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Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Tuesday 25 October 2011

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

Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Tuesday 25 October 2011
(the 'Questions Book')

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Tuesday 25 October 2011

This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 25 October 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 25 October of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Tuesday 25 October see Part 2 of this paper.

Questions to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills
1
N 		Gordon Banks (Ochil and South Perthshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the accuracy of the estimate contained in the British Chamber of Commerce Workforce Survey - Micro Businesses, that one in two micro businesses found it difficult to find the right people to fill their vacancies; and what steps he plans to take to assist such businesses.
(76674)
2
N 		Luciana Berger (Liverpool, Wavertree): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many discussions officials in his Department have had with small businesses interested in becoming Green Deal providers since 14 September 2011.
(76767)
Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office
3
N 		Mr Peter Hain (Neath): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Report by the Cabinet Secretary on allegations against the former Secretary of State for Defence, which organisation IRG Ltd refers to.
(76772)
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer
4
N 		Gordon Banks (Ochil and South Perthshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has set a timetable for the implementation of the recommendations of the report of the Independent Commission on Banking after the Government has published its response.
(76673)
5
N 		Gordon Banks (Ochil and South Perthshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to accept the recommendation of the Independent Commission on Banking to establish a challenger bank; and when any such bank would be established.
(76675)
6
N 		Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset and North Poole): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Equitable Life compensation payments had been made by 30 September 2011; what assessment he has made of performance against the original timetable for payments; and if he will make a statement.
(76729)
7
N 		Frank Dobson (Holborn and St Pancras): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to ensure that statistics to show how many of the additional jobs in the private sector that were previously in the public sector are collected.
(76473)
8
N 		Frank Dobson (Holborn and St Pancras): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has estimated the revenue which would be raised for the Exchequer by a tax on international financial transactions levied at (a) 0.005 per cent., (b) 0.05 per cent., (c) 0.5 per cent. and (d) five per cent.
(76475)
9
Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost of administering the systems of (a) employee and (b) employer national insurance contributions in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.
(76807)
10
Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his most recent estimate is of the annual revenue yield from employee national insurance contributions; and what proportion of that yield is derived from each age group.
(76808)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
11
N 		Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will publish the revised guidance issued to local authorities on the process to follow when it is proposed to bring housing management under direct council control and abolish an arm's length management organisation.
(76785)
12
N 		Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has any plans to require arm's length management organisations to become housing associations.
(76786)
13
N 		Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, at how many events organised by (a) charities, (b) civil society groups, (c) businesses and (d) lobbying organisations (i) Ministers and (ii) senior officials in his Department have spoken in each month since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.
(76791)
14
Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to his Answer of 5 July 2011, Official Report, column 1158W, on public sector: pension, when the Government plans to respond to the Independent Public Service Pensions Commission's recommendations.
(76804)
15
Chris Williamson (Derby North): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to publish his proposed new Planning Policy Statement for Traveller sites.
(76792)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport
16
N 		Dan Jarvis (Barnsley Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, what the success rate is of new business start-ups in the creative industries after their first year of operations compared to other business start-ups.
(76730)
17
N 		Dan Jarvis (Barnsley Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, what (a) grants and (b) other funding schemes his Department provides for small and medium-sized enterprises in the creative industries.
(76782)
18
N 		Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, what recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of (a) broadcasting and (b) other media on the possible discontinuation of the use of the terms BC and AD; what his policy is on the practice; and if he will make a statement.
(75979)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence
19
N 		Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the necessity of maintaining continuous at-sea deployment by at least one UK Trident submarine for the maintenance of an effective nuclear deterrent policy.
(75980)
20
N 		Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress has been made in determining the design of the next generation of frigates for the Royal Navy; and if he will make a statement.
(75981)
21
N 		Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Royal Navy officers of the rank of (a) captain and (b) commodore currently hold (i) sea-going and (ii) shore-based posts; what changes in the numbers of each of these categories he anticipates in the next two years; and if he will make a statement.
(75982)
22
N 		Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the overall cost to his Department was of the construction and equipping of RFA Largs Bay, up to the date when she joined the fleet.
(75983)
Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister
23
N 		Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, at how many events organised by (a) charities, (b) civil society groups, (c) businesses and (d) lobbying organisations (i) he and (ii) his senior officials have spoken in each month since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.
(76790)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Education
24
Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the cost was of (a) internal and (b) external legal advice commissioned by his Department in the first six months of 2011.
(76793)
25
N 		John Mann (Bassetlaw): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children in Bassetlaw will be taught in upstairs classrooms after the allocation of priority schools funding; and what assessment he has made of the effect on (a) health and safety and (b) children with disabilities of the use of upstairs classrooms.
(76623)
26
N 		John Mann (Bassetlaw): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools in Bassetlaw will not receive funding to replace coal-fired boilers under priority schools funding.
(76624)
27
N 		Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, at how many events organised by (a) charities, (b) civil society groups, (c) businesses and (d) lobbying organisations (i) Ministers and (ii) senior officials in his Department have spoken in each month since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.
(76787)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
28
N 		Luciana Berger (Liverpool, Wavertree): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether Ministers from his Department have had official meetings with Miriam Maes without an official being present since May 2010.
(76768)
29
N 		Luciana Berger (Liverpool, Wavertree): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what meetings have been attended by Miriam Maes in her role as an adviser to his Department since September 2010.
(76769)
30
N 		Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent estimate he has made of the (a) current profit margin of UK refineries in US dollars per barrel and (b) the potential additional cost per barrel to UK refineries if the EU decides not to apply a common default value to crude oil in respect of greenhouse gases; whether he has assessed if UK refineries would have to close under such circumstances; what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Department for Transport in respect of their participation in the consultation on the European Commission Directive on Fuel Quality; and if he will make a statement.
(76072)
31
N 		Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent estimate he has made of the extent to which crude oil may be diverted to refineries outside the EU if a common default value in respect of greenhouse gases is not applied to crude oil.
(76073)
32
N 		Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent estimate he has made of the effect on UK fuel security of oil refining being relocated outside the UK; what information his Department holds on any impact assessment by the European Commission of not applying a common default value to crude oil; what discussions on these issues he has had with Ministerial colleagues in the Department for Transport; and if he will make a statement.
(76074)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
33
N 		Nic Dakin (Scunthorpe): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 October 2011, Official Report, column 1405W, on wildlife: circuses, what steps she has taken to overcome the legal difficulties in relation to a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses.
(75776)
34
N 		Neil Parish (Tiverton and Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason farmers in England receive more compensation for non-pedigree cattle over 36 months old affected by bovine TB than for pedigree cattle.
(76672)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
35
Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has made a submission to the Detainee Inquiry in respect of allegations of UK involvement in the rendition of individuals to Libya under the former Libyan government.
(76805)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Health
36
N 		Frank Dobson (Holborn and St Pancras): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2011, Official Report, column 827W, on departmental spend on management consultants, how much has been spent on management consultants in (a) the NHS and (b) his Department's agencies and non-departmental bodies in each of the last five years.
(76474)
37
N 		Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, at how many events organised by (a) charities, (b) civil society groups, (c) businesses and (d) lobbying organisations (i) Ministers and (ii) senior officials in his Department have spoken in each month since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.
(76788)
Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department
38
N 		Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to make any changes to the restrictions applying to A2 nationals working in the UK; and if she will make a statement.
(76773)
39
N 		Nick de Bois (Enfield North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to publish the response to Lord Justice Scott Baker's review of UK extradition arrangements.
(76670)
40
N 		Dr Julian Huppert (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many pregnant women were detained for immigration purposes in 2010-11; and how many of them were released in the late stages of pregnancy because their pregnancy meant that they were not able to fly.
(76621)
41
N 		Dr Julian Huppert (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many women detained for immigration purposes in 2010-11 had children living in the UK and were separated from those children during their detention.
(76663)
42
N 		Dr Julian Huppert (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many women detained for immigration purposes were (a) deported and (b) released in 2010-11; and how long each such woman was detained for.
(76664)
43
N 		Dr Julian Huppert (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what arrangements there are for children of mothers who have been detained for immigration purposes to maintain contact with their mothers while they are in detention.
(76665)
44
Mr Denis MacShane (Rotherham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to reply to the letter from the Rt hon. Member for Rotherham of 21 August 2011 about Sergei Magnitsky.
(76806)
Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development
45
N 		Stephen Barclay (North East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many full-time equivalent officials of his Department responsible for fraud investigation are based in (a) Europe, (b) Africa, (c) North America, (d) South America and (e) Asia.
(76666)
46
N 		Stephen Barclay (North East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much his Department has spent on external investigators to tackle aid fraud, based (a) in and (b) outside the UK, in each of the last three years.
(76667)
47
Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the cost was of (a) internal and (b) external legal advice commissioned by his Department in the first six months of 2011.
(76794)
48
N 		Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the three richest countries are to which his Department provides development aid; and whether he plans to reduce the level of assistance provided to those countries.
(76715)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Justice
49
N 		Robert Flello (Stoke-on-Trent South): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department has spent on first class air travel by Ministers in his Department since 1 May 2010.
(76784)
50
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what targets for reducing re-offending will result in a payment to investors or operators in each of the payment by results pilots in operation.
(76816)
51
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what outcome is being measured in each of the payment by results pilots in operation.
(76817)
52
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average length of time was between a crime being committed and an offender being sentenced in each year from 1997 to 2011 inclusive.
(76818)
53
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what standards in respect of qualifications or experience of individuals providing interpretation services for his Department (a) are applied at present and (b) were applied in October 2010.
(76819)
54
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) police station and (b) court cells meet minimum health and safety standards for use during Operation Safeguard.
(76820)
55
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that police station and court cell usage during Operation Safeguard meets health and safety standards.
(76821)
56
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has any plans to reduce the number of probation trusts through mergers; and if he will make a statement.
(76822)
57
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has any plans to transfer responsibilities for probation services in England and Wales to (a) Police and Criminal Justice Commissioners and (b) local authorities.
(76823)
58
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to improve professional training for probation staff.
(76824)
59
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has any plans to review the facilities management contract for probation trusts.
(76825)
60
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what training measures he plans to put in place in the event of probation functions being contracted out in England and Wales.
(76826)
61
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average time taken was from sentencing to appeal hearing in each year from 1997 to 2011.
(76827)
62
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average time taken was from the end of a trial to the sentencing in each year from 1997 to 2011 inclusive.
(76828)
63
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average time taken was from arrest to charge in each year from 1997 to 2011 inclusive.
(76829)
64
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average time taken was from charge to the commencement of a trial in each year from 1997 to 2011 inclusive.
(76830)
65
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many qualified assistant chief probation officers were employed in each probation trust (a) on the most recent date for which figures are available, (b) in 2008-09, (c) in 2009-10 and (d) in 2010-11.
(76831)
66
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many administrative and clerical staff were employed in each probation trust (a) on the most recent date for which figures are available, (b) in 2008-09, (c) in 2009-10 and (d) in 2010-11.
(76832)
67
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the cost per (a) place and (b) prisoner was in each publicly-run prison in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11.
(76833)
68
Sadiq Khan (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many qualified (a) probation officers and (b) probation service officers were employed in each probation trust on the most recent date for which figures are available.
(76834)
69
N 		Lisa Nandy (Wigan): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many staff are employed at HMP Latchmere House; how many prisoners it (a) holds and (b) has held since 1 September 2011; and what its running costs were in the latest period for which figures are available.
(76783)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport
70
N 		Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information she has received from Ministers in the Department of Energy and Climate Change on the viability of UK oil refineries if a common default value is not applied to crude oil; whether she has sought guidance from Ministerial colleagues in the Department of Energy and Climate Change in relation to her Department's forthcoming response to the consultation on the European Commission Directive on Fuel Quality; and if she will make a statement.
(76075)
71
N 		Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make it her policy to promote the application of a common default value to crude oil in respect of greenhouse gases when responding to the consultation on the European Commission Directive on Fuel Quality.
(76076)
72
N 		John Woodcock (Barrow and Furness): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what level of de-icing salt stockholding is held by (a) local authorities, (b) the Highways Agency and (c) the national strategic reserve; and what estimate she has made of the level of each such stockholding on 1 December 2011.
(76668)
73
N 		John Woodcock (Barrow and Furness): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on how many occasions and on what dates the Salt Cell has met in 2011 to date.
(76669)
74
N 		John Woodcock (Barrow and Furness): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she intends to lay a revised Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation before the House.
(76671)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
75
N 		Tom Greatrex (Rutherglen and Hamilton West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made a submission to the General Medical Council's consultation on good medical practice; and if he will place a copy of any such submission in the Library.
(76613)
76
N 		Dr Julian Huppert (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will meet councillors and officers of Cambridge City Council to discuss the Government's assessment of the efficacy of the Cambridge Broad Rental Market Area.
(76622)
77
N 		Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, at how many events organised by (a) charities, (b) civil society groups, (c) businesses and (d) lobbying organisations (i) Ministers and (ii) senior officials in his Department have spoken in each month since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.
(76789)
78
N 		Debbie Abrahams (Oldham East and Saddleworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to uprate pensions and benefits in line with the September 2011 Consumer Prices Index inflation rate.
[Transferred] (76770)

Prepared 25th October 2011