | 167
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he will reply to the hon. Member for Luton South's letter of 10 July 2008 about Mr R. Fisk of Luton. | | (247675) | 168
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what reports he has received on the expected level of tourism to the UK in April 2009. | | (247740) | 169
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many items of correspondence he has received on (a) St George's Day and (b) St Patrick's Day in the last 12 months. | | (247741) | 170
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much his Department spent on (a) St George's Day, (b) St Patrick's Day, (c) St David's Day and (d) St Andrew's Day celebrations in each year since 1997. | | (247742) | 171
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans his Department has to promote St George's Day in 2009. | | (247743) | 172
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much public funding is available from his Department to groups wishing to celebrate St George's Day. | | (247744) | 173
| Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much of the Heritage Lottery Fund has been allocated to preserving historic churches in each of the last five years. | | (247833) | 174
| Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment he has made of the long-term sustainability of historic churches; and if he will make a statement. | | (247834) | 175
| Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the reduction of the Heritage Lottery Fund's available funds on grants to church buildings; and if he will make a statement. | | (247835) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 176
| Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. | | (248118) | 177
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he made of the utility of Dragon Runner to his Department's operation; whether his Department has allocated funds to purchase Dragon Runners; and if he will make a statement. | | (247849) | 178
N | Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the deployment of armed forces to (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan has cost in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) each year since 2003-04; and what projection he has made of the cost in 2009-10. | | (246932) | 179
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what regiments are based in Afghanistan; and where they are situated. | | (248158) | 180
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many individuals over the age of 50 years are serving in the Army, broken down by (a) regiment and (b) rank. | | (248159) | 181
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many hon. Members have visited (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan in circumstances where his Department assisted in the visit in the last three years; on what dates such visits took place; and what the purpose was of each visit. | | (248160) | 182
N | Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what military facilities are being made available for the storage of (a) domestic waste and (b) paper for recycling. | | (247161) | 183
| Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many aircraft in the Hercules C-130 fleet are currently unfit for operational use; and if he will make a statement. | | (248052) | 184
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the resilience to nuclear accidents of the proposed main process facility for assembling and dis-assembling nuclear warheads at AWE Burghfield. | | (248173) | 185
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Tucano aircraft are in service with the Royal Air Force; and what plans have been made to manage the retirement of the fleet. | | (248174) | 186
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what upgrades were made to Brimstone air to surface missiles during 2008; and what further upgrades his Department has planned. | | (248175) | 187
| Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what reservations his Department is seeking to make in relation to the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement. | | (248192) | 188
| Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the (a) coverage and (b) accuracy of radar monitoring of rainfall for catchment areas of (i) rivers in England and (ii) the River Severn by the Met Office; and if he will make a statement. | | (248201) | 189
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of staff in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to his Department in each year since 1997. | | (248244) | 190
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many former servicemen and women are homeless in (a) London and (b) North Yorkshire. | | (247726) | 191
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what facilities are provided to former servicemen and women with post-combat stress disorder living in (a) London and (b) North Yorkshire. | | (247727) | 192
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many veterans have been treated for post-combat stress disorder in each of the last three years in (a) London and (b) North Yorkshire. | | (247728) | 193
N | Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what consideration has been given to the deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles from the future aircraft carriers. | | (247172) | 194
N | Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what timescale his Department has set for the transfer of the Merlin helicopter from operations in Iraq to Afghanistan. | | (247443) | 195
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Royal Navy currently stations any vessels in the British Antarctic Territory. | | (248003) | 196
| David Wright (Telford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what level of new apprenticeships the Defence Support Group plans to commission at Donnington, Shropshire in 2009; and what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on expanding the programme to support West Midlands manufacturing in the current economic climate. | | (247774) | 197
| David Wright (Telford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Warrior Fightability and Lethality Improvement Programme on the Defence Support Group; and what partnering arrangements are being considered. | | (247775) | 198
| David Wright (Telford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what procurement arrangements have been made for the Warrior Fightability and Lethality Improvement Programme; and if he will make a statement. | | (247776) | 199
| David Wright (Telford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the synergy study on the Defence Support Group will be published. | | (247777) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 200
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many (a) planned and (b) unplanned power cuts there have been in (i) Stroud constituency, (ii) Gloucestershire and (iii) England in each of the last five years; what the average number of power cuts in each county in England was in each of those years; and if he will make a statement. | | (248137) | 201
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which body is responsible for the maintenance of power lines in Gloucestershire; and how many (a) repairs, (b) upgrades and (c) scheduled maintenance visits were made in (i) Gloucestershire and (ii) Stroud constituency in each of the last five years. | | (248138) | 202
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate he has made of the costs to the public purse of building the Severn Barrage in the event of all funding being provided from that source. | | (248168) | 203
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much his Department's central media and communication unit has spent on public surveys since its inception. | | (247915) | 204
N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many ponies are working in mining enterprises. | | (247512) | 205
| Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when he plans to reply to the letter of 27 October 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on Mrs Doreen Henley, transferred to him by the Prime Minister. | | (247852) | 206
| John Penrose (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when he plans to reply to the letters of 14 October 2008 and 28 November 2008 from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare on behalf of his constituent, Mrs Marion Woore. | | (248006) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 207
| Mr John Baron (Billericay): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been spent on (a) maintaining, (b) decorating and (c) otherwise improving departmental buildings in the last five years; how much has been spent on wallpaper since 2001; and what plans there are for further spending on departmental decoration. | | (248053) | 208
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many hon. Members have written to (a) his Department and (b) Ofwat to complain about water companies charging schools, places of worship and community buildings based upon the surface water drainage use, compared to the previous system of flexible charges. | | (248149) | 209
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions has he has had with Ofwat on its decision to encourage water companies to charge schools, places of worship and community buildings according to site area. | | (248151) | 210
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to bring forward proposals to assist the rural community buildings network; and what funding is being made available to the networks. | | (248152) | 211
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what powers he proposes the Marine Management Organisation should have in relation to the authorisation of (a) coastal barrages and (b) other large capital projects which will affect the marine environment. | | (248185) | 212
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the economic downturn on employment opportunities in rural areas; and if he will make a statement. | | (248186) | 213
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, by what means his Department advises other Government departments on rural proofing. | | (248187) | 214
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assistance his Department has made available to local authorities which have decided to develop biogas projects. | | (248207) | 215
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has for further review of the effects of the policies set out in the Rural White Paper on rural communities. | | (248208) | 216
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he expects Gloucestershire County Council to provide its full business case for its waste strategy. | | (248209) | 217
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps have been taken by (a) his Department and (b) the Commission for Rural Communities to measure (i) community involvement and (ii) community activity in rural areas. | | (248210) | 218
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress has been made towards distinguishing between vaccinated and infected (a) cattle and (b) wildlife in relation to bovine tuberculosis. | | (248221) | 219
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made towards establishing a team to manage the implementation of the badger vaccine deployment project. | | (248222) | 220
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the timetable is for the transfer of private sewers and drains in England and Wales to the ownership of the statutory water and sewerage companies. | | (248242) | 221
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many claims were made under the single farm payment scheme in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007. | | (247175) | 222
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the administrative cost of processing an individual claim under the single farm payment scheme was in the latest period for which figures are available. | | (247176) | 223
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many claims of under (a) £5, (b) £10, (c) £20, (d) £50, (e) £150, (f) £200, (g) £250 and (h) £400 were made under the single farm payment scheme in 2007. | | (247177) | 224
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been paid in Landfill Tax by each London authority in each year since its introduction in 2002; and if he will make a statement. | | (247811) | 225
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much his Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years. | | (248030) | 226
| Justine Greening (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the cost of setting up the planned Marine Management Organisation headquarters in each of the short-listed locations. | | (247909) | 227
| Justine Greening (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he expects to announce the decision on the location of the headquarters for the Marine Management Organisation. | | (247910) | 228
| Justine Greening (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria will be used in deciding the location of the headquarters for the Marine Management Organisation; and what weight will be given to the desirability of a coastal location. | | (247911) | 229
| Justine Greening (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of potential (a) job losses, (b) voluntary redundancy payments and (c) involuntary redundancy payments at the Marine and Fisheries Agency following its replacement by the Marine Management Organisation. | | (247912) | 230
| Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of regular local flooding on the sustainability of communities; and if he will make a statement. | | (248200) | 231
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many members of staff in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to his Department in each year since 1997. | | (248253) | 232
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect marine wildlife and promote biodiversity in the British Antarctic Territory. | | (247700) | 233
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made under the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels to help reduce the numbers of seabird deaths caused by longline fishing in the British Antarctic Territory; and whether the treaty covers other British Overseas Territories in the region. | | (247707) | 234
| Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations he has had seeking an exemption for churches, charities and community groups from surface area water charges; and if he will make a statement. | | (247769) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 235
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the seminar on stem cell research organised by the British Embassy in Israel on 26 and 27 March 2008; and if he will make a statement. | | (247756) | 236
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what files his Department holds on the seminar on stem cell research organised by the British Embassy in Israel on 26 and 27 March 2008; and if he will make a statement. | | (247757) | 237
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he (a) has had since July 2008 and (b) plans to have with EU counterparts on levels of anti-Semitism in (i) Ukraine and (ii) Russia; and if he will make a statement. | | (247758) | 238
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the government of Ukraine on (a) levels of anti-Semitism and (b) anti-Semitic (i) organisations and (ii) publications in Ukraine since July 2008; and if he will make a statement. | | (247759) | 239
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received on commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Kindertransport since July 2008; and if he will make a statement. | | (247760) | 240
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether (a) the UK and (b) other countries through the UN (i) have organised and (ii) plan to organise medical aid to assist Israeli casualties following rocket attacks from Gaza; and if he will make a statement. | | (247983) | 241
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take at the United Nations on allegations of (i) the use by Hamas of human shields in Gaza and (ii) the storage of weapons by Hamas among women and children in Gaza; and if he will make a statement. | | (247984) | 242
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers and (c) officials in his Department have had with (i) Arab states and (ii) the government of Israel on (A) the compliance of Hamas with international law in Gaza, (B) allegation of the use by Hamas of human shields in Gaza and (C) allegations of the storage of weapons by Hamas among women and children in Gaza; what response was received from each; and if he will make a statement. | | (247985) | 243
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take at the United Nations on discrimination against Jewish communities in Arab states; and if he will make a statement. | | (247986) | 244
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers and (c) officials in his Department have had with (i) Arab states and (ii) the government of Israel on discrimination against Jewish communities in Arab states; what response was received from each; and if he will make a statement. | | (247987) | 245
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to allow the sale of arms to Israel; and if he will make a statement. | | (247988) | 246
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take at the United Nations on the rights of Jewish refugees from Arab states; and if he will make a statement. | | (247989) | 247
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers and (c) officials in his Department have had with (i) Arab states and (ii) the government of Israel on the rights of Jewish refugees from Arab lands; what response was received from each; and if he will make a statement. | | (247990) | 248
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to refer to Jewish refugees from Arab states and Palestinian refugees in any relevant official document or resolution at the United Nations; and if he will make a statement. | | (247991) | 249
| Mr John Baron (Billericay): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much has been spent on (a) maintaining, (b) decorating and (c) otherwise improving departmental buildings in the last five years; how much has been spent on wallpaper since 2001; and what plans there are for further spending on departmental decoration. | | (248054) | 250
| Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. | | (248119) | 251
N | Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received on the implementation of the ruling of the International Court of Justice of 19 December 2005 on Uganda; and if he will make a statement. | | (243886) | 252
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to press the government of Nigeria to clean up oil pollution in the Nigerian Delta region. | | (247978) | 253
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the current strength is of the UNAMID force operating in Darfur; which nations are contributing to it; how many (a) troops and (b) police have been provided in each case; and how much funding each contributing nation is making available. | | (248153) | 254
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Palestinian Authority and (b) Hamas on seeking a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. | | (248154) | 255
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to enter into discussions with the new government of Bangladesh on human rights in that country. | | (248155) | 256
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much his Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years. | | (247920) | 257
| John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will refer the conflict in Gaza to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for investigation. | | (247791) | 258
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many members of staff have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones in each year since 1997. | | (247961) | 259
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government's policy on the recent Arab Peace Initiative is. | | (248125) | 260
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent changes there have been to the Government's policy on Iran. | | (248126) | 261
| Mr John Leech (Manchester, Withington): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of whether any of the weaponry or component parts thereof being used by the Israeli Defence Forces in Gaza has been manufactured in the UK or exported by a UK-registered company | | (247806) | 262
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the political situation in Zimbabwe. | | (247838) | 263
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many personnel there are on each of the four British research stations in the British Antarctic Territory. | | (247701) | 264
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what research activity the UK is conducting in the British Antarctic Territory; and what the objectives of such research are. | | (247702) | 265
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what international laws govern drilling and mineral extraction rights in the British Antarctic Territory; and what reports he has received on attempted oil exploration or research in the Antarctic by other countries. | | (247703) | 266
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what areas in the British Antarctic Territories (a) are designated and (b) receive funding from his Department as sites of special scientific interest. | | (247704) | 267
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when his Department will next lead the UK delegation to the meeting of the members of the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. | | (247705) | 268
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the budget for the Overseas Territories Programme Fund is for 2008-09; and how much was spent from the fund in each of the last five years. | | (247706) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 269
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many abortions there were in each of the last 15 years, broken down by (a) grounds for abortion, (b) length of gestation and (c) health authority have been performed under the Abortion Act 1967 as amended by section 37 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 where the unborn child was suffering from cleft (i) palate and (ii) lip. | | (247737) | 270
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many abortions on the grounds of rectifiable disabilities have occurred after 24 weeks' gestation in each of the last 15 years. | | (247738) | 271
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what files his Department holds on the Medical Treatment (Prevention of Euthanasia) Bill of Session 1999-2000; and if he will make a statement. | | (247749) | 272
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy when placing material in the Library in response to a parliamentary question to supply a copy of the material to the hon. Member who tabled the question; and if he will make a statement. | | (247750) | 273
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information on how to avoid fuel poverty is routinely provided to cancer patients (a) during and (b) following their treatment; and if he will make a statement. | | (247751) | 274
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the location and address of each cleft palate and cleft lip unit is, broken down by health authority. | | (248001) | 275
| Mr John Baron (Billericay): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been spent on (a) maintaining, (b) decorating and (c) otherwise improving departmental buildings in the last five years; how much has been spent on wallpaper since 2001; and what plans there are for further spending on departmental decoration. | | (248055) | 276
| Lorely Burt (Solihull): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which GP surgeries will be upgraded using the £100 million of capital spending being brought forward; and to what standards such surgeries will be upgraded. | | (247836) | 277
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress is being made in the provision of a new health facility in the Cam and Dunley area in Stroud constituency; and whether he plans to re-use the Berkeley Hospital site. | | (247935) | 278
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of regular smokers in (a) Stroud constituency, (b) Gloucestershire and (c) England; and how many people have given up smoking in each area over the last 12 months. | | (247936) | 279
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dentists in (a) Stroud constituency and (b) Gloucestershire offer NHS treatment to (i) children and (ii) adults; how many patients are covered; and what percentage this is of the relevant population in each case. | | (247937) | 280
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dispensing GP practices are registered in (a) Stroud constituency, (b) Gloucestershire and (c) England; and what percentage of the total number of practices this represents in each case. | | (247938) | 281
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent research he has (a) commissioned and (b) assisted into unexplained neonatal mortality. | | (248216) | 282
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) babies were delivered in each NHS trust and (b) unexplained neonatal deaths there were in each of the last three years. | | (248217) | 283
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health has further to review how it determines the (a) number of babies who are stillborn and (b) levels of neonatal mortality. | | (248218) | 284
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average number of NHS patients on waiting lists in Gloucestershire was in (a) 1997, (b) 2001, (c) 2005 and (d) 2007, broken down by category of patient. | | (248223) | 285
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the current economic situation on those who fund their own stay in care homes; and what plans he has to assist such individuals to alleviate hardship. | | (248224) | 286
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons he decided not to implement proposals for changes to arrangements for GP dispensing. | | (248225) | 287
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of inappropriate dispensing of hospital prescriptions in community pharmacies were reported by each primary care trust in the latest year for which figures are available. | | (248226) | 288
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to (a) increase the role that pharmacists play in patient safety and (b) improve communications between primary care trusts and local pharmacy committees. | | (248227) | 289
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department has issued on whistle blowing policy in relation to individuals working in child protection in the NHS; and if he will make a statement. | | (247812) | 290
N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many individuals qualified as medical staff in the UK in each year since 1997; and what proportion of these currently work in the NHS. | | (247167) | 291
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years. | | (247916) | 292
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his Department's recommendation is for the amount of exercise people should take each week. | | (247917) | 293
N | Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 10 September 2008, Official Report, column 1898W, on drugs: misuse, how many people were discharged from treatment for drug misuse, broken down by discharge reason, in 2007-08; how many people left treatment in 2007-08; and how many people returned to drug treatment having previously been discharged as having (a) completed treatment, (b) completed treatment drug free and (c) completed treatment and been referred on. | | (247442) | 294
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants in his Department received coaching in a foreign language in the last 12 months; what expenditure his Department incurred in providing such coaching; and in what languages such coaching was provided. | | (248081) | 295
| Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what consideration he has given to increasing the safeguards for people who lack capacity and have their direct payments managed on their behalf by a suitable person to a level which matches those for people who manage their own direct payments. | | (248129) | 296
| Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when his Department plans to reply to the Welsh Affairs Select Committee report on the provision of cross-border health services for Wales. | | (248196) | 297
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many members of staff in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to his Department in each year since 1997. | | (248247) | 298
| Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve services for people with acquired brain injury. | | (247809) | 299
| Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to record the number of people who have acquired brain injuries. | | (247810) | 300
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to take to assist social workers in protecting the elderly and disabled. | | (247942) | 301
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to repeal the provision of the Abortion Act 1968 allowing women to terminate a pregnancy if their child has Down's syndrome; and if he will make a statement. | | (247963) | 302
N | Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he was first informed by the NHS Information Centre of the publication of data relating to patients attending hospital with knife wounds, provided to 10 Downing Street. | | (247624) | 303
N | Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to ensure that incomplete or unvalidated data returns for NHS bodies made available to Government departments are not used publicly by those departments. | | (247625) | 304
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to allow independent sector treatment centres to receive subsidies over the NHS tariff when contracts currently in place expire. | | (247947) | 305
| Angela Watkinson (Upminster): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much of the £150 million funding awarded by his Department for respite to carers will be allocated to the London Borough of Havering. | | (248018) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 306
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what vetting takes place to ensure that persons with previous convictions are not employed by the police force; and if she will make a statement. | | (247739) | 307
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what legal provisions are in place to prevent (a) the preaching of hatred and (b) incitement to commit criminal acts against the Jewish community in England and Wales; how many persons have been (i) prosecuted and (ii) convicted of offences under such provisions in each of the last two years for which figures are available, broken down by (A) age of offender, (B) sex of offender and (C) police force area of charge; and if she will make a statement. | | (247788) | 308
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on which occasions since June 2007 her Department has recorded an unauthorised disclosure of information; whether a leak inquiry was established in each case; and whether any person was subsequently disciplined. | | (247789) | 309
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 30 June 2008, Official Report, columns 712-4W, on the British Nationality (Honorary Citizenship) Bill, if she will deposit a copy of the letter and attachments in the Library; and if she will make a statement. | | (247974) | 310
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy when placing material in the Library in response to a parliamentary question to supply a copy of the material to the hon. Member who tabled the question; and if she will make a statement. | | (247975) | 311
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many serving police officers in (a) Hertfordshire, (b) City of London, (c) Metropolitan, (d) Merseyside and (e) Greater Manchester Police had previous convictions before joining the Police Service in each year since 2000; and how many have been convicted since joining the Police Service in each year. | | (248000) | 312
| Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance she has issued to (a) police forces and (b) licensing authorities on using under 18 year olds for test purchases of alcohol in pubs. | | (247771) | 313
| Mr Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received on the use of under 18 year olds by police forces for test purchases of alcohol in pubs. | | (247772) | 314
N | Mr David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to the public purse of operating the suspicious activity reports regime has been since its creation. | | (247622) | 315
N | Mr David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been collected relating to the suspected financing of terrorism through the suspicious activity reports regime since its creation. | | (247623) | 316
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she taken to (a) facilitate policing in rural areas and (b) develop methods of assessing levels of public safety in rural communities. | | (248199) | 317
N | Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government takes to prevent gambling internet sites being used by terrorist organisations to raise funds. | | (247160) | 318
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued on whistle blowing policy in relation to individuals working in child protection in police authorities; and if she will make a statement. | | (247813) | 319
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years. | | (248034) | 320
N | Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the date was of the most recent arrest under counter-terrorism legislation following which a suspect was held in pre-charge detention for over (a) 14 days and (b) 28 days. | | (247162) | 321
N | Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many claims for compensation have been received by her Department from individuals relating to passport applications and renewals in each of the last five years; and how much her Department paid in compensation in each such year. | | (247163) | 322
N | Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the date of arrest was for each individual who has been held in pre-charge detention under anti-terrorism legislation for more than 14 days. | | (247164) | 323
N | Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 25 November 2008, Official Report, column 67WS, on the departmental expenditure limit (2008-09), what the reasons were for the reprofiling of £48 million expenditure for the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism programme from 2008-09 to 2009-10. | | (247439) | 324
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many members of her Department are employed in (a) the commercial directorate, (b) general property, (c) the Home Office IT shared services, (d) the Office of the Chief Information Officer and (e) the performance and finance directorate of the Financial and Commercial Group; and how many are employed in the Group in total. | | (247823) | 325
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many members of her Department are employed in the (a) Corporate Communications unit, (b) E-communications unit, (c) Marketing and Strategic Communications unit and (d) Press Office of the Communications Directorate; and how many are employed in the Directorate in total. | | (247824) | 326
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many members of her Department are employed in the (a) Crime and Drug Strategy Directorate, (b) Police and Crime Standards Directorate, (c) Police Reform and Resources, (d) Policing Policy and Operations Directorate and (e) Strategic Support Directorate of the Crime Reduction and Community Safety Group; and how many staff are employed in the Group in total. | | (247825) | 327
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many members of her Department's staff are employed in the (a) Programme and Project Management Support Unit, (b) Reform and Change Team, (c) Strategic Policy Team, (d) Delivery Unit and (e) Reform Programme Office of the Strategy and Reform Directorate; and how many are employed in the Directorate in total. | | (247826) | 328
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many members of her Department's staff are employed in the (a) Animal (Scientific Procedures) Division, (b) Home Office Scientific Development Branch, (c) Research, Development and Statistics Branch, (d) Science and Research Group Support and (e) Science Secretariat of her Department's Science and Research Group; and how many are employed by the Group in total. | | (247827) | 329
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many members of her Department's staff in total are employed in the (a) UK Border Agency, Immigration and International Section, (b) UK Border Agency, Border Enforcement and Citizenship Section, (c) UK Border Agency, Simplification Project, (d) Commercial and Employment Section, (e) European Union Section, (f) Identity and Passport Service and Corporate Projects Section and (g) Policing and Crime Reduction Section of her Department's Legal Advisers Branch; and how many are employed in the Branch in total. | | (247829) | 330
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many members of her Department's staff are employed in the (a) EU Section and (b) European Near Neighbours and Wider World Section of the International Directorate; and how many are employed in the Directorate in total. | | (247830) | 331
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many members of her Department's staff are employed in the (a) Career Development and Assessment Unit, (b) Departmental Security Unit, (c) Home Office Pay and Pensions Service and (d) HR Services of the Human Resources Department; and how many people are employed in the Department in total. | | (247831) | 332
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been (a) arrested, (b) prosecuted and (c) convicted for incidents of prostitution-related activity in each of the last five years. | | (248013) | 333
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been (a) arrested for, (b) prosecuted in respect of and (c) convicted of offences of controlling prostitution for gain in each of the last five years. | | (248014) | 334
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many arrests for offences in relation to brothels there were in each of the last five years. | | (248024) | 335
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been (a) arrested for, (b) prosecuted in respect of and (c) convicted of offences relating to loitering or soliciting for purposes of prostitution in each of the last five years. | | (248025) | 336
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of people selling sex in each of the last five years. | | (248035) | 337
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been (a) arrested for, (b) prosecuted in respect of and (c) convicted of kerb-crawling in each of the last five years. | | (248036) | 338
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been (a) arrested for, (b) prosecuted in respect of and (c) convicted of brothel-keeping in each of the last five years. | | (248037) | 339
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Tackling the Demand for Prostitution Review of November 2008, what programmes have been carried out in order to raise awareness among sex-buyers about the extent of trafficking for sexual exploitation. | | (248038) | 340
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants in her Department received coaching in a foreign language in the last 12 months; what expenditure her Department incurred in providing such coaching; and in what languages such coaching was provided. | | (248080) | 341
| Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what reservations her Department is seeking in relation to the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if she will make a statement. | | (248193) | 342
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many members of staff have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones in each year since 1997. | | (247959) | 343
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much the Identity and Passport Service has paid in compensation for delays in customers receiving passports in each year since 1997. | | (248009) | 344
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been incorrectly designated as having a criminal conviction by the Criminal Records Bureau since the Bureau's inception. | | (248010) | 345
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): 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 year for which figures are available, broken down by police force area. | | (248011) | 346
| Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to reply to the letter of 8 December 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on Mrs A. Rehman. | | (247850) | 347
| Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to reply to the letter of 7 November 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on Mr Faqir Hussain. | | (247851) | 348
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward policies designed to prevent violence against betting shop workers; and if she will make a statement. | | (247932) | 349
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her policy is on the repatriation to their country of origin of non-UK nationals who fear persecution on religious grounds following their return. | | (247933) | 350
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she plans to take to reduce violence by spectators at football matches. | | (247946) | 351
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information she holds on the number of betting shop workers subjected to verbal abuse in (a) England, (b) the North East, (c) Tees Valley district and (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in the last two years. | | (247949) | 352
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many multi-agency risk assessment conferences were held in each police authority in England and Wales in the last 12 months; which agencies took part in each conference; and what the cost of such conferences was to (a) police forces and (b) other public bodies in that period. | | (247665) | 353
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what materials are used by her Department and its agencies to ensure young people are aware of the implications of alcohol abuse for their (a) home life, (b) health and (c) education. | | (247667) | 354
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department provides to police forces on enforcement of 20 miles per hour zones. | | (247670) | 355
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been stopped and searched under the Counter Terrorism Act 2008 since it came into force. | | (247688) | 356
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been spent on policing urban areas on Friday and Saturday nights in each of the last five years. | | (247689) | 357
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police stations she has visited on official business in the last 12 months. | | (247690) | 358
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police (a) officers, (b) constables, (c) sergeants and (d) community support officers were working in Romford constituency in (i) 2007 and (ii) 2008. | | (247692) | 359
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had on policy to combat human trafficking. | | (247693) | 360
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had on policy on prostitution. | | (247694) | 361
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many mounted police there are in the Metropolitan Police. | | (247695) | 362
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which weapons are available for use by police forces; and how many of each type are available to each force. | | (247696) | 363
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many crimes involving airguns took place in each year since 1997. | | (247697) | 364
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been spent on policing demonstrations in London on each day since 27 December 2008. | | (247698) | 365
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been spent on policing demonstrations in Manchester on each day since 27 December 2008. | | (247699) | 366
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2008, Official Report, column 1074W, on domestic violence, what steps are being taken to reduce the incidence of such offences. | | (247981) | 367
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2008, on driving under influence, what assessment her Department has made of the discrepancy between the rate (a) at which screening tests are undertaken and (b) of positive tests; and if she will make a statement. | | (248061) | 368
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) burglaries, (b) violent crimes and (c) thefts were reported in the Metropolitan Police Force area in each of the last 10 years; and what the detection rate in each such year was. | | (248063) | 369
| Mr Andy Slaughter (Ealing, Acton & Shepherd's Bush): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what reasons the Metropolitan Police Authority gave to her Department for its decision not to conduct a full case review of Operation Helios. | | (247678) | 370
| Mr Andy Slaughter (Ealing, Acton & Shepherd's Bush): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the progress made in the investigation of complaints made by the Metropolitan Black Police Association against members of the Metropolitan Police Authority. | | (247681) | 371
| Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what operating protocols apply to UK Border Agency staff in circumstances where a (a) man and (b) woman belonging to a faith which considers dogs be unclean refuses to be the subject of a search using a dog when entering the UK. | | (247770) | 372
N | Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-Semitic incidents or attacks have been reported in (a) England, (b) Chipping Barnet constituency and (c) the London Borough of Barnet in the last 14 days. | | (247156) | Questions to the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission 373
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many television sets are operationally available on the House Estate, broken down by building; and how many such sets are available in hon. Members' offices. | | (247807) | 374
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many complaints have been made about heating facilities in the offices of hon. Members and staff in (a) 1 Parliament Street, (b) Norman Shaw North, (c) Norman Shaw South, (d) the Palace of Westminster, (e) 7 Millbank and (f) Portcullis House in each of the last three years for which information is available. | | (248139) | 375
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many (a) hon. Members and (b) staff of hon. Members have an office in (i) 1 Parliament Street, (ii) Norman Shaw North, (iii) Norman Shaw South, (iv) the Palace of Westminster, (v) 7 Millbank and (vi) Portcullis House. | | (248140) | 376
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many repairs have been required to the fabric and installations of each building on the Parliamentary Estate in each year since 1990; and what the estimated total cost was for each building. | | (248141) | 377
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the (a) date of opening was and (b) current estimated value is of each building on the Parliamentary Estate. | | (248142) | 378
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, what recent steps the House authorities (a) have recently taken and (b) plan to take to improve the heating within 1 Parliament Street; and if he will make a statement. | | (248143) | 379
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, what programme of preventative maintenance has been established for 1 Parliament Street. | | (248232) | 380
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the (a) specifications and (b) cost of (i) carpets, (ii) office furniture, (iii) building materials and (iv) light fittings in (A) 1 Parliament Street and (B) Portcullis House are. | | (248233) | 381
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the honourable Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, what estimate has been made of the cost of repairs to the gates on Derby Gate; what reports he has received on the cause of the damage; and if he will make a statement. | | (248234) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 382
| Mr John Baron (Billericay): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how much has been spent on (a) maintaining, (b) decorating and (c) otherwise improving departmental buildings since his Department's inception; how much has been spent on wallpaper; and what plans there are for further spending on departmental decoration. | | (248056) | 383
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what information his Department holds on the number of apprenticeships which have been interrupted by redundancy in the current economic situation; and what steps he is taking to (a) reduce that number and (b) mitigate the effects of redundancy on individual apprentices. | | (247754) | 384
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what information his Department holds on the work of British higher education institutions in promoting trans-national educational partnerships; and if he will make a statement. | | (247755) | 385
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what plans he has to ensure that graduates based in rural areas have access to the new national internship scheme. | | (248198) | 386
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how much his Department's central media and communication unit has spent on public surveys since its inception. | | (248026) | 387
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants in his Department received coaching in a foreign language in the last 12 months; what expenditure his Department incurred in providing such coaching; and in what languages such coaching was provided. | | (248079) | 388
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many members of staff in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to his Department in each year since its inception. | | (248249) | 389
| Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what assessment he has made of the merits of fieldwork and out-of-classroom activity in developing practical skills for use (a) at undergraduate level, (b) at postgraduate level and (c) in employment; and if he will make a statement. | | (247954) | 390
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what steps he plans to take to maintain the international reputation of the UK's higher education sector. | | (247970) | 391
N | Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, when he expects the higher education funding review to commence; when he expects the results of the review to be published; and what schedule has been set for the implementation of the review's recommendations. | | (247173) | 392
N | Mr Mark Lancaster (North East Milton Keynes): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what estimate he has made of changes in the numbers of part-time students from higher education courses over the period of the next higher education funding review. | | (247174) | 393
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, what the cost of maintaining the UK's four research stations in the British Antarctic Territory was in the last 12 months. | | (248002) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 394
| Mr John Baron (Billericay): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much has been spent on (a) maintaining, (b) decorating and (c) otherwise improving departmental buildings in the last five years; how much has been spent on wallpaper since 2001; and what plans there are for further spending on departmental decoration. | | (248057) | 395
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what aid he has made available to the population of Gaza in the last two years. | | (248169) | 396
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what aid he is providing to support the process of capacity-building in the build-up to the elections in Sudan as part of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. | | (248170) | 397
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when he will assess the effectiveness of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Sudan with reference to the support provided by donor nations. | | (248171) | 398
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support he has made available to those Saharans currently residing in camps (a) in Algeria and (b) displaced elsewhere in Africa. | | (248172) | 399
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Somalia; what steps he plans to take to protect food monitors; and if he will make a statement. | | (248205) | 400
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance his Department is providing to capacity-building projects established in preparation for elections in Sudan in 2009. | | (248206) | 401
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much his Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years. | | (247921) | 402
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants in his Department received coaching in a foreign language in the last 12 months; what expenditure his Department incurred in providing such coaching; and in what languages such coaching was provided. | | (248078) | 403
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what his most recent assessment is of progress made towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal on maternal health. | | (248176) | 404
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking to contribute towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal on maternal health. | | (248177) | 405
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many members of staff in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to his Department in each year since 1997. | | (248251) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Justice 406
| Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford & Woodford Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many offenders have been given an indeterminate sentence for public protection in each year since the sentence was introduced. | | (247926) | 407
| Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford & Woodford Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average minimum tariff for indeterminate sentences for public protection is. | | (247927) | 408
| Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford & Woodford Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners serving indeterminate sentences for public protection have been released since its introduction. | | (247928) | 409
| Lynne Featherstone (Hornsey & Wood Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many tribunal complaints have been received arising from protection from unfair dismissal afforded by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 in each year since its enactment; and if he will make a statement. | | (247815) | 410
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department's central media and communication unit has spent on public surveys since its inception. | | (248028) | 411
| Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many applications for legal aid have been made in order to secure legal representation at the inquest into the deaths of armed forces personnel since January 2003; and how many such applications have been granted. | | (247783) | 412
| Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2008, Official Report, column 1018W, on life imprisonment: prisoners release, what period each of the 304 prisoners served in custody before release. | | (248005) | 413
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants in his Department received coaching in a foreign language in the last 12 months; what expenditure his Department incurred in providing such coaching; and in what languages such coaching was provided. | | (248077) | 414
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many members of staff have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones in each year since 1997. | | (247960) | 415
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average cost per prisoner per night of housing a prisoner in a court cell was in each of the last 12 months. | | (248008) | 416
N | David Howarth (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the monthly updates on the Criminal Justice System produced for the Prime Minister by the Criminal Justice Evidence and Analysis Unit of the Office of Criminal Justice Reform cost to produce in the last period for which figures are available; and if he will publish each of the monthly performance updates produced in 2007 and 2008. | | (247168) | 417
| David Howarth (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what records his Department keeps on the appellant status of prisoners; how many prisoners are currently appealing against their sentence; and how many of them are beyond their original or adjusted tariff. | | (247745) | 418
| David Howarth (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what additional funding was allocated to escort providers to reduce the number of late arrivals of juveniles at young offender institutions in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07, (c) 2007-08 and (d) 2008-09; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of this additional funding. | | (247746) | 419
| David Howarth (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the consequences of the absence of lock-out times in the juvenile estate, with particular reference to its effect on the number of late arrivals at young offender institutions. | | (247747) | 420
| David Howarth (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what penalties apply to escort providers in cases where juveniles are delivered to young offender institutions after HM Prison Inspectorate's recommended latest delivery time of 7.00pm; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of these penalties. | | (247748) | 421
| David Howarth (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2008, Official Report, column 481W, on prisoners, what assessment he has made of the consequences of the absence of a central record of prisoners maintaining innocence; and if he will make a statement. | | (248062) | 422
| John Howell (Henley): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in how many criminal cases involving a witness with an autistic spectrum disorder a witness intermediary has been used (a) by the police prior to a trial or to a decision whether to proceed to trial and (b) by the courts in England in 2008; and in how many such cases prosecutions have been successful. | | (247787) | 423
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proposals he has to ensure security of personal data under legislative proposals for increased data sharing in the Coroners and Justice Bill. | | (247966) | 424
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will commission research on the legal implications of euthanasia. | | (247972) | 425
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been convicted of offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in each year since 1997. | | (247682) | 426
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been convicted of causing death by dangerous driving in each year since 1997. | | (247683) | 427
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many sitting magistrates are currently serving. | | (247684) | 428
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps are being taken to encourage (a) members of ethnic minorities and (b) women to apply to become magistrates. | | (247685) | 429
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been convicted of drug offences in each year since 1997. | | (247708) | 430
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been convicted of firearms offences in each year since 1997. | | (247709) | 431
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps are being taken to reduce alcohol usage in prisons. | | (247710) | 432
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps are being taken to reduce drug usage in prisons. | | (247711) | 433
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans there are to increase the number of places on courses for serving prisoners dealing with drugs and alcohol. | | (247712) | 434
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners are on courses dealing with drug and alcohol abuse. | | (247713) | 435
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many places on courses dealing with drug and alcohol abuse are available for serving prisoners in 2008-09. | | (247714) | 436
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison officers have been (a) arrested and (b) convicted of smuggling goods into prison in each year since 1997. | | (247715) | 437
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps are being taken to reduce smuggling of goods into prisons. | | (247716) | 438
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison officers have been arrested whilst on duty at prisons in the last 12 months. | | (247717) | 439
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisons have been closed in each year since 1997. | | (247718) | 440
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisons spaces have been lost since 1997. | | (247719) | 441
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many new prison spaces have become available in each year since 1997. | | (247720) | 442
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many new prisons opened in each year since 1997. | | (247721) | 443
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress has been made in his plans to build new prisons. | | (247722) | 444
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners are being held in HM prisons. | | (247723) | 445
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison officers are employed by the Prison Service in England and Wales. | | (247724) | 446
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people under 18 years have been convicted of offences related to the carrying of a knife in the London Borough of Havering in each year since 1997; and what penalties were imposed on them. | | (247792) | Questions to the Leader of the House 447
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Leader of the House, how many members of staff in her Office have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to her Office in each year since 1997. | | (248254) | 448
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Leader of the House, what steps she plans to take to ensure the protection of parliamentary privilege; and if she will make a statement. | | (247967) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 449
| Mr John Baron (Billericay): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much has been spent on (a) maintaining, (b) decorating and (c) otherwise improving departmental buildings in the last five years; how much has been spent on wallpaper since 2001; and what plans there are for further spending on departmental decoration. | | (248060) | 450
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much his Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years. | | (248027) | 451
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants in his Department received coaching in a foreign language in the last 12 months; what expenditure his Department incurred in providing such coaching; and in what languages such coaching was provided. | | (248076) | 452
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many members of staff in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to his Department in each year since 1997. | | (248257) | Questions to the Minister for the Olympics 453
| Mr John Baron (Billericay): To ask the Minister for the Olympics, how much has been spent on (a) maintaining, (b) decorating and (c) otherwise improving her Office's buildings since its inception; how much has been spent on wallpaper since 2001; and what plans there are for further spending on departmental decoration. | | (248049) | 454
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Minister for the Olympics, how much her Office's media and communication unit has spent on public surveys since its inception. | | (248029) | 455
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Minister for the Olympics, how many (a) schools and (b) students are making use of the pre-Games training camps set up in the North East region in preparation for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. | | (248128) | Questions to the Prime Minister 456
| Mr John Baron (Billericay): To ask the Prime Minister, how much has been spent on (a) maintaining, (b) decorating and (c) otherwise improving Number 10 Downing Street since July 2007. | | (248048) | 457
| Mr John Baron (Billericay): To ask the Prime Minister, how much has been spent on (a) maintaining, (b) decorating and (c) otherwise improving his Office's buildings in the last five years; how much has been spent on wallpaper since 2001; and what plans there are for further spending on such decoration. | | (248065) | 458
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham): To ask the Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the costs of policing provided for the Cabinet meeting in Liverpool on 8 January 2009. | | (247929) | 459
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham): To ask the Prime Minister, how much was spent from public funds on (a) lunch and (b) refreshments for those attending the Cabinet meeting held in Liverpool on 8 January 2009. | | (247930) | 460
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham): To ask the Prime Minister, what the cost to the public purse of the hotel accommodation for (a) the Prime Minister and (b) his special advisers was during visits around the UK between 7 and 9 January 2009. | | (247931) | 461
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham): To ask the Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of holding the meeting of the Cabinet in Leeds on 28 November 2008. | | (247939) | 462
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham): To ask the Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the three day tour he undertook between 7 and 9 January 2009. | | (247940) | 463
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham): To ask the Prime Minister, how much was spent on (a) lunch and (b) refreshments for those attending the Cabinet meeting held in Leeds on 28 November 2008. | | (247944) | 464
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham): To ask the Prime Minister, how much was spent on police protection for the Cabinet meeting held in Leeds on 28 November 2008. | | (247945) | 465
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham): To ask the Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of holding the meeting of the Cabinet in Liverpool on 8 January 2009. | | (247948) | 466
| Mr Greg Hands (Hammersmith & Fulham): To ask the Prime Minister, whether entry fees were charged for events held during his UK tour between 7 and 9 January 2009. | | (248047) | 467
N | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Prime Minister, what preparations are in hand to provide briefing by civil servants to the Official Opposition and the Liberal Democrats in advance of the next general election. | | (246510) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland 468
| Mr John Baron (Billericay): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much has been spent on (a) maintaining, (b) decorating and (c) otherwise improving departmental buildings in the last five years; how much has been spent on wallpaper since 2001; and what plans there are for further spending on departmental decoration. | | (248066) | 469
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much his Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years. | | (247919) | 470
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants in his Department received coaching in a foreign language in the last 12 months; what expenditure his Department incurred in providing such coaching; and in what languages such coaching was provided. | | (248074) | 471
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many members of staff in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to his Department in each year since 1997. | | (248256) | Questions to the Solicitor General 472
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Solicitor General, how much the Attorney General Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years. | | (248031) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 473
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much revenue red light cameras have generated in (a) the Metropolitan Police area of London and (b) Essex in each year since 2001; and how much of that revenue has been spent in Essex. | | (247996) | 474
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department has (a) produced and (b) plans to produce for local authorities on the speed at which traffic lights change from amber to red; and if he will make a statement. | | (247997) | 475
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, at what locations, on what roads, in (a) the Metropolitan Police area of London, (b) Essex and (c) Hertfordshire where red light cameras are (i) in place and (ii) will be in place within the next 12 months for the purpose of monitoring vehicles for offences other than speeding. | | (247998) | 476
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he (a) has had and (b) plans to have with the Association of Train Operating Companies on the introduction of railcards for train journeys (i) commencing and (ii) ending outside South East England; what his policy is on railcards; and if he will make a statement. | | (247999) | 477
| Mr John Baron (Billericay): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much has been spent on (a) maintaining, (b) decorating and (c) otherwise improving departmental buildings in the last five years; how much has been spent on wallpaper since 2001; and what plans there are for further spending on departmental decoration. | | (248058) | 478
| Lorely Burt (Solihull): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of the capital spending being brought forward by his Department will be spent on increasing motorway and highway capacity; which schemes will receive funds from this pool; and what increase in capacity he expects will be received by March 2010. | | (247832) | 479
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research he has commissioned or evaluated on the introduction of speed suppressors into cars and lorries to enable those vehicles to keep within speed limits; and what his policy is on the use of such equipment. | | (248144) | 480
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timescale is for the proposed improvements for junction 12 on the M5; to what extent such improvements are contingent upon the Hunts Grove development; what account has been taken of the effect on the B4008 if the junction's improvements go ahead; and if he will make a statement. | | (248238) | 481
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much has been spent by (a) the Highways Agency and (b) Gloucestershire County Council on the B4008 since the opening of junction 12 on the M5. | | (248239) | 482
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions the Department has had with Gloucestershire County Council on the latter's lorry strategy. | | (248240) | 483
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years. | | (247918) | 484
| Justine Greening (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which roads in Wandsworth have been identified as part of the Olympic Route Network (ORN), broken down by (a) core ORN, (b) venue specific ORN, (c) alternative routes ORN and (d) preferred training venues ORN. | | (248051) | 485
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants in his Department received coaching in a foreign language in the last 12 months; what expenditure his Department incurred in providing such coaching; and in what languages such coaching was provided. | | (248073) | 486
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many members of staff in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to his Department in each year since 1997. | | (248243) | 487
N | Mark Hunter (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many drivers passed their driving test on the (a) first, (b) second and (c) third or later attempt in (i) England, (ii) the North West and (iii) Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council in each year since 1997. | | (247155) | 488
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support his Department plans to give to Middlesbrough's proposed park and ride facility; and if he will make a statement. | | (247950) | 489
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he plans to take to make fast rail services environmentally sustainable. | | (247965) | 490
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what green travel incentives are offered to people working in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency. | | (247979) | 491
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to restrict mobile telephone signal provision to some or all carriages on rail services. | | (248135) | 492
| Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) 20 miles per hour and (b) home zones are enforced. | | (247676) | 493
| Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the motor insurance industry on the costs of hire cars during periods when accident insurance disputes and repairs are taking place. | | (247725) | 494
N | Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to support an application for European funding for the proposed Heathrow rail hub. | | (247157) | 495
N | Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on which routes parliamentary trains within the meaning of the Railways Act 1844 are running. | | (247440) | 496
N | Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many rail replacement bus services are funded directly by his Department. | | (247441) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales 497
| Mr John Baron (Billericay): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much has been spent on (a) maintaining, (b) decorating and (c) otherwise improving departmental buildings in the last five years; how much has been spent on wallpaper since 2001; and what plans there are for further spending on departmental decoration. | | (248050) | 498
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much his Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years. | | (248032) | 499
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants in his Department received coaching in a foreign language in the last 12 months; what expenditure his Department incurred in providing such coaching; and in what languages such coaching was provided. | | (248071) | 500
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many members of staff in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to his Department in each year since its inception. | | (248258) | Questions to the Minister for Women and Equality 501
| Mr John Baron (Billericay): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, how much has been spent on (a) maintaining, (b) decorating and (c) otherwise improving departmental buildings by the Government Equalities Office since its inception; how much has been spent on wallpaper; and what plans there are for further spending on departmental decoration. | | (248064) | 502
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, which local authorities have not yet (a) undertaken and (b) completed an equal pay review. | | (247674) | 503
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, which local authorities have been permitted to borrow to fund equal pay deals in the last two years; and how much was borrowed in each case. | | (247786) | 504
| Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, what steps she is taking to increase the provision in public buildings of toilets fully accessible to those with disabilities; and if she will make a statement. | | (248133) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 505
| Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support his Department makes available to cancer patients to assist them in meeting the cost of their heating bills; and if he will make a statement. | | (247752) | 506
| Mr John Baron (Billericay): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much has been spent on (a) maintaining, (b) decorating and (c) otherwise improving departmental buildings in the last five years; how much has been spent on wallpaper since 2001; and what plans there are for further spending on departmental decoration. | | (248059) | 507
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2008, Official Report, column 914W, on Jobcentre Plus: breastfeeding, what the outcome was of the review of the policy on breastfeeding in Jobcentre Plus offices. | | (248189) | 508
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the contribution credit unions can make to the delivery of the Government's Social Fund; and what discussions he has had on this matter. | | (248161) | 509
| Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to assess the effectiveness of the Village Agent Scheme operating in Gloucestershire; and whether he plans to extend it, with particular reference to the greater take-up of benefits amongst older people. | | (248162) | 510
N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many individuals receiving jobseeker's allowance were (a) UK born and (b) non-UK born, broken down by (i) local authority area and (ii) Government Office region, in each year since 1997. | | (247165) | 511
N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many individuals receiving housing benefit were (a) UK born and (b) non-UK born, broken down by (i) local authority area and (ii) Government Office region, in each year since 1997. | | (247166) | 512
| Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years. | | (247925) | 513
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his latest estimate is of the cost to his Department of reimbursing participants in the Post Office Card Account tendering process for their reasonable bid costs. | | (248004) | 514
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants in his Department received coaching in a foreign language in the last 12 months; what expenditure his Department incurred in providing such coaching; and in what languages such coaching was provided. | | (248070) | 515
| Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what meetings representatives of his Department have had on the UK's potential membership of the euro in the last six months; and how many staff in his Department are engaged in work directly related to prospective membership of the euro. | | (248120) | 516
| Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent progress has been made on commissioning Jobcentre Plus training programmes for carers; and if he will make a statement. | | (248131) | 517
| Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what reservations his Department is seeking in relation to the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement. | | (248195) | 518
| Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many members of staff in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended and (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to his Department in each year since 1997. | | (248255) | 519
N | John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Jobcentre Plus offices in (a) Feltham, (b) Orpington and (c) Brixton Hill are planned to be closed. | | (247510) | 520
N | John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of the £1.3 billion funding announced in the Pre-Budget Report 2008 to help people find work will be allocated to (a) the public, (b) the voluntary and community and (c) the private sector. | | (247511) | 521
N | Paul Rowen (Rochdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, under what budget headings the £350 million spending on Train to Gain announced in the Pre-Budget Report beyond spending already announced will be spent; and if he will make a statement. | | (247620) | 522
N | Paul Rowen (Rochdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what demand there has been from employers for Train to Gain in each of the last five years. | | (247621) | 523
N | Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of local housing allowance payments have been made (a) directly to tenants, (b) directly to landlords on grounds of the tenant's vulnerability and (c) directly to landlords on the grounds that the tenant has rent arrears in excess of eight weeks, since April 2008. | | (247618) | 524
N | Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the effectiveness of the implementation of provisions within local housing allowance regulations for local authorities to make direct payment to landlords in cases where claimants are vulnerable. | | (247619) | 525
N | Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to collect information on the number of EU nationals who continue to receive UK benefits on their return from the UK to their country of origin. | | (246067) | 526
| Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy that pension payments continue to be made in circumstances where mail sent to pensioners is returned to a pensions office at least until the reasons for the return of mail have been established. | | (247819) | Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 527
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many civil servants in the Prime Minister's Office received coaching in a foreign language in the last 12 months; what expenditure his Office incurred in providing such coaching; in what languages such coaching was provided; and whether the Prime Minister has received such coaching. | | [Transferred] (248075) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 528
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the cost to the public purse of each royal property is in 2008-09. | | [Transferred] (247976) | 529
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his policy is on the upkeep from the public purse of properties owned by the Royal Family. | | [Transferred] (248136) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 530
| Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, by what date the (a) sale and (b) use of iridescent light bulbs will end; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (247677) | 531
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2008, Official Report, columns 1070-1W, on animal welfare: prosecutions, what steps are being taken to increase the number of prosecutions for those abusing animals. | | [Transferred] (247841) | 532
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2008, Official Report, columns 1070-1W, on animal welfare: prosecutions, what steps are being taken to reduce the numbers of animals being abused. | | [Transferred] (247842) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 533
N | Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she expects the e-borders programme to be fully operational. | | [Transferred] (247158) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Justice 534
N | Mr David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many recovery notices his Department has issued under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. | | [Transferred] (247171) | 535
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many members of his Department's staff are employed in the Office for Criminal Justice Reform. | | [Transferred] (247828) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 536
| John Howell (Henley): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will include RAF Benson as one of the meteorological stations used to determine cold weather payments in Oxfordshire. | | [Transferred] (247773) | 537
| John Howell (Henley): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the number of people in Henley constituency who would have qualified for cold weather payments in the period from 1 November 2008 to 11 January 2009 had the determining temperature for the payment been taken solely at RAF Benson. | | [Transferred] (247778) | 538
| John Howell (Henley): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Henley constituency qualified for cold weather payments between 1 November 2008 and 11 January 2009. | | [Transferred] (247779) |
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