To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the salary costs are of political appointments made by him in 2002–03; and what the figures were in each of the last three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on how he intends to implement the EU Biofuel Directive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he is ensuring improvements in off-peak frequency of bus services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will commission an assessment of the feasibility of re-opening the Colne-Skipton railway.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to amend the Road User Charging (Enforcement and Adjudication) (London) Regulations 2001, pursuant to the Government undertaking to the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent advice he has given to the (a) SRA and (b) planning authorities concerning the safeguarding of disused railway track beds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what preparations he has made to ensure the safety and continuity of service to the public in the event of a firefighters' strike.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the nature and extent of the financial contribution by the Strategic Rail Authority to the package of measures to increase security...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will request the SRA to conduct a feasibility study into extending the railway from the quarry outside Grassington into the town itself.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has made available through the Home Zones Scheme Capital Modernisation Fund since 2000; and how much has been (a) applied for...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will amend his code of practice for class 3 vehicle users to include advice on the safe off-road storage of invalid carriages.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which lines on the rail network have (a) W6a, (b) W6a-Pb and (c) Sb 1c loading gauge under Railtrack Group Standards; and if he will place copies of...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many planning authorities have included (a) new and (b) re-opened railways in their local transport plans in the last two years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason the southbound carriageway of the M1 motorway was closed on 6 October; and who authorised the closure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what obligations there are on public transport providers to provide access for passengers with disabilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the state of the railway track in east Lancashire; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the estimated cost per week is of re-opening a closed railway where the trackbed is in good condition.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the Government oppose EU proposals to introduce a presumption of guilt on the part of the motorist in all cases of motorist/cyclist accidents.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for the 2002 National Road Maintenance Condition Survey to include the cost of outstanding repairs on the (a) local and (b) strategic...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport further to his answer of 29 October, Ref 78170, if he will list appointments he has made to trust port boards since January 2000 involving...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to introduce a dog licensing scheme for owners; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the level of accuracy is of the digital mapping of farms across the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what analysis her Department has made of the share of Community fish stocks, by species, that fall under UK (a) 12 and (b)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what role she proposes for English regional assemblies in the governance of fisheries out to 12 nautical miles from the baseline.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the local authorities who (a) have and (b) have not produced a policy statement under High Level Targets for...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will place in the Library the documentation and advice given in respect of tax treatment of grants given under the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to require the computers at the RPA and the BCMS to be made compatible; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many roads used as public paths have yet to have their usage reviewed by the relevant surveying authority in accordance...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of new recruits to her Department in the past two years were aged 50 and over.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to improve the welfare of animals slaughtered by religious methods; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent by her Department and its predecessors on research and development in each of the last 15 years...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list those who have expressed interest in her proposal for research into the economic contribution of sea angling.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list those third countries with which the EU has concluded mutual fisheries agreements; and how much Community...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the budget is for 2002–03 of the vital villages initiative; and what the future projections for this figure are.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what further progress she has made on increasing access to water for non-powered craft; and if she will...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how she will ensure that transposition of the Water Framework Directive in England and Wales will contribute to the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she will be publishing the water policy document for England.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what discussions he has had with eight coastal local authorities along the possible route of ships carrying nuclear waste from Japan to Sellafield on...

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what discussions he has had with the (a) Government of the Republic of Ireland, (b) National Assembly for Wales, (c) Northern Irish Assembly and (d)...

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the consequences for phase one of the UK online interactive project were of the end of ITV interactive's involvement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the maximum extra funding is that a child can receive under the ethnicity and other factors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent to date by the Connexions service on (a) literature design, (b) printing of literature and (c) consultancy fees...

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his latest estimate is of the number of vacancies in the construction industry in each region of the country.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he intends to reply in full to the letter to his predecessor dated 22 August 2002 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton...

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment his Department has made of Option 5 in the review of the level of funding for education.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many of the authorities that have more than 10 per cent. of children in their schools, whose mother tongue is believed not to be...

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the SSA per head is in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Staffordshire.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what factors other than language are measured in the ethnicity factor; and what proportion of the ethnicity factor is based on additional...

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what money is planned to pass between the Department and (a)the European Social Fund and (b) the European Regional Development Fund in (i)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the initial total cost was including production, printing, marking and moderation of (a) KS1 SATS, (b) KS2 SATS, (c) KS3 SATS, (d)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions he has had with the F40 group in the review of local government education funding formula to provide a more even funding...

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures he is taking to promote free milk in schools for children aged up to 11; and if he will list education authorities in the UK...

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of funding is distributed under the AEN for (a) deprivation, (b) ethnicity and (c) area cost adjustment; what criteria are...

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will consult students on the findings of the review of higher education;

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he expects to achieve the equalisation of pay between further education college and sixth form college lecturers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what grants his Department plans to make to NGOs in 2002–03; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils were permanently excluded from school in each local education authority in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to (a) publish annual reports on his Department's targets for the rebuilding and repair of school infrastructure and (b)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to provide free school bus services for secondary school students in Staffordshire living less than three miles from their...

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in Essex suffered a cash budget cut in this financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what powers he has to make provision for the assessment of special educational needs of children living in accommodation centres.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many specialist schools were designated before 1 September 1997; how many such schools and what percentage of the whole were (a) city...

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what amounts per pupil his Department paid to English local education authorities out of the standards fund in 2001–02; (2)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what plans he has to increase the interest rate on student loans; and if he will make a statement. (2) what plans he has to change...

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with ministers from other governments who promised aid to Afganistan and are yet to deliver it; and if she...

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if it is her policy to support (a) co-operation between coffee producing governments to stop more beans entering the market than can be...

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to assist producer countries in capturing more value from agricultural commodities.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the publications in which the post of the new chief executive of CDC Capital Partners was advertised.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how her Department is helping small coffee producers in developing countries to diversify into alternative livelihoods following the...

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the impact of the low price of unprocessed coffee on the livelihoods of coffee producers.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance her Department is providing to help small coffee producers in developing countries to diversify into alternative...

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the countries for which her Department has produced country strategy papers.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) financial and (b) other assistance her Department (i) is providing and (ii) plans to provide to the Government of DRC; and if...

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many (a) UN Force and (b) MONUC representatives are in the Democratic Republic of Congo; what plans there are to send British...

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of the new money announced for International Development in the CSR will be spent on basic education; and how much this...

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when her Department will announce what resources it will put into the Fast Track Initiative on Education.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to support education in the Fast Track countries on the list.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of her Department's budget she expects to be spent on basic education in the next three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much the Government have contributed to the Education for All plan for each of the last seven years for which records are available.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what target sum she has agreed with her counterparts in other countries should be set for the total budget for the World Bank Education...

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the WHO study of possible increased cancer rates in southern Iraq and their causes has begun; and what the UK contribution to...

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of (a) poverty levels and (b) human rights abuses in Libya.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects her Department supports that operate in Libya.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made in writing off debt for Malawi; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps have been taken to produce an annual report on progress towards the Millennium Declaration.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of overseas aid provided by the UK is spent on (a) education and (b) health; what steps she is taking to increase this...

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the UK Government is intending to seek an assurance that training on human rights will become a permanent component of police...

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement about the re-establishment of functioning legal institutions in (a) Rwanda and (b) Burundi.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with the Norwegian and Sri Lankan Governments about the peace process in Sri...

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action she is taking to provide support for (a) de-mining and (b) the resettlement of displaced people in Sri...

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support she is providing for projects to tackle poverty in southern Sri Lanka; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 15 October 2002 to the hon. Member for Banbury (Tony Baldry), Official Report, column 652W, what discussions...

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether those organisations undertaking the clearance of unexploded bomblets following the use of cluster bombs in Afghanistan have the...

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with counterparts in other nations who have signed the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the impact fighting in the Ivory Coast is having on the World Food Programme's activities in the...

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the (a) estimated number of people reliant on food aid and (b) estimated amount of food aid required by the World Food Programme...

To ask the Prime Minister when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan of 4th July on nuclear power.

To ask the Prime Minister (1) what guarantees he has obtained from his Indian counterpart in the course of recent discussions that BAe Systems Hawk aircraft will, if purchased by India, only be...

To ask the Prime Minister what progress has been made with his offer to convene a peace conference between Israel and the Palestinians.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will propose changes to Standing Order No 13 to grant the power to initiate a recall of Parliament to the Speaker.

To ask the Prime Minister what the anticipated cost is of one-off redundancy payments to Scottish MPs losing their seats as a result of the proposed reduction in the number of Westminster...

To ask the Prime Minister what matters in respect of Sellafield were raised by his Irish counterpart at the Heads of Government Summit in Brussels on 25th October; and what response he made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many public employees there are in Northern Ireland; and what percentage they represent of the overall workforce in Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Education and Skills regarding the future of selective education in Northern Ireland.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister where council tenants vote against the transfer of housing stock to an arm's length management organisation or other social landlord, how the local authority will...

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people were killed in domestic house fires in the last year, broken down by region.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress is being made in resolving the dispute concerning funding given to the Walton Group for its regeneration of Exchange Flags, Liverpool.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the executive agencies affiliated to his Department.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the contracts which his Department has entered into with FD Services Ltd.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what information he has received from the Chief Fire Officer of Somerset on his assessment of the adequacy of fire cover in areas of the Somerton and Frome...

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) full-time and (b) full-time equivalent firefighters there were in Lancashire in each of the last five years.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether (a) professional firemen, (b) retained firefighters and (c) other publicly employed persons are insured, including the death in service provision, when...

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the housing associations; how many houses they have built and acquired over the last five years; and how many of these have been allocated to (a)...

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a summary of the responses to his consultation on reform of local government finance.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions his Department has had with the F40 group in the review of the local government education funding formula to provide a more even funding system...

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what impact changes in the local government formula grant will have on public services delivered by the East Riding of Yorkshire council.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of rural deprivation in the local government formula grant review.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what account he has taken of the extra cost of providing services in rural areas in the local government formula grant review.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what account he has taken of the extra cost of providing services in rural areas in the local government formula grant review.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what impact changes in the local government formula grant will have on public services in (a) the East Riding of Yorkshire and (b) North Lincolnshire.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what research was done by his Department into the impact of dispersal and settlement patterns on the cost of providing services in rural areas as part of the...

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to revise the Widdecombe Rules on political activity of local government officers.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to announce a further round of the Neighbourhood Management scheme.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the non-departmental public bodies affiliated to his Department.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will place a copy of the survey on the economics of park homes in the Library.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the planning appeals and their location by local planning authority that have been dismissed on the grounds of health concerns in each of the last...

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) how many public service agreements have been entered into with local authorities in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement; (2) if he will list...

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of new recruits to his Department in the past two years were aged 50 and over.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 23 October 2002, Official Report, columns 389–90W, how he defines the word stakeholder; and if he will list the categories of...

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will (a) list the total debt of each registered social landlord in England and Wales in the last financial year, (b) identify what percentage of each of...

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of rural deprivation in the local government formula grant review.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what research has been undertaken by his Department into the impact of dispersal and settlement patterns on the cost of providing services in rural areas as part...

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister with reference to paragraph 9.21 of the 'Your Region, Your Choice' White Paper, what account he has taken of the other views invited; and if he will publish the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his United States counterpart on national missile defence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by how much the strength of the (a) regular and (b) territorial armies have changed since May 1997; and by how much the number of medically unfit...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of British forces in international peacekeeping in the middle east region.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures the Ministry of Defence is taking to promote the armed forces as a career to students in schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures his Department is taking to enhance opportunities within the engineering industry to enter into partnership development roles during the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans have been made to train armed forces personnel to carry out duties as firefighters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the firefighters' strike on the training and operational effectiveness of the armed forces.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many defence personnel have been trained on equipment introduced in the last 10 years; and what scope there is for training more to help with the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what preparations he has made to ensure the safety and continuity of service to the public in the event of a firefighters' strike; and what the cost is...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of the service families taskforce.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress there has been to advance UK participation in the joint strike fighter project.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last discussed with NATO counterparts the potential enlargement of the Alliance; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last discussed with NATO counterparts the potential enlargement of the alliance; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) service personnel and (b) agency staff in the defence field are employed in Wales; and how many were employed in 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the suitability of the equipment available to the British armed forces for conflict in desert terrain.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he is taking to combat bullying in the armed forces.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's work to find alternative commercial opportunities at test and evaluation ranges.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of (a) the Army and (b) the Royal Navy in assisting with UK civil emergencies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy warships are operational.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in enhancing the role of the reserves in home defence; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many Army regiments are running at more than (a) five and (b) ten per cent. below their recommended complement of non-commissioned officers,...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long the arrangement whereby employees of BAE Systems work on secondment to his Department has been in place, and where those staff are based; how...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of the introduction by the Defence Logistics Organisation of a single IT system for recording and controlling...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what permanent arrangements have been put in place to formalise structures and procedures for consultations between EU and NATO; and if he will make a...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the European Rapid Reaction Force will be operational; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether ferry services in and out of Portsmouth harbour were suspended on 26 and 27 October due to dangerous weather conditions; who made the decision as...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to supplement the Fleet Air Arm with additional pilots from foreign and commonwealth countries in order to achieve full manning for the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the current research programmes funded by the UK Government that involve examinations of UK Gulf War veterans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when a decision will be made as to where HMS Nottingham will be repaired upon its return to the UK from Australia; what the procurement process will be...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the sea trials of HMS St. Albans to recommence; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the latest assessment is of the work needed to repair HMS St. Albans; how long this work will take; who will pay for it; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on home defence priorities and how they have changed since 11September 2001.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the findings of the search for the anti-tank missiles lost in the Bristol Channel.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints have been received from residents of Dumfries and Galloway by his Department in respect of low flying sorties by the RAF in each of...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to shorten the runway at Machrihanish airport.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes to designated military airspace will be implemented following the closure of West Freugh airfield.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low flying training sorties have been flown over Dumfries and Galloway by the RAF in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether military medical records are made available once service personnel (a) have completed their military service and (b) are deceased; and if he will...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Royal Navy's minelaying capability is; and what types of mine are in service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of compensation offered to service personnel of other states who participated in UK nuclear tests.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish the findings of the inquiry into armed forces personnel issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set up a public inquiry into the health risks of the release of zinc cadmium sulphide and radio-xenon from the atomic research establishment,...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who made the decision to allow ferry ships to enter Portsmouth harbour on the 26 and 27 October in poor weather conditions; who was consulted; and if he...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who authorised the tug boats to be used to assist after the collision of the P&O ferry Pride of Portsmouth and HMS St Albans on 27 October; who was...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in equipping RAF aircraft with secure air-to-air and air-to-ground communication systems fully interoperable with similar...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military landings and take-offs were recorded at RAF Machrihanish during each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many (a) arrests, (b) reports with a view to prosecution charges, (c) arrests (d) actual prosecutions and (e) successful prosecutions there...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF squadrons have their full complement of (a) pilots and (b) ground crews; which squadrons do not have a full complement of (i) pilots, (ii)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from the US Administration regarding NATO's plans to set up a rapid deployment force unit; and if he will make a...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his policy of refit intervals for Royal Navy warships.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research he has undertaken into the effects of submarine sonar on the behaviour and health of cetaceans; and if he will make a statement on the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to monitor the effects on cetaceans of the use of sonar in anti-submarine warfare operations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the rank of officer is who is responsible for suicide prevention at (a) Deepcut Barracks, Surrey and (b) Catterick Barracks, Yorkshire.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what plans he has to ensure the observance of the UN annual day of global ceasefire; (2) what measures he took to ensure that Britain's armed...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the activities of those UK companies and persons based in the UK which have been criticised by...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what investigations his Department had carried out into sanctions-breaking by (a) UK companies and (b) British-based persons in...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy on the Charter of Fundamental Rights is; how the Government plans to take that policy forward; and...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the activities of Das Air.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide a break down of salaries of officials of the European Commission by (a) pay grade and (b) number.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what preparations he has made to ensure the safety and continuity of service to the public in the event of a firefighters' strike.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 21 October 2002, Official Report, column 38W, on the International Criminal Court, what discussions he...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Iranian Government regarding possible military action against Iraq.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assurances he has (a) sought and (b) received that the gas used by the Russian authorities was not in violation of the 1993...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received about the Namibian Government's plans to pass emergency legislation to make it illegal for...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of the reports compiled by the secondee from Barrow International to the British...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to visit Pakistan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the standard contract letter which is drawn up between his Department and secondees...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures are taken to prevent conflicts of interest involving secondees from the private sector to British embassies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of the reports compiled by the secondee from British Nuclear Fuels following his...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been spent in recruiting staff to his Department in (a) London and (b) the south east in each year since 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will grant veterans the right to receive and wear the Soviet Polar Region Medal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is for a date for Turkey to join the EU.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the Governments of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the opening of visas offices in (a) Jallander, (b) Ahamedblad and (c) Lahore.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations his Department has received concerning the non-payment of pensions (a) by the Zimbabwe Government to...

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what (a) recent discussions she has had with and (b) representations she has received regarding the Independent Football...

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many representations she has received about the case for village halls to win an appropriate share of Lottery funds; and if she will...

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will issue guidance to direct more funds from the National Lottery receipts to support projects for youth and young people,...

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent of the New Opportunities Fund on PE and sports in schools in rural England in (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02...

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations have been made to her by the Scottish Executive on the operation of the New Opportunities Fund in Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures she will take to support the UK delegation at the Dublin Sspecial Olympics world games.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what measures his Department has taken to prevent pensions and benefits claimants with (a) learning disabilities and (b) registered sight...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps will be taken to assist people in hospitals or otherwise unable to get to banks because of illness to collect pensions from source...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason the Post Office has issued guidance but it will not advise customers on the best route for the payment of benefits after...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 24 July, Official Report, column 1570W, on incapacity reviews, what the findings were of the previous studies of...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what assessment he has made of the incidence of ageism in the workplace; and if he will make a statement; (2) what steps he is taking to...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's policy is towards ageism in the workplace.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the overall cost of (a) benefits fraud and (b) the agencies and actions taken to discover, prevent and prosecute...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much money he estimates has been saved by the government since the rules for backdating of benefits were changed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will raise the benefit rates for working age adults.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list his Department's employment agencies operating in Stoke on Trent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what preparations he has made to ensure the safety and continuity of service to the public in the event of a firefighters' strike; and what the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the change in the number of fatal injuries in the construction industry in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many inspectors, excluding trainees, are employed by the Field Operations Division of the Health and Safety Executive in (a) Scotland, (b)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many companies have been fined for failure to insure their liability to their employees in the event of injury or disease sustained in the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average level of rent paid through housing benefit to private sector tenants in Islington was in each of the past three years; and...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to introduce improvements to (a) statutory maternity pay and (b) maternity allowance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the number of people required to retire from their jobs owing to reaching a certain age; and if he will make a...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will supply the National Pensioners' Convention with a copy of the Government's National Strategy on Pensions; and if he will make a...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 24 October 2002, Official Report, column 487W, on contributions to non-state pensions, if he will estimate for each...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what plans he has to inform benefit and tax credit claimants that they will be able to receive their entitlement in cash over the counter...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer of 15 October 2002, Official Report, column 643W, on winter fuel payments, on what basis he has estimated the one-off...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time taken by his Department's Operational Intelligence Unit to respond to requests from local benefit fraud inspectors to...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list external (a) public relations/communications companies, (b) advertising and marketing companies, (c) management consultancies,...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure that Jobcentre Plus services are available throughout rural areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to increase the (a) amount and (b) quality of support for the educational, training and employment scheme employees.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list local authorities that are (a) failing to meet Government recycling targets, (b) expected to meet them and...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made (a) on the Government sustainability index on climate change and (b) towards the Government's...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of support given to farmers in other countries to enable and encourage them to care for the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (1) what assessment she has made of the accuracy of data held by the BCMS; and if she will make a statement; (2) what...

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many refrigerators are awaiting disposal in Essex; and how much it will cost to dispose of them.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve the detection of crime and to increase the numbers of criminals brought to justice.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Government's involvement with the International Organisation for Migration; and the role he expects that...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the application pack for candidates for the job of Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality; and...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those public bodies for which his Department is responsible where provision is made in the job description of the Chairman...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum were made during each of the last three years at (a) Glasgow airport, (b) Edinburgh airport, (c) Rosyth port...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what resources are available to process asylum applications at (a) Belfast port and (b) Larne port.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons claimed asylum during each of the last three years in Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what resources are available to the Immigration Service in dealing with asylum applications made on entry to Northern Ireland from Eire.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are being used in assessing the suitability of contractors for operating the proposed new centres for asylum seekers; and who...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made for a full year of the cost of the withdrawal of the work concession to asylum seekers in (a) added benefit and (b)...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) local authorities, (b) private sector contractors and (c) voluntary sector contractors are providing accommodation and support...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what geographical areas are covered in each region in the regional breakdown used by NASS; and what powers and responsibilities have been...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many private contractors providing accommodation or support for asylum seekers have been dropped since 1997 because of dissatisfaction...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will postpone the deportation of Chechens to Russia.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter to him dated 3 September from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Tabasum Raja and...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the Criminal Records Bureau delivers an effective service to its customers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the timetable through which (a) his press office, (b) his staff and (c) he were informed of proposals in the...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the projects to which his Department has allocated funding in the Kingston-upon-Hull North constituency since 1997,...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the projects to which his Department has allocated funding in the North Wales Police Authority area since May 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were detained on immigration offences during each of the last three years at Stranraer and Cairnryan ports.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of those persons detained on immigration offences at Stranraer port were (a) outbound to Northern Ireland and (b) inbound...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Immigration Service staff are based in Scotland; and how many of these are qualified to process asylum applications.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iraqis applied for hard case support in each of the past 12 months; and how many received it.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to replace the application forms for foreign nationals wishing to apply for leave to remain in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the application by Mrs. Mariana Carr for British citizenship, ref C1059748, will be dealt with.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what timber has been purchased and used in the redevelopment of 2 Marsham Street, London; and who supplied the timber.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures have been put in place to ensure that the redevelopment of 2 Marsham Street, London, will be covered by Government requirements...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken by the Government to curb the number of women illegally trafficked against their will for use in vice rings.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to tackle human trafficking into the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been arrested in the Chorley constituency in each of the last three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations his Department has made to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in respect of its preferred outcome for the police...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there are in (a) Lancashire, (b) the north-west of England and (c) Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been employed by (a) Avon and Somerset constabulary and (b) West Somerset division in each of the 10 years for...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many non-operational staff are employed by the police in (a) Lancashire, (b) the North West of England and (c) Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he gives to chief constables about the possibility of police forces being (a) prosecuted and (b) sued for the consequences of...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on policing in rural areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the population of English prisons in each of the last five years for (a) men, (b) women and (c) juveniles.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will announce the (a) location and (b) the commencement date of the proposed pilot to install radioactivity monitors at British ports.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to provide funding to local retail crime prevention initiatives in town shopping centres and secondary shopping areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the correlation between retail crime and drug abuse; (2) what assessment he has made of the correlation...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of retail crime was to (a) business, (b) local authorities and (c) the police in each of the past three years; and what...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much of the money allocated to his Department in this year's Budget will be used to tackle retail crime.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department is taking to tackle retail crime.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to make retail crime a best value indicator for police force performance.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many special constables there were in each police force in England and Wales on (a) 1st September 2002 and (b) 1 September of each...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many drivers of police cars were caught exceeding the speed limit by speed cameras in the last year when not attending to an...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the levels of street crime in Lancashire.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many incidents of violent crime there were in (a) Lancashire, (b) the north-west of England and (c) Wales in the last 12 months for...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits were issued to foreign nationals in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the re-opened facility at Yarl's Wood, Bedfordshire will be used from April 2003 for (a) the long-term detention of asylum seekers...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what decision he has made in respect of the publication of the report which has been submitted to him by Stephen Moore, in respect of the...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he will take in response to the finding of Home Office Research Study 45: Improving Public Attitudes to the Criminal Justice...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the impact on the NHS budget of the European food supplements directive and the proposed European directive on traditional herbal...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his position towards Directive 2002/67/EC (OJ L191, vol 45, 19 July 2002) on the labelling of foodstuffs containing (a)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations his Department has received concerning the effectiveness of the Cancer Care Action Group in identifying and implementing...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health through what mechanisms staff of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health, deployed to patient forums, will be accountable to those...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the Advisory Committee on Resources Allocations committee recommendations and options; if he will consult on the (a) options and...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ambulance personnel by region have been (a) shot, (b) stabbed and (c) assaulted in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent guidance he has issued to ambulance trusts on making crews and vehicles available for hire to cover private functions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many persons were suffering from arthritis in each of the last 10 years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds in (a) Greater London and (b) Essex were occupied by delayed discharge patients (i) at the latest available date and (ii) in each of the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the closure of care homes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were identified as being involved in prostitution in each of the past five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the Government intends to ensure that the safeguarding of vulnerable children takes place at a primary care level and that GPs participate to an...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he plans to take to ensure that area child protection committees receive sufficient funding to discharge their responsibilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many serious case reviews were carried out by each area child protection committee in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of accident and emergency departments do not have access to child protection registers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) for what reason the Child Protection Register contains those children who are on social services department client index as a consequence of being...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the role of child and adolescent mental health services is with regard to safeguarding vulnerable children.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to establish area child protection committees on a statutory basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what use child protection registers are put; and how he expects this to change in the next three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many area child protection committees do not have representatives from youth offending teams; and if he will set a deadline for all area child...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children in each of the last five years have left local authority care and within five years (a) committed suicide and (b) attempted suicide.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Government will publish their response to the Health Committee's Third Report of Session 2001–02 on Delayed Discharges.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has to introduce free fruit in primary schools; and what estimate he has made of how much such provision would cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths there were from complications arising from fractured bones in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of prisoners have been vaccinated against hepatitis B; and how many had been vaccinated in 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been found guilty of impersonating a specialist in (a) obstetrics and (b) gynaecology in each of the last 10 years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to end postcode prescribing of infertility treatment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to publish the conclusions of the Food Standards Agency's consultation to prohibit the herbal ingredient kava-kava in food products.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many administrators there are as a ratio of the number of clinical staff in the Leicestershire Health Trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the current salary is of the Chief Executive of the Leicestershire Health Trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were in receipt of meals-on-wheels in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects in-patient waiting lists in the Mid Essex Hospital Trust area to fall below the level that they were at on 31 March 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients are in mixed sex wards, broken down by trust.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 21 October 2002, Official Report, column 128W, if he will list the contracts signed by NHS trusts to bring teams of doctors from...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average time it took to get through to NHS Direct was over (a) the last month for which figures are available and (b) the previous six months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the number of nurses working on NHS Direct at each grade.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients have billed NHS trusts for operations carried out in the private sector; and how many of these were paid and at what cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many (a) nurse, (b) doctor and (c) consultant vacancies there were at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford at the latest available date; (2) how...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the annual cost of under-nutrition to the NHS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the underlying reasons are behind the change in the number of occupational therapy first episodes of care from 2001–02 to 2000–01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his oral statement on 23 July on older people's services, how many extra care home places will result from the plans he announced in each of...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his oral statement on 23 July concerning services for older people, for what reasons he estimates there was a reduction in the number of...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many organs are retained at Leicestershire hospitals from deceased persons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 16 October 2002, Official Report, column 870W, on parliamentary questions, how many statistical tables requested by hon....

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health will be able to provide legal advice to patient forums; and whether it will be...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to provide local premises for patient forums in England; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of staff required to be employed in patient forums to replace community health councils; what his estimate is of...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff that are currently employed by English CHCs are likely not to be employed by the new Patient Forums; and what redundancy schemes have been...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which PCTs will have distributed copies of the patient prospectus by the end of October; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Department has to evaluate the patient prospectus initiative.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by each PCT on the patient prospectus initiative.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were employed in English CHCs in each of the last three years; and what the projected number is of staff to be employed by the Patients...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects of parallel trading in the British pharmaceutical industry; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average length of time was that an individual stayed in (a) residential care and (b) nursing care in England in the last 12 months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates his Department has made of the number of people who have had to sell their homes to pay for long-term care (a) over the last 12 months and...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residential nursing home beds were available in each social service area in England (a) at the latest available date, (b) in October 2001 and (c)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the availability of the single dose mumps vaccine in the UK; (2) whether the decision to remove the licence from the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to tackle the problem of smoking in prisons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what extra funding and resources he has allocated this year to local primary care trusts which have reported high rates of TB.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he has offered to local primary care trusts who have high rates of TB to help them combat this disease.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons patients awaiting diagnostic tests such as gastrointestinal endoscopy are excluded from national cancer waiting lists published by the NHS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) in what format his Department has published the results of its 2001 written consultations; (2) how long the Department allowed for consultation on...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what arrangements will be made, and for how long, to ring fence public health laboratory budgets when the service is reorganised to the management...

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what preparations she has made to ensure the safety and continuity of service to the public in the event of a firefighters' strike.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many applications for legal aid have been refused since the new rules were introduced.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much has been spent in recruiting staff to his Department in (a) London and (b) the south east in each year since 1997.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what progress she has made on reorganisation of magistrates' courts in Wiltshire; and if she will make a statement.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many discretionary trusts there are in the UK.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what assumption his Department has made regarding the end date of the current economic cycle; and if he will make a statement.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to amend his growth forecasts in line with the recent forecast from the International Monetary Fund.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 22nd October, Official Report, column 220W, on the Penrose inquiry, what criteria have been established in respect of decisions to...

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what work is being undertaken by his Department in advance of a decision on whether to join the Eurozone; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) for what reason gross domestic product estimates for the countries and regions of the United Kingdom are two years behind United Kingdom gross...

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the periods in the last 30 years where the National Insurance Contributions regime for armed forces personnel were different to those that...

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to increase the amount per capita that is saved ahead of retirement each year in the UK economy.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a person is eligible for working families tax credit, when reapplying, if their average weekly hours worked falls below the 16 hour threshold as a...

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to simplify the claim form for working families tax credit; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the United Kingdom's foreign direct investment share of the EU was in 2001; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer of 22 October, Official Report, column 247W, on beryllium, what written assurances were given in relation to the use of...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the recent Quinquennial Review of Citizens Advice Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the trials will begin in Cornwall of the new Commercial Kiosk Service; how long the trial is due to last; which companies will be...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the (a) budget allocation and (b) staff allocation is for the Support at Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad section; and if she will make a...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what costs were incurred relating to the British pavilion at Expo 2000; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many export development counsellors recruited from the private sector were in place in (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the (a) operating costs and (b) number of visits were for the Export Market Information Centre in London is in (i) 1997–98, (ii)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what discussions she has had with the Scottish Executive on the impact of GATS on health services in Scotland; (2) what procedures she...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much of the Government funding of #35.1 million over four years in the 1998–99 publication Trade and Industry, The Government's...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made by the Information Society Technologies programme; what costs have been incurred since its start up broken down by...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the level of (a) exports to and (b) imports from Iran was in 2001–02; and what steps she is taking to expand this trade.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was spent on the Iron and Steel Employees Re-adaptation Benefits Scheme in (a) 1998–99, (b) 1999–00 and (c)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with PowerGen over the future of coal-fired power stations in England, with particular reference to...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) DTI, (b) FCO, (c) other Government Departments, (d) secondees and (e) other staff work within the Joint Export Promotion...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what (a) financial and (b) other support was provided for the Process Improvement Master Class in (i) 1998–99, (ii) 1999–00 and...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the progress she is making on putting policies in place to narrow the productivity gap relative to other...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many rural transfer advisors are in place; what plans she has to increase this number; what their objectives are; who is managing them;...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle), of 22 October 2002, Official Report, column 248W, on the Small Business...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what programmes she has to promote and disseminate information about forthcoming trade fairs and exhibitions in the UK to potential trade...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans the Government have to extend the TRIPS implementation deadlines for all developing countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many work permit holders given leave to enter the United Kingdom in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001 were employed in the IT sector; and what...

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average value of a pharmacy dispensing contract when traded between owners has been in the last two years.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in response to the declining birth rate in the United Kingdom, they will offer financial and other incentives to couples to have more children.

asked Her Majesty's Government: (a) How many places in women's refuges now exist; and (b) how many places were thought necessary by the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee in 1975.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will seek to ensure that, at the forthcoming World Trade Organisation negotiations, the opening of state services to international competition will be...

asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their view of the United States doctrine against potential aggressors as set out in The National Security Strategy of the United States of America...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they agree with Dr Henry Kissinger's view that "It cannot be in the American national interest or the world's interest to develop principles that grant...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they make a clear distinction between the pursuit of the perpetrators of acts of terrorism and the pursuit of governments who harbour terrorists or who...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will make representations to the Government of the United States to urge them, on behalf of those with British nationality, to take urgent measures...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they continue to support Crown Prince Abdullah's peace plan for the Middle East; and what they see as the principal obstacles to that plan.

asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the total number of Golden Jubilee medals now issued; and what are the main categories of persons who have received them and the number awarded in each...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Which cabinet committee or other government co-ordinating body has charge of integrating policies concerning discrimination on grounds of age.[HL Question number...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 17 July (HL Deb, cols. 1230–32), whether they have completed their investigation into the in vitro...

asked Her Majesty's Government: In what situations a young person under 16 years can consent to medical treatment: (a) without parental involvement; and (b) with parental involvement.[HL Question...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they agree with research reported earlier this year in the New England Journal of Medicine which found that babies conceived by intracytoplasmic sperm...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether it is possible for women to adopt surplus embryos.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they agree with the recommendation of a study published earlier this year in The Lancet that only one embryo should be implanted in the wombs of women...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they agree with the report of the Scottish Council on Human Bioethics in January which found that "there is no conclusive clinical evidence that the...

asked Her Majesty's Government: When they expect to publish a White Paper on medical negligence claims.

asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to approve the survival of transplanted organs.

asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress they are making on drawing up the national service framework on renal services; and whether specific funding will be available to implement it.

asked Her Majesty's Government: How they will ensure that the commitment that staff provided to primary care trust patients' forums will be accountable to local communities through the members of...

asked Her Majesty's Government: How they expect primary care trust patients' forums to act as local one-stop shops for patients, and the public to be involved in local health issues and obtain...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they agree with the discussion paper by the Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales that over 1,600 full-time equivalent staff will...

asked Her Majesty's Government: How many office premises they envisage being provided for primary care trust patients' forums.

asked Her Majesty's Government: How many full-time equivalent staff they expect the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health to provide to primary care trust patients' forums.

asked her Majesty's Government: What was the per capita expenditure per region in the United Kingdom on acute hospital services over the past 10 years.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will introduce an import ban on eggs found to contain salmonella.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will introduce testing of imported eggs for salmonella, along the same lines as the current British Lion egg testing programme.

asked Her Majesty's Government: What funding they intend to allocate in respect of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health and for patients' forums for 2002–03 and...

asked Her Majesty's Government: What sums have been allocated to the National Health Service for special purposes such as information technology in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they intend to take in response to the recent report by the Commission for Health Improvement into the Dorset Ambulance National Health Service Trust.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will publish the evaluation of the scheme to refer National Health Service patients overseas carried out by the York University Health Economics...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will state the amount of work undertaken by independent healthcare providers for the National Health Service in 2001–02 and the amount paid for...

asked Her Majesty's Government: How they will respond to the Chairman of the British Medical Association who wrote in BMA News on 19 October that "the frustration and antagonism felt by doctors...

asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish their response to the House of Commons Select Committee on Health Report of Session 2001–02 on delayed discharges.

asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the number of clandestine entrants that have been detected entering the United Kingdom concealed in a lorry on a month by month basis for the year to date.

asked her Majesty's Government: What is the total number of clandestine entrants that have been detected entering the United Kingdom concealed in a lorry for the years 2000, 2001 and the current...

asked her Majesty's Government: What proportion of the total number of clandestine entrants to the United Kingdom in the current year to date has been found to have entered concealed in a lorry;...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they consider that the Commission for Racial Equality should discharge its statutory functions independently of control by, or influence from, the Home Office.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend to change the way in which Oakington Immigration and Asylum Centre is used after 10 November; and, if so, how they will ensure the safety of...

asked Her Majesty's Government: How many pregnant women have been detained under the Asylum Acts since the start of 2002; and whether they will keep detailed records of women so detained, giving...

asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to replace the application forms for foreign nationals wishing to apply for leave to remain in the United Kingdom.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will respond urgently to the specific concerns and questions raised by Lord Morris of Manchester relating to Gulf War veterans and the ex-service...

asked Her Majesty's Government: When they expect to be able to give a response to the concerns and questions relating to the still undiagnosed illnesses of service men and women who served in the...

asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to extend the mandate of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to areas outside Kabul; and whether the ISAF can protect...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether all public footpaths, including those along coastal areas and closed during the foot and mouth crisis, are now open.

asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they are taking to control the increasing numbers of urban foxes; and Whether catching urban foxes and releasing of them into rural areas is legal; if...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the information technology section of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is to be offered for sale.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether a proposed sale of the information technology section of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will be based on bids with the highest...

asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish the consultation paper on reforming the legislative framework for providing and maintaining public spaces.

asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish the 2001-02 annual report for the Rural Payments Agency.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they consider the Government of Sudan to be a state sponsor of terrorism.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether intra-state conflict requires international law on national and territorial sovereignty to be rewritten and the United Nations Charter revised; and, if so,...

asked Her Majesty's Government: What they consider to have been the causes of the current violence in the Ivory Coast; whether these were preventable; if so, who should have attempted to prevent...

asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their most recent assessment of the humanitarian and security situation in Ivory Coast; and what support they are giving to efforts to achieve an...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will open the visa section in Islamabad in the near future.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether all visa applications to the visa section in Islamabad could be received via Federal Express courier service, as is done for the American embassy.

asked Her Majesty's Government: How many ethnic minority visa section employees of Pakistani origin are based in Islamabad.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will recruit temporary staff of Pakistani origin to work in the visa section in Islamabad, in light of the threats to white, indigenous staff members.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Since the restriction in services, how many visa applications have been (a) processed and (b) approved in Islamabad.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have had any recent discussions with the Government of Taiwan about a policy under consideration by that government to offer financial and other...

asked Her Majesty's Government: What concerns they have expressed to General Musharraf about human rights in Pakistan; and when was the last occasion these were specifically mentioned.

asked her Majesty's Government: What steps they are taking to ensure that the principle of one country-two systems is upheld in Hong Kong, as agreed before hand-over; how they monitor new...

asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the sale of the Alenia Marconi Systems radar system to the Government of Sudan and its use by that Government in pursuing their...

asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they will take on the findings and recommendations of the United Nations Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will make an announcement on the implementation of the Security Council Resolution on Women, Peace and Security passed on 31 October 2000.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they believe that the speed of broadband connections in the United Kingdom, with the majority running at less than a megabit, acts as a disincentive to...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they believe there are any lessons to be learnt for the roll-out of broadband connectivity in the United Kingdom from the fact that South Korea provided...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Following the failure of the second attempt at auctioning 28 GHz fixed wireless broadband licences to attract a single bidder, what relaxations to the licence...

asked Her Majesty's Government: How they respond to the view of Keith Todd, chairman of the Broadband Stakeholders Group, that, notwithstanding that there are more than 1 million people taking up...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the market-driven model for broadband roll-out will achieve adequate, if not complete, coverage for the whole of the United Kingdom, with particular...

asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have for the delivery of broadband connectivity throughout the public sector in the United Kingdom.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they agree with the analysis of Howard Schmidt, vice-president of President Bush's Critical Infrastructure Protection Board. that cyber crime in the shape...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the recent comments of Mr Stephen Timms, Minister for e-commerce, at the Information Assurance Advisory Council's third annual symposium, what...

asked Her Majesty's Government: Which of Her Majesty's Ministers is responsible for policy combating ageism.

asked Her Majesty's Government: Why are there laws to prevent discrimination on grounds of sex, race and religion but not of age.