Written answers

Friday, 26 June 2009

  • Treasury

    • Pathfinder Money Guidance Service

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to review the outcome of the pathfinder Money Guidance service announced in the 2008 Pre-Budget Report.

    • VAT: Buildings

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on the application of value added tax to fees charged for the repair and maintenance of listed buildings; and if...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

    • Anguilla: Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2009, Official Report, column 1193W, on the Caribbean: crime, what funding the UK...

    • British Overseas Territories

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2009, Official Report, column 166W, on British Overseas Territories: young offenders, how...

      British Virgin Islands: Crimes of Violence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 6 March 2009, Official Report, columns 1848-49W, on the British Virgin Islands: crimes of violence,...

      Cayman Islands: Crimes of Violence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2009 on the Cayman Islands: crimes of violence, how many of the crimes were committed against...

      Departmental Data Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many breaches of information security there have been at (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in the last five years.

      Economic and Monetary Union

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what activities have been undertaken by his Department's Euro Minister in that capacity.

      Egypt: Borders

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions (a) he and (b) officials in his Department have had with the government of Egypt on the opening to...

      Iran: Demonstrations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the recent unrest in Iran; and if he will make a statement.

      Iran: Demonstrations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure the security of staff in the British Embassy in Tehran.

      Overseas Aid: Terrorism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to Part 2, section 8, page 61 of the Government document, Pursue, Prevent, Protect, Prepare, published in March...

      Sri Lanka

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to Sri Lanka next plans to visit the country; and if he will make a statement.

      Sudan: Armed Conflict

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of (a) Uganda and (b) Sudan in respect of the recent upsurge in violent...

  • Work and Pensions

    • Demos

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) private meetings and (b) public engagements Ministers in her Department have attended at which representatives from the think-tank...

    • Departmental Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what training courses have been attended by special advisers in her Department in the last 12 months; and at what cost.

      Vocational Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps she is taking to provide relevant training to help back into employment those who became unemployed during the recession.

  • House of Commons Commission

    • Parliament: ICT

      To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what progress the Commission has made in its review of the performance of parliamentary IT systems; and how...

  • Defence

    • Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many soldiers serving in Afghanistan since Operation Herrick began have returned from Afghanistan as a (a) single and (b) multiple amputee; and if...

    • Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures are followed when a breach of the rules of engagement in Afghanistan by (a) UK and (b) allied military personnel are reported; and if...

      Armed Forces: Vehicles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military vehicles of each type were reported (a) stolen and (b) missing in the United Kingdom in each year since 1997.

      Departmental Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which (a) sections of his Department and (b) non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible have requested money saved from...

      Piracy: Navy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for New Forest East of 22 June 2009, Official Report, column 626W, on piracy, under what authority the Royal...

      QinetiQ: Location

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate his Department has made of the effect on employment of the decision by QinetiQ to relocate operations from the Hebrides Range to Aberporth...

      QinetiQ: Location

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make an assessment of the effects on the (a) economy and (b) society of the Western Isles of QinetiQ's decision to relocate operations from...

      QinetiQ: Location

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department consulted (a) community representatives, (b) representatives of QinetiQ employees, (c) local enterprise agencies and (d)...

      QinetiQ: Location

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has had discussions with the Scottish Government on QinetiQ's decision to relocate its operations from the Hebrides Range to...

      QinetiQ: Location

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Hebrides Range is used for weapons testing by countries other than the UK.

      White Phosphorus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any munitions containing white phosphorus manufactured in the UK have been used in theatres of military operation against UK armed forces in the...

  • Transport

    • Bus Services: Concessions

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many pensioners in (a) Merseyside and (b) Crosby received a concessionary bus pass in the latest period for which figures are available.

    • Channel Tunnel Intergovernmental Commission

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2009, Official Report, column 704W, on the Channel Tunnel Intergovernmental Commission, who the UK...

      Channel Tunnel Railway Line

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2009, Official Report, column 704W, on the Channel Tunnel railway line: fares, if he will request the...

      Channel Tunnel Railway Line

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to his answer of 18 June 2009, Official Report, column 427W, on the Channel Tunnel railway line, for what reason no recent...

      Cross-Channel Rail

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that SNCF does not secure a disproportionate share of cross-Channel rail traffic.

      Departmental Billing

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer of 3 June 2009, Official Report, column 484W, on departmental billing, how much his Department's non-departmental...

      Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Manpower

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many (a) directors, (b) senior managers, (c) specialist and delivery managers and (d) executive support and administration staff...

      Driving: Licensing

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many applications for driving licences were found to be supported by birth certificates which claimed to but did not relate to the...

      High Speed Trains

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what consideration he has given to the merits of transferring High Speed 1 to Network Rail.

      Motorcycles: Driving Instruction

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what plans his Department has to review (a) the compulsory basic training for moped riders and (b) the moped riding age.

      Railways: Bexley

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport which railway stations in the London Borough of Bexley have received financial support from his Department for the installation of step-free...

      Roads: Accidents

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many road deaths there were in (a) London and (b) the London borough of Hillingdon in each of the last three years for which records...

      Roads: Construction

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport (1) how much funding his Department has allocated to the construction of highways in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point in each of the last...

      Roads: Finance

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much capital funding has been spent on roads in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point in each of the last five years.

      Roads: Safety

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the Government's further response, HC (2008-09) 422, to paragraph 132 of the Eleventh Report of the Transport Committee, Session...

      Roads: Safety

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the Government's further response, HC (2008-09) 422, to paragraph 156 of the Eleventh Report of the Transport Committee, Session...

      Transport

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the average number of journeys per day by each mode of transport between London and destinations in Castle...

      Vehicle Certification Agency: Manpower

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many (a) directors, (b) senior managers, (c) specialist and delivery managers and (d) executive support and administration staff...

      Vehicle Certification Agency: Pay

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much was paid in bonuses to (a) directors, (b) senior managers, (c) specialist and delivery managers and (d) executive support and...

  • Olympics

    • Departmental Manpower

      To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many full-time equivalent officials in her Office are working on (a) project management, (b) legacy planning, (c) project oversight, (d) financial...

  • Leader of the House

    • Speaker: Elections

      To ask the Leader of the House if she will publish lists of all hon. Members who participated in each round of voting to elect a Commons Speaker on 22 June 2009.

  • Culture Media and Sport

    • Arts: East of England

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding his Department has allocated to (a) visual arts, (b) musical arts, (c) music festivals, (d) public art, (e) art...

    • Cultural Heritage

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance his Department has issued to (a) local government and (b) regional public bodies on developing the role of cultural and...

      Departmental Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many of his Department's staff at each grade have worked primarily on matters related to tourism in each of the last 12 years.

      Museums: Strategy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he plans to publish his Department's museums strategy.

      National Lottery: Essex

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of Lottery funding has been allocated to organisations in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point in each of the last five...

      National Lottery: Greater Manchester

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of all Lottery funding available has been awarded to organisations in (a) Tameside and (b) Stockport in the last 12 months.

      Richmond Park: Parking

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when his Department expects to receive recommendations from the Royal Parks Agency following the Agency's recent consultation on the...

      Television: Concessions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioners in (a) Chorley and (b) Lancashire had a free television licence at the latest date for which figures are available.

      Tourism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make an assessment of the impact of changes in the budget of Visit Britain since 2007 on the (a) tourist industry and (b)...

      Tourism: Olympic Games 2012

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department plans to spend on encouraging international travellers to visit the UK during the London 2012 Olympics.

  • Cabinet Office

    • Cancer

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many cases of cancer have been diagnosed in (a) Peterborough constituency and (b) England in each year since 2000.

    • Departmental Pay

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which (a) sections of her Department and (b) non-departmental public bodies for which her Department is responsible have requested money saved from...

      Departmental Responsibilities

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the responsibilities of her Department's Director of Digital Engagement are.

      Floods

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of provision to category 1 responders of assessments of critical infrastructure in their areas...

      Marketing: Apprentices

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much the Central Office of Information spent on (a) producing advertising and (b) buying advertising space as part of the Make Things Happen...

      Regional Support Unit

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the (a) budget and (b) staffing level of her Department's Regional Support Unit will be in 2009-10.

      Strategic Horizons Unit: Manpower

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many full-time equivalent staff work in the Cabinet Office's (a) Strategic Horizons Unit and (b) horizon-scanning divisions.

  • Environment Food and Rural Affairs

    • Dairy Farming

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the organisation Dairy Farmers of Great Britain.

    • Departmental Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what steps he is taking to make his Department carbon-neutral; and what discussions he has had with Ministerial...

      Departmental Communication

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what expenditure under the budget heading of communication his Department (a) incurred in 2007-08 and (b) is likely to...

      Departmental Data Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many breaches of information security there have been at (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in the last five years.

      Farming: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2009, Official Report, column 1056W, on dairy farming: finance, (1) what estimate he has...

      World Environment Day 2009

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what World Environment Day 2009 events his Department supported; at which events his Department was represented; and what...

  • Children, Schools and Families

    • Academies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what research his Department has commissioned on the effect of academies on the academic performance of their pupils.

    • Departmental Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much was spent on energy efficiency measures for his Department's and its predecessor's estate in each year from 2004 to 2009;...

      Departmental Waste

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the amount of waste arising from his Department in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and...

      Gcse

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of students achieved a B grade at GCSE in each subject in each of the last three years.

      Head teachers: Disciplinary Proceedings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of head teachers have been subject to disciplinary procedure in each of the last five years.

      Pupil Exclusions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils who were permanently excluded from a mainstream maintained (a) primary and (b) secondary school were next placed...

      Pupil Referral Units

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which pupil referral units in each local authority area are attended by more than (a) 50 and (b) 100 pupils.

      Pupils: Health

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the experience in schools of children with long-term...

      Schools: Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the (a) requirement for and (b) cost of school building repairs in (i) Essex and (ii) Castle...

      Schools: Religion

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent guidance his Department has issued to schools on accommodating minority (a) religious and (b) cultural beliefs.

      Standard Assessment Tests

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what representations he has received on changes to announced dates for Key Stage 2 standard assessment tests; and if he will...

  • Justice

    • Departmental Official Hospitality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department and its predecessor has spent on (a) conference services and (b) banqueting services in each of the last five years.

    • Probation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many high-risk (a) male and (b) female offenders in each age group there were in the Hampshire probation area in each of the last five years.

      Probation: West Midlands

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the net change in numbers of trained probation officers in West Mercia was between 2002 and 2007.

  • Prime Minister

    • Departmental Responsibilities

      To ask the Prime Minister if he will assess the merits of transferring responsibility for tourism to the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills.

    • Electoral Systems

      To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to establish a Royal Commission to report and make recommendations on electoral reform; and if he will make a statement.

      European Commission

      To ask the Prime Minister (1) what criteria he plans to use to decide on his next nominee for the post of European Commissioner; (2) what criteria he plans to use in deciding on the UK's...

      Iraq Conflict

      To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the (a) costs and (b) benefits to the United Kingdom of its participation in the Iraq war and occupation.

      Iraq Conflict: Inquiries

      To ask the Prime Minister whether the committee of inquiry into the Iraq war will be required to publish the oral and written evidence taken during its inquiry with the report of its findings.

      Iraq Conflict: Inquiries

      To ask the Prime Minister what remuneration each member of the committee of inquiry into the Iraq war will receive; from which budget such remuneration will be drawn; and what secretariat will be...

      Iraq Conflict: Inquiries

      To ask the Prime Minister whether witnesses called to give evidence to the committee of inquiry on the Iraq war will be required to give evidence on oath.

      Iraq: Armed Conflict

      To ask the Prime Minister (1) what representations he received on the format and remit of the inquiry into the Iraq war before taking his decision on the committee of inquiry; and if he will...

      Iraq: Weapons

      To ask the Prime Minister what reports his Office received concluding that Iraq was not in possession of weapons of mass destruction in the two years prior to the start of the Iraq war; and if he...

  • Health

    • Abortion

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions on the grounds of rectifiable disabilities were performed after 24 weeks' gestation in 2008.

    • Abortion

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 2 April 2009, Official Report, column 1473W, on abortion, how many abortions were performed in pregnancies of 24 weeks or more...

      Blood Products

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will direct the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs to expedite its consideration of the adoption of pathogen inactivation...

      Carers: Telephone Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many calls the Carers Direct helpline has received since it was established.

      Dementia: Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent assessment is of standards of out-of-hospital (a) palliative and (b) dementia care for elderly patients in (i) England, (ii)...

      Dental Services: Derbyshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of dental services in Derbyshire.

      Dental Services: Derbyshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of (a) adults and (b) children without access to an NHS dentist in (i) England and (ii) Rochford and Southend...

      Muscular Dystrophy: Medical Treatments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will reintroduce Government funding for UK MDEX trials researching treatments for muscular dystrophy.

      Swine Flu

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued to primary health care providers on testing of people who think they may have been exposed to the swine influenza...

  • Communities and Local Government

    • Delivering Better Skills for Better Places Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding has been allocated to the Delivering Better Skills for Better Places programme in each of the next two years; and...

    • Housing Revenue Accounts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the amount of Housing Revenue Account Subsidy to be paid to each local authority in (a) 2010-11...

      Housing: Low Incomes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding from the National Affordable Housing Programme was allocated to each region in each of the last 12 quarters.

      Repossessions Prevention Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department has provided to Bassetlaw local authority to provide small loans for householders facing serious...

  • Business, Innovation and Skills

    • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 21 April 2008, Official Report, column 1785W, on...

    • Higher Education: Merseyside

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of 18 to 25 year olds resident in (a) Merseyside and (b) Crosby were in higher education (i) in 1997...

      Learning and Skills Council: Pay

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much was paid in bonuses to (a) directors, (b) senior managers, (c) specialist delivery managers and (d)...

      Low Pay

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what data (a) his Department and (b) the Low Pay Commission collects on the living costs of those aged (i) over 21...

      Students: Loans

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills whether his Department's predecessor took legal advice on the decision to fix the interest rates on post-1998 student...

  • Solicitor-General

    • Legal Opinion

      To ask the Solicitor-General whether it is her policy to request an update of legal advice to Government in circumstances where the evidence was not made available to the Law Officer giving the...

  • Energy and Climate Change

    • Energy: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many households in rural areas of Ribble Valley constituency have received assistance from his Department and its predecessors to...

    • Industrial Diseases: Compensation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average sum agreed in settlement was for (a) vibration white finger and (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease claims...

      Renewable Energy: Waste

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has made an assessment of the competitiveness of the British renewable energy sector specialising in the...

      Wind Power: East of England

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much funding his Department have allocated for the encouragement of wind power usage in (a) Mid-Bedfordshire constituency and (b)...

  • Home Department

    • Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2009, Official Report, column 185W, on crime, when he expects incident data for 2008-09 to be available.

    • Offenders: Deportation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign national prisoners were deported in each of the last 10 years.

      Police Community Support Officers: Clothing

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of each representation he has received on the issuing of stab-proof vests for police community...

      Terrorism

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have undertaken Project Argus training.

      Theft: Motor Vehicles

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance his Department has issued to police forces on responses to incidents of theft of a vehicle with a payload of oil, gas or...

  • Northern Ireland

    • Demos

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether his Department has any contracts with the think-tank Demos.

    • Departmental Official Hospitality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department has spent on hospitality and entertainment in each of the last five years.

      Departmental Press Subscriptions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what newspapers are delivered to the private office of each Minister in his Department; and at what cost in the latest period for which figures...

  • International Development

    • Africa: Conflict Resolution

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made towards meeting the G8 pledge to train 20,000 African peacekeepers.

    • Departmental Food

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of the (a) meat, (b) fruit and (c) vegetables procured by his Department in the last 12 months was produced in the UK.

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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.

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