Written answers

Wednesday, 10 September 2003

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

    • Iraq

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the position of the Christian community in Iraq since the commencement of allied military action...

    • Iraq

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he asked his officials to ascertain the reliability and robustness of the information contained in the UNMOVIC working...

      Palestinian Refugees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held with the governments of (a) Jordan, (b) Lebanon and (c) Syria on the situation of the...

      Syria

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held with the Government of Syria regarding their involvement in Lebanon; and if he will make a statement.

  • Health

    • Immigrants (Viruses)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that immigrants are free from easily transmissible viruses, with particular reference to HIV.

    • Organic Maize

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the average levels of fumicosin and aflatoxin in UK maize grain produced organically; (2) what estimate he has made...

      Blood Cholesterol

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what progress has been made in encouraging health professionals to provide dietary and lifestyle advice on lowering blood cholesterol; (2) what...

      Chauffeur Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the annual cost to his Department is of the chauffeur service.

      Combination Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the potential for future use of combination drugs to prevent coronary diseases and heart attacks.

  • Home Department

    • Anti-Semitism

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the trend has been in anti-semitic attacks on (a) property and (b) persons over the last year in (i) England, (ii) the West Midlands and...

  • Culture Media and Sport

    • Arts Council

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with the Arts Council on the funding of sexually explicit material.

    • Tourism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what investment is planned by her Department to help the British tourist industry recover from the effects of the war in Iraq; and what...

      Tourism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures the Government is taking to encourage British subjects to spend their holidays in the UK.

      Tourism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent by her Department, and the agencies for which she is responsible, to promote tourism in (a) the UK as a whole and (b)...

      Tourism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to introduce an individual national tourism body for England.

  • Education and Skills

    • A-Levels

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many A-levels were taken in (a) French and (b) German in 2003; what percentage change these figures represent from 2002; and what...

    • Exclusions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils were excluded from (a) primary schools, (b) city technology colleges, (c) other secondary schools and (d) special schools in...

      Gcse/GNVQ

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the percentage change was between 2002 and 2003 in the number of pupils attaining A* and A grades in all GCSE subjects; and if he will...

      Gcse/GNVQ

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the equivalent GCSE grades represented by a GNVQ intermediate full award are at (a) distinction, (b) merit and (c) pass; and if he will...

      Key Stage 2

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 11 year-olds in (a) the Taunton constituency and (b) Somerset have achieved Key Stage 2 in each year since 1997 in (i)...

  • Trade and Industry

    • Solway Firth Wind Farm

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received from Allerdale district council on the proposed Solway Firth wind farm.

    • Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions (a) she and (b) senior members of her Department have had with (i) UK based non-governmental organisations, (ii) EU based...

      Electricity Generation (Biomass)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what targets have been set for electricity generation from biomass; and if she will assess the impact of such targets on industries dependent...

      Offshore Wind Power

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with the Ministry of Defence over the projected expansion of offshore wind power; and what assessments have been...

      Wood Panel Industry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will undertake further consultation with the wood panel industry on the effects of the renewable obligation subsidy on the supply of...

  • Environment Food and Rural Affairs

    • Affordable Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to increase the amount of affordable homes in rural areas; and if she will make a statement.

    • Broadband

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her department is taking to improve broadband technology in rural areas.

      GM Crops

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Government will allow immediate commercial growing of those GM crops currently being assessed under the farm...

      Hunting Bill

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to introduce financial aid to those disadvantaged by the Hunting Bill.

  • Transport

    • Aviation White Paper

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Department will publish the White Paper on the Future of Aviation.

    • BAe 146 Aircraft

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a full assessment of international (a) research and (b) investigations into the causes of cabin air quality incidents affecting BAe...

      BAe 146 Aircraft

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps have been taken to establish the cause and nature of the emergency in the BAe 146 aircraft, when fumes in the cabin necessitated evacuation...

      European Aviation Safety Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the purpose is of establishing the European Aviation Safety Agency; what powers it has in the United Kingdom; what its estimated annual cost is;...

      Rail Services (Merseyside)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps have been taken to increase the number of additional park and ride spaces serving the Merseyrail network for 2003–04.

      Rail Services (Merseyside)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are being taken to improve standards of station seating, shelter and passenger facilities for the rail services in Merseyside.

      Rail Services (Merseyside)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of fare irregularities were detected in Merseyside over the past two years.

      Ferries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met the Health and Safety Executive to discuss the risks associated with wake from ferries; and if he will make a statement.

      Ministerial Visits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the (a) foreign and (b) UK visits he has made since 1 April; what the cost was to public funds of each trip; who he met; and what gifts...

      Speed Cameras

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effects of speed cameras upon the number of (a) fatal and (b) other serious accidents.

  • Treasury

    • Aggregates Companies

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many aggregates companies there are in each region of the UK; and how many there were in 2001.

    • Child Care Vouchers

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government will take in applying the Inland Revenue's salary sacrifice scheme for the purchase of child care vouchers to ensure that low...

      Census

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Chairman of the Statistics Commission on the UK census.

      Cigarette Imports

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of cigarettes imported from EU countries in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003. [R]

      Customs and Excise

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to introduce on the spot fines for people caught bringing illegal meats and bushmeat into the UK.

      Customs and Excise

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when HM Customs plan to trial passenger luggage x-ray equipment to detect illegal meat and bushmeat at UK ports of entry.

      Customs and Excise

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many illegal meat seizures have been made by HM Customs in each month since they assumed control of enforcement at UK ports of entry; and what...

      Customs and Excise

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many dogs are used at air and sea ports of entry into the United Kingdom to detect illegal imports of food products.

      Online Tax Assessment

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government's UK on-line agenda has met HM Treasury's stated expectations in the transformation of the delivery of its services.

      Tax Credits

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons in the Chorley constituency are in receipt of (a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit; and how many claims are outstanding.

      Tax Credits

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how applications for tax credits received after the 5 July deadline will be treated; and if he will make a statement.

  • Northern Ireland

    • Northern Ireland Assembly

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had about the restoration of the devolved Assembly.

    • Regulatory Burdens

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to meet representatives of small business organisations to discuss regulatory burdens on business in Northern Ireland.

      Manufacturing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress he is making with increasing inward manufacturing investment into the Province; and if he will make a statement.

      Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the number of housing voids in Belfast.

      Dangerous Wild Animals Act

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to extend the provisions of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 to Northern Ireland.

      Common Agricultural Policy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the prospects are for agriculture in Northern Ireland following the mid-term review of the Common Agricultural Policy.

  • Prime Minister

    • Iraq

      To ask the Prime Minister what the basis was for his statement on 18 June 2003, Official Report, column 355, that extremists from Chechnya were among the foreign fighters engaging Coalition...

    • Iraq

      To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Reigate (Mr. Blunt) of 9 July 2003, Official Report, column 1156, whether the unsubstantiated reports of Chechens fighting...

  • Constitutional Affairs

    • High Court (Backlog)

      To ask the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs what the current backlog is in the High Court.

    • Norton Report

      To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will publish a response to the Norton report.

  • Defence

    • Joint Terrorist Analysis Centre

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representation the Royal Navy has in the Joint Terrorist Analysis Centre.

    • Colonel Tim Collins

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the court martial into the conduct of Colonel Tim Collins last met; when any written statement announcing the verdict was issued; what contacts...

      Consultation Documents

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the consultation documents issued by his Department in each of the last four years; what the cost was of producing each of these; how...

      Dr. David Kelly

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what inquiries he has made since the death of Dr. David Kelly concerning Dr. Kelly's record of claims for subsistence allowances or expenses; and for...

      Gulf

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which RAF units are deployed to the Gulf region; what the (a) dates and (b) duration of the last three operational tours were in each case; and if he...

      Iraq

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when front line units received grenade launchers for SA80A2 during Operation Telic.

      Iraq

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total daily expenditure on (a) regular and (b) reserve forces stationed in Iraq is; and what the total expenditure on the maintenance of British...

      Missile Defence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the agreement of 5 February to upgrade RAF Fylingdales for missile defence purposes will require amendment to the agreement relating to the...

      Procurement Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the forecast in-service date on 31 March 2002 was for the (a) Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile, (b) Extended Range Ordnance/Modular...

      Procurement Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the estimated cost was of the demonstration and manufacture phase on 31 March 2002 for the (a) Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile, (b)...

      RAF

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the rates of separated service were for the RAF, broken down by unit, for each of the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

  • House of Lords

    • House of Lords: Peers' Reimbursement Allowance Scheme

      asked the Chairman of Committees: What are the new limits for the subsistence and secretarial elements of the Peers' reimbursement allowance scheme from 1 August 2003.

    • Northern Ireland: ECJ Cases

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will consider intervening in any cases in the European Court of Justice involving Article 4 of Directive 2000/78/EC after 2 December 2000; and whether...

      Northern Ireland: Paediatric Renal Isotope Scans

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 25 June (WA 21) concerning waiting lists in Northern Ireland since 1 January, whether all possible...

      Peace II Funding

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 17 June (WA 88) concerning Peace II implementing bodies, which are the 47 bodies; on what basis they are...

      North/South Language Body

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 11 June (WA 44) concerning the North/South Language Body, whether the "Financial Memorandum" referred to...

      Cross-Border Implementation Bodies

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answers by the Lord Privy Seal on 3 June (WA 138–39) and the Lord President on 30 June (WA 52) concerning proportionality of funding...

      Ulster-Scots Agency

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 7 July (WA 6) concerning the Ulster-Scots Agency, whether they can confirm that no action was taken by the...

      Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will make available on a website and in the Library of the House the minutes of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Implementation Body.

      Cross-Border Implementation Bodies: Provision of Cars for Chief Executives

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Why it was considered necessary to provide cars for two of the chief executives of Cross-Border implementation bodies and not the other chief executives.

      Belfast Education and Library Board: DVD Language Policy

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 8 July (WA 24) concerning a DVD entitled "Rhyming Round Belfast", whether a business case was presented to...

      Lough Neagh: Water Quality

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are satisfied with the water quality in Lough Neagh; and what steps are being taken to improve it.

      Northern Ireland Civil Service: Equality Officers

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 11 June (WA 41), whether the 110 officials in the Northern Ireland Civil Service involved in promoting...

      Immigration: Identity Fraud

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they plan to introduce any measures to prevent identity or document fraud in the immigration field.

      Diplomatic Missions and International Organisations: Offences Committed by Staff

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many serious offences were allegedly committed in 2002 by persons entitled to immunity by virtue of their employment by a diplomatic mission or an...

      Diplomatic Missions and International Organisations: Offences Committed by Staff

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will publish figures recording the number of outstanding parking and other minor traffic violation fines incurred by diplomatic missions during the...

      India: Welfare of Women

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will make representations to the Indian Government to take action to enforce the laws against both the dowry system and sex-determination tests, and...

      Age Discrimination

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they consider that the victims of age discrimination in the fields of education, housing, the provision of goods, facilities and services to the public,...

      National Radiological Protection Board

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How the expertise of the National Radiological Protection Board, its independence and United Kingdom-wide remit, will be preserved under the Health Protection Agency.

      Food Supplements

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What actions they are taking to ensure that maximum permitted levels of nutrients in supplements under the Food Supplements Regulations are set on the basis of...

      Sexual Health: Government Response to Select Committee Report

      asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will publish their response to the Third Report of the House of Commons Select Committee on Health, on sexual health.

      Children: Performance Prospects and Economic Background

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of the research papers on which were based the views about the different performance prospects of poor...

      Science Teaching: Fieldwork

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are reviewing the science GCSE and A-level curricula to consider the current provision for fieldwork; and What assessment they have made of the...

      Mini Roundabouts: "Filter in Turn" Signs

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have any evidence to show that the display of "Filter in Turn" signs at mini roundabouts contributes to a reduction in road rage; and, if so, whether...

      Speed Limit Signs

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in light of the need for drivers to concentrate on the carriageway ahead rather than on its verges, they will encourage highway authorities to place...

      Heathrow Airport: Third Runway

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the health implications of constructing a third runway at Heathrow.

      Heathrow Airport: Third Runway

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How they plan to complete an assessment of how European Union limits on nitrogen dioxide will be achieved in the event that the proposal for a third runway at...

      Heathrow Airport: Third Runway

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they plan to complete an assessment on how to reduce traffic congestion around Heathrow Airport, if the proposal for a third runway is approved before the...

      Heathrow Airport: Air Quality

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How they plan to assess new studies of air quality in the Heathrow area which have emerged since the publication of the Future Development of Air Transport in the...

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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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