Written answers

Tuesday, 23 May 2006

  • Northern Ireland

    • Asbestos Removal

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much public money was spent on the removal of asbestos from buildings identified as unsafe in each of the last three years in each...

    • BBC Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what meetings he has had with the Controller of BBC Northern Ireland.

      Child Sex Abuse

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 19 April 2006, Official Report, column 723W, on child sex abuse, in what way the new database will trace offender...

      Coeliac Disease

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to ensure that general practitioners receive more appropriate training and support to enable them better to recognise...

      Competitiveness

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the effect of (a) the cost of electricity and (b) industrial de-rating on the competitiveness of the Northern...

      Departmental Communications

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of communications from members of the public to the Northern Ireland Office were made by (a) post, (b) telephone...

      Disabled People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his Department's progress in fulfilling its statutory obligation as a public body of promoting the rights of...

      Dissident Republican Paramilitaries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the answer of 19 April 2006, Official Report, column 724W, on dissident republican paramilitaries, whether the publication of the...

      Dissident Republican Paramilitaries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the answer of 19 April 2006, Official Report, column 724W, on dissident republican paramilitaries, whether the independent...

      Female Prisoners

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many female convicted prisoners there were in Northern Ireland on 1 January (a) 2001 and (b) 2006.

      Invest Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the written statement of 10 May 2006, Official Report, column 20WS, on Northern Ireland (Future Garrison Structure), whether Invest...

      Ministerial Travel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions since 7 July he has used the London Underground in connection with his official duties.

      Personal Protection Weapons

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans there are to re-possess on-loan personal protection weapons in Northern Ireland.

      Police

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the original projected cost was of the police training college in Northern Ireland; and what the estimated final cost is.

      Police

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on recruitment to the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

      Security Forces (Republic of Ireland)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions security forces from the Republic of Ireland have crossed into Northern Ireland while on operation (a) with and (b)...

      Staff Surveys

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff surveys have been conducted in (a) each department in Northern Ireland and (b) his Department in each of the last three years.

      Sustainable Development Strategy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will publish the Implementation Plan for the Sustainable Development Strategy for Northern Ireland.

  • Defence

    • Aircraft

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many helicopters of each type (a) have and (b) have not been fitted with fuel tank protection, broken down by service; and if he will make a statement.

    • Aircraft

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Army aviation helicopters had full nuclear, biological and chemical protection (a) on the last date for which figures are available and (b) in...

      Conscientious Objectors

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what remuneration the six members of the advisory committee on conscientious objectors have received in each of the last five years.

      Departmental Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to publish the findings of his Department's review of the extent to which current processes and organisational constructs support,...

      Departmental Publications

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 8 May 2006, Official Report, column 29W, on departmental publications, (1) if he will place in the Library copies of The...

      Elbit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he made of the ethical credentials of Elbit prior to awarding the UK Watchkeeper contract to the company.

      Helicopter Search and Rescue

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the written statement of 9 May 2006, Official Report, columns 12-14WS, on helicopter search and rescue, what assessment he has made of the...

      Iraq

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons the head of British forces in Iraq wears US Army rank insignia; and if he will make a statement.

      Iraq

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate has been made of the number of non-state militia operating in (a) Al Basra, (b) Al Muthanna, (c) Dhi Qar and (d) Maysan province in Iraq.

      Iraq/Afghanistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the technical capability of the weapons being used by insurgents against coalition forces in (a) Iraq and (b)...

      Project Delivery Skills

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of levels of project delivery skills within his Department.

  • Leader of the House

    • Departmental Estate

      To ask the Leader of the House what (a) land and (b) property his Department (i) leases and (ii) leased in (A) 1979, (B) 1983, (C) 1987, (D) 1992 and (E) 1997 in (1) the Southend West...

    • Joint Committees

      To ask the Leader of the House if he will make it his policy not to table a motion for a Joint Committee on a draft Bill until the draft Bill has been published; and if he will make a statement.

      Parliamentary Recalls

      To ask the Leader of the House on which occasions the House has been recalled in each session since 1976; and for what reason the House was recalled in each case.

  • House of Commons Commission

    • Information Technology

      To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how much was spent on information technology (IT) sourced from outside the House in each of the last five...

    • Meat and Poultry

      To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission which company supplies the House with meat and poultry; and what steps are taken to ensure that its chickens...

      Parliamentary Questions

      To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the cost to the House was of processing written questions in each of the last three years.

      Private Sector Fund Recipients

      To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission if he will list the 10 non-public sector entities that have received the largest total sum of payments from...

      Vote Office Print Unit

      To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the retail price per issue was of (a) the daily, (b) the weekly and (c) the bound edition of the...

  • International Development

    • Bangladesh

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures he is taking to assist Bangladesh in tackling arsenic poisoning in its water supply.

    • Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the extent to which the sixth round of grants by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria...

      Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to encourage (a) other countries and (b) private sector donors to contribute funding to the...

      Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will increase his Department's contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

      Home Working

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people in his Department have been enabled to work from home in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

      Information Technology

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the (a) originally estimated, (b) most recently estimated and (c) outturn cost was in each of the five largest information...

      Millennium Development Goals

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the millennium development goal for universal primary education is met by 2015.

      Overseas Development Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the expenditure of the Overseas Development Agency was in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005, broken down by (i) staffing, (ii) accommodation...

      Private Office Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of his private office staff is (a) male, (b) female and (c) disabled.

      Protectionism

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made in reducing the impact of protectionist trade policies on poor countries; and if he will make a statement.

      Tsunami Evaluation Coalition

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when the Tsunami Evaluation Coalition's report will be published.

  • Transport

    • Channel Tunnel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with (a) the French police, (b) Kent police and (c) Eurotunnel regarding security in the channel tunnel.

    • Channel Tunnel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what security equipment is in place to scan (a) freight traffic and (b) passengers on Eurotunnel.

      Consultants

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the relationship between his Department's expenditure on external consultants and efficiency gains; and if he will make...

      Cycling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all children have the opportunity to undertake the cycle proficiency training scheme and test.

      Lamp Posts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many lamp posts on motorways and trunk roads in each region of England have reached the end of their recommended lifespan.

      M60

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in resolving the flooding problems on the M60 motorway between Denton and Hollinwood, Oldham.

      Manchester Metrolink

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make an announcement concerning the funding for the Manchester Metrolink extension to Ashton-Under-Lyne.

      Milton Keynes South Midlands Growth Area

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made by (a) his Department and (b) the Highways Agency of(i) projected traffic volumes into and out of the West Midlands and...

      Milton Keynes South Midlands Growth Area

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will improve junction 19 of the M1 to improve traffic flows between the Milton Keynes South Midlands growth area and the West Midlands region.

      Milton Keynes South Midlands Growth Area

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what local transport infrastructure improvements are being considered in consequence of an enlarged travel to work area for the Milton Keynes South...

      Motoring Revenues

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates he has made of the total revenue from (a) motoring taxes, (b) road tolls and (c) fees paid to the Government by motorists in each of...

      Network Rail

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) the relationship is between Network Rail Infrastructure Finance and Network Rail Infrastructure Limited; (2) how much of the debt issuance...

      Railways

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will examine the merits of options for introducing a rail discount scheme for people without cars.

      Road Pricing Policies (Greater Manchester)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has had from (a) local authorities and (b) the passenger transport executive in Greater Manchester concerning(i) congestion...

      Road Safety

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bridges on the strategic road network do not meet safety standards for the level of traffic they carry; and how many would not meet the...

      Road Traffic Regulations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the operation of the Road Traffic (Parking Adjudicators) (London) Regulations 1993; what recent representations he has...

      Road Use

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the total combined mileage of (a) vehicles and (b) cars travelling on roads in the UK in each of the past 10 years.

  • Prime Minister

    • Energy Review

      To ask the Prime Minister what account he took of the DTI Energy Review, "Our Energy Challenge—Securing clean, affordable energy for the long term", in formulating the contents of his...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

    • UK/Venezuelan Relations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on UK-Venezuelan relations.

    • Middle East

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the middle east peace process.

      Iran

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the US about Iran.

      Iran

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she had on Iran with her US and EU counterparts during her recent visit to New York.

      Iran

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the steps the UK is taking to ensure Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons.

      Palestinian Authority

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with her US counterparts on the funding of the Palestinian Authority.

      Proliferation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she had on proliferation with her UN Security Council counterparts during her recent visit to New York.

      Arms Export Controls

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress there has been towards further arms export controls; and if she will make a statement.

      Montenegro

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on the referendum in Montenegro on 21 May.

      Karen People (Burma)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the situation of Karen people in Burma.

      Palestinian Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact on the Palestinian people of the decision by the EU to suspend aid.

      EU Constitution

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on progress made on the EU constitution.

      Darfur

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the peace process in Darfur.

      BBC World Service

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many hours a week was broadcast by the BBC World Service to (a) Bhutan and (b) Nepal in (i) television and (ii) radio...

      Children's Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many nursery and creche places are provided for people working in her Department; what charges are made for the provision of...

      China

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps her Department is taking to encourage China to improve its human rights record following its election to the United...

      Diego Garcia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the US Administration on its lease of Diego Garcia; and if she will make a statement.

      European Court of Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she is making to the European Court of Human Rights for the removal of the language barriers highlighted in...

      Leased Land

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) land and (b) property her Department (i) leases and (ii) leased in (A) 1979, (B) 1983, (C) 1987, (D) 1992 and (E)...

      Ministerial Support Unit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the (a) cost-effectiveness of the Ministerial Support Unit and (b) its impact on the morale of...

      Recruitment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much (a) her Department and (b) its agencies spent on recruitment, search and selection agencies in each of the last five...

  • Trade and Industry

    • Consumer Advice

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to introduce a consumer advice handbook.

    • Copyright

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what recent guidance his Department has issued to (a) internet service providers, (b) telecommunication companies and (c) electronic...

      East Midlands Development Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many cross-council meetings have been organised by the East Midlands Development Agency in 2005; and how many such meetings have been...

      Energy Review

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place in the Library a copy of the first draft of the Energy Review.

      Imperial Measures

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether there are plans to introduce EU legislation which would prevent the use of certain imperial measures in the UK; and if he will make a...

      Income/Debt Statistics

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what studies he has commissioned to investigate the link between over-indebtedness and (a) income level, (b) unemployment and (c)...

      Insolvency Act

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many declared bankruptcies there were under the Insolvency Act 1986 in each of the last 10 years.

      Insolvency Act

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many appeals against insolvency declarations under the Insolvency Act 1996 there were in each of the last 10 years.

      Insolvency Service

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people have been employed in the Office of the Official Receiver in the Insolvency Service in each year since 1989; and if he will...

      Israel/UK Trade

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many officials in his Department are employed to increase trade between Israel and the United Kingdom; at what grade; and if he will make...

      Ministerial Visits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last visited the state of Israel; what was discussed; when he next plans to visit the state of Israel; and if he will make a statement.

      Nuclear Power

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will conduct an assessment of the lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions of nuclear power.

      Offshore Petroleum Licensing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what applications have been made in the 24(th) round of offshore petroleum licensing for production consents for field developments in...

      Pipe Organs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent progress has been made in developing a formal application for the total exemption of the manufacture of new pipe organs from the...

      Post Office Closures

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices have closed in Suffolk in each year since 1997.

      Sunday Working

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research he has undertaken on the impact of Sunday working on individuals working in the (a) food and (b) retail industry.

      Sunday Working

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment he has made of the impact of Sunday trading hours on employees who also have caring responsibilities; (2) what...

      Sunday Working

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research has been undertaken to examine the implications of extending Sunday opening hours; and what the terms of reference were for this...

      Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the available infrastructure capacity in the UK to handle waste in accordance with the waste...

  • Culture Media and Sport

    • Arts Council

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what date the Arts Council was first informed that the West Bromwich arts organisation, The Public, was likely to exceed the...

    • BBC Licence Fee

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to announce the new BBC licence fee settlement.

      Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford of 23 January about the hon. Member for Havant (Mr....

      Internet Gambling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what research she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the addictiveness of internet poker; (2) what regulations govern...

      Licensing Act/Gambling Act

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact of (a) the Licensing Act 2003 and (b) the Gambling Act 2005; and if she will make a statement.

      London Olympics

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games's legal contract with the International Olympic Committee for the 2012...

      London Olympics

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which organisation has formal responsibility for ensuring a lasting legacy of increased sporting participation following the 2012...

      London Olympics

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding within the World Class Pathway Summer Olympic Investment 2006-09 is earmarked for (a) the English Institute of Sport,...

      London Olympics

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what public funding has been made available to people with physical and learning difficulties to train and equip themselves for the...

      London Olympics

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the average funding allocated to (a) a person with a physical or learning disability and (b) a person with no disability in...

      Millennium Stadium

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received on crowd crushes due to the collapse of safety rails outside the Cardiff Millennium Stadium on 13...

      Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on how many occasions (a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in her Department have stayed overnight in (i) five star, (ii) four...

      Problem Gamblers (Tamworth)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her answer of 9 May 2006, Official Report, column 183W, to the hon. Member for Tamworth (Mr. Jenkins), on problem gamblers...

      Royal Parks

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions her Department has had with the Royal Parks Agency concerning the provision of motor cycle parking spaces within the...

      Sports Funding

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been distributed to sport from the national lottery in each year since 1997; and through which bodies it has been distributed.

      Sports Funding

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the Big Lottery Fund plans to give to sport in the period 2006 to 2009.

      Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding is available to (a) the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) and (b) TASS 2012 Scholarship in each year to...

      Timber

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether it is her policy that only timber products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council will be used for the 2012 Olympics.

      Water Sports

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking to promote water sports.

      Water Sports

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what publicly-funded resources are available for people with physical disabilities to train in water sports; and where these facilities...

  • Treasury

    • Departmental Expenditure

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the 10 non-public sector entities that have received the largest total sum of payments from his Department in each of the last five years.

    • HM Revenue and Customs

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times the HM Revenue and Customs website was (a) overloaded, (b) off-line, (c) slowed up through demand and (d) unable to offer complete access...

      Home Computer Initiative

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 3 May 2006, Official Report, columns 1718-21W, on the Home Computer Initiative, if he will give further consideration to the...

      Information Technology

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent on information technology (IT) sourced from outside his Department in each of the last five years; who is responsible for such projects...

      National Insurance Contributions

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of changing the lower earnings limit on national insurance contributions (NICs) to the equivalent of...

      Parliamentary Questions

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to Question 42761, tabled by the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds on 11 January 2006, on tax credit fraud.

      Pensions

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guarantees the Government have given to private sector companies in respect of their pension liabilities.

      Public Sector Accounting Units

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many accounting units are responsible for reporting to the Treasury across the public sector; if he will name the official concerned in each case; and...

      Stamp Duty

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of properties in England and Wales on which stamp duty was levied at a rate of one per cent. sold at between...

      Stamp Duty

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many properties sold in England and Wales attracted stamp duty in each year since 2000; and what proportion this number represented of (a) all...

      Stamp Duty

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue has been raised from stamp duty on property transactions in each year since 2000.

      Tax Credits

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases of tax credit fraud have been detected in each of the last six years; and how many resulted in successful prosecutions.

      Tax Credits

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many people in Livingston received overpayments of (a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit in 2005; (2) how many people in Livingston...

      Tax Credits

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in ensuring that the most recently produced standard tax credit letters and forms are available in Welsh.

      Tax Credits

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the tax credit office will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) of 11 November 2005 (ref 2005/11006403); for what...

      Valuation Office Agency

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency's training material on aspects of council tax, including dwelling house coding.

  • Communities and Local Government

    • Commission on Integration and Cohesion

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made in establishing the Commission on Integration and Cohesion.

    • Corporate Hospitality

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on how many occasions he has accepted corporate hospitality in the last 12 months.

      Departmental Name Change

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the expected cost is of changing the name of her Department; and if she will make a statement.

      Grant Moneys

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what arrangements are in place for monitoring proper use of grant money allocated by her Department; and if she will make a...

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the Department will retain an electronic database of home information packs.

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the expected total cost is of implementing home information packs over the next five years.

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for what period of time a Home Information Pack will be valid.

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the impact on the property market of the introduction of home information packs.

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister who will be liable for the costs of a new local authority search for a home information pack if the property for sale is still on the market after the search has...

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment has been made of the impact on competition within the estate agent sector of the introduction of home information packs.

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much has been allocated to raise public awareness of the home information pack scheme; and how it will be spent.

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many home inspectors have completed their training to provide home condition reports; and how many inspectors he estimates will need to have qualified to...

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister where the proposed pilots for home information packs will take place.

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much his Department has allocated in funding for (a) marketing, (b) advertising and (c) publicity in relation to home information packs.

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance the Government have given local authorities on charging for information for inclusion in home information packs.

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate his Department has made of the average amount of the compulsory insurance of last resort indemnity levy on home information packs.

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how long a home information pack will be valid for before its contents will have to be updated; and if he will estimate the cost of updating the pack after (a)...

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate the Government has made of the average level of charges by (a) the Land Registry and (b) local authorities for...

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many home inspectors are (a) certified and (b) in training.

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what targets the Government have set in relation to the training of home inspectors.

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether home inspectors can qualify via distance learning; and what the average length of the training course is.

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether (a) HM Revenue and Customs and (b) the Valuation Office Agency will have access to the Register of Home Condition...

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment the Government have made of the likely effects of the introduction of Home Information Packs on small estate agents.

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans there are to monitor the effects on the housing market of the introduction of home information packs.

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she expects to set the cost of the home information pack.

      Home Information Packs

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to include details of whether land is contaminated within home inspection packs.

      Home Inspectors

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many home inspectors (a) have been trained, (b) are in training and (c) have expressed an interest in training.

      Home Inspectors

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans the Government have to change the training period for Home Inspectors.

      Home Inspectors

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of home information pack inspectors who will be required.

      Home Inspectors

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many Home Information Pack inspectors have been trained to date.

      Home Inspectors

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many home condition inspectors have been trained; and how many are in training.

      Housing (West Chelmsford)

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to ensure timely development of infrastructure to keep pace with housing in construction in West Chelmsford constituency.

      Local Authorities (Work Force)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she is taking to promote the employment of a mixed age work force among local authorities.

      Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on how many occasions (a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in his Department have stayed overnight in (i) five star, (ii) four star and (iii) three star...

      Newcastle/Gateshead Pathfinder

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the answer of 15 March 2006, Official Report, columns 2374-5W, on the Newcastle/Gateshead pathfinder, if he will place in the Library the strategic...

      Parliamentary Questions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she will provide a substantive reply to question 64723, on infrastructure in West Chelmsford, tabled by the hon. Member for...

      Race Relations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what projects the Government has commissioned to improve relations between black and Asian communities.

      Register of Home Condition Report

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which (a) Department and (b) agency will maintain the electronic register of Home Condition Reports; and whether the Government plan to use private contractors...

      Search Fees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what discretion local authorities have (a) to levy and (b) to set fees for search services; and whether such fees are...

      Second Homes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many second homes for council tax purposes were recorded in England in (a) 1997-98, (b) 2005-06 and (c) the latest period...

      Staff Development

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the total cost was of (a) staff away days and (b) staff team building exercises in his Department in each of the last three years.

      Transsexuals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps the Government are taking to ensure equality of access to services for transsexuals; and if she will make a statement.

      Valuation Office Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2006, Official Report, column 1814W to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman), on the...

  • Deputy Prime Minister

    • China Task Force

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to visit the 2008 Beijing Olympics as part of his ministerial role as head of the China Task Force.

    • China Task Force

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what priorities he has set for his role as head of the China Task Force.

      Dorneywood

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria he will apply for the issuing of invitations to Dorneywood.

      Dorneywood

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on how many occasions he has offered hospitality at Dorneywood to members of (a) foreign and (b) Commonwealth Governments in each year since he took up residence.

      Dorneywood

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which of his new responsibilities will qualify as official in relation to the use of Dorneywood for such purposes.

      Ministerial Duties

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he will publish an annual report to Parliament on his ministerial duties; and if he will make a statement.

      Ministerial Duties

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much time per week he expects to be available for him to carry out his responsibilities as Deputy Prime Minister.

      Slavery

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the Advisory Group on celebrating the bicentenary of the abolition of slavery plans to discuss the issue of whether a formal apology for slavery should be...

  • Work and Pensions

    • Adviser Discretion Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of recent reductions in the permitted individual amounts available under the adviser discretion fund; what steps he...

    • Ageist

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made on the National Guidance Campaign on non-ageist practice by employers.

      Asbestos-related Cancer

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Government paid out in attendance allowance to people diagnosed with asbestos-related cancer in each of the last three years.

      Benefit Claims

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many days were taken to process a benefit claim in West Dumbartonshire constituency in May (a) 2006, (b) 2004 and (c) 2005.

      Child Support Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of claimants who decline to identify the father of their child for Child Support Agency purposes.

      Claim Processing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many days it took on average to rate a claim for (a) income support, (b) jobseeker's allowance and (c) incapacity benefit in Fife...

      Customer Management Systems

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent developments have taken place in rolling out the various releases of the Department's Customer Management Systems (CMS); what...

      Departmental Contact Centres

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the percentage of people telephoning contact centres run by his Department who got through on their first attempt...

      Departmental Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on advertising by (a) his Department, (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) Executive agency for which his...

      Departmental Relocation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made in the relocation of departmental posts from the South East to other regions.

      Disability Equality Duty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether private finance initiative contracts agreed by public bodies up until 3 December 2006 will be required to meet the requirements of the...

      Disabled People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what initiatives the Government have introduced to ensure that people with a range of disabilities are treated equally.

      Hazardous Substances

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions his Department has had with the Department of Trade and Industry regarding the letter from the Treasury Solicitors dated 27...

      Home Computer Initiative

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what costs were associated with setting up the Home Computing Initiative scheme for his Department, including consultancy and administrative costs.

      Incapacity Benefit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many constituents in Midlothian are receiving (a) long-term and (b) short-term incapacity benefit.

      Job Vacancies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many job vacancies were on the register on average at job centres in Easington constituency in each year between 2001 and 2005; and...

      Jobcentre Plus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what changes have been made to the Jobcentre Plus delivery process as a result of the national operational strategy changes undertaken in 2005.

      Jobcentre Plus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action is being taken to ensure people who have experienced delays in their benefit payments due to changes at Jobcentre Plus do not incur...

      Jobcentre Plus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the level of staff satisfaction of Jobcentre Plus staff.

      Pathways to Work

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what elements of the Pathways to Work programme will be funded by the £360 million earmarked for its roll out; and how the sum was calculated.

      Pathways to Work

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer of 4 May 2006, Official Report, column 1768W, on pathways to work, how many claimants the figures represent in each case.

      Pathways to Work

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what work the Government have undertaken to identify the destinations of the 56 per cent. residual unknown category leaving Pathways to Work...

      Pension Age

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of state retirement pensioners aged over (a) 80 and (b) 90 years in (i) 1980, (ii) 1990, (iii) 2000, (iv)...

      Pension Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many residents in each electoral ward in Tamworth constituency receive pension credit.

      Pension Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Livingston received pension credit in 2005.

      Pension Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioner households were receiving pension credit in West Suffolk constituency in each financial year since 2001-02.

      Pension Protection Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance he has given to the Pensions Regulator on whether the transfer of assets from a company whose pension fund was showing a deficit...

      Pensioners

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of (a) individual pensioners, (b) pensioner couples and (c) pensioner households eligible for...

      Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether it is his policy to reduce the number of pensioners subject to means-testing; and if he will make a statement.

      Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will raise the level of pensions received by British pensioners resident overseas to the level received by those who remain resident in...

      Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent on advertising the fact that people have to apply for their state pension on reaching retirement age in each of the...

      Post Office Card Account

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to publish his Department's evaluation of the pilot schemes relating to post office card accounts; and if he will make a statement.

      Unemployment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for addressing seasonal unemployment fluctuations in seaside towns; and if he will make a statement.

      Unemployment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proposals he has to deal with unemployment in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

      Unsatisfactory Attendance Procedures

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) oral warnings, (b) written warnings, (c) dismissal decisions and (d) retirements on medical grounds decisions were made in (i)...

      Workplace Health Connect

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will report progress made on the development of Workplace Health Connect.

      Workplace Stress

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of how many days were lost due to stress in the workplace in each of the last 20 years.

      Young Carers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to review the eligibility of young carers undertaking more than 21 hours of supervised study to claim carers' allowance.

      Young Carers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure that Jobcentre Plus supports young carers.

  • Environment Food and Rural Affairs

    • Absenteeism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total number of days lost due to (a) sickness absence and (b) unauthorised absence in (i) his Department, (ii) its...

    • Animal Welfare

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department has undertaken to explore alternatives to animal testing.

      Emissions Trading

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the emissions target is for carbon dioxide emissions for each EU country under the EU emissions trading scheme for 2006;...

      Emissions Trading

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will estimate the yield to the Exchequer from a UK auction of 10 per cent. of allowances under the EU Emissions Trading...

      Entry Level Stewardship Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he will reply to Question (a) 68580, (b) 68578, (c) 68579 and (d) 68581, on the entry level stewardship scheme,...

      Environmental Liability Directive

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which UK sites of special scientific interest do not fall within the scope of the environmental liability directive and would...

      Fisheries Agreements

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what position the UK will take on the forthcoming EU-Morocco fisheries agreement in the Western Sahara.

      Fisheries Agreements

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations were made to the EU Council of Ministers opposing commercial fishing in the waters of the Western...

      Flood Prevention

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how much the chairman of the Wessex Flood Defence Committee received in travel costs in the last two years; and from...

      Forest Certification

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what account his Department took in deciding its policy on the programme for the endorsement of forest certification schemes...

      Global Monitoring for Environment and Security

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what support his Department is giving to the European Commission and EU Space Agency Respond Programme within the Global...

      Greenhouse Gases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what change there has been in greenhouse gases since 1997; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for the change.

      Greenhouse Gases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list the industries which are the 10 largest emitters of greenhouse gases; and how much and what proportion of...

      Greenhouse Gases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) percentage and (b) actual change in carbon dioxide emissions was between 1990 and the most recent year for...

      Hunting with Dogs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many responses were received to the Government's consultation on hunting with dogs.

      Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Regime

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment his Department has made of the capability of individual local authorities adequately to implement and...

      Pest Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what provision of pest control services his Department requires of local authorities.

      Radiative Forcing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportionate contribution to the overall UK-attributable radiative forcing total is accounted for by (a) residential...

      Tallow

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs why his Department banned the use of tallow as a fuel; whether a similar ban is being introduced in all countries of the EU;...

  • Cabinet Office

    • Diversity Training

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the contribution of diversity training across Government to the efficient development of...

    • Russell Commission

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which company was used to recruit the chairman of the Russell Commission.

  • Home Department

    • Anti-Semitism

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-Semitic incidents were reported in each police force area in England in each of the last 10 years.

    • Departmental Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) EU foreign nationals and (b) non-EU foreign nationals have been employed in his Department in each of the last five years;...

      Domestic Violence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) males and (b) females have reported a physical assault by a (i) current and (ii) former partner in the last five years; and if...

      Electronic Monitoring

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been subject to electronic monitoring in each year since 1999; and if he will make a statement.

      Feltham Young Offenders Institution

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how often psychiatric risk assessment tests are conducted on inmates at Feltham Young Offenders' Institution; (2) what proportion of...

      Firearms

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria were used in drawing up proposals (a) to restrict the use of .338 and .50 calibre rifles and (b) to ban the use of...

      Identity Cards

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued on the level of facial recognition required for wearers of burkas and other facial coverings applying for (a) an...

      Identity Cards

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 27 March 2006, Official Report, column 758W, on identity cards, whether the second identity card issued to the...

      Identity Theft

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many instances of identity theft were recorded in (a) Suffolk and (b) the East of England in each of the last five years.

      Illegal Vehicles

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional powers have been made available for (a) police officers and (b) local authorities to confiscate (i) illegal off-road...

      Independent Monitoring Boards

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the performance of each Independent Monitoring Board; and if he will make a statement.

      Legislation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received about the operation of sections 4, 4A, 4B and 4C of the Theft Act 1968; and whether he has plans...

      MI5 (Northern Ireland)

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any (a) disciplinary and (b) criminal investigations are under way into the failure of MI5 to pass threat information to the Police...

      Motoring Offences

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the police take to contact insurers to trace the owners of vehicles wanted for moving road traffic offences.

      National Criminal Intelligence Service

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what complaints were received about the recruitment process for National Criminal Intelligence Service posts at the new regional office in...

      National Hi-Tech Crime Unit

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to replace the contact service formerly provided via the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit website.

      National Identity Register

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there exists a prohibition in law on supplying data from the National Identity Register to a foreign government for purposes...

      National Identity Register

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the National Identity Register will include information and data supplied by (a) the Valuation Office Agency, (b) Ordnance Survey,...

      National Identity Register

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what secure remote authentication in connection with the National Identity Register will be available over the (a) telephone and (b)...

      Offences Against the Person Act

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances an offender found guilty of an offence under section 18 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 would be...

      Parking Fines

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate the Government have made of the total revenue raised from parking fines in England in the most recent year for which figures...

      Parole

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many convicted murderers released on parole in each of the last 15 years have broken the terms of their release; (2) how many...

      Passports

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many passport applications were refused on the grounds of the inability of the applicant to produce his or her father's marriage...

      Passports

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many British passports have been issued in each of the last five years.

      Passports

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many UK Passports were reported (a) lost and (b) stolen in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

      People Trafficking

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken by his Department to tackle organised criminal gangs engaged in trafficking.

      Police Community Support Officers

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many community support officers have been recruited in (a) Cheshire and (b) Warrington in each year since the scheme was introduced.

      Police Stations/Vehicles

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for constructing new police stations in Greater London.

      Police Stations/Vehicles

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police vehicles were stationed in (a) Romford, (b) Havering and (c) Greater London in each of the last eight years, broken down...

      Prisons

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of entrants to each prison had (a) drug and (b) mental health problems in the latest period for which figures are...

      Prisons

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of prison education schemes; and if he will make a statement; (2) what plans he has...

      Prisons

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the level of contraband in each prison; and if he will make a statement; (2) what quantities of (a)...

      Prisons

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners underwent treatment for drugs dependence in (a) Kingston upon Hull North constituency, (b) the Humberside police area...

      Prisons

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent at each prison by the Prison Service on drug treatments in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

      Prisons

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the annual cost was of keeping a category A prisoner in gaol in the last year for which figures are available.

      Prisons

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to improve the take-up of correspondence courses in prisons.

      Prisons

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on provision for vulnerable prisoners at HM Prison Lewes of offending behaviour programmes.

      Probation Service

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence he has received to support his conclusion that there will be benefits to (a) offenders, (b) the public purse and (c)...

      Probation Service

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many expressions of interest he has received from (a) private companies, (b) not-for-profit and voluntary organisations and (c)...

      Reoffending

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of criminals re-offended within (a) 12 months, (b) 24 months and (c) 36 months of their original conviction in (i) England...

      Road Traffic Offences

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence defendants are entitled to receive in relation to penalties or prosecutions for allegedly driving in a bus lane; if he will...

      Security Industry

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter of 22 February from Mr. Patrick Somerville of the International Professional Security Association on the...

      Security Industry

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are employed by the Security Industry Authority to process licences.

      Sentencing

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the criminal offences for which people can be sentenced to prison terms of up to two years.

      Victim Support Compensation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to include access to victim support compensation payments for victims of offences that result in a caution to the perpetrator.

      Violent Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government are taking to tackle violent crime in Coventry, South and the Midlands.

  • Education and Skills

    • Advertising

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was spent on advertising by his Department in each of the last three years.

    • Blind and Partially Blind Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the statutory provisions relating to the teaching of blind and partially blind children; and if he will make a statement.

      Chat Rooms

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether he plans to seek to introduce measures to ensure that where chat room moderators are employed outside the jurisdiction of UK courts...

      Child Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 3 May 2006, Official Report, column 1630W, on sex offender vetting, if he will take steps to agree with the...

      Departmental Credit Cards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what facility is available for senior civil servants in his Department to use credit cards supplied by the Department.

      Disabled Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of children of each (a) sex and (b) ethnic group with a disability.

      Dyslexic Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what resources are allocated in (a) Southend on Sea and (b) England to the training of teachers in detecting and teaching dyslexic...

      Education Maintenance Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the capacity of further education institutions to administer the education maintenance allowance in-house...

      Education Maintenance Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many residents of Wansdyke constituency are (a) eligible for and (b) in receipt of the education maintenance allowance.

      Education Maintenance Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils in Cumbria are in receipt of the education maintenance allowance.

      Education Maintenance Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will raise the threshold of parental income for the payments of education maintenance allowance (EMA); and what assessment he has made...

      Education Spending

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was spent on (a) nursery, (b) primary and (c) secondary education in (i) Cornwall and (ii) England in 2005-06.

      Former Civil Servants (Consultants)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many former members of his Department have notified the civil service authorities under civil service regulations that they are working...

      Foster Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in England are waiting to be placed with foster parents.

      Leased Land

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what (a) land and (b) property his Department (i) leases and (ii) leased in (A) 1979, (B) 1983, (C) 1987, (D) 1992 and (E) 1997 in (1) the...

      Merseyside Learning and Skills Council

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he expects the restructuring of the Merseyside Learning and Skills Council to be completed; and what consequential effects he expects...

      Merseyside Learning and Skills Council

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what consultation is being carried out concerning the restructuring of the Merseyside Learning and Skills Council.

      Milton Keynes University

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what role (a) the Higher Education Funding Council and (b) his Department will have in (i) establishing links between West Midlands...

      Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what the total cost was of overnight accommodation for Ministers of State in his Department on foreign visits in each of the last...

      Prison Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will ensure that every adult prison has (a) a learning support assistant and (b) a special educational needs co-ordinator.

      Private Office Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been paid in (a) salary, (b) travelling expenses, (c) subsistence allowance and (d) removal expenses to special advisers in...

      Private Office Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of his private office staff is (a) male, (b) female and (c) disabled.

      Promotion Boards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many promotion boards have been held in his Department in each of the last five years.

      Pupil/Teacher Ratio

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average pupil:teacher ratio in primary schools in (a) Cornwall, (b) the South-West Region and (c) England was in each year since...

      Racial Abuse Complaints

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many complaints of racial abuse have been (a) investigated and (b) upheld in his Department in each of the last five years.

      School Day

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average length of the school day in England was in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

      Student Accommodation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what support his Department provides for the provision of student accommodation.

      Student Finances

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what evaluation he has undertaken of the impact of regional variations in students' cost of living on the number of students (a) going to...

      Student Finances

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research his Department has (a) undertaken and (b) assessed on the (i) levels of rent in student accommodation and (ii) impact of...

      Teaching

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many state-maintained schools offer Mandarin as a language option from Key Stage 3; and how many state-funded colleges offer A and AS...

      Teaching

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which foreign languages are taught in schools in each local authority in England; and how many children between the ages of 14 and 16 years...

      Teaching

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in the Ribble Valley have been taught at home in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

  • Constitutional Affairs

    • Access to Justice

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps her Department is taking to improve access to justice for those who (a) are not eligible for legal aid and (b) are...

    • Advertising

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much was spent on advertising by her Department in each of the last three years.

      Departmental Consultations

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many public consultations her Department undertook in the last 12 months; and what the cost was (a) in total and (b) of...

      Departmental Credit Cards

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what facility is available for senior civil servants in her Department to use credit cards supplied by the Department.

      Departmental Estate

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what (a) land and (b) property her Department (i) leases and (ii) leased in (A) 1979, (B) 1983, (C) 1987, (D) 1992 and...

      Information Technology

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much was spent on information technology (IT) sourced from outside her Department in each of the last five years; who is...

      Legal Aid

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the total cost of legal aid for supporting prisoners appealing parole board decisions was in each of the last five years.

      Ministerial Travel (Accommodation)

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the total cost was of overnight accommodation for Ministers of State in her Department on foreign visits in each of the...

      Ministerial Travel (Accommodation)

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) on how many occasions Ministers of State in her Department stayed overnight in (a) five-star, (b) four-star and (c)...

      Postal Voting Fraud

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many incidents of postal vote fraud were recorded in the Limehouse ward of Tower Hamlets on 4 May.

      Staff Surveys

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many staff surveys have been conducted in her Department in each of the last three years.

  • Health

    • Abortion

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were performed on pregnancies of 18 weeks or more gestation in England and Wales in the last year for which figures are available; what...

    • Abortion

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has (a) undertaken and (b) assessed on (i) the earliest point in its development an unborn child will experience pain, (ii)...

      Anti-depressants

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescription items of (a) benzodiazepines and (b) each other anti-depressant were dispensed in England in 2005.

      Bedford Hospital NHS Trust

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people employed in Bedford Hospital NHS trust have been on (a) short-term and (b) temporary contracts in each year since 1997; and if she will...

      Bedford Hospital NHS Trust

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking to improve patient care at the Riverbank children's ward at Bedford hospital NHS trust; and if she will make a statement.

      Bedford Hospital NHS Trust

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent staff have been employed in children's wards at Bedford hospital NHS trust in each year since 1997; and if she will make a...

      Bedford Hospital NHS Trust

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the impact on patient care of the staff reductions proposed by Bedford Hospital NHS Trust; what representations she has...

      Choose and Book System

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2006, Official Report, column 1812W, on the Choose and Book System, how many bookings were made through the Choose and...

      Connecting for Health

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the status is of the Connecting for Health IT project.

      Dentistry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) new general dental services contracts and (b) new personal dental services agreements which have been offered to dentists have been (i)...

      Dentistry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the merits of permitting dentists trained in (a) the USA and (b) Canada to work in the NHS; and if she will make a statement.

      Dentistry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) formal and (b) informal advice her Department received from the British Dental Association following the meeting on 14 February 2006 to discuss...

      Dentistry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average remuneration per full-time equivalent NHS general dental practitioner was in the East Hull and West Hull Primary Care Trust area in each...

      Dentistry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of (a) adults and (b) children are registered with an NHS dentist in each primary care trust in England; and how many were registered in...

      Destroyed Documents (Blood Products)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has carried out an internal review into the destruction in the 1990s of documents held by her Department relating to national...

      Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate she has made of the savings to the NHS consequent on changes to the procurement arrangements for the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin;...

      Electromagnetic Fields

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has commissioned into the effect of electromagnetic fields on public health in the last five years.

      Emergency Contraception

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many morning-after pills have been distributed by the Greater Peterborough Primary Care Partnership in each of the last five years.

      Food Businesses (EU Accreditation)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many food businesses in England have (a) been accredited with ISO 22000 in line with EU regulation 852/2004 and (b) failed to meet ISO 22000 standard.

      Food Businesses (EU Accreditation)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her assessment is of the British food industry's ability to comply with EU regulation 852/2004.

      Funding (Northamptonshire)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the capital expenditure on the (a) breast screening unit, (b) chest pain clinic, (c) intensive treatment unit, (d) stroke unit, (e) secure...

      Health Care Products

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will publish the responses to her Department's consultation on arrangements for the provision of dressings, incontinence appliances, stoma...

      Health Services (Essex)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent nursing posts there are at Essex Rivers Healthcare Trust; how many are filled by agency staff; how many such posts were...

      Health Services (Essex)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultants per capita there were in Essex in each year since 1997; what the national average was in each year; and if she will make a statement.

      Health Services (Essex)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the per capita funding for (a) Colchester and (b) Tendring Primary Care Trust was in each year since 1997; what the national average was in each...

      Health Services (Essex)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the financial outturn for the Essex Rivers Healthcare Trust has been in each of the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement.

      Health Services (Essex)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for (a) in-patient and (b) out-patient treatment at Essex Rivers Healthcare Trust was in each year since 1997; and if she...

      Health Services (Essex)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners per capita there were in (a) Colchester and (b) Tendring Primary Care Trust in each year since 1997; what the average...

      Health Services (Essex)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the star rating that the Essex Rivers Healthcare Trust received for the number of cancelled operations was due to (a) clinical and (b)...

      Health Services (Essex)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many incidences of abuse of staff by patients were reported in Essex Rivers Healthcare Trust in 2005-06; what the average number for trusts was in...

      Hospitals (Lancashire)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people resident in West Lancashire were treated at (a) the Royal Liverpool Broadgreen NHS Trust, (b) Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust, (c) the...

      Insulin

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the preliminary guidance of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence not to recommend the use of insulin...

      Intensive Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many intensive treatment unit beds there were in Northampton General Hospital in (a) 1996 and (b) 2005.

      Maternity Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of maternity care within the West Hertfordshire NHS Trust; and if she will make a statement.

      Midwives

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacant midwife posts there are in (a) the Sussex Downs and Weald and (b) the Eastbourne Downs Primary Care Trust area; and what plans her...

      MMR Vaccination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the percentage uptake of the MMR vaccination was in (a) the North East, (b) the Tees Valley and (c) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland...

      MMR Vaccination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has undertaken on the effectiveness of the dosage of the MMR vaccine in preventing mumps.

      NHS (Future Demand)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate she has made of the level of demand for NHS provision in (a) 2007, (b) 2010 and (c) 2020. (2) what planning assumptions are made...

      NHS Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the expenditure of strategic health authorities (SHA) in the last year for which figures are available was, broken down by major cost area (a) in...

      NHS Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what formula her Department uses to determine the payment made to each primary care trust under payment by results.

      NHS Hospital Trusts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 19 April 2006, Official Report, column 743W, on NHS Hospital Trusts, if she will set out the figures for fixed costs...

      NHS IT Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what models of IT provision were considered for the NHS IT programme.

      Nursing (Thames Valley)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many student places there are for (a) nursing and (b) community nursing at universities in the Thames Valley strategic health authority area.

      Obesity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her most recent estimate is of how many children in Torbay constituency are obese.

      Orthodontic Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many orthodontists were practising in (a) England, (b) West Yorkshire and (c) Huddersfield in each of the last 10 years.

      Paediatric Specialists

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many paediatric specialists are employed in each strategic health authority area.

      Physiotherapy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many physiotherapists were employed within the Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority area in the last year for which figures...

      Primary Care Trusts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Guildford and Waverley Primary Care Trust meets the Government's commitment that (a) 80 per cent. of...

      Primary Care Trusts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the effect will be on consultations on major service changes being undertaken by existing primary care trusts if they are not completed before those...

      Primary Care Trusts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers primary care trusts have to direct the commissioning choices of general practitioners under practice-based commissioning.

      Primary Care Trusts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether new primary care trusts established on 1 October 2006 will be bound by decisions taken by existing primary care trusts that have not been...

      Referral Management Schemes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many primary care trusts operate referral management schemes; what representations she has received from (a) hon. Members, (b) NHS...

      Restrictive Interventions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if her Department will develop a framework for restrictive physical interventions in line with the Welsh Assembly Government's document Framework for...

      Sandwell and West Birmingham Acute Trust

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the salary costs of the chief executive of Sandwell and West Birmingham Acute Trust have been in each year since 2001.

      School Nurses

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many school nurses are employed in each primary care trust by (a) headcount and (b) whole-time equivalent.

      TB

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the incidence of tuberculosis in the United Kingdom in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

      Type 2 Diabetes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in each of the last 10 years.

      Waiting Lists/Times

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were waiting for more than six months for an NHS inpatient operation at the end of each month from November 2005 to April 2006, broken...

      Waiting Lists/Times

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 28 March 2006, Official Report, column 967W, on NHS finance, what level of increased activity in 2006-07 will be necessary for...

      Walk-in Health Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) minor injuries departments, (b) accident and emergency departments and (c) walk-in centres were operational in England in each of the last...

      Work Force Statistics

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will break down the Health and Social Care Information Centre NHS workforce statistics for (a) 1995 and (b) 2005 by Government office region.

  • House of Lords

    • Afghanistan: Macedonian Army

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Drayson on 3 May (WA 65), whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding...

    • Armed Forces: Infantry

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether each of the new regimental outstations in the future infantry structure will receive the same level of funding that they received in their previous roles...

      Aviation: Open Skies

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Why the open skies aviation agreement with the United States is unlikely to be ratified until later this year.

      Debt

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will consider special Treasury measures, in connection with credit card companies, to restrain the rise in the level of United Kingdom personal debt.

      Energy: Biofuels

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether a biodiesel production plant is planned for the north-east of England; if so, whether rape seed oil will be used as a feedstock; and what will be the...

      Entry Clearances: Independent Monitor's Report

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Triesman on 15 March (WA 232), why the report of Ms Fiona Lindsley, the previous Independent Monitor on Entry Clearances,...

      EU: Citizens' Agenda

      asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will send their preliminary responses to the European Union Commission communication of 10 May on the "Citizens' Agenda, Delivering Results for Europe".

      EU: Constitutional Treaty

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they support the recent suggestion by the President of the European Commission that any further consideration of the European constitutional treaty should...

      Freedom of Information

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Who are the members of the freedom of information users group appointed in consequence of the Freedom of Information legislation; when that group has met; and what...

      Parliamentary Ombudsman

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 29 March (WA 126), on how many occasions since 1997, and in respect of which specific...

      Parliamentary Ombudsman

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord McKenzie of Luton on 8 May (WA 119), where the information is held as to occasions since 1997 when HM Revenue and Customs...

      Parliamentary Ombudsman

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 8 May (WA 119-20), where the information is held as to the number of occasions since 1997 when the Countryside...

      Parliamentary Ombudsman

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 8 May (WA 119–20), whether the Countryside Agency will in future hold information about the department's...

      RAF: Capabilities

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Where responsibility will lie under the arrangements for the reorganisation of the Royal Air Force, announced by the Ministry of Defence on 31 March, for ensuring...

      Redundancy Pay

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord McKenzie of Luton on 14 March (WA 221), what assessment they have made for the latest year for which figures are available as...

      Roads: M4 Junction 11

      asked Her Majesty's Government: When they intend to resurface the slip road from the A329M to the eastbound carriageway of the M4 motorway at junction 10.

      Tallow

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they are taking to reclassify tallow as a waste product.

      Taxation: Capital Gains Tax

      asked Her Majesty's Government: For the latest year for which figures are available, what would be the saving to the Exchequer if the need not to time apportion the past 36 months for private...

      Taxation: Corporation Tax

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord McKenzie of Luton on 15 March (WA 243), what would be the net cost to the Exchequer of abolishing marginal relief at the...

      Taxation: Income Tax

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord McKenzie of Luton on 14 March (WA 123), what assessment they have made of how much extra income tax would be paid by...

      Taxation: Income Tax

      asked Her Majesty's Government: For the latest year for which figures are available, what assessment they have made of the income tax raised through taxing the provision of living accommodation...

      Taxation: National Insurance

      asked Her Majesty's Government: For the latest year for which figures are available, what assessment they have made of the saving to the Exchequer if the primary threshold for national insurance...

      Taxation: Stamp Duty

      asked Her Majesty's Government: For the latest year for which figures are available, what would be the net cost to the Exchequer of stamp duty on residential houses being amended so that once...

      Taxation: Stamp Duty

      asked Her Majesty's Government: For the latest year for which figures are available, how many residential property transactions took place in the United Kingdom where the consideration was more...

      Taxation: Taper Relief

      asked Her Majesty's Government: For the latest year for which figures are available, what is the cost to the Exchequer of providing taper relief to individuals, trustees and individuals'...

What is this?

The parliamentary question is a great way for MPs and Peers to discover information which the government may not wish to reveal. Ministers reply via written answers, a list of which gets published daily.

We let you vote on whether or not the answer given is adequate.

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