|
Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Tuesday 31 March 2009
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Tuesday 31 March 2009
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 31 March 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 Tuesday 31 March of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Tuesday 31 March see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 1
| John Mason (Glasgow East): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2009, Official Report, column 528W, on performing arts, what expenditure his Department and its predecessor incurred in engaging (a) actors, (b) musicians and (c) other performers in each of the last five years, broken down by (i) event and (ii) initiative. | | (268232) | 2
| Emily Thornberry (Islington South & Finsbury): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what his most recent estimate is of the cost of modernising Royal Mail. | | (268187) | 3
| Emily Thornberry (Islington South & Finsbury): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, if he will put in place mechanisms to prevent onward sale of shares in Royal Mail which are sold to a preferred partner. | | (268188) | 4
| Emily Thornberry (Islington South & Finsbury): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what proportion of the (a) membership and (b) estimated deficit of the Royal Mail pension scheme is accounted for by employees of Post Office Ltd. | | (268189) | 5
| Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what advice his Department issues to UK firms on trade with Morocco which involves exploitation of resources located in Western Sahara. | | (268194) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 6
N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department plans to reply to the letter of 30 January 2009 from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford Ref: 4/32912/2009), on his constituent, Mr Simon Payne of Chelmsford. | | (268008) | 7
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) BlackBerrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268256) | 8
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268273) | 9
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) Blackberrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268296) | 10
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 23 March 2009, Official Report, column 91W, on departmental bank services, what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value is of each contract between his Department and each of the banks listed in the Answer. | | (268303) | 11
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 16 March 2009, Official Report, columns 89-90W, on banks: finance, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Asset Purchase Scheme on levels of public sector pension scheme deficits. | | (268309) | 12
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what provision EU directives on value added tax make for the imposition of value added tax at a rate other than zero on the sale of specially-formulated, very low calorie diet products. | | (268218) | 13
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will instruct the Chief Executive of the Tax Credit Office to reply to the hon. Member for Totnes' letters of 5 February and 3 March 2009, on the issues surrounding Mrs Yvonne Allen of Salcombe's working tax credits following the loss of her records by HM Revenue and Customs. | | (267857) | 14
N | Mr Mike Weir (Angus): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions Ministers have had with the Financial Services Authority in respect of TNT since 2005. | | (267535) | 15
N | Mr Mike Weir (Angus): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government has received representations from the European Commission on the under-reporting of profits by subsidiary companies of TPG in (a) Belgium, (b) the Netherlands, (c) Germany and (d) France between 2004 and 2006. | | (267536) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 16
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) BlackBerrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268255) | 17
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in his Department and its predecessor in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268272) | 18
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many (a) BlackBerrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268297) | 19
N | John Mason (Glasgow East): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2009, Official Report, columns 1248-9W, on performing arts, what the cost was to his Department of engaging actors, musicians and other performers supporting the Department's initiatives and campaigns since June 2007. | | (267470) | 20
| Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how much has been spent on media training for each Minister in his Department in each of the last three years; how many sessions have been provided; and who provided the training. | | (268301) | 21
| Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what proportion of pupils in (a) Stoke-on-Trent and (b) England received free school meals in the last period for which figures are available. | | (268221) | 22
| Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what estimate he has made of the proportion of pupils in (a) Stoke-on-Trent and (b) England ineligible for free school meals who are classified as living below the poverty line. | | (268222) | 23
| Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what estimate he has made of the proportion of pupils in Stoke-on-Trent who are eligible for free school meals and do not claim them. | | (268223) | Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 24
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the recession on not-for-profit organisations in (a) Ribble Valley constituency and (b) England. | | (267299) | 25
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many not-for-profit organisations have closed in (a) Ribble Valley constituency and (b) England since the start of the recession. | | (267303) | 26
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) Blackberrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in (1) his Department and (2) the Prime Minister's Office in each year since 2005. | | (268253) | 27
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in (i) his Department and (ii) the Prime Minister's Office in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268270) | 28
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many (a) BlackBerrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in (A) the Cabinet Office and (B) the Prime Minister's Office in each year since 2005. | | (268282) | 29
| Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how much has been spent on media training for each Minister in his Department in each of the last three years; how many sessions have been provided; and who provided the training. | | (268302) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 30
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) BlackBerrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in her Department in each year since 2005. | | (268254) | 31
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in her Department in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268271) | 32
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many (a) Blackberrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in her Department in each year since 2005. | | (268298) | 33
N | Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the (a) 20 highest and (b) 20 lowest proposed average (i) borough and (ii) county council tax rises in percentage terms between 2008-09 and 2009-10 were. | | (268135) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 34
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) BlackBerrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268251) | 35
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268268) | 36
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many (a) BlackBerrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268300) | 37
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2009, Official Report, column 974W, on departmental bank services, what the monetary value is of the contract between his Department and Goldman Sachs. | | (268305) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 38
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) BlackBerrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268250) | 39
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268267) | 40
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) BlackBerrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268294) | 41
N | Mr Adam Holloway (Gravesham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 3 November 2008, Official Report, column 1518W, how many rounds of (a) 0.338 ammunition of all natures, (b) 12 bore shotgun ammunition, (c) 30 mm armoured fighting vehicle ammunition of all natures, (d) 30 mm attack helicopter ammunition of all natures and (e) 105 mm ammunition of all natures were used in Operation Herrick 7. | | (268012) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 42
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) BlackBerrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in his Department since its establishment. | | (268236) | 43
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in his Department since its creation; and at what cost. | | (268260) | 44
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many (a) BlackBerrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department since its establishment. | | (268281) | 45
N | Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will hold discussions with his Canadian federal and provincial counterparts on the quantity of carbon dioxide emissions resulting from the extraction of oil from the tar sands in Alberta, Canada. | | (263276) | 46
| Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on liberalising the European energy market. | | (268196) | 47
| Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate he has made of the average waiting time for work under the Warm Front scheme to be completed in the latest period for which figures are available. | | (268227) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 48
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the number of households who have spent more than three per cent. of their disposable income on water bills in each of the last 10 years. | | (268009) | 49
N | Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what species of non-quota fish are available to be caught by craft under 10 metres seeking to fish (a) in the English Channel, (b) in the Thames Estuary and (c) off the North Foreland. | | (267891) | 50
N | Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on the number of small fishing craft which have been taken out of service in England under the capping scheme and have been registered in (a) Scotland and (b) Northern Ireland in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. | | (267892) | 51
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) BlackBerrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268249) | 52
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268279) | 53
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) BlackBerrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268293) | 54
N | Mr Brooks Newmark (Braintree): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2009, Official Report, column 1127W, on floods: Essex, which of the schemes in the Essex catchment area which have received funding in the last 12 months for (a) flood prevention and (b) river maintenance are scheduled to (i) receive further funding over the next five years and (ii) how much funding each scheme will be allocated in each case. | | (267954) | 55
N | Mr Brooks Newmark (Braintree): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2009, Official Report, column 1127W, on floods: Essex, which river maintenance schemes in the Essex catchment area have received funding from his Department in the last 12 months; and how much was spent on each such scheme. | | (267955) | 56
N | Mr Brooks Newmark (Braintree): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2009, Official Report, column 1127W, on floods: Essex, which flood protection schemes in the Essex catchment area have received funding from his Department in the last 12 months; and how much was spent on each such scheme in that period. | | (267956) | 57
| Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department has issued to the fishing fleet on the status of (a) Western Sahara and (b) waters off Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement. | | (268190) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 58
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) BlackBerrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268248) | 59
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268266) | 60
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many (a) BlackBerrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268292) | 61
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2009, Official Report, column 621W, on departmental bank services, what the monetary value is of the contract between his Department and HiFX Intelligent Financial Services. | | (268304) | 62
N | Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the effects on (a) First Nations and (b) levels of carbon dioxide emissions of extracting oil from the tar sands in Alberta, Canada. | | (263274) | 63
| Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to seek the inclusion of a human rights monitoring role in the mandate for the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara upon its renewal. | | (268195) | 64
N | Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he plans to reply to the letter of 18 February 2009 from the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire on the Prime Minister's special representative on conflict resolution mechanisms. | | (267534) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 65
N | Frank Dobson (Holborn & St Pancras): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what spending reductions NHS London are seeking from hospitals providing services to people in Camden; and what the proposed timetable for implementation of those reductions is. | | (268045) | 66
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) BlackBerrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268247) | 67
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268265) | 68
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) BlackBerrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268291) | 69
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many times (a) he and (b) each other Minister in his Department has visited his Department's offices at Quarry House, Leeds since June 2007. | | (268233) | 70
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the effect on the Government's obesity reduction strategy of the inclusion of specially-formulated, very low diet products within the category of foods which are liable for value added tax at the standard rate; and if he will make a statement. | | (268217) | 71
N | Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many local authorities he expects to meet the deadline for the transfer of learning disability commissioning funds from primary care trusts (PCTs) to local authorities; and what procedures will apply when a local authority claims it has received a reduction in funding relative to the PCT budget. | | (268181) | 72
| Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the merits of (a) collecting information on pest vectors and (b) developing capacity to identify pest-related risks in the urban environment. | | (268193) | 73
| Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what financial penalties have been imposed on Stoke-on-Trent City Council as a result of delayed discharges from hospitals in each of the last three years. | | (268197) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 74
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) arrests, (b) prosecutions and (c) convictions there have been of drivers of high vehicles for offences committed in connection with crashes with low bridges in the last five years. | | (267300) | 75
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many violent crimes were committed against those aged 60 years and over in (a) Ribble Valley constituency and (b) the UK in each of the last 10 years. | | (267793) | 76
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) BlackBerrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in her Department in each year since 2005. | | (268234) | 77
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in her Department in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268274) | 78
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) BlackBerrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in her Department in each year since 2005. | | (268295) | 79
| Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight of 5 December 2008 on protection of the personal details of a constituent, in respect of which the hon. Member has written to her on 9 January, 24 February and 27 March 2009. | | (268224) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 80
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) Blackberrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in his Department since its establishment. | | (268246) | 81
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in his Department in each year since its creation; and at what cost. | | (268278) | 82
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many (a) BlackBerrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department in each year since its establishment. | | (268287) | 83
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 16 March 2009, Official Report, column 900W, on departmental bank services, what the monetary value is of his Department's contract with Deutsche Bank. | | (268307) | 84
N | Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, how many times the Learning and Skills Council has used its powers under section 11 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000 since 1 January 2001; and if he will make a statement. | | (263275) | 85
N | Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 4 March 2009, Official Report, column 55WS, on capital investment (further education colleges), which colleges have been granted approval in principle; which colleges have pending bids to the national Learning and Skills Council for approval in principle; and which colleges have been given funding by the Learning and Skills Council to carry out feasibility studies into proposed capital building projects. | | (263870) | 86
N | Stephen Williams (Bristol West): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, pursuant to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State's contribution in the Westminster Hall debate on the Building Colleges for the Future programme on 25 March 2009, Official Report, column 121WH, to which hon. Members the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has written inviting them to meet him to discuss the matters in detail. | | (267912) | 87
N | Stephen Williams (Bristol West): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for South Holland and the Deepings of 16 March 2009, Official Report, column 904W, on further education: finance, when he plans to place in the Library the copy of the letter. | | (267913) | 88
N | Stephen Williams (Bristol West): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, which Parliamentary constituencies have further education colleges with capital funding bids awaiting final approval by the Learning and Skills Council; and how many such bids there are for colleges within each of those constituencies. | | (267914) | 89
N | Stephen Williams (Bristol West): To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 4 March 2009, Official Report, columns 55-6WS, on capital investment (further education colleges), what steps the Learning and Skills Council has taken to keep interested hon. Members informed on the progress and status of schemes in their area. | | (267915) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 90
N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions he has had with the Sri Lankan government on the humanitarian situation in that country. | | (268010) | 91
N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what humanitarian aid his Department is providing for Sri Lanka (a) bilaterally and (b) via EU organisations in 2008-09. | | (268011) | 92
N | Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much of the proposed £30 million United Nations Peacebuilding Fund is planned to be allocated to Sierra Leone in each of the next three years; on what projects this money will be used; how the funding will be used to assist communities in Sierra Leone to recover from conflict; and if he will make a statement. | | (268047) | 93
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) BlackBerrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268245) | 94
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268277) | 95
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many (a) BlackBerrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268288) | 96
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have held in respect of the proposed airport on the island of Saint Helena in the last six months; and if he will make a statement. | | (268215) | 97
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what means of transport are available to visitors wishing to travel to Saint Helena; and if he will make a statement. | | (268216) | 98
| Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the proposed airport on the island of Saint Helena; and if he will make a statement. | | (268230) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Justice 99
N | Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the budget for each probation area was in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08 and (c) 2008-09. | | (268133) | 100
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) Blackberrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268252) | 101
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in his Department and its predecessor in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268269) | 102
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) Blackberrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268299) | 103
| Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many officials in his Department have been working on matters related to the Governance of Britain agenda since July 2007. | | (268205) | 104
| Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Rights and Responsibilities Green Paper of 23 March 2009, what steps he plans to take to ensure that all sections of the UK will have a view as part of the consultation; and how long he expects the consultation to last. | | (268206) | 105
| Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of its consultation on the proposals in the Rights and Responsibilities Green Paper; and how many officials of his Department he expects to work on the consultation. | | (268207) | 106
N | John Mason (Glasgow East): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2009, Official Report, columns 1217-8W, on performing arts, what the cost was to his Department of engaging (a) actors for each of the listed initiatives and (b) musicians for the 18-24 Electoral campaign in 2005-06. | | (267469) | Questions to the Leader of the House 107
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay): To ask the Leader of the House, with reference to the Ministerial correction of 10 November 2008, Official Report, columns 3-4MC, on the Parliamentary session, how many hours the House spent considering (a) primary and (b) delegated legislation on the floor of the House in the 2007-08 Session. | | (268046) | 108
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Leader of the House, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) Blackberrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in her Office in each year since 2005. | | (268244) | 109
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Leader of the House, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in her Office in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268264) | 110
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Leader of the House, how many (a) Blackberrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in her Office in each year since 2005. | | (268280) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 111
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) Blackberrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268241) | 112
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268263) | 113
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) Blackberrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268290) | Questions to the Minister for the Olympics 114
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Minister for the Olympics, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) Blackberrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) her, (B) her special advisers and (C) civil servants in the Government Olympic Executive in each year since its establishment. | | (268235) | 115
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Minister for the Olympics, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) her, (b) her special advisers and (c) civil servants in the Government Olympics Executive in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268257) | 116
| Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire): To ask the Minister for the Olympics, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock of 16 March 2009, Official Report, column 815W, on Olympic Games 2012: Scotland, what the monetary value is of the 13 contracts awarded by the Olympic Delivery Authority to firms based in Scotland. | | (268231) | Questions to the Prime Minister 117
| Mr Graham Stuart (Beverley & Holderness): To ask the Prime Minister, on how many occasions since June 2007 he has asked a Ministerial colleague to respond to Oral Questions to the Prime Minister; what the reason was on each occasion; and if he will make a statement. | | (268229) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland 118
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) Blackberrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268238) | 119
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268258) | 120
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many (a) Blackberrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268284) | 121
N | John Mason (Glasgow East): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2009, Official Report, column 1288W, what the cost was to his Department of engaging musicians on each of those two occasions. | | (267537) | 122
N | Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with Scottish Executive Ministers in advance of his visit to China as part of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry trade delegation. | | (267533) | Questions to the Solicitor General 123
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Solicitor General, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) Blackberrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in the Law Officers' Departments in each year since 2005. | | (268239) | 124
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Solicitor General, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in the Law Officers' Departments in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268261) | 125
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Solicitor General, how many (a) Blackberrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in the Law Officers' Departments in each year since 2005. | | (268285) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 126
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many rail services were (a) cancelled and (b) delayed following high vehicles striking low bridges in the last five years. | | (267301) | 127
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many accidents involving buses and other high vehicles striking low bridges occurred in the last five years. | | (267302) | 128
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) Blackberrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268243) | 129
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268276) | 130
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2009, Official Report, column 986W, on departmental bank services, what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value is of each contract between his Department and each of the banks listed in the Answer. | | (268306) | 131
N | Mr Brooks Newmark (Braintree): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what advice the Highways Agency has given to (a) his Department and (b) other interested parties in respect of the upgrade of the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey. | | (268007) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales 132
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) Blackberrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268237) | 133
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268259) | 134
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many (a) Blackberrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268283) | Questions to the Minister for Women and Equality 135
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) Blackberrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in the Government Equalities Office in each year since its establishment. | | (268240) | 136
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in the Government Equalities Office since its creation; and at what cost. | | (268262) | 137
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, how many (a) Blackberrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in the Government Equalities Office in each year since its establishment. | | (268286) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 138
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the (a) minimum, (b) average and, (c) maximum amount of time required to complete each of the (i) previous and (ii) current versions of claims application forms for (A) means-tested and (B) non-means tested benefits; and if he will make a statement. | | (268186) | 139
N | Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the effect on the public purse would be of increasing personal allowances for the purposes of calculating council tax benefits to £193 per week for (a) a single person aged 60 to 64 years, (b) a couple, one or both of whom is aged 60 to 65 years, (c) a single person aged under 25 years, (d) a single person aged 25 to 60 years and (e) a couple; and if he will estimate the effect such an increase would have on the number of council tax benefit claimants in each case. | | (268179) | 140
N | Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which former (a) hon. Members who left Parliament since 1997 and (b) members of the House of Lords have been appointed to public bodies within his Department's responsibility; and who made each appointment. | | (268180) | 141
N | Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to ensure that crisis loans customers can obtain a face-to-face assessment at their local Jobcentre with crisis loans officers; and if he will make a statement. | | (267899) | 142
N | Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many crisis loans officers there are operating the telephone helpline service for customers; and if he will make a statement. | | (267900) | 143
N | Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of (a) the number of calls made by customers for crisis loans which went through to a recorded message, (b) the average number of calls a customer made before being connected to speak directly to a crisis loans officer and (c) the number of complaints made by crisis loans customers on the inability to be connected to talk to a crisis loans officer via the telephone system in the latest period for which information is available. | | (267901) | 144
N | Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the financial viability of Pathways to Work contracts in the current economic climate; and whether his Department has varied (a) contractual terms and (b) payment timings on any Pathways to Work contracts since their establishment. | | (267902) | 145
N | Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in receipt of (a) jobseeker's allowance and (b) incapacity benefit have been referred to welfare to work providers and have subsequently been discovered to be deceased in each of the last four years. | | (268048) | 146
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much has been spent on (a) the purchase of and (b) bills for (i) Blackberrys and (ii) other mobile telephones for (A) Ministers, (B) special advisers and (C) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268242) | 147
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many laptop computers have been provided to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005; and at what cost. | | (268275) | 148
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) Blackberrys and (b) other mobile telephones have been provided to (i) Ministers, (ii) special advisers and (iii) civil servants in his Department in each year since 2005. | | (268289) | 149
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 16 March 2009, Official Report, column 861W, on departmental bank services, what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value is of the contract between his Department and Citibank. | | (268308) | 150
N | Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in each region have received local housing allowance in each of the last three years. | | (268134) | 151
N | Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much housing benefit has been paid out by local authorities in each region under (a) local reference rents and (b) local housing allowance in each of the last four years. | | (268136) | 152
N | Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of the funds distributed by local authorities in each region as (a) local reference rents and (b) local housing allowance in each of the last four years was paid in respect of accommodation in the private rented sector. | | (268137) | 153
| Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average cost of vehicle adaptations provided by the Motability scheme was in the last 12 months for which figures are available. | | (268192) | 154
| Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons attendance allowance has no component equivalent to the lower rate care component of disability living allowance. | | (268198) | 155
| Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department collects on the number of claimants of disability living allowance who use the mobility component to enable them to get to work. | | (268199) | 156
| Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of applications for disability living allowance were returned because the applicant was aged over 65 in the last 12 months. | | (268200) | 157
| Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department provides to assist people who have been unemployed for less than six months to find new employment. | | (268204) | 158
| Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent representations he has received on the compatibility of the age limit on the disability living allowance with equalities legislation; and if he will make a statement. | | (268219) | 159
| Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent representations he has received in support of allowing those aged 65 and over and in receipt of disability living allowance to claim a mobility component. | | (268220) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 160
N | Gordon Banks (Ochil and South Perthshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of consular and other support provided to British citizens who are detained in other EU jurisdictions. | | [Question Unstarred] (267606) | 161
N | Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on policy on withdrawal of coalition forces from Iraq. | | [Question Unstarred] (267614) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 162
| Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people affected adversely by thalidomide have been provided with assistance dogs. | | [Transferred] (268191) |
|
