Written answers

Written answers and statements

Some recent written answers

Work and Pensions: Access to Work Programme (2 November 2009)

Mark Harper:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what changes her Department plans to make to the Access to Work programme in support of the Government's Valuing Employment Now strategy; and if she will make a statement.

Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: Iran: Nuclear Power (2 November 2009)

Andrew Dismore:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of the progress Iran has made toward the acquisition of a nuclear weapon; and if he will make a statement.

Health: Hospitals: Reorganisation (3 November 2009)

Andrew Dismore:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made on the reconfiguration of services between Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

Northern Ireland: Devolution (2 November 2009)

Adrian Bailey:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by what date he expects devolution of powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly to have been completed.

Defence: Armed Forces: Housing (2 November 2009)

Ben Wallace:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence through which commercial rental agencies his Department facilitates the substitute single living accommodation scheme.

Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: Colombia: Drugs (3 November 2009)

Tom Watson:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on counter-narcotics assistance in Colombia; and if he will make a statement.

Health: Urology: Greater London (3 November 2009)

Andrew Dismore:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the NHS has to improve urology services at Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

Work and Pensions: Departmental Training (2 November 2009)

John Mason:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many external training courses were attended by staff of her Department in the last 12 months; and what the cost was of attendances at each such course.

Justice: Prison: Visits (2 November 2009)

Dominic Grieve:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prison visits there have been in each of the last five years; and what the average number of visits per prisoner was in each such year.

House of Lords: Roads: A1(M) Hatfield Tunnel (3 November 2009)

Lord Monson:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the ventilation system in the Hatfield Tunnel on the A1 is coping with vehicle exhaust fumes.

Communities and Local Government: Departmental Internet (2 November 2009)

Julia Goldsworthy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate his Department has made of the cost of maintaining and updating its Twitter account in 2009-10; and how many staff are responsible for updating the account.

Northern Ireland: Firearms: Licensing (4 November 2009)

Nigel Dodds:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Police Service of Northern Ireland staff administer the issue of firearms certificates.

Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Circuses: Animal Welfare (2 November 2009)

Philip Hollobone:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will introduce a ban on the use of all non-domesticated animals in circuses; and if he will make a statement.

Treasury: Bank Mellat (2 November 2009)

Peter Kilfoyle:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 12 October 2009, Official Report, columns 1-2WS, on delegated legislation (counter-terrorism), to which UN-listed organisations Bank Mellat has provided services; what indications his Department gave to Bank Mellat of its concerns prior to 12 October 2009; what concerns his Department has raised relating to those UN-listed organisations; and which (a) organisations and (b) activities supported by Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines have led to the imposition of restrictions on its trading activities.

Business, Innovation and Skills: Business: UK Trade and Investment (3 November 2009)

Lorely Burt:

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses with (a) fewer than 50, (b) between 51 and 100, (c) between 101 and 250 and (d) more than 250 employees received assistance from UK Trade and Investment in each of the last four years.

Children, Schools and Families: Schools: Vetting (3 November 2009)

Tim Loughton:

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether he plans to issue guidance on Independent Safeguarding Authority vetting arrangements in relation to parental visits to schools.

Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: Colombia: Foreign Relations (4 November 2009)

Tom Watson:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 28 October 2009, Official Report, column 377W, on Colombia: foreign relations, on what occasions in the last 12 months the British Ambassador in Bogota has met the Colombian Foreign Minister to discuss (a) bilateral relations and (b) broader global issues.

Northern Ireland: Fireworks: Death (4 November 2009)

Nigel Dodds:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) deaths and (b) injuries have been caused by fireworks in Northern Ireland in each year since 2005.

Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: British Overseas Territories: Telecommunications (3 November 2009)

Andrew Rosindell:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures are in place to improve the telecommunications infrastructure in the UK Overseas Territories in the South Atlantic.

Children, Schools and Families: Young People: Learning Disabilities (2 November 2009)

Ashok Kumar:

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families

(1) how many of those diagnosed with (a) dyslexia and (b) dyspraxia between the ages of 11 and 18 have gone on to attend university in each year since 1997;

(2) how many children diagnosed with (a) dyslexia and (b) dyspraxia before entering secondary school have gone on to attend university in each year since 1997.