Written answers

Tuesday, 17 July 2007

  • Northern Ireland

    • Royal Ulster Constabulary

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the three former senior officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC, Chris Albiston, Raymond White and Freddie Hall, who were named by...

  • Solicitor-General

    • Departments: Consultants

      To ask the Solicitor-General how much the Law Officers' Departments spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of...

    • Departments: Legislation

      To ask the Solicitor-General what legislative provisions within the responsibility of the Law Officers' Departments introduced since 1997 have not yet been brought into force.

      Public Sector: Misconduct

      To ask the Solicitor-General how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there were of public sector employees for offences relating to their official duties in the last period for which...

      Police Cautions

      To ask the Solicitor-General what monitoring the Law Officers' Departments undertake of the operation of the issuing of conditional cautions; and how many such cautions have been issued in each...

  • Scotland

    • Departments: Official Hospitality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on hospitality events in each of the last five years.

    • Departments: Official Visits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent on overnight accommodation by civil servants within his Department's areas of responsibilities in the last 12 months.

      Departments: Racial Harassment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many complaints of racial abuse relating to staff for which his Department is responsible have been (a) investigated and (b) upheld in the last 12...

      Dover House: Official Hospitality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many receptions have been held at Dover House in each of the last five years.

      Navy: Military Bases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the Naval Base Review, with particular reference to Faslane.

  • Wales

    • Departments: Official Visits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent on overnight accommodation by civil servants within his Department's areas of responsibilities in the last 12 months.

    • Pipelines: Natural Gas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on health and safety and the new Welsh gas pipeline.

  • Leader of the House

    • Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Leader of the House if she will commission research on the effect of the new postage and stationery rules on the ability of hon. and right hon. Members to communicate effectively with...

    • Members: Cycling

      To ask the Leader of the House pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2007, Official Report, column 9W, on Members: cycling, if she will take steps to enable hon. Members to register with the...

      Oral Questions

      To ask the Leader of the House when she expects the new rota for oral questions to be completed; and what provision she expects to make for (a) regional Ministers and (b) the Minister for the...

  • International Development

    • Afghanistan: Reconstruction

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many reconstruction projects have been undertaken in Helmand province over the last five years; and where these have taken place.

    • Afghanistan: Reconstruction

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many reconstruction projects undertaken in Helmand province over the last five years have been destroyed or delayed due to fighting.

      Latin America: Overseas Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when his Department expects to publish its Latin America Regional Assistance Plan 2008-11.

      Palestinians: EC Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he plans to use the Temporary International Mechanism as an acceptable method of delivering aid to the Palestinian population...

  • Defence

    • Afghanistan: Reconstruction

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reconstruction projects in the Helmand province have been (a) started and (b) completed in the last two years.

    • Armed Forces: Health

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what responsibility his Department has for the health care of service personnel ill or injured (a) due to duties and (b) due to incidents unrelated to...

      Armed Forces: Life Insurance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision he has made for personnel being deployed abroad to assist them in securing life insurance.

      Armed Forces: Nijmegen Marches

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether UK armed forces personnel will be taking part in the Nijmegen Marches in 2007; and if he will make a statement.

      Armed Forces: Recruitment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the current percentage shortfalls are for each pinch point trade in the (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) Royal Air Force.

      Armed Forces: Royal Engineers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects (a) 124 Fd Sqn RE(V) and (b) 129 Fd Sqn RE(V) to form.

      Arms Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role his Department plays in delivering the objectives of the G8 global partnership.

      Army

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers were commissioned from the ranks in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

      Defence Agencies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many people were employed within the (a) Defence Housing Executive and (b) Defence Estates in each year since 1997, broken down by...

      Defence Export Services Organisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Defence Export Services Organisation.

      Defence Export Services Organisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with HM Treasury on the future of the Defence Export Services Organisation; and if he will make a statement.

      Defence Export Services Organisation: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what funding the Defence Export Services Organisation received in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement; (2) what future...

      Departments: Early Retirement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his staff took early retirement in the last five years; at what cost; what grades of staff took early retirement; and what percentage of each...

      Departments: Flags

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidance he has given to military establishments on the flying of the Union flag on a daily basis; and if he will make a statement.

      Departments: Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many headquarters staff funded by the public purse in his Department are classified as people without posts.

      Departments: Public Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of (a) his Department's final bid to HM Treasury for resources in the 2004 spending review and (b) the final...

      Departments: Public Transport

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate his Department has made of the number of its staff using public transport to commute.

      Departments: Racial Harassment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints of racial abuse relating to staff for which his Department is responsible have been (a) investigated and (b) upheld in the last 12...

      Ex-servicemen: Hearing Impaired

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when and how ex-servicemen and women waiting for digital hearing aids due to service-related hearing loss will be informed of their priority status.

      Ex-servicemen: Hearing Impaired

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions have been sent to NHS trusts in relation to affording priority status to ex-servicemen and women needing digital hearing aids due to...

      Iraq: Peace Keeping Operations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's estimate was in March 2003 of the cost of operations in Iraq in each of the subsequent five financial years.

      Iraq: Peace Keeping Operations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK troops are deployed on operations in Iraq.

      Military Bases: Wales

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with Airbus Cimpa on the temporary use of redundant bays in the Red Dragon hangar at MOD St Athan.

      Ministry of Defence Police: Overtime

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact of the decision of the Ministry of Defence Police to cancel all non-mandatory staff overtime on (a) the...

      MV Bugaled Breizh

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 19 February 2007, Official Report, column 321W, on the MV Bugaled Breizh, whether his Department has received any...

      Navy: Drug Seizures

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what quantity of illegal drugs was seized by the Royal Navy in each of the last three years.

      Project MoDEL

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) original cost estimate was and (b) current cost estimate is of Project MoDEL.

      Transport: AWE Burghfield

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 9 July 2007, Official Report, column 1286W, on transport: AWE Burghfield, under what circumstances special nuclear materials...

      Transport: AWE Burghfield

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether local incident management plans are put in place when special nuclear materials convoys travel from AWE Burghfield; and whether local authorities...

      Reserve Forces: Deployment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reservists are deployed on overseas operations, broken down by deployment location.

      Weapons

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many recorded missing (a) weapons and (b) weapons parts reports were made to the Royal Military Police between May 2002 and May 2007.

  • Work and Pensions

    • Child Support Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the time taken by the Child Support Agency to secure a liability order; and what the key factors are in...

    • Child Support Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many requests have been made by the Child Support Agency to HM Revenue and Customs in each (a) month and (b) quarter since January 2003...

      Child Support Agency: Debt Collection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what limitations there are on the amount of Child Support Agency arrears which can be recovered by a deduction of earnings order from a...

      Child Support Agency: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what expenditure by the Child Support Agency on solicitor legal costs was in each year since 2000-01.

      Children: Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) for what reasons the Child Support Agency offices in Birkenhead and Bolton have different criteria for determining eligibility for an...

      Financial Assistance Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the average processing time for pension schemes applying to qualify for initial payments was under the financial assistance scheme...

      Financial Assistance Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the average processing time was for pension schemes applying to qualify for assistance under the financial assistance scheme in each...

      Industrial Health and Safety: Coroners

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer from the then Minister of State, Ministry of Justice, of 19 June 2007, Official Report, columns 1713-4W, on Industrial...

      Industrial Health and Safety: Publicity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent by the Health and Safety Executive on campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers of working at height in each of the last...

      Pensions: Financial assistance scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pension schemes in England and Wales are eligible for the financial assistance scheme.

      Pensions: Financial Assistance Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of pension schemes whose qualification status for the financial assistance scheme is undecided are (a) waiting...

      Social Security Benefits: Repayments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will undertake an evaluation of the 28-day hospital stay rule for young people with cancer.

  • Environment Food and Rural Affairs

    • Agriculture: Subsidies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many claimants received interest on their 2005 single farm payments for sums paid after 30 June 2006; what the total...

    • Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the level of (a) carbon dioxide emissions and (b) greenhouse gas equivalent emissions was in the UK in each year since...

      Carbon Emissions: Cattle

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research he has commissioned into reducing methane emissions from cows.

      Departments: Lighting

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department participated in the Lights out London campaign.

      Departments: Private Finance Initiative

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total cost is of all private finance initiative projects for which his Department has responsibility completed since...

      Departments: Public Transport

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what incentives he has considered to encourage staff in his Department to use public transport.

      Fisheries: Italy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will discuss with (a) the European Commission and (b) the Italian authorities the illegal use of driftnets by Italian...

      Floods

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the (a) number of deaths, (b) number of homes flooded, (c) amount of damage caused by floods...

      Floods: Lewes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the effect of the timescale for the introduction of improved flood defences in Lewes arising...

      Sewers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what capacity of excess rainfall the storm water and sewerage system of each major urban area in England can bear; and if he...

      Tree Felling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment his Department has made of levels of deforestation in England; and if he will make a statement.

  • Communities and Local Government

    • Adoption: Babies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether her Department provides financial incentives to local authorities to increase take-up of adoptions of babies under the...

    • Community Development: Business

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps her Department (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to support social enterprises.

      Community Development: Business

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of the total value of contracts which her Department holds is held with social enterprises.

      Community Relations: Holocaust

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the contribution of the Holocaust Educational Trust's 'Lessons from Auschwitz' project to (a)...

      Departments: Common Purpose

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department paid to Common Purpose in each of the last five years; for what purpose; and what the outcome of the...

      Departments: Early Retirement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of staff in her Department took early retirement in the last five years, broken down by grade; and...

      Departments: Private Finance Initiative

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the total cost is of all private finance initiative projects for which her Department has responsibility completed since...

      Flood Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the cost of upgrading drainage systems in the UK to tackle the consequences of flash flooding; and...

      Floods: Milton Keynes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she will provide a substantive answer to Question 149169, on flooding in Milton Keynes, tabled on 9 July 2007, for answer...

      Homelessness

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homeless people there were in each local authority area in England at the latest date for which figures are available.

      Housing: Leeds

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her latest estimate is of the number of new homes planned to be built in the next 10 years in the Leeds metropolitan...

      Housing: Low Incomes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions she has had with registered social landlords and housing corporations on using RSLs' spare borrowing...

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reasons the letter from the hon. Member for Luton South to her predecessor relating to Mrs. Webb of Luton, dated 17...

      Mobile Homes: Surveys

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 9 July 2007, Official Report, column 1277W, on mobile homes: surveys, how many of the eight...

      Ordnance Survey: Copyright

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was raised by the Ordnance Survey from the sale to commercial enterprises of the rights to use licensable or copyright...

      Travelling People: Eastern Region

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the reason was for the initiation of the proposed single-issue revision of the Eastern regional spatial strategy in...

  • Culture Media and Sport

    • Arts: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has held with HM Treasury on funding commitments for the arts in the comprehensive spending review 2007.

    • Cultural Heritage: Iraq

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support and funding his Department has made available to the Department of Antiquities in Iraq to counter looting of archaeological...

      Departments: Early Retirement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many and what proportion of staff took early retirement from his Department in the last five years, broken down by grade; and at...

      Departments: Publicity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the cost effectiveness of advertising commissioned by his Department in the last 12 months.

      Departments: Racial Harassment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many complaints of racial abuse relating to staff for which his Department is responsible have been (a) investigated and (b)...

      Digital Switchover Help Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what account has been taken of the continuing development of the (a) technology and (b) options available in relation to digital...

      Digital Switchover Help Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on Government support for pensioners and vulnerable groups preparing for digital switchover.

      Listed Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on which occasions Ministers have not followed the advice of English Heritage in relation to the listing of buildings in each of the...

      Olympic Games: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if he will list his Department's responsibilities with regard to the 2012 Olympics; (2) which Minister is responsible for elite...

      Playing Fields: Planning

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) when his Department plans to consult on the proposals in the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995...

      Public Buildings: Plymouth

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what date, and at what stage of the process, the (a) Secretary of State and (b) other Ministers were informed of the advice from...

      Public Buildings: Plymouth

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations were received by the Department objecting to the listing of the civic centre in Plymouth; and what advice he...

      Public Buildings: Plymouth

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what account was taken of representations objecting to the listing of the civic centre in Plymouth received by his Department.

      Public Buildings: Plymouth

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what role Ministers in his Department played in the approval of the listing of the civic centre in Plymouth; and on what date the...

      Public Buildings: Plymouth

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what extra revenue his Department will make available to Plymouth council in respect of the financial implications of the listing of...

      Public Buildings: Plymouth

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with the chief executive of English Heritage on its decision to list Plymouth civic centre; and if he...

      Radio Frequencies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the Government's policy is on the continued use of the FM and AM bands for radio broadcasts.

      Radio: Digital Broadcasting

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the impact on (a) low income households and (b) those in areas of poor digital radio reception of the...

      Tourism: Income

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total value of the tourism industry was to the UK economy in each year since 1997.

      Tourism: Marketing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the return on spending resulting from VisitBritain's marketing activity was in each year since 2003.

  • Health

    • Abortion

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2007, Official Report, column 1891W, on abortion, how many repeat abortions have occurred in (a) Guildford and...

    • Alcoholic Drinks: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children attended emergency departments as a result of excessive alcohol consumption in each of the last five years.

      Departments: Common Purpose

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department paid to Common Purpose in each of the last five years; for what purpose; and what the outcome of the expenditure was.

      Departments: Early Retirement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of his staff took early retirement in the last five years; at what cost; what grades of staff took early retirement; and what percentage of each...

      Departments: Equality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's equality impact assessment of his Department's reorganisation of corporate services, referred...

      Departments: Legislation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criminal offences have been created by primary legislation sponsored by his Department since October 2006.

      Departments: Official Visits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on overnight accommodation by civil servants within his Department's areas of responsibilities in the last 12 months.

      Drugs: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place to ensure that children younger than six years are not prescribed methylphenidate drugs.

      Health Services: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps have been taken to allocate the £1 billion funding proposed in the public health White Paper between (a) health trainers, (b)...

      Leukaemia: Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 10 July 2007, Official Report, column 1450W, on leukaemia: drugs, what the reasons were for deciding not to refer dasatnib to...

      Maternity Services: East Sussex

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding has been allocated for maternity services at the Conquest and Eastbourne district general hospitals for the period 2008-09.

      Meat Products: Additives

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has commissioned into the impact on health of E number additives found in burgers and sausages.

      NHS: Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of treating patients who are ill as a result of (a) alcohol, (b) smoking, (c) obesity and (d)...

      NHS: Foreigners

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the annual cost of treating foreign nationals who are not entitled to NHS care.

      NHS: Redundancy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) average, (b) highest and (c) lowest (i) redundancy payments to those made redundant and (ii) early retirement packages for those taking...

      Plagiocephaly

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned on plagiocephaly; and if he will make a statement.

      Psychiatry: Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2007, Official Report, column 623W, on Psychiatry: Drugs, how his Department measured the efficacy of the use of Prozac...

      Smoking: West Kent NHS and Social Care Trust

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in the West Kent primary care trust have used NHS stop smoking services to set a quit date since 2001; and how many had stopped smoking...

  • Duchy of Lancaster

    • Social Exclusion: Homelessness

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment he has made of the potential effect of social exclusion on future levels of homelessness.

    • Voluntary Sector Funding

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on trends in the level of Government funding for voluntary sector organisations.

      Third Sector Funding

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on Government policy on funding for the third sector.

      Early Years Intervention

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment he has made of the costs and benefits of intervening in the early years of a child's life to prevent social exclusion.

      Third Sector: Government Policy

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received on the role of the third sector in contributing to the delivery of Government policy.

      Young People's Services

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to assist the voluntary sector in developing its role in providing services for young people.

      Civil Servants: Pensions

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the total civil service pension liabilities are.

      Departments: Ministerial Red Boxes

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many ministerial red boxes his Department bought in each of the last five years; what the cost of each was; who the suppliers were; and what...

      Departments: Public Transport

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate the Prime Minister's Office has made of the number of its staff using public transport to commute.

      Electronic Government

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps the Government are taking to improve accessibility to Government websites; and if he will make a statement.

      Gift Aid

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what recent discussions he has had with HM Treasury Ministers on promoting the take-up of Gift Aid.

      Government Communications Network

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the future (a) role, (b) budget and (c) staffing levels of the Government communications network.

      Office of the Third Sector

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much it cost to set up the Office of the Third Sector; and what its running costs are estimated to be in 2007-08.

      Olympic Games: Greater London

      To ask the Minister for the Olympics what mechanism is in place to ensure co-ordination between her and the Government Olympic Executive.

  • Transport

    • Halifax Railway Station

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent expenditure has been incurred on improving facilities at Halifax railway station.

    • Rail Franchises

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department is taking to apply the lessons learnt from the termination of the Connex franchise to other franchises.

      First Great Western

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the performance of First Great Western in conducting the Great Western franchise.

      First Great Western

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 12 July 2007 to question 149369, on First Great Western, if she will publish her Department's monitoring results on...

      Flooding: West Yorkshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the impact of the recent floods on the transport infrastructure in West Yorkshire.

      Rail Passenger Numbers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment she has made of likely levels of overcrowding on the railways over the next three years; and if she will make a statement.

      Airport Security

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on adequacy of airport security since the recent events at Glasgow airport; and if she will make a...

      A46

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will make a statement on the future funding of highway improvements on the A46 between Newark and Widmerpool.

      Midland Mainline

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will take steps to ensure the maintenance of standards of the train service on Midland Mainline to and from Kettering during the remainder of...

      London Underground PPP

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will make a statement on the performance of the London Underground public-private partnership; and what recent assessment she has made of the...

      A1: Gateshead

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with local authorities in Tyne and Wear on the upgrading of the A1 through Gateshead and Newcastle.

      Accidents: Compensation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether provision has been made for the payment of compensation to a person injured in a road traffic accident in which the person causing the injury...

      Bus Services: Gravesham

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding is planned to be made available for bus services in Gravesham in each year for which figures are available.

      Commuters: Motorcycles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects statistics on motorcycle usage to be included in the Department for Transport's "Travel to Work" fact sheets; and if she will make a...

      East Coast Railway Line

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress she has made in ensuring that the new operator of the east coast line will provide a fast, efficient and safe service.

      Motorcycles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects her Department's travel fact sheet on motorcycling to be next updated; and if she will make a statement.

      Railway Stations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new railway stations have been opened since privatisation; and how many are being constructed in England.

      Railways: Deaths

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many accidental deaths there were on the First Great Western rail network (a) west of Swindon and Newbury and (b) on the London to Didcot...

      Railways: Security

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) installation and (b) running costs are of the vehicle access barriers at Victoria and Waterloo stations.

      Road Traffic

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will make a statement on the extension of active traffic management and hard shoulder running following the experiment on the M42.

      Road Traffic Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will list the locations in England where traffic on a primary route is reduced to single-file traffic controlled by traffic lights when crossing...

      Road Works

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans she has to ensure that local authorities have more effective control over street works by utility companies.

      Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate she has made of the cost of local road repairs identified as repaired; and whether the Government are on track to meet their...

      Speed Limits: Cameras

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were (a) killed and (b) seriously injured as a result of road traffic accidents at the location of static speed cameras in (i)...

      Transport: Costs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the percentage change in real terms of the cost of travelling by (a) private car, (b) bus and (c) train since (i)...

      Transport: Tickets

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what steps the Government are taking to ensure a common scope for multi-modal ticketing projects; (2) whether the integrated transport smartcard...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

    • Ascension Islands: Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the United Nations Human Rights Commission on the status of those living on Ascension Island.

    • Ascension Islands: Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many state pensions were paid to people living on Ascension Island in each year since 1997.

      Ascension Islands: Politics and Government

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken to promote democracy since the Ascension Island council elections in May 2007.

      Ascension Islands: Politics and Government

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the terms of reference are of the Ascension Island advisory council; and if he will make a statement.

      Ascension Islands: Politics and Government

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Ascension Island users on the future of the island; and if he will make a statement.

      Ascension Islands: Politics and Government

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans are being drawn up to hold elections to the island council on Ascension Island in 2008.

      British Overseas Territories: Departmental Responsibilities

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Ministry of Justice on the transfer of responsibility for the overseas territories from his...

      China: Animal Welfare

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Chinese authorities on the animal welfare implications of bear bile farming.

      Democratic Republic of Congo: Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the recent murder of the journalist...

      EU Reform: Treaties

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice he has received on the legal status of the mandate agreed at the June European Council; and whether the Government...

      EU Reform: Treaties

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will (a) list and (b) place in the Library all legal documents agreed at the June European Council.

      EU Reform: Treaties

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2007 to the right hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field), Official Report, columns 898-99W, on...

      European Council

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which individuals, other than the then Prime Minister, represented the United Kingdom at the heads of Government Council Meeting...

      European Council

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the presidency conclusions of the European Council of 21 and 22 June 2007 (Doc. 11177/07) were agreed by all attending...

      Iraq: Reconstruction

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on reconstruction in Iraq in each financial year since 2002-03.

      Kosovo: Frontiers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Prime Minister Ceku of Kosovo on Kosovan claims to Novi, Pazar and Bujanovac in southern Serbia.

      Kosovo: Religious Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department has on the number of mosques which have been built in Kosovo since 1991.

      Kosovo: Religious Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his Saudi counterpart on Saudi Government funding for the construction of mosques in Kosovo.

      Lord Levy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost to public funds was of the reception held to mark the departure of Lord Levy; and what contribution to the total...

      Russia: EU Economic Policy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has held with his Russian counterpart on plans to bring Russia into closer economic union with the European...

      St Helena

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the new Governor of St. Helena will be (a) named and (b) in post.

      Uganda: Politics and Government

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the well-being of Forum for Democratic Change members (a) James Musinguzi Garuga, (b) Dr....

  • Treasury

    • Commuters: Tees Valley

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the number of people who travel to work each day by (a) public transport and (b) private transport within and to the...

    • Delivery Unit

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the forward programme of work is of the Prime Minister's delivery unit.

      Employment: Lancashire

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in Ribble Valley constituency were recorded as being in full-time employment in the financial year ended March (a) 1997 and (b) 2007.

      Personal Income

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of total UK (a) income and (b) wealth was held by (i) each quintile of the income distribution, (ii) the top 10 per cent., (iii) the top 5...

      Revenue and Customs: Location

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what account is taken of economic development issues when considering proposals to move HM Revenue and Customs jobs away from objective 1 areas.

      Social Security Benefits

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of children live in households where the household income is entirely dependent on benefits.

      Stamp Duties: Bexley

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average amount of stamp duty paid on housing transactions in the London borough of Bexley was in (a) 1997-98 and (b) 2006-07.

      Sustainable Development

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will adopt the development of infrastructure in the Government's sustainable development areas as a particular cross-departmental priority issue for...

      Taxation: Domicile

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the change has been in the number of non-domicile tax claimants in the last 12 months; (2) how many investigations there have been into...

      Teenage Pregnancy: North East Region

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the rate of teenage pregnancies was in (a) the Newcastle upon Tyne city authority and (b) neighbouring local authorities in the North East region in...

      Tobacco: Counterfeit Manufacturing

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many tobacco companies employ an anti-counterfeit solution of the kind set out in the voluntary agreement with the tobacco industry as announced...

      Unemployment: Lancashire

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in Ribble Valley constituency were not in education, employment or training in the financial year ended March (a) 1997 and (b) 2007.

      Welfare Tax Credits: Lancashire

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in Ribble Valley constituency received tax credits in each of the last five years.

      Young People: Gravesham

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many 16 to 18-year-olds were not in education, employment or training in Gravesham in (a) May 1997 and (b) May 2007.

  • Home Department

    • Animal Experiments

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the minimum cage size is for a seven-year-old single rhesus macaque for use in scientific procedures for laboratory...

    • Animal Experiments: Laboratories

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many laboratories there were in England and Wales which undertook experimentation on animals in each of the last four years; (2)...

      Asylum

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2007, Official Report, column 1221W, on asylum, and the correspondence received by the hon. Member for...

      Border and Immigration Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 9 July 2007, Official Report, column 1182W, to the hon. Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory) on the Border and...

      Children: Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what safeguards are in place to prevent known paedophiles from opening a children's agency specialising in theatre, television and modelling;...

      Closed Circuit Television: Garages and Petrol Stations

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with petrol companies on use of CCTV images from petrol station forecourts to assist in the detection of vehicle...

      Departments: Early Retirement

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of her staff took early retirement in the last five years; at what cost; what grades of staff took early retirement; and what...

      Departments: Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many former employees of her Department are being paid their original salaries after their employment has ended.

      Immigration

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were granted leave to remain in the UK through the long-residence concession in each of the last 10 years.

      Imports: Primates

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she (a) has renewed and (b) intends to renew the approval of Nafovanny in Vietnam to import non-human primates to the UK.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when her Department will reply to the letters of 24 May and 5 June 2007 from the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood on behalf of...

      Pornography: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers and civilian personnel work in countering computer-based child pornography in each police force in England and Wales.

      Yarl's Wood Detention Centre

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many detainees at Yarl's Wood immigration removal centre received compensation as a result of civil claims in each of the last three...

  • Justice

    • Coroners: Armed Forces

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent progress has been made in concluding inquests for personnel killed on operational duty overseas since 2003.

    • Data Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the implications of data mashup for data protection.

      Departments: Public Transport

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what incentives he has considered to encourage staff in his Department to use public transport.

      Domestic Violence: Victim Support Schemes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what training and guidance will be provided for the courts and other organisations on section 1 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004.

      Employment Tribunals Service: Compensation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what advice has been given to the chairmen of employment tribunals on (a) the awarding of costs and (b) the calculation of costs to be awarded to the...

      Family Courts: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the introduction of fixed fees for family work on the number of family cases represented in financial...

      Judiciary: Public Appointments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions he has had with the Bar Council on increasing the number of judicial appointments from people with state educational backgrounds.

      Offenders: Deportation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress he is making on reaching deportation agreements with the top five countries with the most nationals in British prisons.

      Prisoners Release

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have been released early from prisons in each month since January 2007; and if he will make a statement.

      Prisoners Release

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners released early from HM prisons have been recalled; and if he will make a statement.

      Prisoners' Release

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the impact of the prisoner early release programme upon (a) the ability of the prison service to meet individual...

      Prisoners: Ambulance Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have been transported to hospital from (a) all prisons and (b) high security prisons in each of the last five years; and at what cost.

      Prisoners: Females

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to build local secure units for female prisoners as proposed in the Corston review.

      Prisoners: Sentencing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners are on indeterminate sentences for public protection with tariffs of (a) less than three years, (b) between three and five years,...

      Prisoners: Sentencing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to review the operation of indeterminate sentences for public protection; and if he will make a statement.

      Prisoners: Sentencing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many prisoners on indeterminate sentences for public protection have been released after serving more than their minimum tariff; and in how...

      Prisons

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his most recent projections are of the (a) uncrowded and (b) maximum capacity of prisons in each of the next five years.

      Prisons

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what provision has been made in his Department's budgets for capital works on the prison estate in 2007-08, broken down by (a) refurbishment, (b)...

      Prisons: Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the 12-step drug rehabilitation programme will continue in the prisons other than Swansea which operate the scheme.

      Prisons: Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost per head is of the replacement drug rehabilitation programme to be introduced in Swansea prison from November 2007.

      Prisons: Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners who completed or commenced the 12 step drug rehabilitation programme in Swansea prison have been charged with further drug-related...

      Prisons: Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost per prisoner is of the 12-step drug rehabilitation programme in Swansea prison.

      Prisons: Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners who commenced the 12-step drug rehabilitation programme in Swansea were released early before the end of their sentence.

      Prisons: Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have started the 12-step drug rehabilitation programme in Swansea prison since its introduction; and how many have completed the programme.

      Prisons: Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if his Department will publish the assessment of the efficacy of the 12-step drug rehabilitation scheme at Swansea prison.

      Secure Training Centres

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will place in the Library the reports of the Home Department monitors in each secure training centre.

      Secure Training Centres: Restraint Techniques

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many occasions handcuffs were used on trainees in each secure training centre in each of the last three years.

      Tribunals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice in what proportion of employment tribunal cases the chairman awarded costs to the claimant in the last period for which figures are available; and if he...

      Wellingborough Prison

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans there are to extend the capacity of HM prison Wellingborough; and if he will make a statement.

  • Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform

    • Bankruptcy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many homes were sold in creditor bankruptcy cases in each year since the implementation of the Enterprise Act 2002.

    • Bankruptcy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what information services are available to individuals to help them decide which course of action to pursue when they...

      Bankruptcy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what responsibilities the Official Receiver has to make clear to individuals the different options open to them in...

      Consumer Goods: Animal Experiments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what information is available to consumers for them to determine whether products on sale have been subject to animal...

      Departmental Responsibilities

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what his Department's responsibilities are for technology.

      Departments: Aviation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many flights to overseas destinations were taken by employees of UK Trade and Investment in the last three...

      Departments: Disciplinary Proceedings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many people in his Department have been (a) disciplined and (b) dismissed for (i) inappropriate use of the...

      Departments: Domestic Visits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what role his private office played in organising his visit to NETpark, Sedgefield, County Durham and other...

      Departments: Marketing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the cost of setting up his new Department is; and how much has been budgeted for (a) fees paid to advisors, (b)...

      Departments: Marketing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the total cost was of creating signs displaying his Department's name for ministerial offices.

      Departments: Marketing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much has been spent on external consultancy fees involved in the (a) relocation and (b) rebranding of his...

      Departments: Private Finance Initiative

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the total cost is of all the private finance initiative projects for which his Department has responsibility that...

      Departments: Publicity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the cost effectiveness of advertising commissioned by his Department, including...

      Departments: Racial Harassment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many complaints of racial abuse relating to the staff of (a) his Department and (b) its predecessor have been...

      Departments: Sick Leave

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many staff in his Department have taken (a) five or more, (b) four, (c) three and (d) two periods of sick...

      Departments: Sign Language

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the merits of providing British sign language videos on his departmental website for...

      Electronic Equipment: Recycling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what in-store facilities are being made available in Hampshire for customers to return white goods under the waste...

      Employment Tribunals Service: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the average estimated cost of an employment tribunal case is to (a) an employee, (b) an employer and (c) the state.

      Employment: Tribunals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will make it his policy to ensure that costs are generally awarded to claimants who are successful in employment...

      Energy Supply: Biofuels

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much energy installed biomass generation has contributed to UK electricity supply through the national grid in...

      Energy Supply: European Union

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent representations he has received on the liberalisation of the energy sector in the EU.

      Enterprise Act 2002: Insolvency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many (a) fast-track voluntary arrangements and (b) post-bankruptcy individual voluntary arrangements have been...

      EU Law: Recycling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether he has received representations opposing the producer compliance schemes requirement under the waste...

      Industrial Diseases: Compensation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what total amount has been paid to date to former miners in Wansdyke constituency following claims for compensation...

      Industrial Relations: Disputes Procedures

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the average time for an employment dispute to be resolved was in the last 12 months.

      Insolvency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps are taken by the Official Receiver in creditor bankruptcy cases to assess the return to creditors that...

      Insolvency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps are taken by the Official Receiver in creditor bankruptcy cases to ensure that the best return to the...

      Joint Industry Board for the Electrical Contracting Industry: Arbitration

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what proportion of cases that have gone through the joint industry board for the electrical contracting industry's...

      Joint Industry Board for the Electrical Contracting Industry: Arbitration

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment his Department has made of the joint industry board for the electrical contracting industry's dispute...

      Manpower: Renewable Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate his Department has made of levels of employment in the UK renewable energy sector in each of the last...

      Oil

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether the Government plan to review their estimate of when global oil supply will peak following the recent medium...

      Parental Leave: Low Incomes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate his Department has made of the length of (a) paternity leave and (b) maternity leave taken by people...

      Renewables Obligation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the annual cost was of the renewables obligation to the average household in 2006; and what the projected cost is...

      Renewables Obligation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what his estimate is of the increase in renewable energy generation since the implementation of the renewables...

      World War II: Medals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will make Bevin Boy badges available to the (a) widows and (b) children of those who qualified for it but have...

  • Children, Schools and Families

    • Academies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what freedoms are available to academies that are not automatically available to local authority schools; and if he will make a...

    • Academies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many academies there were in each year since 2000-01; and how many he expects there to be in each year to 2012-13.

      Academies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the cost has been of each academy built since 2000-01; and what the estimated costs are of each academy so far approved but...

      Academies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what support will be required from local authorities for academies to be approved in future by his Department; and if he will make...

      Academies: General Certificate of Secondary Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the (a) GCSE results and (b) truancy rates were for each academy in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

      Care Proceedings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the proposals contained in the public law outline on (a) the time taken to...

      Children: Obesity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children have been placed on child protection registers due to obesity concerns.

      Climate Change: Curriculum

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what resources have been provided to primary and secondary schools by his Department to ensure improved teaching of issues...

      Departments: Legislation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what legislative provisions introduced by his Department's predecessor since 1997 have not yet been brought into force.

      Departments: Public Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of the increase in education spending since May 1997 has been allocated to higher pay; and if he will make a statement.

      Education: Children in Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what measures he has put in place to improve the educational achievements of children in institutional care.

      Further Education: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many young people did not stay on in education and training after age 16 in each of the last five years; and if he will make a...

      Further Education: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of children did not remain in education after the age of 16 years in each year since 1990-91; and if...

      Literacy: Publishing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) on what basis publishers are included in the list of publishers and their programmes in the choosing a phonics programme:...

      Numeracy: Policy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what (a) numeracy and (b) literacy strategies have been announced since 1 May 1997; and if he will make a statement.

      Personal Social and Health Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent assessment he has made of the standards of sex and relationships education in schools.

      Primary Education: Autism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number of primary school age children diagnosed with autism.

      Primary Education: Children in Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of 11-year-old children in care achieved at least level 4 at key stage 2 in the latest period for which figures...

      Primary Education: Curriculum

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will list the curriculum changes in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools since 1 May 1997; and if he will make a...

      Pupils: Per Capita Costs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the funding was per (a) primary and (b) secondary school pupil in the Bath and North East Somerset council area in each...

      School Leaving

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the (a) costs and (b) benefits of raising the education leaving age to 18 years; and if he will...

      School Leaving

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number of additional pupils aged over 16 years who will be in (a) schools, (b) further...

      School Sixth Forms

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the oral answer of 10 July 2007, on school sixth forms, by which mechanism (a) funding for new sixth forms will be...

      Schools: Chelmsford

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many spare places there are for pupils in (a) West Chelmsford constituency and (b) Chelmsford local authority area in (i)...

      Schools: Chelmsford

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many spare school places in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools there are within the boundaries of the new Chelmsford...

      Schools: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what progress has been made towards the target set in the 2006 Budget to bring state school funding per pupil up to the...

      Schools: Fire Prevention

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to install sprinklers in existing and new-build primary and secondary schools.

      Schools: Further Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to increase the number of schools with post-16 provision; and if he will make a statement.

      Schools: Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many (a) teachers, (b) pupils, (c) teaching assistants and (d) support staff there were in English (i) primary schools and...

      Schools: Rural Areas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number of rural schools that are likely to close in each year to 2015.

      Schools: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the structural changes necessary in the schools system to drive up standards; and if he will make a...

      Secondary Education: Admissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of parents did not receive their first choice of school on transfer of their child from primary to secondary...

      Secondary Education: Curriculum

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what evidence the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority had that the new secondary curriculum will be effective; and if he will...

      Secondary Education: Curriculum

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will ask the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to publish the agenda and minutes of the external committee for the...

      Secondary Education: Curriculum

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families on what basis it was decided to separate concepts, processes and knowledge in the revised programmes of study for the national...

      Secondary Education: Curriculum

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will conduct a comparative analysis of the proposed secondary curriculum and the curricula of those education systems that...

      Secondary Education: Curriculum

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what revisions were made to the revised national curriculum programmes of study following the statutory consultation process.

      Secondary Education: Curriculum

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many responses to the secondary curriculum statutory consultation relating to a programme of study at key stages 3 and 4...

      Secondary Education: Curriculum

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 16 April 2007, Official Report, column 310W, on Secondary Education: Curriculum, how many responses the...

      Secondary Education: Sponsorship

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make a statement on his policy that every secondary school should have a business and university partner.

      Teachers: Autism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to promote specialist teacher training for teachers dealing with children with autism.

      Teachers: Bureaucracy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps were taken to reduce the bureaucratic burden on teachers in each year since 2000-01; and if he will make a statement.

      Teachers: Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent discussion he has had with the schoolteachers' review body on (a) holding a review into the level of teachers' pay...

      Teachers: Recruitment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what funding has been allocated to the Teach First scheme for each of the next five years.

      Teachers: Recruitment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to attract more of the best graduates into teaching; and if he will make a statement.

      Teaching Methods: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what total funding was allocated for personalised learning in each year since 2004-05, broken down by initiative; what the planned...

      Teenage Pregnancy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the teenage pregnancy rates was in each year since 1990-91; and what he expects it to be in 2007-08.

  • Innovation, Universities and Skills

    • Aimhigher Programme: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what plans his Department has to fund the Aim Higher programme beyond September 2008.

    • Apprentices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what percentage of apprenticeships are (a) work-based and (b) college-based; and if he will make a statement on the future...

      Civil Servants: Qualifications

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will make it his policy to encourage colleagues with postdoctoral titles to employ them in public as an encouragement...

      Degrees: Employment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the employment rate of students who did not complete their degree in each of the last five years.

      Departments: Compensation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what total amount of compensation claims was made against public bodies for which his Department is responsible in the last...

      Departments: Ethnic Groups

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will make a statement on his policy on support for minority groups within his Department.

      Departments: Legislation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will list the (a) national and (b) European court cases since 1997 whose judgements have required a change in policy...

      Departments: Racial Harassment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many complaints of racial abuse relating to staff for which his Department is responsible have been (a) investigated and...

      Education: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much funding each relevant education institution received for improving retention in each of the last 10 years.

      Postgraduate Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what plans he has to encourage more UK-domiciled graduates to study at postgraduate level.

      Postgraduate Education: Social Class

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many and what percentage of postgraduates were from socioeconomic classes four to seven in each of the last 10 years,...

      Research Councils: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills (1) what the projected (a) total budget and (b) administration costs of each of the research councils is for (i) 2007-08...

      Research Councils: Official Hospitality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the expenditure of each of the research councils was on hospitality and entertainment in each year since 1997.

      Students: Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the total cost was to the public purse of student maintenance support to (a) part-time undergraduate and (b) full-time...

  • Prime Minister

    • Business Council for Britain

      To ask the Prime Minister (1) what the remit is of (a) the Business Council for Britain and (b) the Chancellor's high-level group; (2) how often he expects to meet the members of the...

    • Chequers

      To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 26 October 2006, Official Report, column 2036W, to the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire (Mr. Heald), on Chequers, when he expects the...

      Chequers

      To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the financial arrangements in place in respect of the continued occupation of Chequers by his predecessor; and how long he expects that...

      Committees: National Security

      To ask the Prime Minister what (a) matters were discussed and (b) decisions were taken at the first meeting of the new National Security Committee on 12 July.

      Departments: Official Visits

      To ask the Prime Minister how much was spent on overnight accommodation by civil servants within his office's areas of responsibilities in the last 12 months.

      Departments: Racial Harassment

      To ask the Prime Minister how many complaints of racial abuse relating to staff for which he is responsible have been (a) investigated and (b) upheld in the last 12 months.

      Members: Surveillance

      To ask the Prime Minister whether it is his policy that no authorisation will be given for the interception of communications in respect of (a) hon. Members and (b) Members of the House of...

      Middle East: Special Envoy

      To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the (a) United States President, (b) Russian President, (c) UN Secretary-General and (d) presidents of the European Commission and...

      Ministerial Duties: Olympic Games

      To ask the Prime Minister what the reasons were for locating the Minister of State for the Olympics in the Cabinet Office.

      Ministers: Official Residences

      To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the official residences occupied by (a) Ministers and (b) former Ministers.

      Ministers: Pay

      To ask the Prime Minister what the total cost was of (a) ministerial salaries and (b) private offices in each Government Department in 2006-07.

      Petitions: Internet

      To ask the Prime Minister what examples of the practice known as astroturfing have been identified in respect of petitions on the No. 10 website.

      Politics and Government

      To ask the Prime Minister what (a) primary and (b) delegated legislation regulates machinery of Government changes; what changes have been made to each since enactment; what further amendments...

  • House of Lords

    • Agriculture: Live Exports

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many (a) cattle or calves; (b) sheep; and (c) other livestock species were exported live from the United Kingdom for further fattening or slaughter in 2006.

    • Airports: Sale of Liquids

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether it is permissible for liquids purchased in a duty-free location and bottled in units of more than one litre to be carried in a passenger's hand luggage...

      Army: Reserves

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the future Army structure is fully funded in respect of changes to the structure of the Territorial Army.

      Education: 16 to 19

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What safeguards will be put in place to protect 16 to 19 funding for further education colleges when channelled through local authorities, against competition from...

      Energy: Oil

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will develop plans for an oil-free economy in the United Kingdom.

      Euro

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to respond to the suggestion by French President Sarkozy that the United Kingdom join the European Union single currency.

      Flooding

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have assessed the role which the insurance industry is playing in dealing with recent flood damage and, in particular, (a) its share of the financial...

      Health: Junior Doctors

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they can provide an assurance that all graduates from United Kingdom medical schools will be guaranteed a foundation post in order to acquire full...

      House of Lords: Lifts

      asked the Chairman of Committees: Whether he has proposals to speed up the lift from the Peers Entrance (HoP 84).

      Housing: Home Information Packs

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the definition of (a) a bedroom, and (b) a study in a residential property in relation to the home information pack.

      Human Rights: Freedom of Expression

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the statement in A Guide to the Human Rights Act: A Booklet for People with Learning Difficulties that, "You should be able to say and read what you...

      Internet: Third-world Access

      asked Her Majesty's Government: When the next internet governance forum will take place; and what suggestions will be presented by United Kingdom representatives at the forum for the promotion of...

      Mercury: Aga Ovens

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the mercury thermometers on Aga ovens will be banned by the proposed European Union regulations concerning mercury.

      Mercury: Barometers

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many new barometers containing mercury are made each year in the United Kingdom; how many of them are for (a) scientific and industrial use, and (b) domestic...

      Mercury: Barometers

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 25 June (WA 79), what process was followed and what parties were involved in the dialogue with the Government prior...

      Mobile Phone Charges

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Truscott on 26 June (WA 131) (a) from what sources they sought legal advice that Article 95 of the Treaty of Rome enabled...

      Navy: Warships

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What future surface warships the United Kingdom shipbuilding industry can expect the Government to commission after the future carriers have been built.

      Older People: Health Services

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How they will ensure that vulnerable older people entering care homes continue to have access to primary and secondary health services.

      Olympic Games 2012: Greener and Cleaner

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What statutory powers the Mayor of London will have, under proposals set out in July in The Greater London Authority: The Government's Final Proposals for...

      Plastic Bags

      asked Her Majesty's Government: When they next plan to meet representatives of the United Kingdom retailing sector to discuss the elimination of plastic bags in favour of paper and textile bags...

      Prisoners: Parole

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the average and longest delays in the Parole Board's consideration of the appropriateness of the decision made by a probation officer to recall a person...

      Prisoners: Sexually Transmitted Diseases

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Ashton of Upholland on 12 June (WA 245), which stated that prisoners have been identified as a high-risk group for...

      Railways: Franchises

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What weight they give to past performance when assessing the merits of a bid for a railway franchise.

      Railways: Franchises

      asked Her Majesty's Government: In assessing franchise bids how much the environmental impact of encouraging rail travel is taken into account.

      Railways: New Construction

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many (a) route kilometres, and (b) track kilometres were added to the rail network in Great Britain for each year between 1990 and 2006; and at what cost; and...

      Schools: Pupil Referral Units

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Adonis on 10 July (WA 214), whether the reason given for not including pupil referral units in the achievement and attainment...

      Taxation: VAT

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether there are any current proposals from the European Commission to end United Kingdom VAT zero rating, including on books, newspapers, periodicals and...

      Transport: Drivers' Hours

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 10 October 2006 (WA 133) and Lord Bassam of Brighton on 26 January (WA 269), what progress is being made...

      Vaccines: Border Inspection Posts

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Why the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has issued a closure notice for the border inspection post that deals with the import of intermediary...

      Waste Management: Elected Mayors

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Who are the elected mayors in England; and whether they have direct or strategic control over litter functions under Part IV of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

      Young Offender Institutions: Rochester

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many young offenders were transferred to Rochester young offender institution within the last 12 months with two weeks or less of their sentence to serve.

What is this?

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

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

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