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Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Tuesday 1 May 2012

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 1 May 2012
(the 'Questions Book')

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Tuesday 1 May 2012

This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 1 May 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 1 May of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Tuesday 1 May see Part 2 of this paper.

Questions to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills
1
N 		Mr Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of (a) higher education maintenance grants, (b) tuition fee loans and (c) maintenance loans went to students over the age of 24 years in (i) the 2011-12 academic year to date and (ii) each of the previous three academic years.
(105544)
2
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has undertaken into the effect of EU legislation on currency hedging on manufacturing industries.
(106252)
3
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many applications for postgraduate teacher training there were in each year from 1997 to 2011.
(106276)
Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office
4
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the ratio of male to female workers in each public sector occupation in the West Midlands is.
(106251)
5
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which public sector occupation in the West Midlands has the greatest level of earnings relative to the local average.
(106253)
6
N 		Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will give consideration to requiring companies bidding for public sector contracts to comply with specified (a) social, (b) environmental and (c) ethical criteria; and if he will make a statement.
(106299)
7
N 		Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will give consideration to requiring companies bidding for public sector contracts to submit their tax records for scrutiny as a part of the process; and if he will make a statement.
(106300)
8
N 		Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the dates, minutes and attendees at meetings of the Mutuals Taskforce since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.
(106388)
9
N 		Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which (a) private sector and (b) charities and third sector organisations (i) attended and (ii) were invited to his Department's briefing on 26 April 2012 on bid opportunities for Government contracts; and if he will make a statement.
(106389)
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer
10
N 		Mr William Cash (Stone): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the level of the current account transaction for goods and services between the UK and EU member states in each of the last five years; and what assessment he has made of the level of debt on the reduction of the deficit.
(106386)
11
N 		Mr William Cash (Stone): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the level of total public sector debt including off-balance sheet debt in each of the last five years.
(106387)
12
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has conducted or plans to conduct an investigation into the misselling of interest rate swap agreements by banks in the UK.
(105936)
13
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had discussions with the Financial Ombudsman on the number of small and medium-sized enterprises or their owners that have submitted complaints to the Financial Ombudsman in (a) Coventry and (b) England in the last month.
(105937)
14
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any medium-sized enterprises or their owners that have submitted complaints to the Financial Ombudsman in the last month have had their complaint upheld.
(105938)
15
N 		Stephen McPartland (Stevenage): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to provide a substantive answer to Question 99245, on the personal allowance, tabled on 6 March 2012 for answer on 12 March 2012.
(106340)
16
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will reconsider his policy to introduce VAT on repairs to listed buildings.
(106394)
17
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to remove VAT from housing repairs, maintenance and improvement works for the purpose of stimulating the economy.
(106396)
18
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the likely loss in revenue to the Exchequer if VAT on housing repair, maintenance and improvement works were set at (a) zero, (b) five, (c) 10, (d) 15 and (e) 17.5 per cent.
(106397)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
19
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many (a) legal and (b) illegal Traveller sites there are in Coventry South constituency.
(105940)
20
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many households in Coventry South constituency are classified as Type-1 Hazards.
(106368)
21
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many empty homes there are in Coventry South constituency.
(106369)
22
Eric Ollerenshaw (Lancaster and Fleetwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he has any plans to amend the Local Authorities (Members' Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 to allow co-opted councillors to claim allowances; and if he will make a statement.
(106392)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport
23
N 		Natascha Engel (North East Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, pursuant to his response to the hon. Member for Camberwell and Peckham of 25 April 2012, Official Report, column 957, on the Leveson Inquiry, whether information about the contents of the statement he gave to the House on 25 January 2011 were given to (a) Frederic Michel and (b) News Corps; and if he will place in the Library a copy of any records in relation to this matter.
(106380)
24
N 		Mr George Howarth (Knowsley): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, what guidance was issued to his special adviser Adam Smith on his role as a point of contact between his Department and BSkyB and NewsCorp; whether such guidance included how those responsibilities should be conducted; what feedback he received from Adam Smith on his ongoing briefing of NewsCorp and BSkyB on their proposed merger; and if he will place in the Library a copy of any such guidance and feedback.
(106343)
25
N 		Mr George Howarth (Knowsley): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, what advice he has received on whether the actions of Adam Smith as an approved point of contact for his Department with NewsCorp in relation to the proposed merger between BSkyB and NewsCorp was in breach of the Ministerial code; and if he will place a copy of any such advice in the Library.
(106345)
26
N 		Mr George Howarth (Knowsley): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answers of 25 April 2012, Official Report, columns 963-8, to the hon. Members for Manchester Central, Bradford South and Halton, if he will place in the Library a copy of all of the papers in relation to the appointment of his special adviser, Adam Smith, as a point of contact between his Department and News Corporation on the proposed merger between BSkyB and News Corporation.
(106371)
27
N 		Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, if he will place in the Library a copy of all correspondence and records of meetings between him and Paul Maley since May 2010.
(106378)
28
N 		Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, on what dates Ministers in his Department have met Paul Maley since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.
(106379)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence
29
N 		Gordon Banks (Ochil and South Perthshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department last reviewed the contracts for maintenance of transmission, rotor and rotorhead components for Westland Sea King and Agusta Westland Lynx AH9 helicopters with (a) Agusta Westland, (b) its parent company and (c) any associated companies.
(106377)
30
Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to provide the information requested by the Council of Europe in connection with its inquiry into the Left-To-Die Boat; and when this information will be provided.
(106393)
31
N 		John Glen (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Pension Credit members of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme have been affected by his Department's miscalculation of the level of pension to which they are entitled; and if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of maintaining the payments to such members at the current level.
(106372)
32
N 		Mr Jim Murphy (East Renfrewshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much was spent on the concept development phase in respect of the installation of catapult and arrestor gear.
(106373)
33
N 		Mr Jim Murphy (East Renfrewshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how long the concept development phase in respect of the installation of catapult and arrestor gear lasted.
(106374)
34
N 		Mr Jim Murphy (East Renfrewshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people worked on the concept development phase in respect of the installation of catapult and arrestor gear.
(106375)
35
N 		Mr Jim Murphy (East Renfrewshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the findings of the concept development phase in respect of the installation of catapult and arrestor gear.
(106376)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Education
36
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with the School Teacher's Pay Review Body on the introduction of pay flexibilities permitting headteachers to reduce teachers' pay.
(106250)
37
Lisa Nandy (Wigan): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he took to ensure that the Stakeholder Advocacy Group complied with the Civil Service Code of Conduct.
(106398)
38
Lisa Nandy (Wigan): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will instruct officials in his Department not to require supportive quotes from academies for use in press releases.
(106399)
39
N 		Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether it is still national guidance that teachers should correct no more than three spelling mistakes in a piece of work in order not to harm a child's self-esteem.
(106341)
40
N 		Craig Whittaker (Calder Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will bring forward proposals to make all adopted children eligible for the pupil premium.
(106328)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
41
N 		Alun Cairns (Vale of Glamorgan): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether he plans to introduce capacity payments for non-nuclear electricity generating plants.
(106297)
42
John Robertson (Glasgow North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent discussions his Department has had with Ofgem on raising the debt level threshold which must be met by prepaid meter customers to switch supplier.
(106395)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
43
N 		Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 14 March 2012 with regard to Mr O. Mayo.
(106329)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
44
N 		Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of whether the Storm Shadow missile made by MBDA Missile Systems falls within the scope of the Missile Technology Control Regime; and if he will make a statement.
(106298)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Health
45
N 		Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has given consideration to introducing a personalised medicine approach for cancer treatment.
(105939)
46
N 		Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons hospitals are charged for re-admitting patients within 30 days when they are re-admitted in respect of a second unrelated illness.
(106367)
47
N 		Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 25 April 2012, Official Report, column 914W, on prescription drugs: shortages, when he expects to make a decision on whether to undertake a one-off survey of shortages of medicines at local pharmacies.
(106322)
Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department
48
N 		Steve McCabe (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the European Criminal Records Information System to ensure that British citizens are treated in the same way as other residents of EU member states; and what safeguards have been put in place in this respect.
(103557)
49
Lisa Nandy (Wigan): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department sought the (a) advice and (b) permission of the Department for Education before beginning the age assessments dental x-ray pilot.
(106400)
50
Lisa Nandy (Wigan): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will consider the proposal of the Immigration Law Practitioner's Association to establish regional expert age assessment centres made in its 2007 report When Is a Child Not a Child?
(106401)
51
Lisa Nandy (Wigan): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will evaluate the effects of the age assessments dental x-ray pilots; and if she will ensure that young people are consulted as part of such an evaluation.
(106402)
Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development
52
N 		Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what action he is taking to support those affected by food shortages in West Africa; and if he will make a statement.
(106390)
53
N 		Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps he is taking to support efforts to reform the UN's humanitarian reform initiative; and if he will make a statement.
(106391)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Justice
54
N 		Mr George Howarth (Knowsley): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the implications of his proposals for the future of legal aid for the decision to replace county courts with the Salford Business Centre.
(106323)
55
N 		Stephen Williams (Bristol West): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the ethnicity is of each child awarded additional days of imprisonment by outside adjudicators in Ashfield Young Offender Institute in each month in the last two years.
(106331)
56
N 		Stephen Williams (Bristol West): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many additional days of imprisonment were awarded to children in Ashfield Young Offender Institute by an outside adjudicator for breaches of prison rules in each month in the last two years.
(106332)
57
N 		Stephen Williams (Bristol West): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases were referred to an outside adjudicator for breaches of prison rules in Ashfield Young Offender Institute in each month in the last two years.
(106333)
Questions to the Prime Minister
58
N 		Mr George Howarth (Knowsley): To ask the Prime Minister, what advice he has received on whether the actions of Adam Smith, the special adviser to the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, have led to a breach of the Ministerial Code; and if he will place a copy of any such advice in the Library.
(106342)
59
N 		Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion): To ask the Prime Minister, what the names and companies are of those who accompanied him on his recent visit to Japan.
(106321)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport
60
N 		Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any of the funding allocated to Dorset local enterprise partnership will be used for the purpose of improving transport infrastructure.
(106370)
61
N 		Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what advice she has issued to local highway authorities on the potential benefits of making greater utilisation of traffic activated traffic lights rather than those set on a time sequence, especially during non-peak hours; and if she will make a statement.
(105935)
62
N 		Craig Whittaker (Calder Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her proposal not to expand open access competition, what mechanism she plans to put in place to offer services on rail lines where franchised service operators traditionally do not wish to operate but open access providers do; and if she will make a statement.
(106327)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
63
N 		Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 14 March 2012 with regard to Ms L. Wright.
(106330)

Prepared 1st May 2012