Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2002 - 03
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 27 January 2003

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Monday 27 January 2003, of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

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.

MONDAY 27th JANUARY

1   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will issue guidelines to local authorities on the closure of public lavatories; and if he will commission research into the change in the number of public lavatories over the last five years.

(93695)

2   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what consultations have been carried out in determining the objective data from which the Government has derived the high demand indicator for the purposes of reducing maximum right to buy discounts.

(93993)

3   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library the evidence he has collated that the right to buy has been abused in the borough of Christchurch.

(93994)

4
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the targets are for numbers of refuge places for women in (a) Coventry and (b) the West Midlands, and how much refuge provision for women there is in each.

(92345)

5   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will issue a top-up grant of £464,058 to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council for the provision of nursery school places to 381 applicants for this academic year following the migration of these children into the county subsequent to the allocation of the 2002-03 nursery education grant.

(93846)

6   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what measures he will take to ensure the East Riding of Yorkshire Council receives enough funding to guarantee the provision of nursery school places from April 2004.

(93837)

7   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he will announce the level of funding to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council for nursery school places for the next financial year.

(93847)

8
N   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when the ODPM will release the findings of the public inquiry on Gloucester's St Oswalds Park development.

(93494)

9   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the rate of staff (a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was in his Department, its predecessors and each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1990-91 to 2002-03; what the target set is for his Department; and if he will make a statement.

(93506)

10
N   Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will issue additional Planning Policy Guidance to make it easier for local authorities to obtain planning permission for local authority sites for travellers.

(92954)

11
N   Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he plans to impose a duty on local authorities to provide suitable sites for travellers.

(92955)

12
N   Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what means he plans to make available to (a) private and (b) public landowners to remove travellers from unauthorised encampments more easily if local authorities have been (i) unable and (ii) unwilling to provide suitable sites for travellers.

(92956)

13
N   Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many local authorities (a) requested meetings with ministers to discuss their funding settlement for 2003-04, (b) were granted meetings with ministers as requested and (c) were refused a meeting but were subsequently called to such a meeting.

(93355)

14
N   Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what criteria were used to determine which local authorities were granted a meeting with a minister to discuss their funding settlement for 2003-04.

(93356)

15   Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether he intends to introduce an e-participation component as a requirement of Implementing Electronic Government statements.

(93865)

16   Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the (a) prevalence and (b) causes of occupational stress among local government officers.

(93691)

17   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what guidance the Government will issue for regional housebuilding targets during the process of establishing Regional Strategic Procedure.

(93603)

18   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, which development documents a unitary authority will have to complete as a result of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill.

(93602)

19   Mr John Taylor (Solihull): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make it his policy to yield to the benefit of local fire authorities any net savings in firefighters' salaries arising from strike action over and above the contingency costs of covering that strike action.

(93433)

20   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many representations he has received from (a) individuals and (b) organisations in (i) East Sussex and (ii) Eastbourne relating to changes to grant distribution.

(93495)

21   Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how local fire authorities will be able to increase pay of firefighters in cases where they have already introduced many of the changes recommended in the Bain report.

(93422)

22   Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, who commissioned the Pathways reports; for what reason the Government commissioned the Pathways review; when he expects to publish its findings; how the draft Pathways recommendations differ from the Bain report's findings; and if he will place a copy of the draft Pathways report in the Library.

(93418)

23   Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how he estimates the recommendations of the Bain report will change the quality of the fire service to the community.

(93423)

24   Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether the Bain report took into account past efficiency and modernisation measures that have been introduced by some fire authorities.

(93421)

25   Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether he estimates that all fire authorities will have the same opportunity to introduce modernisation procedures.

(93424)

26
N   Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with church groups and religious leaders on the impact of the proposed licensing bill on places of public religious worship; and if she will make a statement.

(93287)

27   Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will place in the Library the results of the opinion survey undertaken by ICM on behalf of UK Sport on a London bid for the 2012 Olympics.

(93376)

28   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to provide free television licences for all pensioners.

(93700)

29   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the rate of staff (a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was in her Department and each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1990-91 to 2002-03; what the target set is for her Department; and if she will make a statement.

(93509)

30   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans the Government has to sell the Tote (a) to a racing trust to allow it to compete commercially with all long-term profits invested in the sport and (b) to a profit-making company with interests in the gambling sector.

(93794)

31
N   Mr Richard Bacon (South Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the professional fees were to each payee for the redevelopment of his Department's main building, broken down by (a) his Department and (b) the PFI contractor.

(93403)

32
N   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many animal experiments, broken down by (a) recorded category and (b) species, were carried out at Porton Down in each year since 1997.

(93290)

33
N   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many experiments sponsored by his Department have used human volunteers in each year since 1997; and if he will list them, broken down by recorded category.

(93291)

34
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the impact on the operational effectiveness of British contingents in UN peace keeping missions of the deployment of forces to the Gulf.

(92953)

35
N   Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what criteria were applied in selecting areas of airspace suitable for testing the Eurofighter; what consultation was carried out with local communities; and what steps he is taking to monitor nuisance caused by test flights.

(91153)

36   Sue Doughty (Guildford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions have taken place with United States military representatives on the development of non-lethal weapons; and if he will make a statement.

(94083)

37   Sue Doughty (Guildford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what studies led his Department to take the view that to preserve, sustain and develop essential technical capabilities found in DSTL a critical mass of staff is required that cannot be achieved with the current dispersed organisation; and if he will place copies of the studies in the Library.

(94065)

38
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the pensions rights of individuals in their main job are protected during periods of service as an armed forces reservist; and if he will make a statement.

(93342)

39   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress towards the procurement of a human centifruge; and what discussions his Department has had with AMST of Austria on the matter.

(93990)

40   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what was discussed at his meeting with the Chief Executive of BAE Systems on 22nd January.

(93992)

41   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many troops being deployed in the Gulf as part of Operation Telic are to be equipped with unmodified SA80 rifles.

(93991)

42   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the prime contractor for the carrier programme.

(93600)

43
N   Mr Michael Jack (Fylde): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the strategic significance to the UK of BAE Systems.

(93206)

44
N   Mr Michael Jack (Fylde): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on his Department's relationship with BAE Systems; and what assessment he has made of (a) the strengths and (b) the weaknesses of BAE Systems in delivering his Department's procurement requirements.

(93205)

45
N   Mr Michael Jack (Fylde): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has been advised in 2003 of interest by a non-UK company in merging with or taking over BAE Systems.

(93207)

46   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether armed forces personnel are obliged to sign legal waivers in advance of the administering of Chemical Biological Warfare inoculations.

(93647)

47   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the course of inoculations that are being given to HM Forces personnel being deployed for possible operations against Iraq; which drugs are administered; and over what period of time.

(93646)

48   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which (a) Army (b) Royal Navy and (c) RAF units have been (i) warned to deploy and (ii) deployed for possible operations agains Iraq have been given innoculations against biological weapons.

(93645)

49   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many helicopters are in service with (a) 847 NAS, (b) 846 NAS and (c) 845 NAS, and what the serviceability rate is of the aircraft of each squadron.

(93648)

50   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many applications there have been for Premature Voluntary Release from (a) 40, (b) 42 and (c) 45 Commando in each month of the past year.

(93653)

51   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much compensation has been paid to service personnel for cancelled holidays in the past six months; and how many service personnel have been compensated.

(93652)

52   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in what operations (a) 847 NAS, (b) 846 NAS and (c) 845 NAS have been involved in the past five years.

(93650)

53   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the (a) newest and (b) oldest helicopter airframe in service with (i) 847 NAS, (ii) 846 NAS and (iii) 845 NAS.

(93649)

54   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements are in place for reservists to continue with company pensions when they are called up; and if he will make a statement.

(93651)

55   Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the security vetting procedures are for non-UK and overseas territories citizens working at the Mount Pleasant military base in the Falkland Islands; and what the policy is on employing non-UK and overseas territories citizens on MoD contracts in the Falklands Islands.

(93595)

56   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the desertification of Challenger II tanks will be completed (a) before they are loaded for transport to the Gulf and (b) before they arrive in the Gulf; and if he will make a statement.

(93937)

57
N   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the impact of success for each of the bidders in the future aircraft carrier programme on the possibility of future co-operation with France on the construction of a new French carrier; and if he will make a statement.

(93349)

58
N   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the maximum amount of time is that he estimates 30,000 soldiers could be maintained at a high level of readiness in the Gulf before rotating personnel.

(93261)

59
N   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the last three operational deployments of (a) 1st Armoured Division and (b) 102 Logistics Brigade, broken down by battalion, stating in each case the length of time between operational tours.

(93260)

60   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Royal Navy firefighters are (a) with the task force and (b) on each ship; what the required number is of firefighting personnel on each ship; and if he will make a statement.

(93935)

61   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the food that is being sent to the Gulf with (a) the Naval Task Force and (b) the land forces deployment by (i) type, (ii) quantity and (iii) cost; and if he will make a statement.

(93413)

62   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if cluster bombs are part of the ordnance package on its way to the Gulf.

(93938)

63   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the daily rations are for British troops while on deployment in the Gulf; and if he will make a statement.

(93414)

64   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, from which units the personnel in BARTs and RESTs under operation FRESCO are drawn; how many of them are due to be deployed to the Gulf and from which units will personnel be drawn to replace them; and if he will make a statement.

(93936)

65
N   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what contingency plans he has made to replace the troops on their way to the Gulf; which troops from which units and regiments would be used; and if he will make a statement.

(93259)

66
N   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department has had with the French government regarding the sale to France of UK aircraft carrier designs; and if he will make a statement.

(93348)

67   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the (a) possession and (b) possible use of landmines by Allied forces in the Gulf.

(93939)

68   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Ministry of Defence police officers will be surplus to requirement at (a) Salisbury Plain Army Training Estate, (b) Boscombe Down and (c) DSTL Porton Down when Landmarc Support Services commence their strategic partnership; and if he will make a statement.

(93483)

69   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements are in place for the accurate keeping of medical records of military personnel deployed to the Middle East; and what progress has been made in introducing a Smart Military Dog-Tag.

(93369)

70   Jim Knight (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much money has been received by his Department in exchange for the sale of the Hardy accommodation blocks at Portland.

(93617)

71   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the opening by the Norwegian government of a new inquiry into allegations that an RAF Harrier was involved in the crash of a civilian Twin Otter aircraft near Mehamn in Norway in 1982.

(93836)

72   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what uniform in addition to the standard issue is being ordered for use by troops deployed to the Gulf.

(94101)

73   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the new uniforms are due to be delivered to troops deployed to the Gulf.

(94100)

74   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, who is responsible for future strategy on the procurement of uniforms for HM forces.

(94099)

75   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many rifles have been supplied for use by (a) front-line troops and (b) support forces.

(94103)

76   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what research has been carried out on the standard issue Army boot and its effect on feet.

(94098)

77   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what help is being given to companies that are supplying the uniform for the troops on deployment to the Gulf.

(93997)

78   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proposed improvements to uniforms issued to HM Forces are being studied by the Defence Procurement Agency.

(94087)

79   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what socks supplied for use by the Army are being modified for use by troops deployed to the Gulf.

(94102)

80   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost is of uniforms procured for troops deployed to the Gulf.

(94082)

81   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects desert (a) jackets, (b) trousers, (c) boots and (d) helmets to be delivered to troops deployed to the Gulf.

(94091)

82   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what tests have been conducted to ensure the reliability of (a) gas masks and (b) protective suits worn by services personnel.

(93566)

83   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) gas masks and (b) protective suits have been issued to service personnel.

(93568)

84   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the procedure is for repairing damaged protective suits used by service personnel to protect them from (a) chemical, (b) nuclear and (c) radiological attack.

(93567)

85   Mr Eric Martlew (Carlisle): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the sub-committee chaired by General Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank to report regarding the issue of a Suez Canal Zone medal; and if he will make a statement.

(93632)

86   Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of (a) Naval, (b) Army and (c) RAF offices received in each year since 1990 were graduates.

(93657)

87   Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has been made of the (a) prevalence and (b) causes of occupational stress in (i) Her Majesty's Forces, (ii) the MoD Police and (iii) the MoD Guard Service.

(93670)

88   Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 20th January (ref 91885), what the expected requirements for blood and plasma are.

(93594)

89   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the discovery of phials of anthrax vaccine on beaches in Hampshire and Dorset on 20th January.

(93910)

90   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what process was used by his Department to determine the balance of debt and equity in the sell-off of QinetiQ.

(93888)

91   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the on-site security arrangements put in place to ensure continued physical protection of research sites divided between QinetiQ and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratories.

(93889)

92   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the names of British-registered companies found by UNMOVIC or the IAEA inspection teams in Iraq to have provided proscribed military equipment and material to Iraq.

(93906)

93   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his estimate is of the cost of the deployment of troops and tanks to the Gulf announced on 20th January.

(93900)

94   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what safeguards were built into the partial sell-off of QinetiQ to protect intellectual property rights held by DSTL.

(93887)

95   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what formula was used by his Department to calculate the value of QinetiQ prior to its partial privatisation.

(93890)

96   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what expenditure was incurred in the sell-off of QinetiQ (a) in consultancy payments by his Department, (b) by DERA, (c) by QinetiQ, (d) by DSTL and (e) by other parties.

(93892)

97   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements will be put in place for press and broadcast media representatives covering military activities in the Gulf.

(93905)

98   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost is of providing United Kingdom military forces and medical auxiliaries deployed to the Gulf with prophylactic measures against (a) chemical and biological weapons and (b) insects.

(93898)

99   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what formula was used by his Department to calculate the contaminated land liabilities associated with the assets held by QinetiQ; and if he will make a statement on the value put on these liabilities by the Carlyle Group in its investment negotiations.

(93891)

100   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what measures he will take against companies in violation of the Reserve Forces Safeguard of Employment Act 1985.

(93871)

101   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what financial and legal support he will give to reservists sacked by companies in violation of the Reserve Forces Safeguard of Employment Act 1985.

(93872)

102   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what measures he will take to prevent breaches of the Reserve Forces Safeguard of Employment Act 1985.

(93870)

103   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with employers of reservists currently on the reserve list; and how many reservists have been called up to date.

(93869)

104   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the potential liability of the UK Government is with respect to International Military Services Ltd; and if he will make a statement.

(93714)

105   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place the latest report of the Oil and Pipelines Agency in the Library.

(93715)

106
N   Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the current precautionary inoculation programme for troops likely to serve in the Gulf.

(93200)

107
N   Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has established the origin of anthrax and other vaccines washed up on the South Dorset coast; and if he will make a statement.

(93167)

108   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the annual cost of British membership in NATO was in (a) 1990, (b) 1995 and (c) 2000; and what percentage of the Department's budget was paid to NATO in each those years.

(93941)

109
N   Richard Younger-Ross (Teignbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how redundant weapons are disposed of.

(93576)

110
N   Richard Younger-Ross (Teignbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many redundant weapons there were in each year since 1997; and what the nature was of those weapons.

(93575)

111   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimates he has made of how many universities will charge the full fees available to them as announced in the Government's The Future of Higher Education White Paper.

(94068)

112   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, to what extent students will be selected for university places on the basis of (a) parental income and (b) school performance.

(94073)

113   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students he estimates will be eligible for the full £1,000 maintenance grant announced in the Government's The Future of Higher Education White Paper.

(94058)

114   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what financial incentives the Government will offer students whose parents are receiving (a) benefits and (b) tax credits following the Government Higher Education White Paper.

(94075)

115   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will be setting up a taskforce to encourage universities to increase their funds through endowments as announced in the Government's The Future of Higher Education White Paper.

(94060)

116   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many universities will be involved in the Foundation Degree Forward network.

(94077)

117   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimates he has made of the amount of debt that will be experienced by a university student on (a) a three year course, (b) a four year course and (c) a five year course following the reforms announced in the Government's The Future of Higher Education White Paper.

(94069)

118   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when the consultation period on the establishment of the teaching quality academy will end.

(94071)

119   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how he defines the meaning of his phrase 'fair access' in higher education.

(94072)

120   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what studies his Department has undertaken with regard to the disincentive effects of debt on students considering a university education.

(94061)

121   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the timescale is for the bureaucracy task force review of the higher education sector.

(94074)

122   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many universities his Department has consulted on the Foundation Degree Forward scheme.

(94076)

123   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how he intends to help universities to build up endowment funds, as announced in the Government's The Future of Higher Education White Paper.

(94059)

124   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how his Department will collate information on parents' level of education through the university access process announced in the Government's The Future of Higher Education White Paper.

(94057)

125   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimates he has made of the average time that it will take for graduates to pay back the tuition fees announced in the Government's The Future of Higher Education White Paper.

(94070)

126   Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what provision will be made under his proposals for higher education funding, regarding students who are unable to realise a working income sufficient to pay off the debt incurred as part of study fees because of (a) medical incapacity and (b) other reasons; and if he will make a statement.

(93630)

127
N   Barbara Follett (Stevenage): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will define the term employer-led when applied to sector skills councils.

(93246)

128
N   Barbara Follett (Stevenage): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the terms of ownership of the sector skills councils; and what the terms of ownership are of the retail skills council, Skill Smart.

(93248)

129
N   Barbara Follett (Stevenage): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to make sector skills councils financially independent.

(93247)

130   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list by individual local education authority, how many teachers have left the profession (a) within the last twelve months and (b) in 1996-97 after two years teaching experience or less; and if he will make a statement.

(93828)

131   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many teachers are affected by the cancellation of the early retirement option broken down by age and LEA; and if he will make a statement.

(93786)

132   Jane Griffiths (Reading East): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what his policy is on the disposal of a school playing field site for development, where the school has ceased to exist as a result of merger with an adjoining school.

(93947)

133   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assumptions are made about student numbers in figure 3 in the White Paper, 'The Future of Higher Education'.

(93569)

134   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the rate of staff (a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was in his Department, its predecessors and each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1990-91 to 2002-03; what the target set is for his Department; and if he will make a statement.

(93501)

135   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the Government's policy is on the use of primary movement exercise programmes to alleviate learning difficulties.

(93592)

136   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of primary movement exercise programmes.

(93587)

137   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much government expenditure was directed towards reducing the rate of bullying in schools in each of the last three years.

(93591)

138   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what requirement schools are under to record reported incidents of bullying.

(93589)

139   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to collect centrally statistics on the rate of bullying in schools.

(93590)

140   Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the (a) prevalence and (b) causes of occupational stress among teachers.

(93690)

141   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of the cost to Government of abolishing tuition fees in higher education.

(93911)

142   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what action he will take to assure potential users of the quality of provision of information, advice and guidance on lifelong learning for adults.

(94034)

143   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when he expects to commence public consultation on the proposals outlined in the Strategy Unit Report In Demand: Adult Skills in the 21st Century-Part 2.

(94033)

144   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he is making of whether the level of (a) resources and (b) funding for information, advice and guidance on lifelong learning for adults is sufficient to ensure that customer demand is met.

(94036)

145   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will promote a national brand to market information, advice and guidance on life long learning for adults.

(94035)

146   Ann Taylor (Dewsbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list building improvement projects and their value in each school in Kirklees in each year since 1997.

(93791)

147   Ann Taylor (Dewsbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) applications and (b) available places there have been for schools in Dewsbury for (i) the next academic year, (ii) the current academic year and (iii) the last three academic years.

(93790)

148   Ann Taylor (Dewsbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list the class sizes of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Kirklees in each of the last five years.

(93788)

149   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many early years settings have been (a) required and (b) recommended to upgrade their premises as a result of OFSTED inspections.

(93432)

150   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his statement of 22nd January, Official Report, column 303, on higher education, what his definition of participation is; and when he aims to achieve 50 per cent. participation in higher education.

(93944)

151   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many early years settings have (a) opened and (b) closed in each year since 1973 for which information is available.

(93431)

152   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his statement of 22 January, Official Report, column 303, on higher education, what the evidential basis was for his description of universities having offered great research accompanied by shoddy teaching; and to which courses at which universities she was referring.

(93943)

153   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the evidential basis was for the description by the honourable Member for Barking of some higher education courses as Mickey Mouse; and to which courses she was referring.

(93942)

154   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many inspections were carried out at industrial and waste sites by each individual Environment Agency office in (a) 1997 and (b) 2001; and if she will make a statement.

(93707)

155   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what cost savings she expects to make from the leadership review of her Department; and if she will make a statement.

(93679)

156   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the tests being applied to civil servants to evaluate them in the leadership review in her Department.

(93674)

157   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much she expects her Department to spend on early retirement packages over the next five years; and how much her Department has spent on retirement packages since its creation.

(93675)

158   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department has spent on management consultants since its creation.

(93678)

159   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff have been employed at the Environment Agency in each year since 1994.

(93706)

160   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what targets were set by her Department for the number of inspections carried out by the Environment Agency in each year since 1997; what percentage were met; and if she will make a statement.

(93708)

161   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list her Departmental budget for each year since its creation.

(93676)

162   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department has spent on advertising since its creation; and if she will make a statement.

(93677)

163   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Environment Agency budget has been in each year since 1994.

(93680)

164   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many farm waste grant applications have been (a) made and (b) refused in (i) Lancashire, (ii) the North West of England and (iii) England.

(93728)

165
N   Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Environment Agency's report into flooding in the Marlow and Medmenham area will be completed; and whether it will be published in full.

(93208)

166
N   Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Environment Agency or other Government body last dredged the Thames in the Marlow and Medmenham area.

(93210)

167
N   Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the Environment Agency has to meet residents in the Marlow and Medmenham area during its inquiry into recent flooding in the area.

(93209)

168   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on changes in the rate of fly tipping in the last three years.

(93709)

169   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the rate of staff (a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was for her Department, its predecessors and each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1990-91 to 2002-03; what the target set is for her Department; and if she will make a statement.

(93497)

170   Mr Gwyn Prosser (Dover): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) live sheep and (b) live pigs were exported from the United Kingdom between 2nd November and 31st December 2002 for (i) slaughter, (ii) further fattening and (iii) breeding; and how many (A) sheep and (B) pigs in each of these categories were exported to each individual country of destination.

(93437)

171   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance she has issued to the Environment Agency concerning priorities for capital projects to tackle flooding.

(93601)

172   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the need to change the staffing complement in her Department working on (a) climate change, (b) energy efficiency, (c) renewable energy and (d) radioactive waste policy.

(93901)

173   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects to reply to the letter from the honourable Member for Totnes concerning Mr E Baker of Kingsbridge, South Devon dated 7th December 2002, concerning his IACS claim.

(93882)

174   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on in-farm slaughter.

(93874)

175   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Food Standards Agency about in-farm slaughter.

(93873)

176   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to devise a procedure which would allow in-farm slaughterers to continue to operate within the law.

(93875)

177   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the purpose of the Committee of Investigation for Great Britain.

(93711)

178   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the budgets are for 2002-03 for each of the advisory bodies, stakeholders groups, executive agencies, executive non-departmental public bodies, advisory non-departmental public bodies, public corporations and tribunals sponsored by her Department, as listed on pages 87-89 of the DEFRA Departmental Report 2002; and if she will make a statement.

(93713)

179   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will place in the Library the latest Annual Report of the (a) Committee of Investigation for Great Britain, (b) Committee of Agricultural Valuation, (c) Committee on Products and Processes for Use in Public Water Supply and Swimming Pools, (d) Advisory Committee on Pesticides and (e) Consumers' Committee for Great Britain under the Agricultural Marketing Act 1958; and if she will make a statement.

(93712)

180   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what reform of the Common Agricultural Policy has taken place since 1997; what recent discussions have taken place with European colleagues on this matter; what proposals she has for future reform; and when they will be submitted to the EU.

(93577)

181   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many cases of breaches of the 20 day rule are being investigated by Trading Standards Officers.

(93725)

182   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many cases of non-compliance with the cattle passport rules are being investigated.

(93726)

183
N   Mr Richard Bacon (South Norfolk): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total professional fees were for the Treasury Building PFI deal, broken down by (a) payer and (b) payee.

(93404)

184   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 16th January, Official Report, column 752W, on rebated gas oil, what criteria are used in determining whether red diesel can be used by a vehicle.

(94028)

185   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 20th January, Official Report, columns 54-55W, on the HIPC initiative, for what reasons figures for 2001 and 2002 on external debt outstanding for countries between decision point and completion point are not available.

(93912)

186
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will relax the requirement on small independent financial advisers with a good claims record to obtain professional indemnity insurance; and if he will make a statement.

(93354)

187   Mr Tim Collins (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the population of the Kendal travel-to-work-area had an income (a) below, (b) at and (c) above the national average in each of the past five years.

(94817)

188   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the expenditure on (a) New Deal for 18-24 year olds, (b) New Deal for over 25s, (c) New Deal for over 50s, (d) New Deal for lone parents, (e) New Deal for disabled people, (f) New Deal for partners of unemployed people, (g) New Deal for schools, childcare and University for Industry was in each year from 1997-98 to 2001-02.

(93385)

189   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of unpaid volunteers involved in schemes funded by the landfill tax credit scheme.

(94085)

190   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the amount of private funds attracted by the public funds provided by the landfill tax credit scheme in each year since its inception.

(94086)

191   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Financial Services Authority will add income drawdown schemes to the comparative tables that it plans to publish on annuities.

(93878)

192   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in each of the last five years who previously had an income drawdown scheme bought an annuity before they were 75 years old.

(93876)

193   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many investors have taken out income drawdown policies in each year since their inception in 1995.

(93877)

194
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer whether periods of service as an armed forces reservist count as periods of continued employment in a taxpayer's main job for the purposes of the favourable tax treatment given to the share option scheme called Enterprise Management Incentive; and if he will make a statement.

(93345)

195
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer whether favourable tax treatment available to taxpayers in continued employment is lost to them during periods of service as an armed forces reservist; and if he will make a statement.

(93344)

196
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the level of NI employee contribution paid on behalf of individuals in their main job is protected during periods of service as an armed forces reservist; and if he will make a statement.

(93341)

197   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 20th January, Official Report, column 48W, on tobacco smuggling, when the Government expects to publish its response to the Committee of Public Accounts' report on tobacco smuggling.

(94018)

198   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the cost of the HM Treasury (a) diversity action plan and (b) diversity programme in each year since 1997-98.

(93447)

199   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of total public spending on HM Treasury in (a) current and (b) capital terms in each year from 1990-91 to 2003-04 (planned), in 2001-02 prices; and if he will make a statement.

(93454)

200   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of total staff numbers within HM Treasury for each year from 1990-91 to 2004-05 (planned); and if he will make a statement.

(93453)

201   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made in delivering on his public service agreement target to improve the productivity of public services year by year; and if he will make a statement.

(93452)

202   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the total excess working hours worked by staff in his Department in each year from 1997-98; and if he will make a statement.

(93448)

203   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost was of the HM Treasury stress audit carried out in 1999; and what plans there are to carry out another such audit.

(93449)

204   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the health and safety accidents which occurred in HM Treasury in 2001-02, stating the reason for each accident; and if he will make a statement.

(93450)

205   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of his Department's spending on the (a) Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, (b) British American Parliamentary Group, (c) Inter-Parliamentary Group and (d) British-Irish Parliamentary Body in each year from 1997-98; and if he will make a statement.

(93451)

206   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of HM Treasury spending on improving the cost effectiveness and quality of public services in each year from 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(93440)

207   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what reasons underlie the reduction in expenditure by the Office of Government Commerce between 2001-02 and 2002-03; and if he will make a statement.

(93441)

208   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the average percentage pay rise in (a) 2001-02 and (b) 2002-03 for HM Treasury staff, broken down to show (i) all staff and (ii) Senior Civil Service staff; and if he will make a statement.

(93444)

209   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the highest percentage pay rises were amongst HM Treasury staff in each year from 1997; which staff received these pay rises; and if he will make a statement.

(93442)

210   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of written parliamentary questions received by his Department in 2001-02 were not answered substantively within (a) two weeks, (b) one month and (c) three months; and if he will make a statement.

(93445)

211   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost was of the HM Treasury 360 degree feedback programme in each of the last three years; how many HM Treasury staff went on this programme; what its purpose is; and if he will make a statement.

(93446)

212   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the diversity objectives set by each senior civil servant within his Department for the latest year available; and if he will make a statement.

(93443)

213   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the rate of staff (a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was in his Department and each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1990-91 to 2002-03; what the target set is for his Department; and if he will make a statement.

(93504)

214   Mr John MacDougall (Central Fife): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the latest figure is for unemployment in the Fife region for (a) men, (b) women, (c) men over 50 and (d) women over 50.

(93558)

215   Mr Chris Mullin (Sunderland South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer by what amount he estimates it would be necessary to increase the standard rate of income tax (a) if student fees were paid out of general taxation and (b) if all fees and maintenance were paid out of general taxation.

(94013)

216   Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford & Stortford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the credit incentives from learning providers about higher level information technology skills; and what financial incentives his department is planning to encourage individuals to undertake training.

(93368)

217   Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford & Stortford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what impact the extension in application of the Construction Industry Scheme to the fitting out of commercial properties has had on (a) landlords, (b) tenants and (c) other non-construction sector enterprises; whether a regulatory impact assessment has been made following the recent changes; and if he will make a statement.

(93367)

218   Phil Sawford (Kettering): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to combat tax evasion in the construction industry.

(93386)

219
N   Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the net non EU foreign immigration to the UK was, including the dependants of asylum seekers, in each year from 1992 to 2001 (a) before the recent adjustments to take account of the census results and (b) after these adjustments had been made.

(93370)

220   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of pensioners eligible are in receipt of (a) the minimum income guarantee, (b) council tax benefit, (c) housing benefit and (d) attendance allowance; and what steps he is taking to (i) simplify the system and (ii) encourage a higher take-up of benefits.

(93885)

221   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely take-up of the new pension credit; and how many questions pensioners will be required to answer to assess their eligibility.

(93884)

222   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of (a) the number and (b) the value of potentially exempt transfers in the last year for which data is available; and if he will make a statement.

(93710)

223   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the change in Government revenues from changing the capital gains tax regime simultaneously to abolish taper relief, reintroduce retirement relief and abolish the exemption of capital gains accrued but unrealised at death.

(93717)

224   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the change in Government revenues from the abolition of Business Property Refit and Agricultural Property Refit; and if he will make a statement.

(93718)

225   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the change in Government revenues from imposing a ceiling of £250,000 on assets that receive relief under Business Property Refit and Agricultural Property Refit; and if he will make a statement.

(93719)

226   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate how many (a) couples with children, (b) couples with no children and (c) single childless people will be entitled to the new working tax credit.

(94024)

227   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claim forms for (a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit have so far (i) been issued and (ii) been returned.

(94023)

228
N   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis, and on what date, the value of the assets of a financial institution are valued for purposes of calculating the level of compensation available under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme; and if he will make a statement on the way in which the scheme would apply to policy holders of a life assurance and pensions provider in the event of the company becoming insolvent.

(93357)

229   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer by what means childless people have been alerted to their possible entitlement to claim working tax credit.

(94020)

230   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer by what means the wives and partners of men receiving children's tax credit have been alerted to their need to claim child tax credit.

(94022)

231
N   Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many working days have been lost in his Department and its predecessors due to (a) industrial action and (b) illness in each year since 1997.

(93166)

232
N   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what official representations have been made during the last six months to UN organisations on behalf of the United Kingdom at the UN; and what the results were of those representations.

(93346)

233
N   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government's policy is with regard to recent proposals by the French and German governments that decisions over European Common Foreign and Security Policy be taken by qualified majority vote; what discussions he has had with the two governments concerning this matter; and if he will make a statement.

(93438)

234
N   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what resolutions have been tabled on behalf of the United Kingdom at the UN concerning the application of more international pressure on Mr Robert Mugabe and his government.

(93347)

235   Mr Tony Colman (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to address problems of regional instability in the Mano River region of West Africa, with particular reference to (a) the presence and conduct of Liberian and Sierra Leonean mercenaries in Cote d'Ivoire and other neighbouring countries and (b) the progress on decommissioning of small arms and light weapons in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

(93406)

236   Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Pollok): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answers of 15th January, Official Report, column 630W, on EU accession states, and 7th January, Official Report, column 136W, on the EU, whether the Government plans to give non-financial support to campaigning groups or individuals within the 10 EU accession states; and if he will make a statement.

(93586)

237   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what documentary evidence he has received on (a) mitigating circumstances of self-defence and (b) mitigating circumstances of self-defence that were not included in the official confession, (c) health problems and (d) health problems that were not included in the official confession, relating to the case of Mr Richard Mechan.

(93520)

238   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the new visa centres will open in (a) Gujarat and (b) the Punjab.

(93879)

239
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many working days have been lost in his Department and its predecessors due to (a) industrial action and (b) illness in each year since 1997.

(93165)

240   Jane Griffiths (Reading East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Chinese Government about the treatment of female prisoners in Drapchi prison, Tibet.

(93949)

241   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the rate of staff (a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was in his Department and each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1990-91 to 2002-03; what the target set is for his Department; and if he will make a statement.

(93503)

242   Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received concerning a court case challenging the constitutionality of the Hamayouni Decree, governing the construction of Christian places of worship in Egypt, which is due to open in Cairo on 28th January 2003; and whether he will be sending a human rights observer to monitor the trial.

(93852)

243   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations to the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo about the skinning alive of cats to make fur toys.

(93579)

244   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he voted in the Council of Ministers to allow the shooting of migratory birds in Malta for five years after the Maltese join the EU.

(93580)

245   Mr John MacDougall (Central Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last met the Chief Minister of Gibraltar; and what issues were discussed.

(93557)

246
N   Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick & Lauderdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance the Government has provided to the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to undertake investigations into the activities of arms dealers involved in the illegal supply of weapons to (a) West Africa and (b) Iraq.

(93487)

247
N   Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick & Lauderdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the outcomes of his meeting on 6th November 2002 with the President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia were regarding the illegal supply of weapons to (a) West Africa and (b) Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

(93488)

248
N   Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick & Lauderdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance (a) the EU and (b) the UK have provided to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to develop arms export legislation.

(93489)

249   Julie Morgan (Cardiff North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons he has not signed the 12th Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights.

(93945)

250   Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) prevalence and (b) causes of occupational stress in his Department.

(93672)

251   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many people applied from Islamabad for (a) visitor visas and (b) permanent settlement in the UK in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(93427)

252   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to encourage (a) India and (b) Pakistan to sign up to (i) the Test Ban Treaty and (ii) the Non Proliferation Treaty.

(93426)

253   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on how many occasions since 1990 the UK has raised its concerns in the UN about the North Korean missile development programme.

(93425)

254   Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the role of Pakistan in the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

(93429)

255   Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the risk to the security of the UK posed by terrorist organisations based in Pakistan.

(93434)

256   Dr John Pugh (Southport): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what measures are being taken to secure the release of the detainees Sandy Mitchell, Les Walker, James Lee and James Cottel arrested in Saudi Arabia.

(93703)

257   Dr John Pugh (Southport): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what advice is being given to British subjects travelling to Saudi Arabia about terrorist threats to their safety; and what precautions they are being advised to take following the recent bombing.

(93704)

258   Dr John Pugh (Southport): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government has received official documentation on the charges, evidence, transcript of the trial and sentence of Sandy Mitchell, Les Walker, James Lee and James Cottel detained in Saudi Arabia.

(93702)

259   Dr John Pugh (Southport): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Saudi authorities about (a) compliance with the human and legal rights conventions Saudi Arabia has signed to and (b) the case of the detainees Sandy Mitchell, Les Walker, James Lee and James Cottel.

(93699)

260   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which countries have been invited to join a military coalition to deal with the problem of Iraq.

(93614)

261   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what sanctions are in place against members of the Zimbabwe Government.

(93611)

262   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which countries have indicated that they will make a military contribution to the UN to enforce Resolution 1441, should the UN require military force.

(93597)

263   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to present to the United Nations a proposed resolution to require Israel to destroy its weapons of mass destruction.

(93895)

264   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the basis was for his assertion in his statement on terrorism on 21st January, Official Report, column 176, that the nerve gas found recently in the United Kingdom could not have been produced by terrorists alone.

(93896)

265   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place in the Library a copy of (a) the text of the Security Council Resolution and (b) a transcript of the Security Council Debate, on the International Community's response to Global Terrorism, held at United Nations Headquarters on 23th January.

(94038)

266   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last made representations to his counterparts in (a) India and (b) Pakistan on their nuclear weapons programmes; and what the response was.

(93899)

267   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what powers member states of the United Nations Security Council have to offer political immunity to Saddam Hussein in inviting him to go into exile.

(93894)

268   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his definition of rogue states is; and which states fall within that definition.

(93903)

269
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government supports the Franco-German proposals for the President of the European Commission to be elected by the European Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

(93621)

270   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much his Department has spent on public relations advice in the past five years.

(93866)

271   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what public relations companies his Department is consulting.

(93867)

272   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what budget in financial year 2002-03 his Department has for outside public relations and marketing.

(93868)

273   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions have taken place with members of the Commonwealth over the situation in Zimbabwe.

(93382)

274
N   Mr Robert N. Wareing (Liverpool, West Derby): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what advice his Department is giving to travellers wishing to visit (a) Kosovo and (b) Bosnia-Herzegovina.

(93593)

275   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his Department's latest evaluation is of the stability of Sierra Leone; and what progress has been made since British intervention.

(93615)

276   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much has been allocated to the increased protection of British embassies and consulates since 11th September 2001; and what general improvements have been made.

(93616)

277   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, in which regions of the United Kingdom NHS Direct helplines are operating; and if he will make a statement.

(93922)

278   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients have been on waiting lists in England and Wales for (a) more than 12 months and (b) more than 18 months; and if he will make a statement.

(93921)

279   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to fund, in conjunction with the Medical Research Council, screening trials for lung cancer, with particular reference to screening for the incident of lung cancer among those who are not currently smokers.

(93656)

280
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average salary is of (a) primary care group and (b) primary care trust chairpersons in England.

(93262)

281   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what training is provided within the health and social services system on attention deficit hyperactivity for workers with personal contact with sufferers.

(93163)

282   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to ensure that the National Service Framework for Children includes standards for the development of neurological head injury and spinal services for children.

(93479)

283   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the transitional issues between child and adult and adult and older people's neurological services will be handled within the National Service Framework for Long Term Medical Conditions.

(93481)

284   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what account was taken of inherited deficit in fixing future financial allocations for primary care trusts.

(93408)

285   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff have been contacted from third-parties by TENYAS in the past 12 months; and what their duties were.

(93780)

286   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many ambulances are owned by TENYAS; and how many were fully operational in each of the past 12 months.

(93781)

287   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on how many occasions an ambulance has been despatched to a 999 call at the request of a first responder vehicle in each of the last 12 months.

(93782)

288   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what training is given to personnel manning first responder vehicles.

(93844)

289   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, (a) how many fully equipped ambulances there were in TENYAS, (b) how many ambulances there were in TENYAS per 1,000 of population and (c) what the average number of ambulances per 1,000 of population was for each ambulance service in the United Kingdom in each year since 1997.

(93843)

290   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of children with educational and behavioural difficulties in (a) Haltemprice and Howden and (b) England.

(93842)

291   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff there were in each ambulance station in TENYAS in each month since 1st January 2002; and what redeployments of staff there were between ambulance stations in the same period.

(93845)

292   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate how many children whose third birthday fell between 1st September 2002 and 31st December 2002 migrated into the East Riding of Yorkshire authority in each month since 1st April 2001.

(93840)

293   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of children with a mental disorder in (a) Haltemprice and Howden and (b) the UK; and if he will make a statement.

(93841)

294   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children there were in residential care in (a) England and (b) Haltemprice and Howden in each year since 1997 for which figures are available.

(93839)

295   Clive Efford (Eltham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which agency has responsibility for overseeing the conduct of a Part 8 Review following the death of a child.

(94090)

296   Clive Efford (Eltham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average length of time taken in the last five years to complete a Part 8 Review following the death of a child is; and how many have taken longer than (a) six months, (b) 12 months, (c) 18 months and (d) 24 months.

(94088)

297   Clive Efford (Eltham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the purpose is of undertaking a Part 8 Review following the death of a child.

(94089)

298   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people are (a) vaccinated against and (b) not vaccinated against (i) measles, (ii) mumps and (iii) rubella in each health authority in England.

(93417)

299   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people received (a) the single MMR vaccine and (b) the separate measles, mumps and rubella vaccines, in each health authority in England, in each of the last five years.

(93416)

300   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the availability is of the individual measles, mumps and rubella vaccines in each local health authority in England.

(93415)

301   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what regulations and restrictions apply to the import of the single (a) rubella, (b) measles and (c) mumps vaccine; and what the licensing arrangements are for each.

(93419)

302   Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have died in each of the last five years as a result of passive smoking; and what measures are being taken to reduce exposure to passive tobacco smoke.

(93684)

303   Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications of the case of Mr Reginald Crew; and what plans he has to review policy on euthanasia in the United Kingdom.

(93687)

304   Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people applied to be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council during 2002; what the average waiting time for applications to be processed is; how many applications have been subject to a delay in processing; and what measures are being taken to reduce delays in the application process.

(93396)

305   Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to establish a tobacco regulatory authority.

(93683)

306   Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to introduce the mandatory labelling of cigarette packets detailing the additives contained within cigarettes.

(93686)

307   Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the British Medical Association's report, 'Towards Smoke-free Public Places.'.

(93685)

308   Barbara Follett (Stevenage): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will recommend to the Health Professions Council that they institute a sub-register to enable chiropodists to practise by using an unprotected title; and if he will make a statement on the need for protected titles other than chiropodist.

(93916)

309   Barbara Follett (Stevenage): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Health Professions Council on the use of protected titles of chiropodist and podiatrist; and if he will make a statement.

(93915)

310   Barbara Follett (Stevenage): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information the Health Professions Council provided to the Department on its proposed transitional arrangements regarding (a) the circumstances in which it intends to test applicants, competence to practise, (b) the likehood of undertaking such a test and (c) the estimated number of such tests in the two year period allowed; and if he will make a statement.

(93913)

311   Barbara Follett (Stevenage): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the Health Professions Council will assess whether a health professional practitioner has practiced lawfully, safely and effectively; and if he will make a statement.

(93914)

312   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the new adolescent mental health unit will open at Springfield Hospital in Tooting.

(93639)

313   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what right he will have to veto European proposals to introduce the 16 week provision relating to medical staff in the United Kingdom.

(93633)

314   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many clinical staff are employed by the NHS Modernisation Agency.

(93636)

315   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the freedom to work provisions in the Treaty of Rome apply to all health workers.

(93634)

316   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the annual budget of the NHS Modernisation Agency.

(93635)

317   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library (a) submissions to, (b) briefing documents used by and (c) risk analysis carried out by the MCA in its consideration of Zyban in the last two years.

(93784)

318   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the long-term director posts in the Health Protection Agency will be openly advertised.

(93638)

319   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many employees of NHS acute hospital trusts have been given severance agreements in excess of £100,000 in each of the past three years.

(93641)

320   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list posts in acute hospital trusts carrying a salary of more than £100,000.

(93640)

321   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total value of all NHS PPP and PFI projects has been since 1997.

(93637)

322   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on the media production operations of the Public Health Laboratory Service once legislation is passed to wind up the organisation.

(93642)

323   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many public sector workers have in-house occupational health care.

(93643)

324   Jane Griffiths (Reading East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what level of support his Department provides for research into and treatment of motor neurone disease; and of he will make a statement.

(93948)

325   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the target for a four hour maximum accident and emergency waiting time by 2004 was set; what the baseline was for this target; and what figures he has collected on progress made towards meeting the target in each quarter since the target was set.

(93697)

326   Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what contracts his Department has entered into for the provision of services by the Women's Royal Voluntary Service; what is the (a) value and (b) duration of each contract; what mechanisms of (i) accountability and (ii) transparency are monitoring these contracts; and what pre-conditions have been attached to these contracts which might affect the remit of the Women's Royal Voluntary Service.

(94079)

327
N   Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funds have been received by the Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust from his Department other than those paid through primary care trusts.

(93202)

328
N   Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the dental practices that accept NHS patients in Fareham.

(93201)

329
N   Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received the extension of the exemption from prescription charges for sufferers from Parkinson's disease; what estimate he has made of the average annual cost of prescriptions to sufferers of Parkinson's disease; and if he will make a statement on the age profile of those who suffer from Parkinson's disease.

(93203)

330   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were waiting for inpatient treatment within the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Trust for each of the last five years.

(93701)

331   Mr Michael Jack (Fylde): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the steps that need to be taken before an additional CT scanner can be installed at the Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

(93374)

332   Mr Michael Jack (Fylde): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to improve (a) diagnosis, (b) treatment and (c) post-discharge support for stroke victims suffering from depression.

(93372)

333   Mr Michael Jack (Fylde): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans are in place to enable Health Service staff to receive training enabling them to screen stroke victims for depression.

(93373)

334   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent information he has collated on waiting lists for gender reassignment surgery.

(93435)

335   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many tertiary level consultants and sessions were devoted to (a) male to female psychiatric assessment, (b) female to male psychiatric assessment, (c) male to female gender confirmation surgery and (d) female to male gender confirmation surgery, in respect of each specialist centre providing medical treatment of gender dysphoria, including transsexualism, within the National Health Service, in the most recent week for which figures are available and in the same week in each of the previous three years; how many patients there were to whom treatment was provided in each category listed above during the preceding 12 months; and how many patients were on the waiting list for each category of such treatment.

(93721)

336   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the locations of providers of gender reassignment surgery that have done NHS commissioned work in each of the last five years; and how many FTE staff, broken down by category, worked at each facility in each year.

(93436)

337   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the rate of staff (a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was in his Department and each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1990-91 to 2002-03; what the target set is for his Department; and if he will make a statement.

(93500)

338
N   Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answers of 7th November, Official Report, column 542W, and 27th November 2002, Official Report, column 356W, on NHS funding of silicone cosmesis for artificial limbs, if he will list the sums allocated to individual (a) health authorities and (b) primary care trusts in (i) 2001-02 and (ii) 2002-03 out of the £0.5 million and £1.5 million baseline allocations made respectively for those years.

(92884)

339   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the Commission for Health Improvement will publish its report on the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trusts; and what arrangements will be made to ensure honourable Members representing Worcestershire constituencies have access to the report at the time of publication.

(93789)

340
N   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients in NHS Hospitals were homeless in each year between 1997-98 and 2000-01, broken down by health authority.

(93371)

341   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average salary is for an NHS dentist in (a) each health authority and (b) England.

(93554)

342   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of primary movement exercise programmes.

(93588)

343   Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has been made of the (a) prevalence and (b) causes of occupational stress among Health Service employees.

(93671)

344   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how he intends to fund the expansion of NHS Direct to start handling out-of-hours calls for GPs throughout the country from 2004.

(93513)

345   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how often NHS Direct has to call on GP cooperatives to assist when it gets busy; and what will be done in the event that GP cooperatives are no longer able to assist in this way.

(93518)

346   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost was of running ambulances for (a) elective and (b) non-elective cases from the Oswestry area to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital in 2002.

(93515)

347   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to abolish double triage at NHS Direct.

(93516)

348   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of NHS Direct nurses were recruited from (a) secondary care specialities and (b) primary care.

(93519)

349   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what contingency plans are in place for NHS Direct to cope with surges in activity due to flu-like illness.

(93514)

350   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of CAS calls at NHS Direct (Midland Shires) have ended with a nurse giving advice.

(93507)

351   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what feedback individual nurses employed by NHS Direct receive about their decision making.

(93517)

352   Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children who died of (a) abuse and (b) neglect in each of the last 10 years had been removed from the local authority child protection register within 12 months prior to their death.

(94031)

353   Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children were recorded as having died in each of the last 10 years following suspected or confirmed (a) abuse and (b) neglect.

(94029)

354   Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children who died of (a) abuse and (b) neglect in each of the last 10 years were named on the local authority child protection register.

(94030)

355   Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what actions he has taken to inform voluntary organisations of the scope of the Protection of Children Act 1999.

(93394)

356   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of Severe Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome were recorded (a) in the United Kingdom, (b) in Solihull and (c) in the south of Solihull in each of the last three decades.

(93853)

357   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the incidence of Severe Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome per thousand live births was (a) in the United Kingdom, (b) in Solihull and (c) in the south of Solihull in each of the last three decades.

(93854)

358   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of Osteoglophonic Dysplasia were recorded (a) in the United Kingdom, (b) in Solihull and (c) in the south of Solihull in each of the last three decades.

(93855)

359   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the incidence of Osteoglophonic Dysplasia per thousand live births was (a) nationally, (b) in Solihull and (c) in the south of Solihull in each of the last three decades.

(93856)

360   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action he will take to prevent a conflict of interest arising from membership of the HFEA Committee by holders of a licence issued by the Human Fertilization Embryology Authority; and if he will make a statement.

(93393)

361   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the risks associated with non-ionising electromagnetic radiation emanating from mobile telephone masts.

(93375)

362   David Taylor (North West Leicestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimates he has made of the number of people who have died in each of the last five years in England and Wales as a result of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.

(93623)

363   David Taylor (North West Leicestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had on the measures needed to protect the public from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.

(93622)

364   Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive about reducing waiting times to see a consultant about Parkinson's Disease.

(94019)

365   Jon Trickett (Hemsworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many operations for cancer patients have been cancelled on two or more occasions in the last available 12 month period.

(93793)

366   Jon Trickett (Hemsworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cancelled operations in (a) England and Wales and (b) Wakefield and Pontefract hospitals have been attributed to a lack of capacity of high dependency and intensive care beds in the last 12 months for which statistics are available.

(93792)

367   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 13th January to the honourable Member for Romsey, Official Report, column 480W, on abortions, if he will disaggregate the figures for the Isle of Wight.

(93833)

368   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of doctors employed by the NHS are women.

(93951)

369   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of (a) nurses and (b) health care assistants employed by the NHS are men.

(93950)

370
N   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to ensure that families of children whose organs were retained without their consent receive compensation on a consistent basis across the country, regardless of which hospital was involved; and if he will make a statement.

(92813)

371   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will reply to the letter from the honourable Member for Northavon of 25th October 2002, regarding Mrs JA, his ref PO1018183.

(94021)

372   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what care arrangements are made for children who are victims of child prostitution to ensure they are placed in a safe care environment and receive treatment.

(93553)

373
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will define total crime for the purposes of the allocation of drug and crime reduction funding for 2003-04 to police basic command units.

(93353)

374
N   Mr Wayne David (Caerphilly): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received from Gwent Police concerning its funding allocations for 2003-04.

(93249)

375   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of (a) the mental health needs of young offenders and (b) the services provided to meet those needs in (i) Haltemprice and Howden and (ii) England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

(93838)

376   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what initiatives are under way in Hull and the East Riding to tackle drug abuse.

(93823)

377
N   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he plans to bring into effect section 4 and section 76 of the Nationality, Immigration Asylum Act 2002; and if he will make a statement.

(93258)

378   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Court of Appeal last set sentencing guidelines for benefit fraud; and if he will make a statement.

(94009)

379   Stephen Hesford (Wirral West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many murders were committed between 1st April 1996 and 31st March 1999.

(93565)

380   Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the level of funding provided to victim counselling services in each year since 1997; what discussions he has had with Victim Support about its organisational structure; and if he will make a statement on (a) the means by which his Department monitors the use of funds by victim counselling services and (b) how the monitoring of the use of funds has changed since 1997.

(94080)

381
N   Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what mechanism is in place to track the place of residence in the UK of those who have sought asylum.

(93204)

382   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will construct a hospital wing for Wymott Garth, Preston prison.

(93716)

383
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his policy that there should be a consolidated Prison Service Order encapsulating best practice on safer custody; and if he will make a statement.

(93328)

384   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of (a) offenders and (b) victims agreed to participate in the mediation component of the Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme.

(93849)

385   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many young offenders have (a) started and (b) completed the Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme since it began.

(93850)

386   Mr Boris Johnson (Henley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Algerian asylum seekers there have been in each year for the past five years; and how many have (a) been refused and (b) left the United Kingdom.

(93729)

387   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the rate of staff (a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was in his Department and each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1990-91 to 2002-03; what the target set is for his Department; and if he will make a statement.

(93502)

388   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will reduce the (a) length and (b) complexity of the forms used to apply for passports.

(93582)

389   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people formerly resident in the Sangatte camp have been given permission to enter the UK since the closure of the camp.

(93581)

390   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received about the use of intra-company transfers to bring IT professionals to the UK.

(93578)

391   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if there is a register kept by (a) the Home Office and (b) the CRE of persons suspected of racism.

(93583)

392
N   Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to the honourable Member for New Forest East on 20th January, on new measures to simplify the removal of travellers from unauthorised sites, what discussions he has had with the Deputy Prime Minister on the issuing of new Planning Policy Guidance to make it easier for local authorities to obtain planning permission for local authority sites for travellers.

(92957)

393   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures have been taken to ensure that responses to the consultation that are against the entitlement card are accurately recorded; and if he will make a statement.

(93491)

394   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures have been taken to publicise the entitlement card consultation.

(93490)

395   David Maclean (Penrith & The Border): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on (a) the total cost, (b) the cost in terms of the wages of the officers under investigation and (c) the cost to public funds of the inquiry into the Cumbria Force Crime Squad.

(94025)

396   David Maclean (Penrith & The Border): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what reasons underlie the length of time taken by the inquiry into the Cumbria Force Crime Squad.

(94026)

397   David Maclean (Penrith & The Border): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police hours were lost as a result of the inquiry into the Cumbria Force Crime Squad.

(94027)

398   Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 19th December 2002, Official Report, column 988W, on immigration, whether the Reporting Line is still in operation; and when he will publish the evaluation of the trial.

(93834)

399   Mr David Marshall (Glasgow, Shettleston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress is being made to increase the number of contracts NASS has with organisations and local authorities in Scotland to provide accommodation for asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement.

(94062)

400   Mr David Marshall (Glasgow, Shettleston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to increase the number of available prison places; and if he will make a statement.

(94063)

401   Mr David Marshall (Glasgow, Shettleston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been convicted of committing murders in each of the last 10 years.

(94064)

402   Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of asylum claims received a decision within two months in the last period for which figures are available.

(93864)

403   Mr Chris Mullin (Sunderland South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the change in real terms in spending on drug and alcohol addiction was over the three years to 2005-06.

(94012)

404   Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of police officers recruited in each year since 1990 were graduates.

(93658)

405   Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the (a) prevalence and (b) causes of occupational stress (i) among prison officers and (ii) in the police.

(93666)

406   Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the acceptability of body armour to the police.

(93660)

407   Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has been made of the number of lives saved through the use of protective body armour by the police.

(93659)

408   Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance he gives to police forces on the occasions on which body armour is to be worn by the police.

(93665)

409   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what allocation he has made for 2003-04 to fund the management of stray dogs, broken down by police authority.

(93596)

410   Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action he is taking to relieve the backlog of cases concerning internet child pornography.

(93598)

411   Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been arrested in the course of Operation Ore; and how many have been charged.

(93480)

412   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act will apply to (a) the Planning Bill, (b) the Licensing Bill and (c) the Local Government Bill; and if he will make a statement.

(93880)

413   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the transfer of work permits from the Northern Ireland Department of Education and Research to his Department take place.

(93673)

414   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost is of recruiting a police officer; and what the change has been in the level of police grant in Essex from 2001-02 to 2002-03.

(93402)

415
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects to reply to the letter from the honourable Member for Totnes of 14th October 2002, concerning Mr David Copeland of Brixham; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay.

(93883)

416   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers (a) are in service and (b) were in service in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2001 in Devon.

(93379)

417   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what further measures have been put in place to protect potentially high-risk areas from terrorist attacks in the last 12 months.

(93381)

418
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many central and eastern European Roma he expects to migrate to the UK following the accession to the EU of (a) the Czech Republic, (b) Slovakia, (c) Hungary and (d) Poland.

(93439)

419   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures have been taken since 1997 to combat child prostitution and punish those who control and use this.

(93552)

420
N   Sir Brian Mawhinney (North West Cambridgeshire): To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will arrange for a payment point to be set up in the precinct of the House to enable honourable Members and others to pay the Congestion Charge.

(93401)

421
N   Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall): To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the estimated cost is of the system introduced to block the delivery of e-mails to members containing profanities or other language considered objectionable; what criteria are being used for this editorial system and by whom; how many e-mails have been blocked; and if he will make a statement.

(93384)

422   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what action is being taken to ensure that revenue raised from the exploitation of natural resources in Angola is used for the development of the country.

(93806)

423   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking in the development of Local Government in Angola; and if she will make a statement.

(93803)

424   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what percentage of people in Angola are suffering from (a) HIV/Aids and (b) malaria; and if she will make a statement.

(93802)

425   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps are being taken to retrain former military personnel in Angola.

(93805)

426   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her Answer of 20th January 2003, Official Report, columns 14-15W, on Afghanistan, what consideration has been given to the use of security forces to assist in the dispersal of humanitarian aid; and what steps are being taken to address the security situation in Zabul province.

(93909)

427   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what progess is being made with collection of data on the state of health in Angola.

(93801)

428   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what percentage of children in Angola are being educated to primary school standard; and if she will make a statement.

(93804)

429   Mr Tony Colman (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the timetable is for reviewing UK bilateral aid to Kenya.

(93405)

430   Mr Tony Colman (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department has taken in response to the UN Secretary General's report to the Security Council on the UN Mission in Sierra Leone, with particular reference to the transfer of responsibilities to the Government of Sierra Leone.

(93407)

431   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her Answer of 22nd January, Official Report, column 313W, on Mozambique, what the response has been to the Mozambiquan Government's request for help from UN agencies; and what the nature has been of her Department's support.

(93644)

432   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what measures her Department is taking to ensure child participation in the development of policies and programmes on HIV/AIDS is in line with the recent UNICEF report; and if she will make a statement.

(93599)

433   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the rate of staff (a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was in her Department and each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1990-91 to 2002-03; what the target set is for her Department; and if she will make a statement.

(93510)

434   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what measures she is taking to put pressure on Zimbabwe to allow private imports of food to Zimbabwe.

(93860)

435   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she is having with the Government of South Africa regarding the political situation in Zimbabwe.

(93861)

436   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the main causes of maternal mortality in developing countries.

(93862)

437   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions her Department has had with the Government of South Africa regarding food imports to Zimbabwe.

(93859)

438   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with President Museveni concerning possible peace talks with the Lord's Resistance Army.

(93983)

439   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on (a) the nature of her recent trip to Uganda, (b) who she met; and what discussions she had.

(93982)

440   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of (a) the New Partnership for African Development and (b) the Africa Union in promoting democracy in Zimbabwe.

(93858)

441   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she had with President Museveni on her recent trip to Uganda concerning Northern Uganda.

(93981)

442   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of reports by UNICEF of the number of children unaccounted for in Northern Uganda.

(83980)

443   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in Northern Uganda; and if she will make a statement.

(93848)

444   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what (a) European, (b) British and (c) UN regulations prohibit the use of child soldiers in military forces.

(93492)

445   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what (a) discussions she has held and (b) action she has taken jointly with her counterparts in other countries to combat (i) the use of children as soldiers in conflicts and (ii) their recruitment into the armed forces of (A) governments, (B) paramilitary groups, (C) civil militia and (D) non-state armed groups.

(93493)

446   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what the rate of staff (a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was in the Department and each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1990-91 to 2002-03; what the target set is for the Department; and if she will make a statement.

(93505)

447   Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what assessment he has made of the (a) prevalence and (b) causes of occupational stress among officials in the Magistrates' Court Service.

(93688)

448   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what proposals she has to ensure that grandparents have increased legal rights of access to their grandchildren; and what other rights grandparents have in the event of family breakdown.

(93550)

449   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what rights grandparents have regarding access to their grandchildren.

(93549)

450   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what assessment he has made of (a) travel distances and (b) costs for court users of the proposals to reorganise the administration of justice in Kent.

(93457)

451   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will make a statement on the proposals to create three benches of nearly three hundred magistrates in Kent.

(93456)

452   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what consultations took place prior to the proposals to reorganise the administration of justice in Kent; and if he will make a statement.

(93455)

453
N   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what assessment he has made of the financial implications of the recent proposals to reorganise the administration of justice in Kent.

(93458)

454   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what funding was allocated during 2002-03 for new drug treatment for severe rheumatoid arthritis; and how much has been spent to date.

(93988)

455   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many patients have been on hospital waiting lists in Northern Ireland for (a) more than 12 months and (b) more than 18 months.

(93987)

456   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) cars were stolen and (b) convictions there were for crimes involving stolen cars in each of the last four years, broken down by Northern Ireland constituency.

(93627)

457   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) nursing care packages and (b) residential care packages have been awarded in respect of applications made since 1st April 2002 in the Homefirst Trust area.

(93985)

458   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the total cost to each of Northern Ireland's hospitals was for the treatment of injuries received as a result of stolen car crime, and how many people received hospital treatment for injuries received as a result of stolen car crime, broken down by hospital, in each of the last five years.

(93626)

459   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the operation of the NHS Direct helpline and when it will be provided in Northern Ireland.

(93986)

460   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) Home Start and (b) Sure Start projects supported by Departmental or Trust funding were provided in 2002-03 in each district council area of Northern Ireland; and at what cost.

(93923)

461   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what his plans are for the future of the Whitehead to Larne railway line.

(94078)

462   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average annual cost of keeping a prisoner in custody was in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

(93629)

463   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when the Department of Health and Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland will approve for those deemed medically appropriate new drug treatment for severe rheumatoid arthritis; and what assessment he has made of research from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and the Health Technology Board for Scotland on drugs for this condition.

(93920)

464   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the problem areas in relation to car theft and the recovery of stolen vehicles in Northern Ireland.

(93628)

465   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when the list for consultation with the arthritis consultant in the Northern Health and Social Service Board area was closed; and when additional resources will be allocated to re-open the list.

(93984)

466   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many complaints have been made to Fair Employment Tribunals in each of the past three years; and what percentage in each year were settled or withdrawn before the case reached tribunal hearing.

(93932)

467   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the Department of Social Development's estimates were for the amount of public sector housing to be built in Northern Ireland in each year since 1999.

(93924)

468   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps are being taken to protect consumers in Northern Ireland from the activities of rogue traders.

(93930)

469   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether individuals will face disciplinary procedures following the departmental investigations regarding the Into The West scheme.

(93927)

470   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, for what reasons the Northern Ireland Housing Executive is no longer permitted to build public sector housing; and in what circumstances the NIHE would recommence building public sector housing.

(93926)

471   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many public sector housing completions there were in each year since 1999.

(93925)

472   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress has been made in implementing a new consumer strategy for Northern Ireland.

(93929)

473   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people claimed disability living allowance in each of the last three years; how many DLA appeals were heard; and what the average length of time was that individuals had to wait for these appeals to be heard.

(93989)

474   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps have been taken to reduce the burden of bureaucracy on small businesses in Northern Ireland.

(93931)

475   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the timescale is for the review of Belfast retail planning strategy; who is to conduct it; and what its terms of reference are.

(93928)

476   Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what action the Government is taking to reduce the number of elderly people who are victims of crime in Northern Ireland.

(93667)

477   Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps is the Government taking to improve drug education amongst young people in Northern Ireland.

(93669)

478   Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) women and (b) members of the ethnic minorities have been recruited by the Police Service Northern Ireland since the coming into operation of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000.

(93668)

479   Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much grant aid is being offered to Moyle District Council to help it rebuild its visitor centre at the Giants Causeway in County Antrim.

(94081)

480   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the rate of staff (a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was in his Department and each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1990-91 to 2002-03; what the target set is for his Department; and if she will make a statement.

(93511)

481   Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many women from outside the United Kingdom gave birth in Northern Ireland between 1998 and 2001.

(93570)

482   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average trolley waits were in all hospitals in (a) November and (b) December 2002; and if he will make a statement.

(93933)

483   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps were taken to prevent patients having to wait on trolleys in accident and emergency departments at (a) the Ulster, (b) Belfast City, (c) Antrim Area and (d) Craigavon Area hospitals on Wednesday 15th January.

(93934)

484   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, for what reason the issue of work permits was returned to the Home Office.

(93681)

485   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Prime Minister, what the rate of staff (a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was in his Office in each year from 1990-91 to 2002-03; what the target set is for his Department; and if he will make a statement.

(93486)

486   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Prime Minister, what representations he has received since October 2002 against war with Iraq; and from which organisations and individuals.

(93893)

487   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Prime Minister, what advice he has taken on the legal basis for an invasion of Iraq.

(93902)

488   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Prime Minister, what his assessment is of the likelihood that (a) Al-Qaeda, (b) other terrorist groups and (c) Iraq might carry out an attack on the United Kingdom.

(93897)

489   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Prime Minister, what independent advice he has received on the terrorist threat to the United Kingdom.

(94037)

490   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the rate of staff (a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was in her Department in each year from 1990-91 to 2002-03; what the target set is for her Department; and if she will make a statement.

(93512)

491   Mr David Marshall (Glasgow, Shettleston): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what her latest estimate is of how many (a) pensioners, (b) children and (c) other people are living in poverty in each constituency in Scotland.

(94067)

492   Mr David Marshall (Glasgow, Shettleston): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what plans she has to reduce child poverty in Scotland; and if she will make a statement.

(94066)

493   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Solicitor General, when she will provide a substantive reply to the honourable Member for the Isle of Wight concerning R V McKay.

(93705)

494   Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps her Department is taking to help improve the competitiveness of Britain's temporary worker market.

(93399)

495   Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the agenda is for discussion for the next meeting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council on 28th February.

(93400)

496   Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent discussions she has had with her European counterparts concerning the Agency Workers Directive; and if she will make a statement on her Department's policy on the proposed legislation in its present form.

(93395)

497   Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what research her Department has conducted into the potential (a) financial impact and (b) impact on employment of the implementation of the Agency Workers' Directive in its present form.

(93398)

498
N   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what export control licence applications were received from Alenia Marconi Systems in the last five years; and what was the outcome of each of these applications.

(93459)

499
N   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the regional variations in the number of (a) new businesses registering, (b) businesses trading on-line and (c) businesses with internet access in the United Kingdom.

(98210)

500
N   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the Employment Tribunals Service makes payment and administers the arrangements for the provision for a sign language interpreter or other forms of communication support when requested by a deaf person coming before a tribunal.

(92812)

501   Andy Burnham (Leigh): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many claims have been lodged to date under the Coal Health Compensation Scheme for (a) COPD and (b) vibration white finger; and what percentage of those claims have (i) been settled in full and (ii) received an interim payment but not full settlement in the parliamentary constituencies of (A) Leigh, (B) Makerfield, (C) Wigan, (D) St Helens North, (E) St Helens South, (F) Warrington North, (G) Warrington South, (H) Bolton North East, (I) Bolton North West, (J) Bolton West, (K) Salford, (L) Worsley, (M) Eccles, (N) Knowsley North and (O) Knowsley South.

(93428)

502   Mr Tim Collins (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had with (a) South Lakeland District Council and (b) Cumbria County Council regarding the redundancies recently announced by Clarks at K Shoes in Kendal.

(94011)

503   Mr Tim Collins (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she expects to reply to the correspondence from the honourable Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale of 13th January, regarding redundancies announced by Clarks at K Shoes in Kendal.

(94016)

504
N   Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much her Department will provide from its Innovation Budget to fund the Manufacturing Advisory Service; how this amount will be spent; and if she will make a statement.

(93288)

505
N   Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many businesses with (a) five employees or fewer and (b) over five employees have received assistance from the Manufacturing Advisory Service since it was established; and if she will make a statement.

(93289)

506   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many (a) urban and (b) rural post offices have closed in Hull and the East Riding since 1st May 1997.

(93822)

507   Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much public money has been given to British Energy in each of the last five years; and what this money has been used for.

(93682)

508
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the full (a) contractual, (b) statutory and (c) common law employment rights of individuals in their main job are protected during periods of service as an armed forces reservist; and if she will make a statement.

(93343)

509   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she expects to be consulted about the industrial implication of the contractor selection for the Future Integrated Soldier Technology (FIST) programme; and whether she will take the value of export opportunities for British companies into account in her assessment of the relative merits of the competing contractors for the FIST programme.

(93430)

510   Mr Andrew Hunter (Basingstoke): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will take measures to establish an Independent Regulator of estate agents; and if she will make a statement.

(94055)

511   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his Answer of 20th January, Official Report, columns 11-12W, on PV Solar Panels, why grants for PV solar panels were only awarded to public buildings in 2002.

(93996)

512   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures she is taking to ensure transparency in the credit card market.

(93835)

513   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether her Department regulates the manufacture of ammunition.

(93584)

514   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on recent consultations by Postcomm of a possible rise in the cost of postage.

(94097)

515   Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the state of negotiations between the National Federation of Sub Postmasters and Post Office Ltd about the implementation of universal banking and the post office card account.

(93377)

516   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will place in the Library declassified documentation from the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority on the use to which reprocessed plutonium, arising from fuel imported from the Magnox reactors sold by the United Kingdom to Italy and Japan, was put.

(93908)

517   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the total quantity was of plutonium permanently withdrawn from safeguards under the provisions of Article 14 of the 1978 Trilateral Safeguards Agreement between the United Kingdom, Euratom and the International Atomic Energy Agency; and which were reactors of origin of the plutonium.

(93907)

518   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the reactors of origin were of the plutonium used in the mox fuel sent to Japan and Switzerland from Sellafield; and what safeguards arrangements apply to this plutonium.

(93904)

519   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what guidance will be given to the proposed nurse co-ordinators on seeking consent from potential embryo donors under the new MRC initiative.

(93392)

520   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what proposals there are to extend anti-discrimination law to cover discrimination in employment and training on grounds of sexual orientation.

(93485)

521   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what proposals she has under the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 to allow unmarried partners to leave their pensions to their surviving partner of either sex when they die.

(93484)

522   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she was first informed of the proposals to require Member States to levy VAT on all postal services being discussed in the European Commission; and what representations she has made to the Commission in response to the proposal.

(93796)

523   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the level of VAT on postal services.

(93797)

524   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list consultations her department has conducted since 2nd May 1997; and when each consultation (a) opened and (b) closed.

(93799)

525   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 16th January to the honourable Member for North-East Derbyshire, Official Report, column 806, if she will list the call centre scripts that she has gone through.

(93857)

526   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of the honourable Member for Edinburgh South of 16th January to the honourable Member for Castle Point, Official Report, column 809, by which method the department determines that the United Kingdom is the fastest growing economy in the world.

(93851)

527   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many call centres are contracted or operated by her Department and its agencies.

(93798)

528   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the impact on the Royal Mail of the imposition of VAT on postal services.

(93795)

529   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the telephone services operated by her Department and its agencies; and how many calls have been made to each service in the last 12 months.

(93800)

530   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what on-site investigations have been undertaken by the Highways Agency in surveying the geology of the proposed route for an A21 bypass at Hurst Green, with specific reference to the proposed tunnel at Silver Hill.

(93815)

531   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what promotional and public information campaigns his Department is (a) running and (b) planning to run during the next six months; and for each campaign, (i) how much it will cost, (A) in total and (B) to his Department, (ii) what agencies or bodies are undertaking the work and (iii) what is its planned duration.

(93807)

532   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what representations (a) his Department and (b) the Highways Agency have received concerning proposed plans for the building of an A21 bypass at Hurst Green.

(93812)

533   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many (a) pedestrians and (b) cyclists were (i) killed, (ii) seriously injured and (iii) slightly injured in road accidents in each year since 1997; and how many were under the age of 18 years in each category.

(93826)

534   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what account was taken of previous route proposals for an A21 bypass at Hurst Green during the planning of the current proposed route for an A21 bypass at Hurst Green.

(93811)

535   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what the estimated cost is of upgrading the power supply in Railtrack's southern zones enable the comprehensive overhaul of current trains and rolling stock.

(93817)

536   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will list road schemes proposed by his Department which will have effects on (a) sites of special interest, (b) areas of outstanding natural beauty and (c) national parks; and if he will make a statement.

(93816)

537   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many newly commissioned (a) engines and (b) carriages lie unused in sidings within the South-eastern rail network, with particular reference to Kent and Sussex.

(93827)

538   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what previous route proposals there have been for an A21 bypass at Hurst Green; and for what reasons these schemes were withdrawn.

(93810)

539   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what on-site investigations have been undertaken by the Highways Agency in planning and plotting the proposed route for an A21 bypass at Hurst Green.

(93813)

540   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what (a) the cost is of and (b) the reasons are for the junction improvements and roundabout installation on the A21 at John's Cross.

(93820)

541   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment has been made by his Department of the number of (a) accidents associated with heavy commercial vehicles in each year since 1997 and (b) the associated fatalities.

(93808)

542   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, which (a) sites of special scientific interest and (b) areas of outstanding natural beauty stand to be affected by trunk road and motorway schemes in England and Wales for which preferred routes have been announced.

(93819)

543   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what investigations have been undertaken by the Highways Agency to deduce the levels of (a) noise and (b) air pollution that would affect residents living between the current A21 and the proposed bypass route at Hurst Green.

(93814)

544   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many crimes have been committed against passengers on British Rail lines in the past five years.

(93825)

545   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what estimate his Department has made of carbon dioxide emissions from transport from 1997 to 2002; and if he will make a statement.

(93824)

546   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many accidents were recorded on the A21 between (a) Flimwell and Hurst Green, (b) Hurst Green and Robertsbridge and (c) south of Robertsbridge in each year since 1997.

(93809)

547   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many trains were late in reaching their destination within (i) Railtrack's southern zone, (ii) the south-eastern network and (iii) Kent and Sussex in each month since November 1997.

(93818)

548   Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how much the (a) Tube Lines and (b) Metronet consortia have spent on bid costs as part of their PPP bids for London Underground projects.

(93397)

549   Andrew Bennett (Denton & Reddish): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, on how many occasions flooding has occurred on the stretch of the M60 between Denton and Hollinwood since it opened; how many accidents on this stretch have been attributed to flooding; who designed this stretch of motorway; what plans he has to undertake work to rectify design faults; and what estimate he has made of the cause of flooding in each case.

(93420)

550   Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when he expects to reply to the letter of the honourable Member for Reigate and East Surrey of 17th December 2002, concerning Redhill Aerodrome.

(93785)

551   Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will list the occasions on which Ministers in his Department have met representatives of Redhill Aerodrome Ventures Limited since 7th June 2001.

(93787)

552   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many trains broke down in each of the last five years, broken down by train operating company.

(93164)

553   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the progress in drawing up a national motor cycling strategy; and when he expects it to be published.

(93995)

554   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when he intends to publish the draft orders relating to road construction at Stonehenge.

(94084)

555
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what arrangements will be in place on 1st February to ensure that privately operated tolls do not increase by reason of the incidence of a VAT liability.

(93351)

556
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what his estimate is of the annual cost to his Department of reimbursing VAT to private operators of tolls on the basis being consulted upon at present.

(93350)

557
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will bring forward regulations under paragraph 11 of Schedule 23 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 to extend exemptions from the Central London road user charge; and if he will make a statement.

(93352)

558   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will list the road quietening schemes that are being examined by his Department in Hull and the East Riding.

(93821)

559
N   Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what further assessment he has made of the possibility of the satellite tracking of oil spills around the coastal waters of the United Kingdom; what assessment he has made of the Maritime and Coastguard pilot experiment into such tracking; and if he will make a statement.

(93624)

560   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will take steps to introduce free off-peak travel for pensioners on public transport.

(93698)

561   Mr Andrew Hunter (Basingstoke): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will bring forward proposals to sections 28 and 29 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 so that the provisions in respect of dangerous or careless riding of bicycles apply to bicycles ridden on a public footpath which is not adjacent to a road.

(94053)

562   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what plans he has to reduce noise from light aircraft using grass airstrips in rural England.

(93696)

563   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the future of Wapping tube station.

(93730)

564   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what the rate of staff (a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was in his Department, its predecessors and each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1990-91 to 2002-03; what the target set is for his Department; and if he will make a statement.

(93499)

565   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when he will introduce legislation to increase the air travel trust fund.

(93661)

566   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how much freight was carried by water in and around the UK in (a) May 1992, (b) May 1997 and (c) September 2002 by (i) all flagged ships and (ii) UK flagged ships; and if he will make a statement.

(93662)

567
N   Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what guidelines his Department has set for the Strategic Rail Authority on consultation with (a) honourable Members, (b) local authorities and (c) passengers' representatives in advance of proposed changes to and withdrawals of rail services.

(93462)

568
N   Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what consultations the Strategic Rail Authority undertook with (a) honourable Members, (b) local authorities and (c) passengers' representatives on the proposed withdrawal of Virgin train services from Blackpool North station.

(93463)

569
N   Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how his Department was consulted by the Strategic Rail Authority on changes to the May 2003 timetable.

(93464)

570
N   Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Strategic Rail Authority's consultation on changes to the May 2003 timetable.

(93461)

571
N   Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) economic and (b) other effects of withdrawing Virgin train services to and from Blackpool North station.

(93460)

572   Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the (a) prevalence and (b) causes of occupational stress in the British Transport Police.

(93689)

573   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, in cases where Regional Strategic Guidance includes congestion taxes for a particular town or city, what requirement will be placed on the Council in that place to introduce a congestion charge.

(93604)

574   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how much the Administration for Railtrack claimed in fees and expenses.

(93605)

575   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many train franchises were (a) renewed and (b) let in the last year; and what the average duration of those new franchises is.

(93609)

576   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what the total cost was of administration for Railtrack.

(93608)

577   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how much Network Rail has lost since its establishment.

(93607)

578   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when he will complete his review of airport capacity in the South-East of England.

(93610)

579   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what the cost has been of the Thames Valley multi-modal study.

(93613)

580   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what his forecast date is for replacement of the last operational slam door train on British Railway.

(93606)

581   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what the annual capital sums are which are planned within the budget for transport over 10 years announced in the Thames Valley multi-modal study.

(93612)

582   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what representations he has received since 1977, other than from honourable Members, that the Government should subsidise cross-Solent fares.

(93863)

583   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what representations he has received about new measures to protect the safety of people using public transport, with particular reference to women.

(93482)

584   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what the rate of staff (a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was in his Department in each year from 1990-91 to 2002-03; what the target set is for his Department; and if he will make a statement.

(93496)

585   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what briefings he provided to the media in advance of the statement made by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on higher education, Official Report 22nd January, columns 301-319, in respect of reports that the National Assembly for Wales was to be given additional powers over student support in higher education.

(93720)

586
N   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many deaf people had access to a qualified British Sign Language interpreter at their aural tribunal for disability living allowance; and on how many occasions the expenses of a British Sign Language interpreter have been met by the Appeal Board.

(92808)

587
N   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many appeals by deaf applicants for disability living allowance have been taken to an aural tribunal in each year since 1997.

(92809)

588
N   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many disability living allowance recipients, whose main disabling condition is deafness, are aged between (a) 0 to 16 years and (b) 16 to 64 years and live in (i) England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Scotland.

(92811)

589   Mr Tim Collins (Westmorland & Lonsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to assist those who become unemployed following the closure of the K Shoes factory in Kendal to find new work.

(94014)

590
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners have benefited from the minimum income guarantee in (a) Coventry and (b) West Midlands.

(92346)

591   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what changes she plans to make to the operation of the Child Support Agency; when those changes will come into effect; and if he will make a statement.

(94010)

592
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) received into the length of time which individuals on average practise a particular trade or occupation after receiving Government subsidised training in it.

(93560)

593   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many persons who were convicted of benefit fraud in each of the last four years for which figures are available had (a) one, (b) two and (c) more than two previous convictions for benefit fraud.

(94001)

594   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost of external consultants was to his Department and its predecessors in each of the last four financial years for which figures are available, broken down by firm.

(94054)

595   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the (a) law enforcement and (b) other agencies involved in the investigation of benefit fraud; and what role his Department plays in co-ordinating their work.

(94008)

596   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of incapacity benefit there were in each year since its introduction, broken down by local authority area.

(94007)

597
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his assessment is of the level of fraud and the amount of money defrauded in disability living allowance in 2002.

(93561)

598   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 17th December 2002, columns 773-4W, on New Deal photocards, by what means the reduced rail fare scheme is brought to the attention of New Deal participants at the initial interview with their personal adviser; what forms are required to be completed in order to apply for the photocard; and if the reduced fares applies to all rail travel or only to that connected with the New Deal.

(94056)

599   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff were employed in each of the last four years for which figures are available by (a) his Department and its predecessor and (b) local authorities in connection with the administration of (i) housing and (ii) council tax benefit.

(94006)

600   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the projects on which external consultants have been used by his Department in each of the last four financial years for which data is available; and if he will indicate which firms of consultants were used on each project.

(94000)

601   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what sources of funding will be used after the 2003-04 financial year to continue projects that have been funded by the windfall tax.

(93999)

602   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of disability living allowance there were in each year since its introduction, broken down by local authority area.

(93998)

603   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the means by which the administration of (a) housing and (b) council tax benefit by local authorities is funded.

(94004)

604   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) received into the reasons why New Deal participants eligible for New Deal photocards failed to take up the scheme; if he will place it in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

(94003)

605
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what investigations were (a) undertaken and (b) completed in 2002 into fraud in disability living allowance claims.

(93559)

606   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to (a) his Department and its predecessor and (b) local authorities of administering (i) housing and (ii) council tax benefit was in the last four years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(94005)

607   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many persons claiming benefit have (a) one, (b) two and (c) more than two convictions for benefit fraud; and what the total amount claimed by such persons is, broken down by type of benefit.

(94002)

608   Mr Andrew Hunter (Basingstoke): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will adjust council tax benefit and housing benefit for pensioners to ensure that council tax and rent increases do not exceed any increase in the state retirement pension.

(94052)

609   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 22 January, ref 90125, what the reasons are for the assumption in the Green Paper on Pensions that spending on winter fuel payments will remain at their current level of £200 up until 2051-52; and, on the basis of the projections of spending given in the Green Paper, what the value of the winter fuel allowance will be in real terms in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2021-22 and (c) 2051-52.

(93940)

610   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the rate of staff (a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was in his Department, its predecessors and each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1990-91 to 2002-03; what the target set is for his Department; and if he will make a statement.

(93498)

611   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on how his Department will treat those benefit claimants who fail to respond to requests to inform the Department about the method of payment they have chosen.

(93585)

612   Mr John MacDougall (Central Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many disabled people found jobs through the New Deal for Disabled People in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 in (i) Scotland and (ii) Fife; how many of these people are still in employment; and what plans he has to review the effectiveness of the service.

(93564)

613   Mr John MacDougall (Central Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cases are being dealt with by the Child Support Agency; and how many cases were received in each of the last five years in (a) Scotland and (b) Fife.

(93556)

614   Mr John MacDougall (Central Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of lone parents participating in the ONE programme have gained employment in (a) Scotland and (b) Fife.

(93562)

615   Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the (a) prevalence and (b) causes of occupational stress in the (i) Child Support Agency and (ii) Benefits Agency.

(93664)

616   Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the number of benefit recipients that are being paid in cash at post offices.

(93378)

617   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures are being taken to educate and encourage recent graduates and new members of the work force to make provision for private pension schemes.

(93383)

618   Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received about allowing people with an occupational pension as well as a private pension not to have to purchase an annuity for their private pension; and if he will make a statement.

(94051)

619   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average gap, expressed as a percentage, was between the incomes of all working (a) women and (b) men for the last year for which figures are available.

(94015)

620   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the constituent parts of the allocation of the planned expenditure for (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04, (c) 2004-05 and (d) 2005-06, set out in Table B15 of the Pre-Budget Report 2002.

(93412)

621   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the total unallocated funds within his departmental expenditure limit (a) at the start of the financial year and (b) to date.

(93411)

622   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 21st January, Official Report, column 260W, on benefit payments, how many of the customers who opted for payment into a bank or building society account selected accounts that are accessible via post offices.

(94032)

623
N   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the cost of his standard housing allowance pilot in each of the next five financial years, identifying separately the cost of the evaluation of the pilots; and if he will estimate the eventual cost of the scheme if it were to apply to (a) all private rented accommodation nationwide and (b) all private or social rented accommodation nationwide.

(93631)

624   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of (a) income support, (b) incapacity benefit, (c) invalid care allowance, (d) bereavement benefit and (e) severe disablement (i) new claimants in Jobcentre Plus areas have had a claim refused as a result of work focused interview non-attendance and (ii) existing caseload claimants in Jobcentre Plus areas have had their benefit reduced as a result of failure to attend a repeat-work focused interview, under the Social Security (Jobcentre Plus Interview) Regulations 2001.

(93919)

625   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many businesses were established under the New Deal self-employment model for 50 plus in each year since its creation; and how many of those businesses were still trading after (a) one year, (b) two years, (c) three years, (d) four years and (e) five years and above.

(93410)

626   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) income support, (b) incapacity benefit, (c) invalid care allowance, (d) bereavement benefit and (e) severe disablement allowance claimants have had (i) a new claim refused as a result of work focused interview non-attendance and (ii) benefit reduced as a result of failure to attend a repeat work-focused interview, under the Social Security (Jobcentre Plus Interviews) Regulations 2001.

(93917)

627   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many businesses were established under the New Deal self-employment model for (a) young people, (b) 25 plus and (c) lone parents in each year since its creation; and how many of those businesses were still trading after (i) one year, (ii) two years, (iii) three years, (iv) four years and (v) five years and above, from the end of the third stage of test trading.

(93409)

628   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) existing and (b) new state retirement pension claimants have opted for payment via automated credit transfer in each of the last 12 months.

(93918)

629   Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North): To ask the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to improve the analysis by government departments of suggestions from the general public.

(93389)

630   Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North): To ask the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to to improve the quality of English used by departments in their communications with the general public.

(93390)

631   Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North): To ask the Cabinet Office, if he will create new performance indicators and a table of rankings for (a) departments and (b) ministers.

(93391)

632   Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North): To ask the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to extend the opportunities for members of the public to receive appointments to public bodies, task forces and ad hoc advisory committees.

(93388)

633   Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North): To ask the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to extend the opportunities for members of the public to contribute to the development of government policy by online scrutiny and discussion of proposed initiatives.

(93387)

634   Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire): To ask the Cabinet Office, what action he is taking to ensure that services for adults in difficulty consider the needs of the adult's family as well as the individual needs, through (a) the proposed Children at Risk Green Paper and (b) the National Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy.

(93727)

635   Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire): To ask the Cabinet Office, in the proposed Green Paper for Children at Risk, if he will propose a statutory obligation that there be a key worker for any child at complex risk, and that the key worker (a) co-ordinate (i) a multi-professional assessment and (ii) the design of a care package, and (b) ensure that the assessment and care package are (i) delivered and (ii) monitored.

(93723)

636   Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire): To ask the Cabinet Office, if he will ensure that in a new identification, referral and tracking system created by the proposed Green Paper on Children at Risk, the same assessment tool is used for all young people at complex risk.

(93722)

637   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Cabinet Office, what the rate of staff (a) absenteeism and (b) sickness was in his Department and each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each year from 1990-91 to 2002-03; what the target set is for his Department; and if he will make a statement.

(93508)

638
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset): To ask the Cabinet Office, when he plans to bring forward a Civil Contingency Bill.

(93555)

639   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Minister for Women, what estimate she has made of the percentage of members of executive boards that are women in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) the European Union.

(94039)

640   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Cabinet Office, what preparations have been made outside large urban conurbations for responses to a terrorist attack; and what procedures are in place to cope and assist with the likely exodus of people from large cities in the event of an attack taking place there.

[Transferred] (93380)

641   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the practice of placing grandchildren with their grandparents rather than in care in the event of a family crisis; and whether it is his policy that this practice is the first option looked at when examining the needs of a child.

[Transferred] (93551)

642   Mr John MacDougall (Central Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many and what proportion of employee jobs there are in each industrial sector in (a) Scotland and (b) Fife.

[Transferred] (93563)

643   Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions have been held between British officials and UK Ministers regarding compensation from the European Commission for those affected by the decisions at the December Fisheries Council.

[Transferred] (93881)

644   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will increase the United Kingdom's donation to the International Atomic Energy Agency to assist the international inspection and safeguards regime.

[Transferred] (93886)

645   Jane Griffiths (Reading East): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the effects on (a) UK and (b) EU shipping of the United States Jones Act.

[Transferred] (93946)

646   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were unemployed in Haltemprice and Howden in the last 13 months for which figures are available.

[Transferred] (93783)

647   Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy in the alcohol strategy to ensure that young people with underlying emotional or mental health problems are fully assessed and where necessary referred to tier 3 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

[Transferred] (93724)

648   Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when the Social Exclusion Unit will publish its report on Transport and Social Exclusion; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (93832)