Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Wednesday 18 March 2015

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 Wednesday 18 March 2015

(the ‘Questions Book’)

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on

Wednesday 18 March 2015


This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on the date of issue of this paper of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper.

For other Written Questions for answer on the date of this paper of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer on future days, see Part 2 of this paper.

Wednesday 18 March  
Questions to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills
1  
Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Centre for Life in Newcastle is eligible for funding from the Inspiring Science Capital Fund.
      (227700)
2 N
Mr Chuka Umunna (Streatham): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will estimate the proportion of advice provided to businesses under the Growth Vouchers scheme to date that has been provided directly by his Department and its agencies.
      (227521)
Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office
3 N
Mark Hendrick (Preston): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people died from smoking-related diseases in each local authority area in Lancashire in 2014.
      (227509)
4 N
Mark Hendrick (Preston): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people died from alcohol-related conditions in each local authority area in Lancashire in 2014.
      (227512)
5 N
Pamela Nash (Airdrie and Shotts): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the average ratio of personal debt to equity for each (a) income and (b) age group defined by the Office for National Statistics in (i) the UK, (ii) Scotland, (iii) England, (iv) Wales and (v) Northern Ireland in each of the last five years up to the most recent period for which records are available.
      (227528)
6 N
Sir Richard Shepherd (Aldridge-Brownhills): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will review the use of subordinate legislation to amend primary legislation; and if he will propose arrangements to restrict such powers to cases of necessity.
      (227514)
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer
7  
Oliver Colvile (Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9 January 2015 to Question 219617, whether further evaluation of the benefits of supporting projects of outside the UK has been undertaken since the publishing of that paper in August 2014; and if he will reconsider the expansion of the list of technologies eligible for support from UK CfDs.
      (227688)
8  
John Glen (Salisbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his most recent estimate is of the rebate which will be paid to the Exchequer in 2015-16 through the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme; what assessment he has made of the potential effect of greater use of unlicensed medicines for age-related macular degeneration on that rebate; and if he will make a statement.
      (227586)
9  
Mr Roger Godsiff (Birmingham, Hall Green): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will undertake to provide 12 months' notice to community energy societies of any tax changes that will affect them, in order to provide regulatory coherence and stability.
      (227626)
10  
Mr Roger Godsiff (Birmingham, Hall Green): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what definition of a community energy co-operative he plans to use in any revision of the tax rules relating to such co-operatives.
      (227627)
11  
Mr Roger Godsiff (Birmingham, Hall Green): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with hon. Members on the implications of his proposals to exclude co-operatives from future tax allowance schemes for community energy projects.
      (227629)
12  
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information HM Revenue and Customs holds on the number of football players in the English Premier League who pay no tax in the UK from their earnings.
      (227698)
13 N
Mark Hendrick (Preston): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when it was decided that bailiffs could be used to recover alleged overpayment of tax credits; who took that decision; and whether it is his policy that processes to recover alleged overpayments are stayed at the request of an hon. Member for such an allegation to be investigated.
      (227525)
14 N
Chris Leslie (Nottingham East): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons details of the latest sale of Government held shares in Lloyds Banking Group were not published by UK Financial Investments.
      (227537)
15 N
Chris Leslie (Nottingham East): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fees are payable to JP Morgan for its role in managing the trading plan to sell the remaining holdings of Government held shares in Lloyds Banking Group.
      (227538)
16 N
Chris Leslie (Nottingham East): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department's announcement, Government sells more shares in Lloyds through trading plan, published on 9 March 2015, how many shares in Lloyds Banking Group the Government sold, and at what price per share.
      (227539)
17 N
Sir Richard Shepherd (Aldridge-Brownhills): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations were made to the Government on the constitutional propriety of the General Anti-Avoidance Rule introduced by the Finance Act 2013 (a) in relation to whether the Rule seeks to make citizens responsible for shortcomings of the legislative process, (b) in relation to whether the Rule requires the courts to give effect to interpretations offered by an advisory body which is unaccountable and unelected and (c) on any other grounds.
      (227513)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
18 N
Mr Clive Betts (Sheffield South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Written Statement of 23 February 2015, Official Report, column 292WS, on Protecting Public Money, which are the (a) five local enterprise partnerships and (b) local authorities which have been paying for lobbyists in potential non-compliance with the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity.
      (227168)
19 N
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, in how many local authorities council tax has not increased in each year since 2010.
      (227496)
20  
Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether firefighters aged 55 who fail a fitness test will receive an unreduced pension; and whether he plans to bring in legislative proposals to make this a statutory right.
      (227579)
21  
Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the amount of unpaid business rates owed to local authorities in (a) England, (b) West Yorkshire and (c) Leeds in each year from 2010 to 2014.
      (227591)
22  
Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the powers available to local authorities to collect unpaid business rates.
      (227597)
23  
Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what support and advice is available to companies which require assistance in paying business rates.
      (227598)
24  
Dr Matthew Offord (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the length of time that vacant shops remain empty.
      (227690)
25  
Dr Matthew Offord (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the performance of the Troubled Families scheme.
      (227691)
26  
Dr Matthew Offord (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many council homes have been constructed since 2010.
      (227692)
27  
Dr Matthew Offord (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has published on use of brownfield sites in local development by local authorities.
      (227693)
28  
Dr Matthew Offord (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number of businesses that will receive the planned reduction in business rates in (a) the London Borough of Barnet and (b) Hendon constituency in 2015-16.
      (227694)
29  
Dr Matthew Offord (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to promote best practice between local authorities and local enterprise partnerships.
      (227695)
30  
Dr Matthew Offord (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has issued to assist local authorities in publishing local plans for sustainable development.
      (227696)
31  
Dr Matthew Offord (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many new residential properties have been constructed in (a) the London Borough of Barnet and (b) Hendon constituency since 2010.
      (227697)
32 N
Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many planning applications for fast food restaurants have been (a) approved and (b) rejected in residential areas in each local authority area in the last 12 months for which figures are available.
      (227529)
33 N
Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received on the planning implications of the strategy of McDonald's for opening fast food restaurants in residential areas.
      (227530)
34  
Dr Sarah Wollaston (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, in how many local authority areas park home site owners have breached their site licences more than three times in the last two years.
      (227576)
35  
Dr Sarah Wollaston (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities are taking proceedings against park home site owners who have breached their site licences more than three times in the last two years.
      (227577)
36  
Dr Sarah Wollaston (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities have revoked the licences of park home site owners who have breached their site licences more than three times in the last two years.
      (227578)
37  
Dr Sarah Wollaston (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the average cost to the public purse of a request for him to call in a planning application in each of the last five years.
      (227592)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
38 N
Mr Chuka Umunna (Streatham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Answer of 16 December 2013, Official Report, column 430W, on broadband, in which enterprise zones superfast broadband is currently (a) available throughout and (b) partially available.
      (227524)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence
39  
Alex Cunningham (Stockton North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2015 to Question 223160, how the armed forces communicate the requirements of recruiters in respect of briefing candidates and their parents on the terms and conditions of military service.
      (227583)
40  
Alex Cunningham (Stockton North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2015 to Question 223160, by what mechanism the armed forces provide a full explanation of the terms and conditions of military service to army candidates and their parents.
      (227584)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Education
41 N
Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations she has received on the use of email addresses received from respondents to her Department's Teacher Workload survey.
      (227531)
42  
Neil Carmichael (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many Chemistry Technical Colleges have been approved since May 2010.
      (227655)
43 N
Dan Jarvis (Barnsley Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to improve educational provision for children with autism.
      (227575)
44  
Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that wider provision of free school meals does not affect take-up of pupil premium funding.
      (227625)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
45  
Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what proportion of the domestic retail electricity and gas market was captured by the six largest energy firms in (a) 2000, (b) 2010 and (c) the latest date for which data is available.
      (227669)
46 N
Pamela Nash (Airdrie and Shotts): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what information his Department holds on total customer debt to suppliers of (a) gas and (b) electricity in (i) the UK, (ii) Scotland, (iii) England, (iv) Wales and (v) Northern Ireland in each year since 2010 up to the most recent period for which records are available.
      (227526)
47 N
Pamela Nash (Airdrie and Shotts): To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what information his Department holds on the average customer debt to suppliers of (a) gas and (b) electricity in (i) the UK, (ii) Scotland, (iii) England, (iv) Wales and (v) Northern Ireland in each year since May 2010 up to the most recent period for which records are available.
      (227527)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
48  
Pamela Nash (Airdrie and Shotts): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff in her Department and its executive agencies and associated bodies were engaged off-payroll in each of the last five years up to the most recent period for which figures are available.
      (227599)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
49  
Neil Carmichael (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2015 to Question 221023, what discussions (a) he and (b) officials in his Department have had with the new government of Sri Lanka.
      (227656)
50  
Neil Carmichael (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on which nations have (a) successfully incorporated and (b) are in the process of incorporating relevant measures of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty into domestic law.
      (227658)
51  
Alex Cunningham (Stockton North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the Government is giving to the training of police in Burma.
      (227640)
52  
Alex Cunningham (Stockton North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has discussed the Burmese government and the provision of aid to ethnic Rohingya in Burma with the UN Secretary General.
      (227641)
53  
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what restrictions are in place on the export of medical equipment to Iran.
      (227580)
54  
Pamela Nash (Airdrie and Shotts): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many staff in his Department and its executive agencies and associated bodies were engaged off-payroll in each of the last five years up to the most recent period for which figures are available.
      (227600)
55 N
Mr David Ward (Bradford East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department is providing to government and opposition in Bangladesh to help address the constitutional crisis in that country.
      (908150)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Health
56  
Neil Carmichael (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent progress his Department has made on the roll-out of the vaccine for meningitis B.
      (227657)
57  
Alex Cunningham (Stockton North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of people in England referred for talking therapies for treatment of depression and anxiety in the second quarter of 2014-15 started their treatment within (a) six and (b) 18 weeks.
      (227689)
58  
John Glen (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what correspondence his Department has had with NHS England in the last two months on the use of unlicensed treatments for age-related macular degeneration; and if he will place copies of such correspondence in the Library.
      (227587)
59  
John Glen (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when officials of his Department last discussed unlicensed treatments for age-related macular degeneration with (a) the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and (b) the General Medical Council; what the content of those discussions was; and if he will make a statement.
      (227588)
60  
John Glen (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions NHS England officials have had with representatives of NICE on the commitment to a fast-track interim commissioning policy for interferon-free hepatitis C medicines made during the health technology assessment of sofosbuvir.
      (227589)
61  
John Glen (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether NHS England's proposed interim commissioning policies for interferon-free hepatitis C medicines have been considered by the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group.
      (227590)
62  
Mr Roger Godsiff (Birmingham, Hall Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many representatives of patients and the public sit on the care.data Programme Board.
      (227628)
63 N
Dan Jarvis (Barnsley Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to reduce waiting times for urgent referrals of epilepsy patients.
      (227574)
64  
Dr Sarah Wollaston (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the General Medical Council (a) has undertaken and (b) plans to undertake any reviews of online prescribing of oral antibiotics.
      (227585)
Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department
65 N
Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of UK foreign policy on radicalisation.
      (226657)
66 N
Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which Muslim groups her Department has met with to discuss the Prevent strategy in the last two years.
      (226658)
67 N
Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the confidence of the British Muslim community in the Prevent strategy.
      (226659)
68 N
Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations expressing concerns about the effectiveness of the Prevent strategy she has received in the last two years.
      (226660)
69 N
Sarah Teather (Brent Central): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to review the use of detention for immigration purposes.
      (227497)
70  
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2015 to Question 225163, on asylum, how many further submissions were made in (a) East Midlands, (b) London, (c) Northern Ireland, (d) North East England, (e) North West England, (f) Scotland, (g) Wales, (h) West Midlands and (i) Yorkshire and the Humber in each year from 2008 to 2014.
      (227686)
71  
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2015 to Question 225191, on asylum, how many grants on (a) protection and (b) non-protection grounds her Department made in (i) England, (ii) Northern Ireland, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Wales in each year from 2008 to 2014.
      (227687)
Questions to the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission
72 N
Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, what comparative assessment the Commission has made of the costs of offering iPads and equivalent Android devices free of charge to all hon. Members.
      (227498)
73 N
Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, what assessment the Commission has made of the suitability of the iPad for the open source, open standards and open data approach to digital services promoted by the Government Digital Service.
      (227499)
74 N
Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, what discussions the Commission has had with (a) Apple and (b) providers of other devices and platforms in advance of the decision to offer iPads free of charge to all hon. Members.
      (227500)
75  
Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, what assessment the Commission made of the functionality and price of other devices and platforms before deciding to offer free iPads to all hon. Members.
      (227725)
Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development
76  
Pamela Nash (Airdrie and Shotts): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many staff in her Department and its non-departmental public body were engaged off-payroll in each of the last five years up to the most recent period for which figures are available.
      (227601)
77  
Sarah Teather (Brent Central): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, over what time period the £800 million committed by the Government in response to the conflict in Syria will be spent.
      (227659)
78  
Sarah Teather (Brent Central): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much of the £800 million committed by the Government in response to the conflict in Syria has been spent; and how much of that sum is earmarked for future spending.
      (227660)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Justice
79  
Ian Austin (Dudley North): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Probation Service has spent on agency staff in each month of the last five years.
      (227581)
80  
Ian Austin (Dudley North): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance his Department issues on the use of agency staff by the Probation Service.
      (227582)
81  
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much was raised by his Department from the sale of the former Kingston Prison site in Portsmouth.
      (227642)
82  
Pamela Nash (Airdrie and Shotts): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many staff in his Department and its executive agencies and associated bodies were engaged off-payroll in each of the last five years up to the most recent period for which figures are available.
      (227602)
83  
Dr Sarah Wollaston (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps the Government has taken to protect children from a parent who has been convicted of child sexual abuse.
      (227593)
84  
Dr Sarah Wollaston (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the merits of restricting the access of parents who have been convicted of sexually abusing a child to their own children.
      (227594)
85  
Dr Sarah Wollaston (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of measures to protect children from a parent who has been convicted of child sexual abuse.
      (227595)
86  
Dr Sarah Wollaston (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what provisions are in place to support the non-abusing parent of a child who has a parent convicted of child sexual abuse; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of those provisions.
      (227596)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland
87  
Pamela Nash (Airdrie and Shotts): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many staff in his Department were engaged off-payroll in each of the last five years up to the most recent period for which figures are available.
      (227604)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport
88 N
Stephen Timms (East Ham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2015 to Question 226547, what assessment he has made of the merits of deploying civil enforcement officers rather than using cameras to enforce mandatory cycle lanes; and if he will make a statement.
      (227536)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales
89  
Pamela Nash (Airdrie and Shotts): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many staff in his Department were engaged off-payroll in each of the last five years up to the most recent period for which figures are available.
      (227605)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
90 N
Mark Hendrick (Preston): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Preston constituency (a) applied for and (b) received a Social Fund funeral payment in 2014.
      (227510)
91 N
Mark Hendrick (Preston): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Preston constituency are in receipt of carer's allowance.
      (227511)
92 N
Pamela Nash (Airdrie and Shotts): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the level of disposable income of each (a) age group and (b) income group in (i) the UK, (ii) Scotland, (iii) England, (iv) Wales and (v) Northern Ireland was in each of the last five years up to the most recent period for which records are available.
      (227515)
93 N
Stephen Timms (East Ham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of (a) jobseeker's allowance and (b) employment and support allowance referred to the Work Programme in 2013 or earlier (i) have and (ii) have not achieved a sustained job outcome.
      (227532)
94 N
Stephen Timms (East Ham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to support faith-based employment support initiatives since May 2010.
      (227533)
95 N
Stephen Timms (East Ham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he plans to take to implement consistent communications by his Department on mandatory reconsideration.
      (227534)
96 N
Stephen Timms (East Ham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to support job clubs run by volunteers since May 2010.
      (227535)
Questions to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills
97  
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will ensure that all Level 4 and Level 5 qualifications are eligible for the same funding by moving HNDs and HNCs from higher education funding to advanced learning loans.
   [Transferred]  (227670)
Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office
98  
Pamela Nash (Airdrie and Shotts): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff in 10 Downing Street were engaged off-payroll in each of the last five years up to the most recent period for which figures are available.
   [Transferred]  (227603)

Prepared 18th March 2015