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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Tuesday 19 January 2010
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Tuesday 19 January 2010
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 19 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 Tuesday 19 January of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Tuesday 19 January see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 1
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much was spent per adult student participating in (a) apprenticeships and (b) advanced apprenticeships in the latest year for which figures are available. | | (311820) | 2
N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many small and medium-sized businesses in (a) West Chelmsford constituency, (b) Chelmsford local authority area and (c) Essex are employing apprentices. | | (311012) | 3
| Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with Royal Mail on the effects of severely adverse weather conditions on postal deliveries. | | (312073) | 4
N | Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the (a) pay, (b) pension and (c) contract term of the Chair of the East of England Development Agency will be with effect from 1 April 2010. | | (311929) | Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office 5
N | Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many deaths of people of no fixed abode have been recorded in (a) the last 31 days and (b) the corresponding period in (i) 2007-08 and (ii) 2008-09. | | (311924) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 6
| John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) associated non-departmental public bodies plan to sign up to the 10:10 campaign for cutting carbon usage in 2010; and if he will publish the (i) criteria and (ii) research upon which such a decision will be taken. | | (312112) | 7
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many appeals from which ports against the (a) new rating assessments and (b) demands for retrospective payments by the Valuation Office Agency have gone to (i) regional hearings, (ii) lands tribunals and (iii) judicial reviews; and what funding his Department has provided to the Agency to meet its legal costs arising from such cases in 2009-10. | | (312095) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 8
N | Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2010, Official Report, column 728W, on pupils exclusions: disadvantaged, what the equivalent figures were for (a) 1997 and (b) 2003. | | (311928) | 9
N | Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many and what proportion of pupils (a) eligible and (b) not eligible for free school meals were classified as persistent absentees in (i) 1980 and (ii) the most recent year for which figures are available. | | (312060) | 10
N | Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many and what proportion of white British (a) boys and (b) girls who were eligible for free school meals were classified as persistent absentees in (i) 1980 and (ii) the most recent year for which figures are available. | | (312061) | 11
N | Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many white (a) boys and (b) girls eligible for free school meals achieved three A grades at A-level in 1997. | | (312062) | 12
N | Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many and what proportion of pupils (a) eligible and (b) not eligible for free school meals achieved three A grades at A-level in (i) 1997 and (ii) the most recent year for which figures are available. | | (312063) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 13
N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many residents of (a) West Chelmsford constituency, (b) Chelmsford local authority area and (c) England have received support through the Mortgage Rescue Scheme since its inception. | | (311010) | 14
N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of properties which have been revalued for council tax purposes in (a) West Chelmsford constituency and (b) Chelmsford local authority area in each of the last three years; and how many such revaluations resulted in a change of council tax banding. | | (311014) | 15
N | Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what funding his Department and its agencies provided for social housing in Islington in 2009-10; and how much such funding he expects to be allocated to Islington in 2010-11. | | (311607) | 16
N | Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to bring forward proposals to amend private tenancy law. | | (311608) | 17
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many of the fast track reviews of new rating assessments on port companies have begun; how many have been completed; and how many of these resulted in assessment reduction. | | (312093) | 18
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, in which ports re-assessments of rate demands on newly-rated port businesses have resulted in wharves being taken out of the assessments; and if he will extend the re-assessment process to the port of (a) Grimsby, (b) Immingham and (c) Goole. | | (312094) | 19
N | Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which local authorities provide accommodation for rough sleepers under severe weather emergency procedures. | | (311925) | 20
N | Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many people have been accommodated by local authorities under severe weather emergency procedures in the last 31 days. | | (311926) | 21
| Mr Paul Truswell (Pudsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to issue guidance to local authorities on the preparation of local impact reports under Section 60 of the Planning Act 2008. | | (312086) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 22
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the likely effects of digital switchover under the provisions of the Digital Economy Bill on the ability of local commercial radio stations without a digital path to continue to broadcast on the analogue spectrum. | | (312081) | 23
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the number of local commercial radio stations in Scotland without a digital migration pathway. | | (312103) | 24
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what percentage of households in Scotland receive (a) digital commercial radio and (b) BBC digital radio services. | | (312104) | 25
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many nightclubs in England and Wales have had alcohol licences revoked in circumstances where the persistent sale of alcohol to persons under 18 years of age has been demonstrated in the last 12 months. | | (312087) | 26
N | Mr Ian McCartney (Makerfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 January 2010, Official Report, column 391W, on the Gambling Act 2005, if he will assess the merits of bringing forward proposals on the availability of higher prizes on gaming machines in commercial snooker and pool clubs for consideration separate from his Department's planned review of Category B gaming machines; and if he will discuss that matter with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. | | (311312) | 27
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what funding his Department has provided to local authorities in (a) North East Lincolnshire and (b) North Lincolnshire to meet the costs of free swimming lessons for (i) pensioners and (ii) young people since April 2009. | | (312083) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 28
| David T. C. Davies (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will consider the merits of awarding a General Service Medal to British forces personnel who served in Oman prior to 1970. | | (312085) | 29
N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the private finance initiative between his Department and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to provide search and rescue capability; how many new search and rescue helicopters this initiative will provide; and when he expects such helicopters to enter into service. | | (311822) | 30
N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 6 January 2010, Official Report, columns 453-5W, on military aircraft: helicopters, what estimate he has made of the cost of extending the service life of the (a) Merlin Mk3, (b) Merlin Mk3a, (c) Sea King Mk4, (d) Sea King Mk7, (e) Apache, (f) Chinook Mk2 and (g) Chinook Mk2a; and when he expects a decision to be made on such an extension in each case. | | (311917) | 31
N | Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of his Department's properties managed by Modern Housing Solutions have reached the EcoHomes06 standard of (a) pass, (b) good, (v) very good and (d) excellent. | | (312066) | 32
N | Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent estimate he has made of the cost to Modern Housing Solutions of upgrading properties it manages under contract to his Department to the energy efficiency standards laid out in the EcoHomes06 sustainability model. | | (312067) | 33
N | Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many complaints were received by Amec Turner about accommodation for service personnel and their families in each of the last 12 months. | | (312068) | 34
N | Willie Rennie (Dunfermline and West Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many requests for repair call-outs were received by Amec Turner in each of the last 12 months. | | (312069) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 35
N | Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2010, Official Report, columns 1045-8W, on departmental internet, how many (a) unique visitors and (b) page impressions were received by each website listed in (i) each of the last three years and (ii) 2009-10 to date. | | (311919) | 36
N | Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2010, Official Report, columns 1045-8W, on departmental internet, how many staff worked on each listed website (a) in each of the last three years and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available. | | (311920) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 37
N | Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to respond to the Parliamentary Ombudsman's report entitled Cold Comfort: the Administration of the 2005 Single Payment Scheme by the Rural Payments Agency. | | (311216) | 38
N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of incidents of fly-tipping in (a) West Chelmsford constituency and (b) Chelmsford local authority area in each of the last five years. | | (311013) | 39
N | Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether British Waterways classifies the River Lune at Halton as navigable. | | (311738) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 40
N | Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what organisations his Department has consulted on the proposed Maritime Protection Zone for the Chagos Archipelago. | | (311609) | 41
| Linda Gilroy (Plymouth, Sutton): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many full-time equivalent staff in his Department are responsible for (a) the central coordination of activities and (b) monitoring the effect of activities undertaken under the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. | | (312084) | 42
N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether any parts of the contents of the speech by Baroness Ashton in her capacity as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, delivered to the European Parliament on 15 December 2009, do not represent the policy of the Government. | | (311821) | 43
N | Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place in the Library a copy of the health and safety advice issued to each new starter upon joining his Department. | | (311823) | 44
N | Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his (a) Canadian and (b) Norwegian counterpart on the negotiation of a free trade agreement between the EU and Colombia. | | (311927) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 45
N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in (a) West Chelmsford constituency and (b) Chelmsford local authority area underwent elective surgery in each of the last five years. | | (311011) | 46
N | Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated research on the (i) potential risks to health and (ii) other effects of chlorpromazine hydrochloride in the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. | | (311610) | 47
N | Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department has provided to clinicians on the use of chlorpromazine hydrochloride for treatment of patients in mental health care facilities. | | (311611) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 48
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what expenditure the National Mobile Phone Crime Unit (NMPCU) incurred in each year since 2003; and how many people were employed by NMPCU in each such year. | | (312080) | 49
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many attacks on (a) police, (b) fire and (c) ambulance services responding to 999 calls were recorded in each police force area in each of the last three years. | | (312090) | 50
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been spent on crime awareness campaigns in universities in England and Wales in each of the last five years. | | (312091) | 51
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) muggings and (b) snatch thefts of mobile telephones were recorded in (i) London and (ii) England and Wales in each year since 1998-99. | | (312092) | 52
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) robberies, (b) violent incidents and (c) drug offences were recorded as taking place on university campuses in England and Wales in each of the last five years. | | (312105) | 53
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the minimum standards of investigation for mobile telephone crime referred to on the National Mobile Phone Crime Unit are. | | (312106) | 54
| Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of appeals against visa refusal decisions made by the (a) Nairobi and (b) Islamabad visa section were allowed in (i) January 2009, (ii) April 2009, (iii) July 2009 and (iv) October 2009. | | (312088) | 55
| Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of appeals against visa refusal decisions at all overseas posts were allowed in (a) January 2009, (b) April 2009, (c) July 2009 and (d) October 2009. | | (312089) | 56
| Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many meetings of (a) the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs and (b) its sub-committees have taken place since 1 November 2008. | | (312107) | 57
| Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of completed applications for representation on form EEA1 were dealt with within service standards in each month since January 2009. | | (312108) | 58
| Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to fill the vacancies on the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs; and when he expects those vacancies to be filled. | | (312109) | 59
| Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effects of the vacancies on the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on the functioning of the Council. | | (312110) | 60
N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many visa applications have been made to enable attendance at courses at each National Qualification Framework level in the UK since March 2009. | | (311736) | 61
N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many visa applications have been made to study in (a) higher education institutions, (b) further education colleges, (c) sixth form colleges and (d) schools in the UK since March 2009. | | (311737) | Questions to the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission 62
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield): To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, which bars available on the House of Commons estate (a) House of Commons and (b) hon. Members' staff may use. | | (312072) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 63
| John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) associated non-departmental public bodies plan to sign up to the 10:10 campaign for cutting carbon usage in 2010; and if he will publish the (i) criteria and (ii) research upon which such a decision will be taken. | | (312111) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Justice 64
N | Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance has been provided to the public on what should be done with cremation ashes which are not taken home, left at a crematorium or interred. | | (311217) | 65
N | Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to amend the Cremation Regulations 2008 to set out a clear procedure to funeral directors which are not cremation authorities on the disposal of retained cremation ashes on their premises. | | (311218) | 66
N | Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent representations his Department has received on retention of cremation ashes. | | (311219) | 67
N | Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance has been issued by his Department to funeral directors who are not cremation authorities on the correct disposal of retained ashes. | | (311220) | 68
| Mr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether HM Courts Service's evaluation of taking payments from debtors by credit card is now complete. | | (312071) | 69
N | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what training is required to be undertaken by prison staff working in women's prisons on self-harm, suicide, domestic abuse and sexual abuse. | | (311918) | 70
N | Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent representations he has received on the handling by the Solicitors Regulation Authority of compalints against Burges Salmon Solicitors; and if he will make a statement. | | (311921) | 71
N | Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent representations he has received on the adequacy of provision of advice by Burges Salmon Solicitors in respect of mortgages and other financial matters; and if he will make a statement. | | (311922) | Questions to the honourable Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission 72
N | Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the honourable Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what steps the Electoral Commission has taken (a) to reduce electoral fraud and (b) to increase levels of voter registration in each year since the Electoral Administration Act 2006 came into effect. | | (311931) | 73
N | Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the honourable Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what recent assessment the Electoral Commission has made of progress in increasing the number of voters registered in the UK; and if he will make a statement. | | (311932) | Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Transport 74
| Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport, how many requests the Highways Agency has received from Royal Mail to clear the roads (a) in Wirral South constituency and (b) elsewhere in the last two months. | | (312074) | 75
N | Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport, what plans he has to reduce the Government stake in UK Air Traffic Control; and if he will make a statement. | | (312064) | Questions to the Minister for Women and Equality 76
| Chris Huhne (Eastleigh): To ask the Minister for Women and Equality, what criminal offences have been (a) created and (b) abolished by primary legislation sponsored by the Government Equalities Office since 1 May 2008. | | (312102) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 77
N | Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's White Paper on Building Britain's Recovery, what estimate she has made of the number of recipients of carers' allowance likely to be affected by an increase in the earnings limit; and when she expects to implement this policy. | | (311933) | 78
N | Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's White Paper on Building Britain's Recovery, what estimate she has made of the number of people who would be eligible for each benefit under the Better Off in Work Credit guarantee; and if she will place in the Library a copy of the financial modelling undertaken by or on behalf of her Department in respect of this policy. | | (311934) | 79
N | Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's White Paper on Building Britain's Recovery, what steps her Department is taking to expand the Work Choice and Access to Work schemes; what additional funding her Department is making available for this purpose; and what estimate she has made of the number of people expected to participate as a consequence of the expansion of the schemes. | | (311935) | 80
N | Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's White Paper on Building Britain's Recovery, what estimate she has made of the number of full-time equivalent mental health co-ordinators who will need to be recruited as part of the national network in Jobcentre Plus; when she expects such recruitment to commence; and when she expects the national network to be fully operational nationwide. | | (311936) | 81
N | Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's White Paper on Building Britain's Recovery, how many people are in receipt of the disabled worker element of working tax credit; and when she expects to publish the results of her Department's review of the transfer of those in receipt of employment and support allowance to the disabled worker element of working tax credit upon moving into employment. | | (312065) | 82
| John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) associated non-departmental public bodies plan to sign up to the 10:10 campaign for cutting carbon usage in 2010; and if she will publish the (i) criteria and (ii) research upon which such a decision will be taken. | | (312113) | Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office 83
N | Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the electoral registration rate was in each constituency in the UK, rated in descending order, in (a) 1997 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available. | | [Transferred] (311930) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 84
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many port companies newly assessed for business rates (a) have and (b) have not accepted the option of paying retrospective rates over an eight year period; and how many have paid their new annual assessment to date. | | [Transferred] (312082) | Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Transport 85
N | Sarah Teather (Brent East): To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport, what recent steps he has taken to monitor the implementation by local authorities of their severe weather emergency procedures; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (311923) |
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