Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2002 - 03
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Thursday 13 March 2003

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Thursday 13 March 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.

THURSDAY 13th MARCH

1   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Advocate General, pursuant to her oral Answer of 11th March, Official Report, column 151W on the time limit for considering bills passed by the Scottish Parliament, what plans she has to consider the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Bill by 28th March.

(102916)

2   Tony Cunningham (Workington): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to encourage recycling initiatives through exemptions for recycling plants from landfill tax.

(103140)

3   Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been donated to charities by the Unclaimed Assets Register donations scheme from dormant accounts in each year since its introduction (a) in total and (b) from (i) banks and (ii) building societies.

(102910)

4   Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many charities have benefited in each year from the Unclaimed Assets Register donations scheme since its introduction.

(102911)

5   Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many successful traces have been concluded on dormant accounts in each month since May 2001 by (a) the British Banking Association and (b) the Building Societies Association.

(102908)

6   Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claims have been received in relation to dormant accounts in each month since May 2001 by (a) the British Banking Association and (b) the Building Societies Association.

(102909)

7   Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford & Stortford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of house price inflation in each year since 1997.

(102924)

8   Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford & Stortford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the level of European economic reform described in the report Meeting the Challenge: Economic Reform in Europe will be taken into consideration when making an assessment of the second test for euro entry.

(102929)

9   Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford & Stortford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) highest and (b) lowest value of the pound has been with respect to (i) the euro and (ii) the dollar in each year that is applicable since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(102927)

10   Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford & Stortford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions officials from his Department have had with representatives of (a) building societies, (b) the estate agent industry and (c) consumer groups on (i) the state of the housing market and (ii) future estimates of house price inflation; and if he will make a statement.

(102928)

11   Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford & Stortford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has made or plans to make an assessment of the optimum exchange rate for the United Kingdom to join the euro.

(102925)

12   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the compliance costs of a budget date beyond the end of the 2002-03 financial year; and if he will make a statement.

(102880)

13   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Inland Revenue spent on advertising in 2001-02.

(102869)

14   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the (a) gross and (b) taxable income of individuals in (i) England, (ii) Wales, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland in the latest year for which data is available; and if he will make a statement.

(102876)

15   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the proportion of income households in each income decile pay in council tax (a) net of council tax benefit and (b) gross; what assumptions on take up were made in coming to the estimate; and if he will make a statement.

(102867)

16   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis he chose this year's Budget date.

(102881)

17   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Valuation Office Agency spent on advertising in 2002-03.

(102868)

18   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer which Public Service Agreement targets will be reported on as part of the web-based reporting of targets; in what month the first data will be published; and if he will make a statement.

(102882)

19   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what target the Inland Revenue has set for the number of individual taxpayers filing self assessment tax returns by 2005; and if he will make a statement.

(102877)

20   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 20th January, Official Report, column 54W, on the Euro, when his Department plans to conduct the next survey of small and medium-sized companies; and if he will make a statement.

(102891)

21   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the (a) filing and (b) other costs of the self assessment tax system in each year since 1998; and if he will make a statement.

(102878)

22   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 6th March, Official Report, column 1222W, on public sector net investment statistics, if he will make it his policy to publish net investment statistics by Department monthly; and if he will make a statement.

(102889)

23   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what (a) the average gross income and (b) the average annual net disposable income has been for each quintile of the income in distribution in each year since 1996.

(102986)

24   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to publish take-up figures for the child tax credit and the working tax credit.

(102990)

25   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Department for Work and Pensions concerning the potential for increased claims against the Social Fund, with particular reference to meeting the costs of additional alignment payments, during the introduction of the new tax credits.

(102994)

26   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to publish figures for Working Families Tax Credit take-up in (a) 2001-02 and (b) 2002-03.

(102993)

27   Mr Tony Colman (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress her Department has made in implementing the recommendations on making regional museums sustainable in the report Renaissance in the Regions.

(102857)

28   Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the administrative cost of the Arts Council of England to each Government Office of the Region was in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03.

(103014)

29   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what percentage of eligible people were in receipt of a free television licence in the last year for which figures are available.

(103048)

30
N   Tony Cunningham (Workington): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to allow to family and friends of service personnel deployed in operations to send a limited number of parcels to them at no charge as part of the operational welfare package.

(102698)

31
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on releasing information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 relating to unpublished papers concerning the Scott Report and Mr Gerald James.

(100713)

32   Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Pollok): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if it is intended that all vessels for the MARS Project will be built in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

(103101)

33   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many complaints regarding low-flying have been received from residents of Dumfries and Galloway in each of the last six months.

(103049)

34   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on minimum standards of security for part-time MoD ranges.

(103050)

35   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether blood-clotting bandages will be available to troops deployed in the Middle East.

(103038)

36
N   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements have been made for (a) mail and (b) parcel deliveries for troops in Kuwait; and what arrangements have been made for (a) telephone and (b) email availability for these troops.

(102697)

37
N   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel have been (a) recommended for manning control review, (b) subsequently discharged after a review and (c) transferred to s-type contracts in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

(102443)

38   Mr John Maples (Stratford-on-Avon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what ranks in the armed services are allowed to travel by air (a) first class and (b) business class at public expense when on official duties.

(102886)

39   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with the British military base on Gibraltar.

(102920)

40   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the additional funding recently made available to the Royal Marines.

(102921)

41   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his Spanish counterpart regarding the British military base on Gibraltar.

(102919)

42
N   Colin Burgon (Elmet): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the progress of the Pathfinder Scheme for the Swarcliffe estate in the Elmet constituency.

(102792)

43   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the written ministerial statement on the use classes orders, 14th March, Official Report, column 79WS, what further consultation will take place when the Government announces its intentions for A1 uses arising from the use classes consultation in 2002.

(103002)

44   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the key generic capabilities being developed for dealing with civil emergencies; what progress is being made with developing each of the key generic capabilities for civil emergency preparation; when he expects officials to report; when decisions will have been made on their practical implementation; which of the key areas do not have guidance suitable for dealing with a contemporary threat; and what the Government response will be in an emergency while the current programme of work on each of the 11 areas continues.

(102926)

45   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith & Fulham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he plans to publish his review of the IND 2000; and if he will make a statement.

(103029)

46   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith & Fulham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many successful applications there have been in (a) London and (b) other metropolitan authorities to set up arm's length management organisations in each of the past three years.

(103032)

47   Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the administrative cost of the Community Fund to each Government Office of the Region was in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03.

(103015)

48   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, to which bodies the South West Regional Development Agency is accountable.

(103059)

49   Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much money per head of population has been given in government grant to each of the shire counties in each of the last ten years; and what the real terms changes were in each of those years.

(103116)

50   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 12th February, Official Report, column 840W, on private landlords, for what reasons he has not published the results of the consultation on selective licensing of private landlords in accordance with criterion 6 of Cabinet Office guidelines on written consultations; and if he will make a statement.

(103019)

51   Mr John Maples (Stratford-on-Avon): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much total Government grant was (a) paid and (b) proposed to be paid to Stratford on Avon District Council in (i) cash and (ii) constant prices in each year between 1997-98 and 2003-04; and what the percentage increase in such grant in each of these years was at constant pricing.

(102896)

52   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the total pay costs incurred by (a) the Social Exclusion Unit, (b) the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit and (c) the Homelessness Directorate have been in each year since their creation.

(103067)

53   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many employees of (a) the Social Exclusion Unit, (b) the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit and (c) the Homelessness Directorate have been (i) members of the Labour Party, (ii) previous employees of the Labour Party and (iii) previous employees of Labour honourable Members in each year since their creation.

(103066)

54   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many employees of (a) the Social Exclusion Unit, (b) the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit and (c) the Homelessness Directorate there were in each year since their creation.

(103064)

55   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the cost to (a) central and (b) local government of administering council tax in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(102871)

56   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the total level of council tax raised in (a) 2001-02 and (b) 2002-03 in (i) England, (ii) Wales, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

(102875)

57   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether it is Government policy to make available individual careers guidance to all students at the close of their compulsory school years.

(103087)

58   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether all foundation degree students will be guaranteed a future funded year's study in order to upgrade to a full degree.

(103113)

59
N   Mr Chris Bryant (Rhondda): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what recent assessment he has made of the capital needs of UK universities.

(102708)

60   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many teachers (a) left and (b) joined the teaching profession in Essex between May 1997 and the latest available date.

(103122)

61
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list the average A level points score per pupil for 11 to 18 years schools with sixth forms containing (a) 50 or fewer, (b) 51 to 100, (c) 101 to 150, (d) 151 to 200, (e) 201 to 250 and (f) more than 250 pupils in each of the last three years.

(100882)

62   Tony Cunningham (Workington): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what opportunities the Aim Higher scheme will provide to schools to access additional funding; and whether it will be open to schools not eligible under the Excellence Cluster scheme in West Cumbria.

(103141)

63   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether an LEA is free to set proximity to school premises as the admission criterion for a primary school.

(102872)

64   Mr John Grogan (Selby): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many teachers were employed in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in the (i) City of York and (ii) North Yorkshire education authority in each year since they were established.

(103135)

65   Stephen Hesford (Wirral West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on his (a) current and (b) future policy on free school meals.

(102858)

66
N   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Performance Management System for the teaching profession; and if he will make a statement.

(102695)

67
N   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to extend the Excellence in Cities programme to primary schools; and if he will make a statement.

(102696)

68   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many ballet schools there are in England and Wales; and what Government support is available to pupils.

(103044)

69   Mr Ken Purchase (Wolverhampton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what support and materials he is making available in schools to increase awareness of Sikhs and their religion.

(103034)

70   Mr Gerry Steinberg (City of Durham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what his policy is on the continuation of nursery school development funding.

(103028)

71   Mr Gerry Steinberg (City of Durham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure that Sure Start units have a manager with an early years teaching qualification; which senior members of staff within each Sure Start unit will have to have specialist early years teaching qualification; and whether all sure start units will (a) have at least one qualified teacher and (b) be supported by a qualified nursery nurse.

(103026)

72   Mr Gerry Steinberg (City of Durham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to (a) protect and (b) extend the role of existing maintained nurseries.

(103027)

73   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that alternatives are in place for all farmers to deal with fallen stock when on-farm burial is banned.

(103011)

74   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on establishing a 90-mile limit between market and abattoir.

(103061)

75   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the provision at markets of overnight lairages.

(103062)

76   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information she collates in respect of the policy in other EU member states concerning financial support for farmers to deal with fallen stock.

(103012)

77   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many veterinary surgeons were employed by the State Veterinary Surgery on (a) 20th February 2001, (b) 20th February 2002 and (c) 20th February 2003.

(103013)

78   Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the administrative cost of the Countryside Agency to each Government Office of the Region was in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03.

(103016)

79
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the proposal to restrict cattle movements to a 96 mile radius; and what impact this will have on those farmers who move animals for finishing purposes.

(102793)

80
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the new arrangements for the restrictions upon animal movements, following the replacement of the 20-day rule, will be fully in place.

(102794)

81   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her assessment is of the effect on land values of the introduction of nitrate vulnerable zones.

(103020)

82   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many nitrate vulnerable zones have been designated; and what percentage of the land area of England and Wales is designated as nitrate vulnerable zones.

(102984)

83   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to review the internal audit procedures of the Forestry Commission.

(103040)

84   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total cost was to public funds of the operations of the Forestry Commission in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK in the last year for which figures are available.

(103039)

85
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures she is taking to raise public understanding of agriculture and horticulture in the UK; and how much her Department has spent, broken down by category, on such measures since 1997.

(102439)

86
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) labelling and (b) standards schemes there are relating to the nature and production of foodstuffs in the UK; and what the requirements are for each.

(102440)

87   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many area based sustainable energy projects and partnerships incorporating a Home Health Programme there are; where they are located; what areas they cover; and what their annual budgets are.

(103169)

88
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made and representations she has received regarding the application of Fairtrade status to British farmers; and if she will make a statement.

(102441)

89
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will place copies of the speeches she has made to outside organisations since 1st January in the Library.

(102442)

90   Mr Michael Jack (Fylde): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish her proposed expenditure for each of the next three years under the English Rural Development Programme, broken down by scheme.[R]

(103146)

91   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which Minister has responsibility for genetically modified food products.

(103084)

92   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, against what criteria the outcome of the public debate on genetically modified crops will be judged.

(103053)

93   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total cost has been to public funds of dogs detained under the provisions of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in 2003.

(102918)

94   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dogs have been detained in the UK under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in 2003.

(102917)

95   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research has been commissioned from consultants to assess the (a) need for and (b) prospective benefits of industry profiles for radioactively contaminated land.

(103115)

96   Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on how the Food Standards Agency's 2002 Consumer Attitudes to Food survey has affected her Department's policy on GM foodstuffs.

(102862)

97
N   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential environmental consequences arising from military action in Iraq; and what provision he is making to minimise these.

(102820)

98   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 11th February, Official Report, column 728W, on Sudan, if he will place in the Library an account of the discussions his Department has had with aid agencies regarding the Sudanese air traffic control system; and if he will make a statement.

(102995)

99   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the reunification of Cyprus.

(103100)

100   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the human rights situation in Burma.

(103045)

101   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when entry clearance officers in (a) New Delhi, (b) Mumbai, (c) Dhaka, (d) Tehran and (e) Nairobi ceased using the pre-assessment procedure for visa applications.

(103145)

102   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what initiatives to increase family visitor visa applicants' awareness of their appeal rights have been undertaken since 1st January 2002.

(103144)

103   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the reasons are for the change in the overall rate of refusal of family visitor visa applications; and what the reasons are for the changes in rates of refusal of family visitor visa applications made at entry clearance posts (a) in the Middle East, (b) in South Asia, (c) in Western Europe and (d) in Central Europe since 1 August 2002.

(103143)

104   Mr Ken Purchase (Wolverhampton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Indian Government on their intentions towards signing the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

(103036)

105   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what guidelines are given under the International Convention on the Rights of the Child on the interrogation of children under 10 in respect of the alleged illegal activities of their parents.

(103102)

106   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action he is taking to ensure that local learning disability boards communicate their proceedings to local interested parties; and what plans he has to issue guidance to them on this matter.

(103088)

107
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people are waiting for in-patient treatment in the Mid-Essex Hospital Trust area.

(102538)

108   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nursing vacancies there were in each Essex NHS trust in (a) 1997 and (b) 2002.

(103121)

109   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the NHS Ombudsman's report 'NHS funding for long term care', if he will ensure that new guidance on HSC 2001/15 contains model eligibility criteria, with appropriate use of case studies and examples so that they may be understood by patients as well as professionals, which are consistent with (a) R v North and East Devon Health Authority ex parte of Coughlan of 1999 and the ruling that where a person's primary need is owing to health needs or disabilities, their care is a continuing NHS responsibility, and (b) the consequence of the Appeal Court's decision on the circumstances in which it is unlawful to transfer responsibility for a patient's general nursing care to the local authority.

(103148)

110   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the comments of the NHS Ombudsman relating to the clarity of HSC 2001/15 in the report 'NHS funding for long term care' with particular reference to the Ombudsman's observation that HSC 2001/015 is weaker than guidance previously declared to be unlawful by the Court of Appeal in R v North and East Devon Health Authority ex parte Coughlan of 1999.

(103149)

111   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the conclusion of the NHS Ombudsman relating to the single assessment process (SAP) in the report 'NHS funding for long term care' that the associated guidance does not suggest whether or how the SAP could provide a basis for, or contribute to, the assessment of eligibility for continuing NHS care.

(103150)

112   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to implement the recommendations in the Health Service Ombudsman's report 'NHS funding for long term care; and if he will make a statement.

(103151)

113   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to address the comments in the Health Service Ombudsman's report 'NHS funding for long term care' on the clarity of HSC 2001/015.

(103152)

114   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to pay a childcare allowance for trainee nurses entitled to an NHS bursary.

(103138)

115   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 6th March, Official Report, column 1210W, on health service finance, what the deficit was for each NHS trust in England at the beginning of the current financial year; and what his most recent estimate is of the deficit of each of the trusts by the end of the financial year.

(102989)

116   Mr John Grogan (Selby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients were registered with national health services in each of the last five years in the area covered by North Yorkshire area health authority.

(103136)

117   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the impact of the Office of Fair Trading report on control of entry regulations to the pharmacy market on his Department's strategy on the reclassification of medicines from prescription only to pharmacy sale.

(102851)

118   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many prison healthcare centres are categorised as (a) red, (b) amber and (c) green under the traffic lights performance monitoring system; and what the criteria are on which prison healthcare centres are rated under the traffic lights system.

(103071)

119   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of (a) the number of pharmacies required to provide NHS services to local communities and (b) the optimum location for these pharmacies.

(102853)

120   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many needlestick injuries there were in the NHS involving the risk of transmission of a blood borne virus in (a) England, (b) each NHS region and (c) each strategic health authority in each of the last six years.

(102852)

121   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) sentenced and (b) unsentenced prisoners are receiving treatment for mental health problems; and how many of these are being treated as in-patients (i) in the prison healthcare centre and (ii) in an NHS setting.

(103070)

122   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 27th November 2002, Official Report, column 354W, on nursing student bursaries, whether the 4,600 curricular hours include work placements; and what minimum number of work placement hours a nursing student is required to complete in order to obtain a diploma.

(102892)

123   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what changes are planned to the structure of prison healthcare; and if he will make a statement.

(103069)

124   Mr Kevin Hughes (Doncaster North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost to the NHS was for treatments prescribed for dyspepsia; and what percentage of this amount was spent on (a) proton pump inhibitors, (b) H2 receptor antagonists, (c) alginates and (d) antacids in each year since 1997.

(102999)

125   Mr Kevin Hughes (Doncaster North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department is conducting into the management of dyspepsia.

(103000)

126   Mr Kevin Hughes (Doncaster North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what cost savings have been made to the NHS drugs bill for proton pump inhibitors since July 2000.

(103001)

127   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, under what circumstances a person would be (a) eligible and (b) ineligible to vote under the provisions in the draft Mental Health bill.

(103147)

128
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list (a) NHS trusts which have wards which do not meet the single sex accommodation standards, (b) NHS trusts which do not meet the additional safety requirements for mentally ill patients and (c) trusts which do not meet the standards for separate lavatory and washing facilities.

(102822)

129   Mr Eric Martlew (Carlisle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what financial package the former Chief Executive of North Cumbria Acute Trust received following his resignation.

(103054)

130   Mr Michael Mates (East Hampshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether emergency surgery facilities will remain at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester to support a consultant-led accident and emergency service.

(102890)

131   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received from (a) individual companies, (b) trade organisations and (c) consumer bodies about nutrients which are permitted for use in food supplements in the United Kingdom, but which are omitted from the lists of permitted nutrients set out in annexes 1 and 2 of the Food Supplements Directive.

(103005)

132   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number and value of food supplement products on the UK market which contain nutrients omitted from annex 1 of the Food Supplements Directive and for which no nutrient sources are listed in annex 2 of the Directive.

(103008)

133   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department and the Food Standards Agency intend to take to address technical difficulties and financial costs associated with the production of dossiers for consideration by the European Food Safety Authority in relation to nutrients which are not included in the list of permitted ingredients for use in food supplements set out in Schedules 2 and 3 of the proposed Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003.

(103007)

134   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department and the Food Standards Agency have made representations to (a) the European Commission and (b) the EU Scientific Committee for Foods in relation to the technical difficulties and financial costs associated with the production of dossiers for consideration by the European Food Safety Authority of nutrients which are not included in the list of permitted ingredients for use in food supplements set out in annexes 1 and 2 of the Food Supplements Directive.

(103006)

135   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research has been commissioned by his Department into the costs and implications for product characteristics of the reformulation of food supplements in those cases where nutrient sources in use in the United Kingdom are not included in the lists of permitted nutrients set out in the annexes to the Food Supplements Directive.

(103003)

136   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the potential costs involved in the production of dossiers for submission to the European Food Safety Authority in connection with nutrients for which manufacturers are seeking inclusion in the lists of permitted ingredients set out in the annexes to the Food Supplements Directive.

(103004)

137   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what nutrients are on the market in the United Kingdom as ingredients in food supplements but are not listed in Schedules 2 and 3 of the proposed Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003 recently published by the Food Standards Agency; how long each of them have been on sale in the UK; and whether representations are under preparation by manufacturers for submission to the European Food Safety Authority for consideration as possible additions to those annexes.

(103009)

138   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the existing duty of GPs in paragraph 43 of the terms of service to prescribe on the basis of patient need will be included in the new terms of service.

(102912)

139   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what changes are proposed in the duty of GPs in the NHS to treat patients on the basis of clinical need in the proposed new contract.

(102913)

140   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether GPs will be required in their new contracts to take resources into account when recommending and prescribing treatments.

(102914)

141   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps have been taken to prevent conflicts of interest concerning property valuation as part of the NHS estates contract; and if he will make a statement.

(102879)

142   Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding he has allocated to social service departments to support those with autism and Asperger Syndrome and their carers in each of the last five years.

(102931)

143   Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding he has allocated into the (a) causes, (b) care and (c) treatment of (i) autism and (ii) Asperger Syndrome in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

(102930)

144   Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many food samples have been tested for correct (a) labelling, (b) composition, (c) claims and (d) other presentational matters in each of the last 10 years; and what proportion of those samples were found not to comply with the statements made about them.

(102865)

145   Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the percentage of consumers (a) confident and (b) not confident in food labelling claims in each of the last 10 years.

(102863)

146   Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many food sample checks regarding labelling have been undertaken by (a) the Food Standards Agency and (b) local authorities in each of the last 10 years.

(103010)

147   Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much meat, broken down by type, has been identified as unfit for human consumption by Government Departments and Government agencies in (a) farms, (b) abattoirs and (c) retailers in each of the last 10 years; and how many (i) prosecutions and (ii) convictions have resulted.

(102864)

148   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers were (a) shot at, (b) injured by shootings and (c) killed by shootings in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(103023)

149   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the cost of raising the standards of Ashfield YOI to meet the requirements of PSO4950; and if he will make a statement.

(103155)

150   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what offending behaviour programmes are available to prisoners at Ashfield YOI; and if he will make a statement.

(103163)

151   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what meetings have been held between Home Office and Department of Health officials following the judgement in R (Howard League for Penal Reform) v Secretary of State for the Home Department.

(103157)

152   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what child protection procedures are in place in young offender institutions for juveniles considered to be at risk.

(103166)

153   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action he has taken following the inspection report into Ashfield YOI to ensure that (a) there are adequate staffing levels, (b) reception staff are trained in suicide prevention measures, (c) cells are allocated on the basis of risk assessments and (d) an anti-bullying strategy is in place.

(103165)

154   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the capacity of Ashfield Young Offenders Institution is; and how many (a) young offenders and (b) juveniles are held there.

(103156)

155   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timetable is for removing juveniles from Ashfield YOI.

(103161)

156   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to ensure that a resettlement strategy based upon the needs of juveniles and young offenders is put in place at (a) Ashfield Young Offenders Institution and (b) other YOIs, as recommended in the recent inspection report into Ashfield YOI.

(103162)

157   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what special arrangements are in place to accommodate juveniles who have been or will be transferred out of Ashfield YOI following the recent inspection report.

(103154)

158   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many juveniles have been transferred out of Ashfield YOI following the recent inspection report; and to which institutions they were transferred.

(103153)

159   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Young Offender Institutions operate a personal officer scheme.

(103159)

160   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action he is taking to ensure that the levels of purposeful activity at Ashfield YOI meet the minimum levels specified by the Youth Justice Board and Prison Service Order 4950.

(103158)

161   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a time-tabled action plan has been put in place to fulfil the recommendations of the recent inspectorate report into Ashfield YOI; and if he will make a statement.

(103160)

162   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to ensure that (a) a written drug strategy and (b) a drug strategy group are put in place at (i) Ashfield Young Offenders Institution and (b) other YOIs which do not have them.

(103164)

163   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding has been made available for the rehabilitation of drug offenders in Essex in each year since 1997.

(103119)

164
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 10th March, ref 96152, if he will reply to the second part of the honourable Member's question.

(102827)

165   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many offenders were recorded in (a) the Chelmsford division of Essex police and (b) Essex in each year since 1997, broken down by category.

(103120)

166   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith & Fulham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans his Department has to deport failed asylum seekers to Somalia; and if he will make a statement.

(103031)

167   Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what changes have taken place in the (a) numbers and (b) percentages of women sentenced to prison in each of the last 10 years.

(102856)

168   Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many women received prison sentences in each of the last five years for (a) failing to have a television licence and (b) other debt.

(103092)

169   Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many babies (a) under nine months and (b) under 18 months are in British prisons.

(102884)

170   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of police resources is allocated to traffic policing (a) in the UK and (b) broken down by region.

(102860)

171   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many dedicated traffic police officers there have been in each year since 1991, broken down by region and nation; and what percentage of the total number of police officers these figures represent, broken down by region and nation.

(102861)

172   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions he has had with the Association of Chief Police Officers regarding the number of dedicated traffic police officers; and if he will make a statement.

(102859)

173
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the level of (a) fraud and (b) overpayment in respect of claims by landlords for accommodation provided under the NASS asylum support programme has been in each year since the establishment of NASS; how many investigations have been undertaken in each year; what the outcomes were; and if he will make a statement.

(102778)

174
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of suspected asylum support fraud have been referred to NASS from (a) the Benefit Fraud Hotline and (b) the Targeting Fraud Website; how many investigations have been undertaken as a result; what the outcomes were; what action was taken; how many (i) successful and (ii) unsuccessful prosecutions have resulted; what penalties were imposed; and if he will make a statement.

(102775)

175
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many visas permitting entry without restrictions on work have been issued in each of the last seven years.

(102821)

176
N   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when his Department will reply to the letter of 11th December from the honourable Member for Tunbridge Wells regarding Mr Hoi Kam Tang.

(101875)

177
N   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when his Department will reply to the letters from the honourable Member for Tunbridge Wells of 10th December 2002 and 13th January 2003 regarding Mr and Mrs Yurchenko.

(101876)

178   Mr Ken Purchase (Wolverhampton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will introduce legislation to make it unlawful to require Sikhs to remove the kirpan when entering public places.

(103035)

179   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on crime committed by asylum applicants residing in the United Kingdom.

(102923)

180   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers residing in the UK have been prosecuted for (a) sexual crime, (b) violent crime, (c) robbery and (d) other criminal offences in each year from 1997 to 2003; and what the total cost to public funds has been of such prosecutions.

(102922)

181
N   Mr Alex Salmond (Banff & Buchan): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reply to the letter dated 20th January 2003 from the honourable Member for Banff and Buchan regarding his constituent Mr R Edgar of Peterhead.

(102388)

182   Mr John Maples (Stratford-on-Avon): To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, which officers of the House of Commons are allowed to travel by air (a) first class and (b) business class at public expense when on official duties.

(102895)

183   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many countries have qualified for debt relief under the HIPC initiative; how much relief has been granted to those countries; and if she will make a statement on the prospects for qualification of other countries.

(103022)

184   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether social and environmental criteria are used in addition to economic data in determining whether countries qualify for debt relief under the HIPC initiative.

(103024)

185   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what reports she has received from (a) the World Bank and (b) the IMF with regard to their assessment of the impact on development of Sudan of the purchase of an air traffic control system; and if she will place copies in the Library.

(102885)

186   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the implications of the forthcoming change of leadership in the transitional Government of Burundi; and what plans she has to provide (a) financial and (b) political support to enable the deployment of observers and peacekeeping troops to Burundi.

(103081)

187   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions her Department is having with the governments of (a) China, (b) Japan, (c) Indonesia, (d) Philippines, (e) Malaysia, (f) North Korea, (g) South Korea, (h) Cambodia, (i) Burma, (j) Laos and (k) Vietnam on the spread and control of HIV and AIDS; and if she will make a statement.

(103111)

188   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her Department is doing to meet the targets adopted in the Declaration of Commitment signed at the UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV and AIDS in June 2001; what progress is being made in meeting the targets; and if she will make a statement.

(103110)

189   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the development of root and tuber assessments in Southern Africa on (a) a national scale and (b) a regional scale; and if she will make a statement.

(103083)

190   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of Malawi's proposal to the Global Health Fund, with particular reference to the issue of an upper limit on proposals; and if she will make a statement.

(103106)

191   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans her Department has for an integrated regional policy in the Great Lakes area; whether her Department will make a regional statement of intent to work on such a policy; and if she will make a statement.

(103093)

192   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of indigenous staple crops in Southern Africa; and what programmes there are for the re-introduction of such crops.

(103082)

193   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the (a) timescale and (b) process are for the release of her Department's pledged funds to Burundi; and if she will make a statement.

(103112)

194   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions her Department has had with leaders in the Democratic Republic of Congo regarding allowing the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo unlimited access to (a) areas and (b) evidence for its investigations.

(103114)

195   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the sources of money allocated to the Global Health Fund; and if she will make a statement.

(103107)

196   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of re-selling low-priced drugs from the developing world back to the developed world; and what steps are being taken to address this issue.

(103085)

197   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her policy is on the recommendations of the report of the Commission on Intellectual Property rights; and if she will make a statement.

(103096)

198   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate her Department has made of the income support needed by HIV and AIDS households in (a) Zambia, (b) Lesotho, (c) Malawi, (d) Mozambique, (e) Swaziland and (f) Zimbabwe, and if she will make a statement.

(103094)

199   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of giving antiretroviral drugs to key workers in developing countries; and if she will make a statement.

(103109)

200   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department gave in 2002-03 (a) to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS and (b) to treat people with AIDS; and if she will make a statement.

(103095)

201   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions her Department has had with other international donors regarding the shortfall of the $10 billion a year required by the Global Health Fund; and if she will make a statement.

(103108)

202   Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the Government is doing to promote peace in Burundi.

(103104)

203   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what additional donations have been made by the United Kingdom to the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Activities Hypothecated in Support of Iraqi Citizens.

(103132)

204   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Ugandan Presidential Peace Team.

(102983)

205   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what the average change was in the value of portfolio holdings held by the Court of Protection for minors, over the last four years.

(103168)

206   Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of measures taken to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of legal practitioners undertaking publicly funded legal work.

(102854)

207   Mr Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Coldfield): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what progress the Lord Chancellor is making in deciding the future of Sutton Coldfield Courthouse.

(102888)

208   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what studies have been undertaken of the options for (a) commercialising the Public Records Office and (b) rationalising the offices of the Land Registry; and if she will make a statement.

(102873)

209   Mr David Trimble (Upper Bann): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, for what reason the proposal contained in the Contenders List for the Schools Capital Building Programme to provide an extension and refurbishment to Banbridge Academy was unsuccessful; and what criteria were used to make this decision.

(102932)

210   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the President of the Council, how many times the Privy Council met in 2002; and how many privy councillors were present on each occasion.

(103041)

211   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the President of the Council, on what basis privy councillors are selected to sit on ad hoc committees of the Council.

(103043)

212   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the President of the Council, how many orders in council in 2002 were made under (a) the prerogative and (b) an act of parliament.

(103042)

213
N   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the visits undertaken at his request by Lord Levy since 1st January, indicating in each case the purpose of the visit.

(102772)

214
N   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the members of the US administration Lord Levy has met whilst acting as his envoy.

(102774)

215
N   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Prime Minister, what factors he takes into account when deciding that Lord Levy, in preference to a Foreign Office Minister, should undertake a foreign trip on his behalf.

(102773)

216   Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Prime Minister, what plans he has to publish amendments to his assessment in the document Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction presented to the House in September 2002 arising from the evidence of UNMOVIC inspectors on Iraqi (a) bases, (b) presidential palaces and (c) uranium imports.

(102883)

217   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the cost has been of (a) setting up and (b) maintaining the Friends of Scotland web-site.

(102998)

218   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many people have visited the Friends of Scotland web-site from (a) the UK and (b) outside the UK.

(102997)

219   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a further statement on the incursion by protesters into the Sizewell B nuclear plant on 13th January in respect of allegations that a serious breach of security occurred.

(103025)

220   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether there is a complete embargo on exports of replacement parts for nuclear power stations in India.

(103167)

221   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith & Fulham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many (a) crown post offices and (b) sub post offices have closed in London in the past 12 months.

(103030)

222   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps she is taking to reduce the barriers to entry faced by potential small suppliers of electricity to the national grid.

(103037)

223   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many representations she has received advocating an investigation by the Competition Commission into motor fuel (a) retailing and (b) wholesaling.

(103046)

224   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many motor fuel retailers were trading in (a) 1997 and (b) the most recent year for which figures are available.

(103047)

225   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 3rd March, if she will list the official visits to (a) companies, (b) universities and (c) organisations by (i) the Minister for Science and (ii) the Chief Scientific Adviser in each of the last three months.

(102996)

226   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many sub post masters have been disciplined for contributory negligence in relation to robberies since 1997.

(103097)

227   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what concerns have been expressed by unions about the design of safety doors and hatches in sub post offices; and what advice has been given to the Post Office since 1980 on possible design faults in sub post office hatches and doors.

(103098)

228   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many post office robberies have been committed since 1997 where the post master's hatch has been open; and what advice has been given to the Post Office by (a) the police and (b) the Department on the security of the hatches in sub post offices.

(103099)

229
N   Mrs Marion Roe (Broxbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what her estimate is of the number of construction and roofing companies working without employers' liability insurance

(102322)

230
N   Mrs Marion Roe (Broxbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what information she has given to members of the public about the risks of exposure to the activities of construction companies that are involved in accidents without employers' liability insurance.

(102324)

231   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what changes she plans to make in the security regulations covering the civil nuclear industry; what costs will be incurred in the proposed changes; what additional resources she is making available to the Office of Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS) to implement the regulations; and when she expects to receive the next annual report of the OCNS.

(103089)

232   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps have been taken to engage stakeholders in discussion of proposals to create a nuclear decommissioning agency (NDA); what funds are available to defray the costs of participation in discussion forums by stakeholders of the NDA; and if she will make a statement.

(103090)

233   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what export regulations apply to the computer and computer maintenance contracts between ICL/Fujitsu and the Government of Iraq; when approvals have been given; and if she will make a statement.

(102870)

234
N   John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps she is taking to secure protection under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employees) Regulations 1981 for those engaged in the offshore industry who are employed on the UK Continental Shelf; and if she will make a statement.

(102842)

235
N   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the decision-making process and timescale involved in the proposal to install a double barrier at the level crossing at Beddingham on the A27; what weight is being given to the views of the (a) local county and district councils and (b) the constituency honourable Member; what assessment is being made of the traffic conjunction implications of the proposal; whether the proposal is being considered in conjunction with the separate proposal to construct a flyover over this crossing; and if he will make a statement.

(102819)

236   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, why the illustrative (a) constant motoring costs and additional investment, (b) wider take up of local charging powers and (c) limited inter-urban charging scenarios, and the three illustrative scenarios combined, from the original 10 year plan have not been repeated using the new transport model; and how much he estimates it would cost the Department in (i) monetary terms and (ii) departmental manpower to carry them out.

(103055)

237   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many officials work on the National Transport Model.

(103057)

238   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, why the estimates of traffic in 2000 will not be agreed until May 2003.

(103056)

239   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects to announce his decision on the Central Railway Project.

(103060)

240   Mr John Grogan (Selby): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the (a) Trans-Pennine rail franchise and (b) Northern Franchise.

(103137)

241   Mr John Grogan (Selby): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many bus services were operated from (a) Tadcaster and (b) Selby on the most recent date for which figures are available.

(103139)

242   Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made in establishing the proposed automated traffic management system for the West Midlands motorways (a) M5, (b) M6, (c) M40, (d) M42 and (e) M54.

(102855)

243   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it a requirement (a) that vehicles with hydraulic tail lifts should clearly display the weight of such lifts and (b) that notices should be displayed on vehicles warning that the weight of such lifts has to be included in the calculation for the legal permitted weight load capacity; and if he will make a statement.

(103091)

244   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total length of the motorway was that the Commission for Integrated Transport found would be the main area of congestion charging as defined on page 35 of Paying for road use: Technical report February 2002; if he will list the junctions of the motorway network that would define the main areas of charging; and if he will make a statement.

(102874)

245   Mr John Taylor (Solihull): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance he plans to issue to residents of the Midlands region on the account they should take of his re-issued airports consultation document for the Southeast in returning their revised questionnaires in respect of airports in the Midlands.

(102898)

246   Mr John Taylor (Solihull): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what implications the inclusion in his re-issued airport consultation document of possible expansion of Gatwick airport has for prospective levels of demand for civil aviation services out of Birmingham airport.

(102899)

247   Mr Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of responses to the consultation on employers liability insurance; and if he will make a statement.

(102897)

248   Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 25th February, Official Report, column 496W, on medical services, how many grade C medical reports were generated by random audits in each year since 1998; and how many have been judged to be fit for the purpose.

(103117)

249   Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 25th February, Official Report, column 496W, on medical services, what proportion of the audits carried out by medical services in the last five years were targeted audits carried out in relation to complaints from claimants about the quality of those medical reports; and what proportion of these targeted audits have been awarded grade C.

(103118)

250   Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to amend the grading system used in audits of medical assessments of claimants to allow for a specific grade for those reports which are not fit for purpose.

(103103)

251   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will make it its policy to ensure that its contract with SchlumbergerSema requires that only registered qualified sign language interpreters are used at medical examinations when making an assessment of sign language users.

(103105)

252   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners in (a) Essex and (b) the West Chelmsford constituency have migrated from over the counter benefit payments to direct bank transfers in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

(103125)

253   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners there are in (a) Essex and (b) the West Chelmsford constituency.

(103123)

254   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners in (a) Essex and (b) the west Chelmsford constituency collect benefits from post offices.

(103124)

255
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in each of the last three years have been overpaid in respect of invalid care allowance where the overlapping benefit rule applied; and what the total amount overpaid in this respect was in each year.

(101947)

256
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of (a) the cost of removing the overlapping benefit rule in respect of invalid care allowance and (b) the number of beneficiaries.

(101948)

257   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of the population in Scotland were in receipt of means tested benefits in (a) 1997 and (b) the most recent year for which figures are available.

(103021)

258
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place the reports of the mystery shoppers who have visited Jobcentre Plus centres in the Library; and if he will make a statement on the use of mystery shoppers by Jobcentre Plus.

(102777)

259
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the number of persons claiming jobseeker's allowance whilst working in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(102776)

260
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure blind and partially sighted people are able to withdraw benefits in cash from a post office.

(102791)

261
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with members of organisations representing people with disabilities on ensuring that cash machines used to access benefits at post offices will be accessible for disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

(102790)

262
N   Mrs Marion Roe (Broxbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment the Health and Safety Executive has made of the risk to members of the public from activities of construction companies who are involved in accidents.

(102323)

263   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish targets for the reduction of housing benefit fraud.

(102915)

264   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the cost to (a) central and (b) local government of administering council tax benefit in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(102866)

265   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of total public expenditure has been spent on (a) retirement pensions, (b) winter fuel payments, (c) means-tested benefits for pensioners, (d) other benefits for pensioners and (e) free television licences in each year since 1992-93.

(102988)

266   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place the scripts followed by operators on each of the Department's helplines in the Library.

(102991)

267   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many benefit claimants have migrated from direct payment to automated credit transfer in each month since January 2002, broken down into recipients of each major benefit.

(102985)

268   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer to the honourable Member for Northavon, Official Report, 26th February, column 609W, what assessment he has made of why the number of people leaving the New Deal for Young People for unknown destinations is growing; and what plans the Department has for increasing the information available about leavers.

(103058)

269   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the targeting fraud campaign has cost, broken down into expenditure on (a) the television and radio campaign, (b) advertising in the press, (c) evaluation of the campaign, (d) the website and (e) other costs.

(102987)

270   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff have been employed by (a) the Department for Work and Pensions or the Department for Social Security and (b) each executive agency in each year since 1997.

(102992)

271
N   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions he has had with higher education institutions to ensure that they take account of changes to the curriculum proposed in 14-19: Opportunity for Excellence.

[Question Unstarred] (102710)

272
N   Vera Baird (Redcar): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of 18 year olds from the Borough of Redcar and Cleveland who will meet the parental income eligibility criteria for Opportunity Bursaries in 2003 would be eligible for the proposed Higher Education Grant.

[Question Unstarred] (102711)

273   Mr John Maples (Stratford-on-Avon): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what grades in the Civil Service are allowed to travel by air (a) first class and (b) business class at public expense when on official duties.

[Transferred] (102887)

274   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants employed by (a) the Strategy Unit, (b) the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit, (c) the Office of the e-Envoy, (d) the Office of Public Services Reform and (e) the Prime Minister's Policy Unit have been (i) members of the Labour Party, (ii) employees of the Labour Party and (iii) employees of Labour honourable Members.

[Transferred] (103065)

275   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many (a) civil servants and (b) special advisors have been employed by (i) the Strategy Unit, (ii) the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit, (iii) the Office of the e-Envoy, (iv) the Office of Public Services Reform and (v) the Prime Minister's Policy Unit in each year since their creation.

[Transferred] (103063)

276   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the (a) total budget of and (b) total pay costs incurred by (i) the Strategy Unit, (ii) the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit, (iii) the Office of the e-Envoy, (iv) the Office of Public Services Reform and (v) the Prime Minister's Policy Unit have been in each year since their creation.

[Transferred] (103068)