Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2002 - 03
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Friday 28 March 2003

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Friday 28 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.

FRIDAY 28th MARCH

1   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Advocate General, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) her private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) her Department.

(106002)

2   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) his Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) his Department.

(105996)

3   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105721)

4   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which his Department is responsible.

(105738)

5
N   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent in 2002 on providing taxis for staff.

(105618)

6   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which his Department is responsible.

(105735)

7   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105718)

8   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff are employed by the Inland Revenue.

(105701)

9   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer which community projects based in the Buckingham constituency have benefited from the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003; and how much funding was granted for each project.

(105699)

10   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) his Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) his Department.

(105997)

11   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of taxation on air travel upon the Northern Ireland economy and the tourist industry; and if he will abolish air passenger duty.

(106048)

12   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about co-operation with the wine, spirit and beer sector and HM Customs and Excise in tackling revenue loss through freight smuggling and diversion fraud.

(106035)

13   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will require HM Customs and Excise to incorporate risk analysis and discretionary assessments into the decision-making process authorising bonded warehouses.

(106041)

14   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect the new guidelines for HM Customs and Excise rules on throughput criteria for bonded warehouses will have on the licensed trades industry.

(106038)

15   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact the bonded warehouse throughput rules will have on small and specialist wine distributors across the UK.

(106039)

16   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from wine and beer suppliers regarding Customs and Excise application of bonded warehouse throughput rules.

(106044)

17   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will meet the wine, spirit and beer sector to discuss the future application of HM Customs and Excise throughput rules for bonded warehouses.

(106043)

18   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the benefit of joint industry and government initiatives including Commercial Awareness Training for HM Customs and Excise officers in targeting illegal imports.

(106036)

19   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many compliant businesses will be affected by HM Customs and Excise requirement to uncouple physically a shop selling duty paid goods from a bond maturing wines held in duty suspense.

(106042)

20   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will promote the development of a Memorandum of Understanding between the wine, spirit and beer trade and HM Customs and Excise in order to combat illicit imports and inward diversion fraud.

(106037)

21   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will have discussions with the Chief Executive of Customs and Excise concerning the impact of bonded warehouse throughput rules on small and specialist wine distributors across the UK.

(106040)

22   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to change the tax treatment of non-domiciled UK residents.

(106029)

23
N   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he plans to take to ensure that the Birmingham Mint can continue in business; and if he will make a statement.

(105414)

24   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 7th February, Official Report, column 483W, on telephone helplines, how many calls were made to helplines charged at national rate in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by each telephone number; and what the average duration of the calls was.

(105898)

25   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) staff and (b) staff engaged in inspection work have been employed by (i) HM Customs and Excise and (ii) the Inland Revenue in each year since 1997.

(105872)

26   Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the future delivery of public services by the voluntary sector.

(105687)

27   Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what research he has commissioned and what assessment his Department has made as to the cost of British involvement in Iraq for (a) one year, (b) two years, (c) three years, (d) four years and (e) five years or over.

(105681)

28   Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to HM Treasury per man per day of the current conflict in Iraq.

(105683)

29   Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the total cost to HM Treasury of the humanitarian aid required in Iraq.

(105690)

30   Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what request he has received for additional funding from the Ministry of Defence further to his commitment of £1.7 billion to meet the costs of military action in Iraq.

(105679)

31   Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department has had with (a) other European states, (b) the United States of America and (c) other Coalition countries about the funding of the current conflict with Iraq.

(105688)

32   Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the effect a conflict in Iraq will have on (a) the UK and (b) the world economy.

(105677)

33   Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what subsidies the UK Government is receiving from foreign allies to fund the continuing involvement of UK forces in Afghanistan.

(105682)

34   Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what contingencies HM Treasury has put in place to fund the current conflict in Iraq.

(105680)

35   Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer which charitable organisations his Department has funded in each year since 1997.

(105684)

36   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the UK Government's policy is on EU policy towards withholding taxes; and which EU countries are introducing a withholding tax on savings income.

(105927)

37   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer which (a) EU countries and (b) offshore investment centres under the British Crown are introducing exchange of information concerning investment income.

(105922)

38   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he received from commercial insurers prior to ending the tax exemption of trading surpluses of non-mutual, not-for-profit health cash plan providers in relation to that change.

(105850)

39   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact on low income families of his decision to end the tax exemption of trading surpluses of non-mutual, not-for-profit health cash plan providers.

(105851)

40   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what tax revenue assumptions he made in deciding to end the tax exemption of trading surpluses of non-mutual, not-for-profit health cash plan providers.

(105856)

41   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations over funding to ease the transition between the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme and any successor were held by the Department to take into account the opinions of local schemes promoting sustainable waste issues.[R]

(105760)

42   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Treasury has spent on consultations regarding changes to the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme.[R]

(105759)

43
N   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 24th March, Official Report, column 65W, on tax credits, how many forms have been processed; how many awards of (a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit have been calculated from forms received; and how many awards he expects to have been calculated in time for the launch of the new tax credits in April.

(105673)

44   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which her Department is responsible.

(105743)

45   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105728)

46   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the sites of historic interest in Buckinghamshire which received grant aid in 2002.

(105715)

47   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) her Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) her Department.

(105999)

48   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which 20 parliamentary constituencies made the greatest number of applications for Lottery funding in the last year for which statistics are available.

(106052)

49   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list for the National Lottery Awards For All scheme (a) the average number of applications per constituency, (b) the average number of applications for each Eastern Area constituency and (c) the average number of applications for Castle Point, in each of the last three years for which statistics are held.

(106050)

50   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will set out (a) the average grant given for all constituencies, (b) the average grant given for Eastern Area constituencies and (c) the average grant given for Castle Point under the National Lottery Awards For All scheme in each of the last three years for which statistics are held.

(106051)

51   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which parliamentary constituencies received less than (a) half and (b) a quarter of the median for lottery grant funding in the year for which latest figures are available.

(105693)

52   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the average number of applications for Lottery grants for (a) all constituencies, (b) Eastern Area constituencies and (c) Castle Point was in the last year for which statistics exist.

(106053)

53   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which his Department is responsible.

(105745)

54   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105729)

55   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) his Ministers private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) his Department.

(105989)

56   Sue Doughty (Guildford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list his Department's sites in the South East of England that (a) have been sold to developers in the last six years and (b) are available for sale to developers.

(105748)

57   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on procurement of tritium.

(105792)

58   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department has had with the shipping industry on the ownership and operation of the deep water container port at Umm Qasr, Iraq.

(105874)

59
N   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to sell HMS Sheffield.

(105432)

60
N   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with (a) the Argentinian Government and (b) the Chilean Government about the sale of HMS Sheffield.

(105433)

61
N   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what guarantee there is in the sale document that HMS Sheffield will never be owned by the Argentinian Government.

(105434)

62   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 25th February, Official Report, columns 447-8W, on telephone helplines, how many calls were made to each helpline charged at national rate in the last year for which records are available; and what the average duration was of these calls.

(105890)

63   Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether (a) civilian support staff and (b) military personnel are required to prove that injuries or illnesses are Gulf War-related before they are entitled to compensation from the Government.

(105954)

64   Ms Meg Munn (Sheffield, Heeley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the United Nations Environment Programme study of Depleted Uranium in Bosnia published on 25th March.

(105975)

65   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make representations to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to request that local authorities suspend liability to council tax for members of HM armed forces for periods when serving in the Gulf.

(106091)

66   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will provide members of HM armed forces serving in the Gulf with documentation to enable them to authorise a family member or other person to act for them in transactions relating to (a) car licensing, (b) insurance, (c) housing payments and (d) payments to utilities.

(106090)

67   John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the weight limit was prior to the recent change of the weight limit for free postage for British armed forces to two kilograms; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the change.

(105763)

68   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the responses he has received to his proposals for referendums on regional assemblies.

(106015)

69   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many people in the Buckingham constituency have purchased houses under the Starter Home Initiative.

(106021)

70   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which his Department is responsible.

(105737)

71   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on progress towards a resolution of the fire service pay dispute.

(106017)

72   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the average number of days lost through sickness absence was per firefighter at each station in Buckinghamshire in 2002.

(105709)

73   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many retained firefighters there were at each fire station in Buckinghamshire in 2002.

(105710)

74   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many council houses there are in each (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) district or borough council area.

(106024)

75   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many fire related deaths in dwellings in Buckinghamshire there were in 2002.

(105713)

76   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many firefighters based in Buckinghamshire were on long term sick leave in 2002.

(105708)

77   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many grants have been paid in 2002-03 to voluntary organisations based in the Buckingham constituency from the Special Grants Programme.

(105703)

78   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many projects in (a) the Buckingham constituency and (b) Buckinghamshire have received funding from the Estates Renewal Challenge Fund; and if he will list the beneficiaries.

(106019)

79   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list fire stations which (a) opened and (b) closed in Buckinghamshire in 2002.

(105712)

80   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many homeless households in the constituency of Buckingham have been resident in bed and breakfast accommodation in 2002; and what percentage of these claimed social security benefits in 2002.

(106022)

81   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many letters his Department has received from residents of the Buckinghamshire constituency (a) in favour of and (b) opposed to the erection of mobile phone masts in 2002.

(105700)

82   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many people in the Buckingham constituency have received interest free equity loans under the Homebuy Scheme; and what the total amount of funding granted is.

(106020)

83   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105722)

84   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the level of council taxes in England for the 2003-04 financial year.

(106016)

85   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on progress with the implementation of the Communities Plan.

(106014)

86   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many (a) genuine and (b) malicious false alarm emergency calls were received in Buckingham in (i) 2001 and (ii) 2002.

(105707)

87   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the publicly-owned travellers sites broken down by (a) local authority and (b) parliamentary constituences.

(106023)

88   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) his Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) his Department.

(105995)

89   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the amount of Objective One monies spent in each constituency in the last year for which figures are available.

(105895)

90   Sue Doughty (Guildford): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with colleagues in the Ministry of Defence on the release of MoD-owned land in South East England for housing development; and if he will make a statement.

(105749)

91
N   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many responses he has received from the North West in the recent soundings consultation on directly elected regional assemblies; and if he will make a statement.

(105444)

92   Matthew Green (Ludlow): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list area-based initiatives operating in the East of England region, giving the (a) annual budget and (b) regional budget for each in each year since 2000.

(105761)

93   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many (a) staff and (b) staff engaged in inspection work have been employed by (i) the Single Housing Inspectorate and (ii) the Planning Inspectorate in each year since 1997.

(105871)

94   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many (a) staff and (b) staff engaged in inspection work have been employed by the Best Value Inspectorate in each year since its creation.

(105873)

95   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what remedial action has been undertaken to clear the land of the Dome site.

(105921)

96   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the cost is of land reclamation at the Dome site.

(105930)

97   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what works have to be done to clean the ground at the Dome site to make it suitable for houses.

(105924)

98   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what contamination there is under the Dome site.

(105923)

99   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how long it will take and how much it will cost to decontaminate the Dome site sufficiently for it to take deep foundation housing.

(105929)

100   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list the Sure Start Programmes in Buckinghamshire, indicating the amount spent on each scheme.

(106009)

101   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) his Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) his Department.

(105998)

102   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of working age people in the constituency of Buckingham hold a qualification at degree level or equivalent; and what the national average is.

(105711)

103   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which the Department is responsible.

(105734)

104   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many decisions taken by schools in the Buckingham constituency permanently to exclude pupils were reversed by independent appeal panels in (a) 2000-01 and (b) 2001-02.

(106010)

105   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much National Grid for Learning funding has been granted to schools in the Buckingham constituency in 2002-03.

(106008)

106   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many special needs status (a) primary and (b) secondary schoolchildren there were (i) in England and (ii) in the Buckingham constituency in 2002.

(106018)

107   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105719)

108   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the cost is in 2002-03 of the implications of recommendations in the Social Exclusion Unit's report on neighbourhood renewal.

(106011)

109   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park & Kensington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when children in each London local authority will be eligible for educational maintenance allowances.

(105969)

110   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park & Kensington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many places (a) in pre-school playgroups, (b) in private nurseries, (c) with childminders, (d) in holiday play schemes and (e) in after school clubs were provided in each LEA area at 31st March (i) 1999 and (ii) 2002.

(105971)

111
N   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when he will make a decision on Barnet Council's proposed PFI plan for school buildings; and if he will make a statement.

(105443)

112   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the turnover of senior civil servants within his Department.

(105822)

113   Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what incentives the Government offers to aid the recruitment of teachers.

(105854)

114   Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what average classroom sizes were in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England in each year since 1997.

(105853)

115   Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many teachers there were in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England in each year since 1997.

(105852)

116   Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average pay for a teacher was in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England in each year since 1997.

(105855)

117   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 6th February, Official Report, column 360W, on telephone helplines, how many calls were made to each helpline charged at national rate in the last year for which records are available; and what the average duration was of these calls.

(105897)

118   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the guidance he gives on how teachers should assist children with enuresis.

(105809)

119   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many school age children were recognised as being on the autistic spectrum, and what proportion they constituted of (a) children with special needs and (b) all school age children in each local education authority in England and Wales in each year since 1997.

(105865)

120   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many teacher vacancies there were in Kent in each year since 1997.

(105866)

121   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the system of education grant distribution in recognising the additional costs associated with educational provision for children with special needs.

(105867)

122   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) autism units attached to maintained schools, (b) generic special schools and (c) autism specialist schools there were in Kent in each year since 1997.

(105864)

123   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) staff and (b) staff engaged in inspection work have been employed by the Office for Standards in Education in each year since 1997.

(105869)

124   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many schoolchildren in Kent were classified as special needs pupils in each of the past five years.

(105862)

125   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the extent to which additional financial support provided to (a) local authorities and (b) primary and secondary schools reflects the costs of providing for children recognised as being on the autistic spectrum.

(105863)

126   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will introduce an AS/A level course in materials science.

(105774)

127   Mark Tami (Alyn & Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has for an increase in the number of Government-funded training schemes for IT jobs.

(105973)

128   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average debt to (a) the Student Loans Company and (b) others was of a higher education student graduating in each year since 1997.

(105943)

129   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average net expenditure on (a) support and (b) tuition of a higher education student was in each year since 1997.

(105942)

130   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what his latest estimate is of (a) the annual cost to public funds of increasing participation in higher education to 50 per cent. over the next five years and (b) the cost of the higher education system in 2002-03; and what assumptions he has made in drawing up these estimates.

(105940)

131   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what his latest estimate is of the capital value of the higher education estate; and what proportion he estimates was paid for by public funds.

(105941)

132   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average annual repayment of debt (a) to the Student Loans Company and (b) to others was of a higher education student graduating in each year since 1997.

(105944)

133   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average difference was between the cost of a student resident at home and a student resident away from home (a) to the student and (b) to public funds in each year since 1997.

(105945)

134   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the cash value is of loans granted to higher education students by the Student Loans Company in each year since 1997.

(105938)

135   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average cost was to public funds of (a) support, (b) teaching and (c) university infrastructure costs attributable to each higher education student in each year since 1997.

(105939)

136
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of students took Latin at A level in (i) 1980 and (ii) 1990.

(105409)

137
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of GCSE students took Latin GCSE (or O level as appropriate) in (a) 1980 and (b) 1990.

(105410)

138   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much student university tuition fees have been in each year since 1998; and if he will make a statement.

(106084)

139   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what levels of support are available to students in serious financial difficulty; and what proportion of students did not pay tuition fees in each year since its introduction.

(106085)

140
N   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 12th December 2002, Official Report, column 435W, on Discharges into the Environment, when the honourable Member for Lewes will receive the letter referred to.

(105670)

141   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made in Buckinghamshire towards meeting the National Air Quality Strategy targets.

(106012)

142   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) her Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) her Department.

(106005)

143   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which the Department is responsible.

(105732)

144   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding has been made available by her Department to tackle air pollution in Buckinghamshire in 2002-03.

(105695)

145   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105716)

146   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many fines were imposed for dog fouling during 2001.

(105714)

147   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many days of (a) moderate, (b) high and (c) very high air pollution there were (i) in the United Kingdom and (ii) in Buckinghamshire in 2002; and if she will make a statement on the suspected causes of high and very high readings.

(106013)

148   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions are taking place with unrelated organisations in advance of the introduction of the Animal By-Products Order.

(105893)

149   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what penalties will ensue for those who continue to use on-farm burial after the introduction of the Animal By-Products Order.

(105894)

150   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will permit local authorities and private companies to contribute to the costs of flood reduction work in tandem with the Environment Agency when the cost benefit analysis of the project by the Agency is less than one.

(106057)

151   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how often the property valuations used by the Environment Agency for their cost benefit analysis of flood reduction works are updated.

(106058)

152   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects to make public the first draft of the long term UK sea fishing strategy.

(105918)

153   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she will take to ensure that all current projects under the Government's bovine TB research programme will be made accessible to (a) non-governmental organisations and (b) the public by means of (i) a reference title for each project, (ii) a description of its purpose, (iii) its timescales and (iv) its cost.

(105919)

154   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her latest estimate is of the progress being made to (a) identify, (b) pilot and (c) conduct a wider implementation of a cattle vaccine to control the spread of bovine TB.

(105920)

155   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress her Department has made in the production of a long-term strategy for the future of the UK sea fishing industry.

(105925)

156   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of cattle sold to stock farms culled out during the foot and mouth crisis in respect of which (i) their TB reactor test was overdue and (ii) the herd was subject to a movement restriction following the identification of TB infected cattle.

(105966)

157   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 24th February, Official Report, column 97W, on telephone helplines, how many calls were made to each helpline charged at national rate in the last year for which records are available; and what the average duration was of these calls.

(105878)

158   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) staff and (b) staff engaged in inspection work have been employed by (i) the Environment Agency and (ii) the Countryside Agency in each year since 1997.

(105870)

159   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) people in long-term unemployment and (b) disabled people have been retrained by schemes funded under category C and CC of the landfill tax credit scheme.

(105755)

160   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people are employed in the sustainable waste sector, working for business or environmental bodies supported partially or in full by funding from landfill tax credit scheme categories C and CC.

(105754)

161   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether money received by environmental organisations from the rump fund, designed to ease the transition between the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme and any successor scheme, will be classified as public or private finance when used to bid for further funding from other sources.[R]

(105757)

162   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria she has drawn up to evaluate the performance of any revised scheme that replaces the landfill tax credit scheme.[R]

(105758)

163   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to assist the continuation of the small and medium-sized environmental organisations, initiated by the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme, that deliver sustainable waste innovations on a local level.[R]

(105756)

164   Mark Tami (Alyn & Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will place in the Library a copy of her Department's directory of town and parish councils.

(105972)

165   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many miles of hedgerows there are on the Isle of Wight (a) in total and (b) protected by the Hedgerows Regulations 1997.

(105946)

166   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received from ministerial colleagues on areas of concern to their departments in respect of the Convention on the Future of Europe.

(105952)

167   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which his Department is responsible.

(105740)

168   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105726)

169   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) his Ministers private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) his Department.

(105991)

170   Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has received concerning allegations of intrusive searches and harassment of UK citizens at Tel Aviv airport.

(106077)

171   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will carry out an urgent investigation into cases of torture in the Sudan.

(105775)

172   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Government of Spain regarding commemoration of 300 years of British sovereignty in Gibraltar in 2004.

(106027)

173   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions there have been between his Department and the Ministry of Defence regarding the commemoration of 300 years of British sovereignty in Gibraltar in 2004.

(106026)

174   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received on the involvement of Al Qaeda in terrorism in the Middle East.

(105976)

175   Mr Peter Kilfoyle (Liverpool, Walton): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to mark Tasmania's bicentenary.

(105956)

176   Mr Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what measures the Government is taking at the UN Security Council to ensure that the embargo on rough diamond sales and arms exports, and the travel ban on key personnel from Liberia will be extended and that a ban on timber exports will be adopted when these issues are discussed in May.

(105888)

177   Mr Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the role of the Liberian timber industry in the smuggling of arms into Liberia during the current UN embargo; and if he will make a statement.

(105887)

178   Mr Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to Governments of Latin American countries about the problems experienced by street children; and what responses he has received.

(105886)

179   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the UK Government's policy is on Mr Javier Solana's proposal for the EU to have one seat only on the Security Council.

(105926)

180   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether it is his policy that an EU common foreign policy should be explained to the UN by a single Security Council representative.

(105928)

181   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with Mr Atkinson's lawyers since the publication of the UN working group on arbitrary detentions' opinion 16/2002.

(106045)

182   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 10th March, Official Report, column 33W, what steps he is taking to secure the information necessary to determine if Mr Atkinson's continued detention is of an arbitrary nature.

(106046)

183   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 5th March, Official Report, column 1069W, when the Consul-General was informed of Mr Atkinson's injury; and if he will make a statement about the circumstances of the riot in which Mr Atkinson sustained the injury.

(106047)

184
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will use his discretion to expedite a visa for Mr Henry Olonga.

(105412)

185   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many applications for funding from the Healthy Living Centre initiative have been received from projects based in Buckinghamshire; and what the outcome was in each case.

(105698)

186   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the sickness absence rate was for the Two Shires Ambulance Trust in (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002.

(105697)

187   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients in the Buckinghamshire Health Authority area waited more than (a) 13 weeks and (b) 26 weeks for a first outpatient appointment in each reporting period over the last two years.

(105706)

188   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which his Department is responsible.

(105741)

189   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many beds were available in Buckinghamshire in the care home sector in 2002.

(105694)

190   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS registered dentists there were in the Buckinghamshire Health Authority in 2002.

(105704)

191   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dental practices in the Buckingham constituency (a) closed and (b) opened in 2002.

(105705)

192   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105724)

193   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) his Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) his Department.

(105992)

194   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff were employed by Two Shires Ambulance Trust in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002.

(105696)

195   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Leonard Cheshire Foundation on its report on access to primary care for disabled people, with particular reference to (a) premises, (b) staff training and (c) consultation with disabled people.

(105896)

196   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 21st March, Official Report, column 963W, on care homes, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of writing to care home providers on passing on the free nursing care contribution to residents.

(105883)

197   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) over 65 year olds, (b) under 18 year olds and (c) 18-65 year olds used (i) social services and (ii) the NHS each day in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

(106087)

198   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 24th February, Official Report, column 371W, on neuroleptic prescribing, what research his Department is commissioning to discover the extent of overmedication in care homes; and how much research has been commissioned on overmedication in each of the last five years.

(105882)

199   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many self-funders there are in each registered nursing care band.

(106075)

200   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many self-funders have been subject to a review of their entitlement to a registered nursing care contribution, broken down by (a) band in which they were placed at the time of the initial determination and (b) bands in which they were placed at the first review.

(106076)

201   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that GP practices have systems for reviewing medicines prescribed to older people; and what assessment he has made of the implications on the over medication of older people in (a) their own homes and (b) care homes.

(106073)

202   Mrs Anne Campbell (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to make insulin pumps available to diabetes sufferers on the National Health Service.

(105747)

203
N   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Seroxat Users Group regarding the Committee on Safety of Medicines review of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor class anti-depressants.

(105537)

204
N   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action he is taking to ensure that the research conducted by members of the Committee on Safety of Medicines who hold shares in manufacturers of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor class anti-depressants is fully independent.

(105536)

205
N   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action he is taking to ensure that the review of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor class anti-depressants being conducted by the Committee of Safety of Medicines is fully independent.

(105538)

206   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the relative hospital bed occupancy rate was of (a) married and (b) unmarried (i) males and (ii) females in the last year for which figures are available.

(106096)

207   Mrs Joan Humble (Blackpool North & Fleetwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the registration and inspection requirements are for independent hospitals caring for young people detained under the Mental Health Acts.

(105974)

208   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the supply of (a) kidneys and (b) other donor organs within the NHS.

(106100)

209   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many Community Health Council properties are owned by the NHS; how many such offices are leased; how many leases will be ended in the next six months; how many such offices will be allocated to other NHS uses; and what the cost implications are for the NHS of these property changes.

(105965)

210   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 20th February, Official Report, column 38W, on telephone helplines, how many calls were made to each helpline charged at national rate in the last year for which records are available; and what the average duration of these calls was.

(105877)

211   Martin Linton (Battersea): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements are in place to handle Wandsworth patients' complaints after September; what plans he has for (a) the Wandsworth pilot Patients' Forum and (b) the Wandsworth pilot Independent Complaints Advocacy Service; and which of these will deal with complaints.

(105813)

212
N   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason the West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority has lent £7.5 million to the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust; over what period the loan will be repaid; and what conditions attend to the loan.

(105528)

213   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on including the treatment of enuresis in the Children's National Service Framework.

(105810)

214   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the drug therapies available to treat children with enuresis; and what proportion of children with enuresis are receiving drug treatment for the condition.

(105808)

215   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on how he ensures that children with enuresis are treated equally in each primary care trust.

(105811)

216   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children suffer from enuresis in (a) England and (b) each strategic health authority.

(105812)

217   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the average cost per child to mental health services of treating children with enuresis that are believed to suffer from psychological problems.

(105793)

218   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) staff and (b) staff engaged in inspection work have been employed by (i) the Commission for Health Improvement, (ii) the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, (iii) the National Care Standards Commission and (iv) the Social Services Inspectorate in each year since 1997.

(105868)

219   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received regarding the right of NHS patients to choose to have operations performed in hospitals outside the UK within the EU.

(105860)

220   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients are waiting for NHS treatment for (a) a hip joint replacement, (b) a knee joint replacement, (c) coronary artery bypass grafts and (d) cardiac surgical procedures.

(105857)

221   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his estimate is of the number of NHS patients who will receive treatment in 2003 in hospitals in EU states outside the UK for (a) hip joint replacements, (b) knee joint replacements, (c) coronary artery by-pass grafts and (d) other cardiac surgical procedures.

(105859)

222   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average cost is (a) in a UK hospital and (b) in a German hospital which carries out procedures in agreement with the NHS, (i) including and (ii) excluding the cost of travel to and from the UK and (c) a French hospital (i) including and (ii) excluding the cost of travel to and from the UK of (A) a hip joint replacement, (B) a knee joint replacement and (C) a coronary artery by-pass graft.

(105861)

223   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS patients were treated in hospitals outside the United Kingdom but within the EU in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002, for (i) hip joint replacements, (ii) knee joint replacements, (iii) coronary artery bypass grafts and (iv) cardiac surgical procedures.

(105858)

224   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many foundation hospitals are proposed; and where they will be located.

(105947)

225   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether charges are applied to NHS patients who are (a) referred to private hospitals and (b) treated in European countries; and if he will make a statement on the extent to which the NHS is dependent on foreign and private hospitals.

(105950)

226   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospitals in the UK have management franchised out to private firms; whether management can be returned to the public sector at any time; and if he will make a statement.

(105948)

227   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to take to ensure that staff working in non-foundation trusts are not recruited by foundation trusts; and if he will make a statement on the creation of competition between hospitals.

(105951)

228   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children's homes there are in England; how much funding is allocated to each per year; and what estimate he has made of the number of children living in institutions in each year since 1997.

(105933)

229   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assistance is available to families (a) in difficulty and (b) with a child with disability to prevent potential abandonment.

(105936)

230   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to improve the training of staff in children's institutions.

(105935)

231   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures are in place to ensure that children in institutions have access to healthcare and education and are given skills to live and work when they leave the institution.

(105937)

232   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made in cooperating with community organisations to remove children from institutions by restoring family ties, placing them in foster families or making alternative arrangements.

(105934)

233   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS patients have been referred to (a) private hospitals and (b) hospitals in European countries for treatment in each year since 1997; and what the cost was to the NHS of these referrals.

(105949)

234
N   Vera Baird (Redcar): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the research evaluating the effect of section 41 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Bill 1999 on the admission of previous sexual history in rape trials will be published.

(105527)

235   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which his Department is responsible.

(105746)

236   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) his Ministers private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) his Department.

(105987)

237   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105730)

238   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consultation he has undertaken with young people on the White Paper, Respect and Responsibility.

(105885)

239   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of the applicants granted section 4 NASS support received full board accommodation and (a) cash support and (b) no cash support in each month in the last two years; of those who received board and cash, how long each applicant was in receipt of full board; and how much cash support a week they received; and of the applicants who received full board accommodation and no cash, how long they were accommodated.

(105958)

240   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action is taken to inform asylum seekers of hard cases support.

(105961)

241   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether asylum seekers serving prison sentences are able to apply for hard cases section 4 NASS support.

(105962)

242
N   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 18th March, Official Report, column 697W, if he will publish the strict specification laid down by the National Asylum Advisory Service for accommodation for asylum seekers in cluster areas.

(105671)

243
N   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 18th March, Official Report, column 697W, if he will publish the defined areas identified as suitable for the provision of accommodation of asylum seekers in cluster areas.

(105672)

244   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police areas have (a) agreed and (b) not agreed to introduce community support officers.

(105823)

245   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the implementation of video identity parades.

(105824)

246
N   Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many policemen found to have committed acts of domestic violence have been (a) suspended and (b) dismissed in England and Wales in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(105045)

247   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers and their dependants are supported by (a) NASS, (b) local authorities and (c) the mainstream welfare benefits system.

(106089)

248   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 11th February, Official Report, columns 719-20, on telephone helplines, how many calls were made to those helplines charged at national and premium rates in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by each telephone number; and what the average duration of the calls was.

(105889)

249
N   John Mann (Bassetlaw): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the success of drug treatment and testing orders with reference to the HM Inspectorate of Probation Report, A long way in a short time, on the implementation of the orders.

(105617)

250   Mr Paul Stinchcombe (Wellingborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many vacancies there are for prison officers in each prison in England and Wales (a) in terms of the actual number of vacancies in each establishment and (b) as a percentage of the total number of prison officers employed in each establishment; and what the figures were in each of the last five years.

(105762)

251   John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) adults and (b) children are held in each removal centre in the UK.

(105765)

252
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an immediate offer of political asylum to Mr Henry Olonga.

(105413)

253
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take into account the 15 years service in this country of Gurkha soldiers when assessing applications from such soldiers for the right to settle in the UK.

(105411)

254   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the need for her Department to assist with humanitarian relief in Zimbabwe.

(105985)

255   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which her Department is responsible.

(105736)

256   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) her Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) her Department.

(106003)

257   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Defence concerning humanitarian contingency plans for Iraq.

(105960)

258   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions she has had with non-governmental organisations working in Palestine.

(106007)

259   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on food shortages in Southern Africa.

(106006)

260   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105720)

261   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what action she is taking to deter the sale of organs in under-developed countries to visitors from developed countries.

(106082)

262
N   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her policy is on aid for Malawi.

(105534)

263   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) the Lord Chancellor's Department Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) the Department.

(106001)

264   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if she will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which the Lord Chancellor's Department is responsible.

(105739)

265   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if she will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105723)

266   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to her Answer of 20th March, Official Report, column 908W, on Court of Protection (portfolio holdings), what proportion of funds are retained in the Special Account; what the average number of portfolio holdings held by the Public Guardianship Office was between February 1999 and February 2003; what the total value of portfolio holdings was at the end of February (a) 1999 and (b) 2003; and what scrutiny procedures are in place for the work of private fund managers under contract to the PGO.

(105880)

267   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to her Answer of 20th March, Official Report, column 908W, on portfolio holdings held by the Court of Protection for minors, what measures are in place to ensure that depreciation in the value of funds held by the Public Guardianship Office is kept to a minimum.

(105967)

268   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much funding is allocated, per head of pupil, to primary schools in the (a) maintained, (b) controlled, (c) integrated and (d) Irish medium sectors; and on what basis this funding is allocated.

(105953)

269   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) his Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) his Department.

(105994)

270   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the expected saving to future funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105769)

271
N   David Burnside (South Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the (a) origin and (b) age of the (i) timer/power units, (ii) handguns, (iii) AK47 assault rifle, (iv) ammunition, (v) telescopic sights and (vi) other equipment discovered by the police last weekend in Essex Street, Lower Ormeau Road, Belfast.

(105535)

272   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people convicted of an offence for which a sentence of five years or more was passed have been appointed to district policing partnerships in Northern Ireland.

(105905)

273   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many attacks on (a) fire crews, (b) ambulance crews, (c) police patrols and (d) public service buses there have been in Northern Ireland in each year since 1998.

(105913)

274   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what reasons have been given to those who have been found unsuitable for appointment to (a) Belfast District Policing partnership and (b) other DPPs in Northern Ireland.

(105906)

275   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will hold an inquiry into the handling by the South Eastern Education and Library Board of the discovery of asbestos in various of their premises since 1999.

(105912)

276   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when Sir John Chilcot presented his report on the break-in at Castlereagh on 17th March 2002 to the Government.

(105917)

277   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average length of sentence handed down for the offence of causing death by reckless driving in Northern Ireland was in the past five years.

(105911)

278   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) full time officers and (b) part-time officers there were in North Belfast on 1st July in each year since 1998.

(105908)

279   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much money from (a) mainsteam EU programmes and (b) special EU initiatives has been allocated to North Belfast in each year since 1997.

(105915)

280   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many finds of arms and bomb making material there have been in (a) Belfast and (b) Northern Ireland in each year since 1996.

(105910)

281   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how may proceedings have been instituted under the Elected Authorities (Northern Ireland) Act 1989.

(105916)

282   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average length of sentence handed down for the offence of manslaughter was in Northern Ireland in the past five years.

(105909)

283   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when the review into public drinking laws in Northern Ireland will be completed.

(105914)

284   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people have been convicted of (a) causing death by reckless driving and (b) manslaughter in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

(105907)

285   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to implement the recommendations set out in the recent report on HMP Maghaberry by HM Inspector of Prisons and to ensure that more female officers and managers are deployed in Mourne House.

(106049)

286   Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on redevelopment, improvement and future plans for the Ulster Hospital under the recently announced restructuring of acute hospital services in Nothern Ireland.

(105751)

287   Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what guidance he has issued on whether unconfirmed allegations by (a) members of the public, (b) relatives and (c) health professionals not involved in the care of an individual should be included in a patient's medical case notes.

(105750)

288   Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many women from (a) the Republic of Ireland and (b) Great Britain have given birth at (i) the Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital and (ii) other hospitals in Northern Ireland in the last five years for which figures are available.

(105753)

289   Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, under what circumstances a patient can be denied access to information contained in his or her medical case notes.

(105752)

290
N   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will publish his response to the Office of Fair Trading report The Control of Entry Regulations and Retail Pharmacy Services in the UK.

(105530)

291
N   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he last had discussions with his Scottish counterpart on the implications of the Office of Fair Trading report, The Control of Entry Regulations and Retail Pharmacy Services in the UK on health services in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

(105532)

292
N   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he last met the National Pharmacy Association (Northern Ireland), the Pharmacy Contractors Committee (Northern Ireland), the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland and the Ulster Chemists' Association to discuss the Office of Fair Trading report, The Control of Entry Regulations and Retail Pharmacy Services in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

(105529)

293
N   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the impact of the Office of Fair Trading report, The Control of Entry Regulations and Retail Pharmacy Services in the UK on the provision of health promotion and prevention services in Northern Ireland with special reference to the provision of primary care services and facilities, in line with DHSS&PS plans and priorities.

(105531)

294   Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North): To ask the Prime Minister, if he has discussed with President Bush the return of UN weapons inspectors to Iraq to assist the task of accounting for Saddam Hussein's alleged stocks of weapons of mass destruction; and if he will make a statement.

(106056)

295   Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make it his policy for his Department to support and sponsor work placements for degree students.

(106059)

296   Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North): To ask the Prime Minister, what his policy is on the use of war to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

(106055)

297   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) her Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) her Department.

(106000)

298   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if she will make a statement on the expected saving to future funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105768)

299   John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many times she has met the chairman of (a) British Trade International and (b) Scottish Development International in each of the last five years; and when her last meeting was.

(105764)

300   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Solicitor General, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) her private offices separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) the Attorney General's Department.

(105986)

301   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Solicitor General, if she will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which the Department is responsible.

(105731)

302   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Solicitor General, if she will make a statement on the expected saving to future funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105767)

303   Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will undertake a review of the liabilities of British Energy to examine what cost savings can be made.

(106060)

304   Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on progress towards the European Union Agency Workers Directive; and what her Department's policy is on the Directive as it stands.

(105932)

305   Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the agenda of the European Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council meeting on 6th March.

(105931)

306   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which the Department is responsible.

(105733)

307   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) her Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) her Department.

(106004)

308   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105717)

309   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on recruitment within the UK nuclear power industry.

(105805)

310   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many jobs are expected to be created in England and Wales by the (a) construction and (b) operation of the Robin Rigg windfarm in the Solway Firth.

(105807)

311   Mr Mark Field (Cities of London & Westminster): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what proportion of UK companies employ fifteen or fewer employees; and what proportion of the UK workforce such establishments employ.

(105819)

312   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will include in the draft Orders under the Export Control Act 2002 minimum enforceable standards of electronic security and encryption to be used for those companies and individuals sharing information on military technology or software with recipients both in and outside the UK.

(106079)

313   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many arms licences have been revoked as a result of investigations into breaches of licences since the Export Control Act 2002 came into force; and how many such investigations have (a) opened and (b) been completed since the Act came into force.

(106033)

314   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will extend the provisions in her Department's Consultation Document on Draft Orders to be made under the Export Control Act 2002 so as to apply the new provision on technical assistance to UK nationals knowingly or unknowingly supplying information on weapons of mass destruction.

(106034)

315   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will set maximum (a) quantities and (b) values on the amounts of (i) armaments and (ii) military equipment that can be transferred under each arms licence.

(106099)

316   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent estimate she has made of the cost of (a) establishing and (b) administering an end-use arms control system.

(106074)

317   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what statutory powers the Government has to take action against companies or individuals threatening national security by releasing information about military technology and software on the Internet.

(106101)

318   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment her Department has made of the end-use arms control system used by the US State Department; and what assessment she has made of the merits of adopting a similar system in the UK.

(106097)

319   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the benefits of extending the Trade in Controlled Goods (Control) Order and the Embargoed Destination (Sanctions) Control Order to companies and individuals involved indirectly in the trading of arms, with particular reference to (a) transportation, (b) financial services and (c) promotion.

(106086)

320   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will replace the flat-rate penalties in the draft Order under the Export Control Act 2002, for the deliberate flouting of controls on (a) arms exports, (b) technology transfer and (c) technical assistance, with fines that use an equation that ensures fines are commensurate with a company's market capitalisation.

(106080)

321   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what reasons underlie the provisions in the draft Orders under the Export Control Act 2002 which provide for an extraterritorial element in certain circumstances, but not for the (a) sale and (b) brokering of sales in military or paramilitary equipment.

(106078)

322   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent estimates her Department has made of the number of deals concluded each year in military and paramilitary equipment by UK nationals outside the UK; which countries were party to these deals; and in which countries these deals were completed.

(106083)

323   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will establish, in relation to the use of intranets in the draft orders for the Export Control Act 2002, regulation of the electronic security protocols used by companies granted open individual export licences in instances (a) where companies have global computer networks which extend to countries for which licences would not be granted and (b) where companies do not have such networks.

(106102)

324   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will estimate the cost of establishing a register of arms dealers and brokers.

(106032)

325   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what reasons underlie the policy set out in the provisions of draft Orders under the Export Control Act 2002 that lack of criminal intent is not an acceptable defence in cases of strict liability offences involving the supply or attempted supply of goods or technology that might be used in the production of weapons of mass destruction; and for what reasons no equivalent provisions are included relating to the supply of information which might be used in the production of weapons of mass destruction.

(106081)

326   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the measures relating to the use of intranets in the draft Orders under the Export Control Act 2000 require that intranet servers are located in the United Kingdom.

(106088)

327   Mr Peter Kilfoyle (Liverpool, Walton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many women have been appointed as chairmen of regional development agencies.

(105955)

328   John Mann (Bassetlaw): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the effect on the UK economy of the growth of multinational supermarket chains.

(105899)

329   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the Financial Reporting Council's decision to restrict consultation on the Higgs Review of the role and effectiveness of non-executive directors to fatal flaws and specific drafting matters during formulation of the revised combined Code by the FRC.

(105876)

330   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had on the appropriateness of Article 137 of the Nice Treaty as a legal base for the proposed EU Directive on Temporary Workers; and if she will make a statement.

(105849)

331
N   Mr Simon Thomas (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the total amount of (a) electricity and (b) heat produced by the combustion of tyres in the United Kingdom was in each year since 1992; and what percentage of the total renewable energy produced these represented.

(105668)

332
N   Mr Simon Thomas (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the total amount was of (a) electricity and (b) heat produced by the combustion of biodegradable municipal solid waste (i) including and (ii) excluding tyres in the United Kingdom every year since 1992; and what percentage of the total renewable energy produced these represented.

(105669)

333   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) his Ministers private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) his Department.

(105990)

334   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105725)

335   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which his Department is responsible.

(105742)

336   Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he estimates there will be a new railway station in Peterborough.

(105806)

337   Mr David Cameron (Witney): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what subsidy each of the train operating companies received in each year since 2000-01; and if he will make a statement.

(105957)

338   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the policing of the Mersey Tunnel, with special reference to the deaths of Darren Franey and Scott Veach.

(105691)

339   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on who sets the performance standards for the Mersey Tunnels Police Force; and what relation they have to the Police Complaints Authority.

(106028)

340   Mr Mark Field (Cities of London & Westminster): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether penalties will be imposed on London Underground for the delay in re-opening the Central Line.

(105814)

341   Mr Mark Field (Cities of London & Westminster): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timescale is for the opening of the remaining stations on the Central Line.

(105821)

342   Mr Mark Field (Cities of London & Westminster): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made of the impact on (a) retail trades, (b) small businesses and (c) the evening economy of the closure of the Central Line.

(105820)

343   Mr Mark Field (Cities of London & Westminster): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether compensation will be offered to those businesses which have lost trade as a result of the closure of the Central Line.

(105815)

344   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with the shipping industry on the ownership and operation of the deep water container port at Umm Qasr, Iraq.

(105875)

345   Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department has made with the proposals contained in the report Development of a Rural Road Hierarchy for Speed Management, published in November 2001.

(105963)

346   Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he intends to publish good practice guidance on rural road speed management.

(105964)

347   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Answer of 6th February, Official Report, column 369W, on telephone helplines, how many calls were made to each helpline charged at national and premium rate in the last year for which records are available; and what the average duration was of these calls.

(105879)

348   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105770)

349   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) his Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) his Department.

(105993)

350   John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many civil servants are employed by the Welsh Office at (a) senior civil service level and (b) middle management level; and what the job description is for each of these posts.

(105766)

351   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Minister for Women, if she will make a statement on the pay gap between average male and female earnings in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002.

(106025)

352   Vera Baird (Redcar): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to encourage those pensioners who resent means-testing to obtain the benefit of the new pension credit.

(105816)

353   Vera Baird (Redcar): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how he intends to ensure that hard-to-reach pensioners, in particular those being cared for at home by a family member, will receive information to help them to take up the benefits of the pension credit.

(105817)

354   Vera Baird (Redcar): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what help he will give those pensioners who (a) feel discouraged from filling in the form and (b) have literacy problems to apply for pension credit.

(105818)

355   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the running costs in 2002 were of (a) his Ministers private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff, and (b) his Department.

(105988)

356   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which his Department is responsible.

(105744)

357   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many deaths at work there were in (a) the UK and (b) Buckinghamshire in 2002.

(105702)

358   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the expected saving to public funds from the private finance initiative schemes due to become operational in 2003.

(105727)

359   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons it is not possible for a client registered with the New Deal for Disabled People to undertake a gateway interview retrospectively to access funds for a suitable training course.

(105884)

360   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park & Kensington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of local authorities spent their total allocation for discretionary housing payments in 2001-02; how many claimants applied for assistance; how many were awarded DHPs; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the scheme.

(105970)

361   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park & Kensington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria are used by New Deal for Lone Parents advisers to determine whether they will assist with the provision of childcare; what the maximum amount is they are empowered to spend on child care per client; and what total annual budget was available on average per client under the NDLP in the last 12 months for discretionary expenditure.

(105968)

362
N   Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Sure Start maternity grants of the full amount have been awarded since 16th June 2002, broken down by region.

(105044)

363
N   Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was paid to victims of domestic violence in social fund grants in each year since 1997 for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(105046)

364   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 11th March, Official Report, column 190W, on telephone helplines, how many calls were made to those helplines charged at national rate for each such number in the last year for which records are available; and what the average duration was of those calls.

(105881)

365   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he next plans to review the Approved Code of Practice for the White Papers Smoking Kills.

(105771)

366   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he next plans to meet hospitality trade representatives to discuss the implications of passing the Approved Code of Practice.

(105772)

367   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will review the costs and benefits of smoking restrictions in the workplace.

(105773)

368
N   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what (a) percentage and (b) number of pensioners receive their state pension by order book, broken down by (i) region and (ii) constituency.

(105616)

369
N   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what (a) percentage and (b) number of newly retired pensioners receive their pension by order book, broken down by nation and region.

(105614)

370
N   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the first pensioners not currently receiving their pensions by ACT will receive a letter from his Department setting out the future options for their pension payment; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter that has been sent to such pensioners in pilot areas.

(105615)

371   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the age addition on the state pension is worth per week; if he plans to increase the Pension Credit; and if he will allow pensioners to claim mobility benefit.

(106095)

372   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures are in place to reduce social exclusion among older people and to enable them to take a fuller part in society.

(106094)

373   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to increase the basic state pension; and if he will
re-introduce the link to earnings.

(106092)

374   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures have been taken to reduce pensioner poverty since 1997; and what proposals he has to ensure that these measures are fully implemented.

(106093)

375   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether pensioners will be able to withdraw their pensions using their state pensions books from the Post Office under the new proposals by Royal Mail to introduce direct payment.

(106098)

376   Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment his Department has made of the effects of (a) a conflict with Iraq, (b) problems in the Venezuelan economy and (c) problems in Nigeria on world oil prices.

[Transferred] (105678)

377   Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidelines are in place to determine which charities and charitable organisations will receive direct funding from central and local government.

[Transferred] (105685)

378   Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which charities and charitable organisations provide public services (a) alongside and (b) additionally to those provided by (i) central and (ii) local government.

[Transferred] (105686)

379   Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of (a) a short and (b) a prolonged conflict in Iraq on the underlying supply and demand situation for oil.

[Transferred] (105689)

380   Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Government's expenditure on charities and charitable trusts has been in each year since 1992.

[Transferred] (105692)