Written answers

Thursday, 25 October 2007

  • House of Commons Commission

  • International Development

    • Departments: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what guidance his Department follows on the maximum time taken to respond to hon. Members' correspondence; and what performance against...

    • Guatemala: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to help tackle the problem of violence against street children in Guatemala.

      Overseas Aid: Forestry

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much support the UK made available to help developing countries with forestry programmes and reafforestation projects in (a)...

  • Children, Schools and Families

    • Academies: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many academies opened (a) before and (b) after September 2005 have exceeded budgets for (i) new buildings and (ii)...

    • Academies: Governing Bodies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will take steps to increase local authority representation on the governing bodies of academies, with particular reference...

      Literacy: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of children met the Government's literacy and numeracy targets in each London borough in each of the...

      Schools: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of funding for schools is largely unrelated to school numbers; and if he will make a statement.

  • Home Department

    • 101 Calls

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make a statement on plans for the future of the 101 number.

    • Asylum: Aviation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) which airlines the Government have used for the return of failed asylum seekers to their country of origin; (2) which airlines have...

      Drugs: Misuse

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effect of reclassifying drugs on their production, supply and use.

      Foreign Workers

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 12 September 2007, Official Report, columns 2159-61W on foreign workers, if she will give a break down by...

      Human Trafficking

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many trafficked women and children have been discovered since the launch of Operation Pentameter 2; and if she will make a statement.

      Human Trafficking

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures were taken to ascertain whether the workers arrested in the Immigration Service raids on restaurant businesses in central...

      Land: Security

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers are available to the police and local authorities to compel landowners to take appropriate steps to secure land in order to...

      Metropolitan Police: Emergency Calls

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many calls were handled by the Metropolitan Police emergency call system in each month for which records are available; (2) how...

      Metropolitan Police: Eyesight

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to provide access to appropriate (a) tests and (b) laser eye surgery for members of the Metropolitan Police Service...

      Official Hospitality

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total cost was to public funds of the event held for the Immigration Minister in Essex on 16 October.

      Police

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the likely police deployment in 2008.

      Police Stations

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police stations there were in each police force area in each year since 1997; and how many (a) opened and (b) closed in each year.

      Police: Brent

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps her Department has taken to recruit more police in Brent; and if she will make a statement; (2) how many unfilled police...

      Police: Bureaucracy

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average period of time was for a police officer to process an arrest in (a) 1983, (b) 1992, (c) January 1997, (d) 1998, (e)...

      Police: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of police funding for each police authority in England and Wales was spent at (a) central and (b) divisional level in each...

      Police: Firearms

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times police armed response units were deployed in the northern division of Cambridgeshire Constabulary in each year since 1997; and...

      Police: Informers

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent by each police force on police informants in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if she will make a...

      Protest: Animal Experiments

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the impact on levels of investment in research and development of the activity of animal rights extremists in...

      Protest: Cenotaph

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward proposals to amend the law so as to allow protests against war in the vicinity of the Cenotaph.

      Scouts and Guides

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many scouts from overseas due to attend the World Scouting Jamboree in August 2007 in Hylands Park, Chelmsford, (a) disappeared...

  • Innovation, Universities and Skills

    • Departments: Publicity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what his Department's projected spending is on advertising and promotional campaigns for (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09,...

    • Graduates: Higher Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills (1) if he will commission an assessment of the benefits to (a) individual students, (b) businesses and (c) the economy...

      Laboratories: Security

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which pathogens acting on (a) human and (b) animals are considered to be viable terrorist bioweapons; and what (i) guidance...

      Students: Loans

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many loanees are making repayments to the Student Loans Company.

      Students: Loans

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many cases of delays in repayment of loans by graduates who have reached the earning threshold for repayment there have...

      Disease Control: Research

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills when Government research facilities handling animal pathogens for which his Department is responsible have had their drainage...

  • Justice

    • Coroners

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his definition is of a working day in connection with a coroner's responsibility to contact next of kin with reference to his Department's latest...

    • Courts: Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the savings to his Department consequent upon the introduction of regional pay for court staff.

      Departments: Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what percentage of employees in (a) his Department and (b) each (i) executive agency and (ii) non-departmental public body funded by his...

      Departments: Public Participation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with which companies contracts have been agreed on citizens' juries; and what value of payments has been agreed with each company.

      Legal Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 10 September 2007, Official Report, column 1994W, on Legal Aid, if his Department will assess whether Arani and Co. solicitors...

      Police Custody

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much has been spent on reserving unused police cells under Operation Safeguard since October 2006.

      Prisoners' Release

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what action is taken against prisoners who remain unlawfully at large until their scheduled release date after release on the End of Custody...

      Prisoners Transfers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department was invoiced for costs incurred relating to transferring prisoners between sites of secure accommodation in (a) each year since...

      Prisoners: Voting Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to publish his Department's response to the consultation on voting rights for convicted prisoners.

      Prisons: Film

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was spent on cinema systems in (a) prisons and (b) young offender institutions in each of the last three years.

      Prisons: Film

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance has been issued to prison governors and officers on the showing of 18 certificate films in prisons and young offenders institutions.

      Prisons: Infectious Diseases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many cases of (a) influenza, (b) Legionnaires' disease, (c) MRSA, (d) dysentery, (e) tuberculosis and (f) Clostridium difficile there were...

      Prisons: Telephones

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was spent on (a) purchasing, (b) renting and (c) installing telephone systems for inmates in prisons in England and Wales in each of the last...

      Prisons: Visits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisons in England and Wales participate in child-friendly visit schemes.

      Reoffenders

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many crimes are known to have been committed by offenders while on licence from prison in (a) 2002 and (b) 2006.

      Reoffenders

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the re-offending rate was for prisoners who had served custodial sentences in the latest period for which figures are available; and what plans are...

      Reoffenders: Eastern Region

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many high risk offenders committed further serious crimes in (a) East of England and (b) Suffolk while under the supervision of the probation and...

      Sentencing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will review the effectiveness of his sentencing policy.

  • Transport

    • A303: Stonehenge

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she plans to announce her decision on the A303(T) improvement scheme.

    • A38: Devon

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress her Department has made in ensuring that the alterations to the Deep Lane junction on the A38 in Devon will be carried out simultaneously...

      Air Pollution: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures her Department is putting in place to achieve compliance with the European Union targets for reductions in nitrogen dioxide pollution by...

      Aircraft: Air Conditioning

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment has she made of the health implications for aircraft passengers and crew of air quality in commercial aircraft; and if she will...

      Bus Services: Tickets

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she has taken to ensure that smartcard-based passes are issued and all buses have smartcard readers before the start of the English...

      Departments: ICT

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) laptops, (b) mobile telephones and (c) personal digital assistant devices bought for the use of departmental Ministers have been...

      Driving Tests: Motorcycles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorcycle tests were carried out at each of the test centres in Scotland in each of the last 10 years.

      Driving: Licensing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people held full UK driving licences in (a) Sandwell metropolitan borough council, (b) the West Midlands and (c) the UK in each year since 1997.

      London Gateway Port

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the impact of the London Gateway Port on twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) capacity demand at other English ports; and if...

      London Gateway Port: Road Traffic

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the impact of the London Gateway Port on road congestion in Essex; and if she will make a statement.

      National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the date was of each meeting held by (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department with the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport...

      River Thames: Bridges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which stakeholders have been included in the discussion on a new Lower Thames Crossing; and if she will make a statement.

      River Thames: Bridges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the impact of a new Lower Thames Crossing on (a) access to and (b) congestion in Castle Point.

      River Thames: Bridges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on commissioning a Lower Thames Crossing; and whether any locations have been ruled out.

      Roads: Accidents

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many hit-and-run accidents there were in the Peterborough constituency in each of the last five years; and how many accidents resulted in (a)...

      Rolling Stock

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average age is of rolling stock providing (a) inter-city services, (b) commuter services in London and the South East and (c) local...

      Shipping: Oil

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when she plans to bring forward secondary legislation to control ship to ship oil transfer in UK territorial waters; and if she will make a...

  • Defence

    • Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 8 October 2007, Official Report, column 62W, on Afghanistan: peacekeeping operations, what the monetary value is of all items...

    • Armed Forces

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received from Royal British Legion members on the military covenant.

      Armed Forces: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Service Families Accommodation properties were upgraded to Standard One in each financial year since 1997.

      Armed Forces: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of service families accommodation (SFA) and single living accommodation (SLA) in the UK will be at standard (a) 1 and (b) 2 after his...

      Armed Forces: Lifelong Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) level of uptake and (b) cost was of the (i) standard learning credits scheme and (ii) enhanced learning credits scheme for (A) officers...

      Armed Forces: Racial Discrimination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action the Government have taken to eradicate racism within the armed forces.

      Armed Forces: Weapons

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what weapons and ammunition for which (a) his Department and (b) the armed forces have responsibility have gone missing in the last two years.

      Armoured Fighting Vehicles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the total number of each type of armoured vehicle was cannibalised in each of the last 12 months.

      Army: Operating Costs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much it costs to run an infantry battalion (light role) for one year.

      Army: Working Hours

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many hours were worked per week on average by regular trained junior ranks in the Army in 2005-06; and whether time on annual leave was included in...

      Defence Estates: Official Hospitality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much Defence Estate North has charged in liability charges for charity events held on his Department's property since April 2005.

      Departments: Consultants

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the contracts his Department signed on a consultancy basis with a net value of more than £20,000 in 2006.

      Departments: Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what percentage of employees in (a) his Department and (b) each (i) executive agency and (ii) non-departmental public body funded by his...

      Meteorology: Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of how many meteorologists work in the UK.

      Meteorology: Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of meteorologists likely to be needed in the UK in (a) 2010, (b) 2020 and (c) 2030; and if he will make a...

      Nuclear Weapons: Testing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what categories of records of human exposure to radiation during (a) British nuclear warhead tests and (b) plutonium dispersal tests at Maralinga are...

      Royal Irish Regiment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many full-time Royal Irish home service corporals and section commanders were on short service type S engagement contracts on (a) 1 July 2000, (b)...

      Service Children's Education: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what proportion of 11-year-olds in schools operated by Service Children's Education achieved level 4 in (a) English, (b) mathematics, (c)...

      Unidentified Flying Objects

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 27 June 2007, Official Report, column 801W, on unidentified flying objects, for what reasons his Secretariat (Air...

  • Northern Ireland

    • Departments: Accountancy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what departmental budget items have been reclassified, under consolidated budgeting guidance, following Comprehensive Spending Review 2007...

    • Departments: Citizens' Juries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many citizens' juries have been arranged by his Department since June 2007; which organisations were commissioned to conduct each...

      Departments: Public Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what dates his Department breached its (a) resource, (b) near-cash, (c) administration and (d) capital budgets since 2001; what the total...

      Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what basis the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland claims lawful possession of a witness statement made to the Police Service of Northern...

  • Prime Minister

    • Armed Forces

      To ask the Prime Minister how many times he has met the (a) Chief of the Defence Staff, (b) First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, (c) Chief of the General Staff and (d) Chief of the...

    • Committee on Standards in Public Life

      To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2007, Official Report, column 958W, on the Committee on Standards in Public Life, why he did not provide reasons why Sir Alistair...

      Departmental Responsibilities: Offshore Industry

      To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2007, Official Report, column 959W, on departmental responsibilities: offshore industry, for what reasons he decided to allocate...

      Departmental Responsibilities: Offshore Industry

      To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2007, Official Report, column 959W, on departmental responsibilities: offshore industry, what representations he received on the...

      Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisers

      To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2007, Official Report, column 680W, on Departments: ministerial policy advisers, whether his adviser on political press issues has...

      Departments: Written Questions

      To ask the Prime Minister how many and what percentage of questions tabled to his Office for answer on a named day received a substantive reply on the day named in the last 12 months for which...

      EU Reform: Treaties

      To ask the Prime Minister what the evidential basis was for his statement of 22 October 2007, Official Report, columns 19-38, on the EU Inter-Governmental Conference-Lisbon, relating to the...

      General Elections: Petitions

      To ask the Prime Minister how many (a) hits and (b) signatures were received on the e-petition on holding a general election in 2007 on the Downing street website before 12 noon on 10 October...

      Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

      To ask the Prime Minister where and when he raised the concerns of Sir Mike Jackson on US policy in Iraq with his US counterpart; and if he will publish the minutes of the meeting.

      Official Hospitality: Prime Minister's Office

      To ask the Prime Minister what the (a) purpose and (b) cost was of each reception held in No. 10 Downing street since 1 August.

  • Culture Media and Sport

    • Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether each of his Department's special advisers have declared conflicts of interest.

    • Departments: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many of his Department's public service agreement targets (a) take and (b) do not take account of rural proofing.

  • Solicitor-General

    • Inside Justice Week

      To ask the Solicitor-General what role the Law Officers' Departments are taking in Inside Justice Week.

    • Street Prostitutes

      To ask the Solicitor-General what the policy is of the Crown Prosecution Service on the prosecution of street prostitutes.

      Fireworks

      To ask the Solicitor-General how many prosecutions for criminal offences relating to fireworks have been pursued in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) England by the Crown Prosecution Service in the...

      Attorney-General

      To ask the Solicitor-General what recent representations her Office has received on the future role of the Attorney-General; and if she will make a statement.

  • Duchy of Lancaster

    • Computer Software

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what estimate he has made of the (a) percentage of software by value procured using Open Source and (b) percentage of software projects...

    • Departmental Co-ordination

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library copies of any guidance issued to Departments on working with the Strategy Unit in the last 12 months.

      Departments: Accountancy

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what departmental budget items have been reclassified, under Consolidated Budgeting Guidance, following comprehensive spending review 2007...

      Departments: Consultants

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which private consultancy firms (a) his Department and (b) agencies which report to his Department engaged in each of the last three years; which...

      Departments: Cost Effectiveness

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what efficiency savings his Department was required to make as part of its spending review 2004 (SR04) targets; what efficiency projects have been...

      Departments: Internet

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many (a) unique visits there have been to the Have Your Say on the Government's Draft Legislative Programme section of the Cabinet Office...

      Departments: Manpower

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the average fully loaded cost was of a full-time equivalent member of staff of his Department in each of the last three years.

      Departments: Press

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 9 October 2007, Official Report, column 530W, on Departments: Press, how orders for newspapers and periodicals...

      Departments: Retirement

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many employees in (a) his Department and (b) each (i) executive agency and (ii) non-departmental public body funded by his Department applied...

      Departments: Secondment

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which Departments have Strategy Unit staff seconded to them; and to which teams within each Department such staff are seconded.

      Departments: Training

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much the Prime Minister's Office has spent on speech-coaching and related consultancy since 27 June 2007.

      Higher Civil Servants: Donations

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether there are rules governing donations by senior civil servants to political parties in foreign countries.

      Ministerial Policy Advisers

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether Mr. Jonathan Powell has been on the Government payroll since 27 June.

      Official Residences: Admiralty House

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the floor area is of each of the three official ministerial residences in Admiralty House.

      Social Security Benefits: Voluntary Organisations

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the role of voluntary sector organisations in the delivery of...

  • Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform

    • British Standard BS7666

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on what date British Standard BS7666, on unique identifiers for each land and property unit, was first established.

    • Departments: Internet

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many websites his Department operates; how many it operated at 1 January 2005; and what the estimated annual cost...

      Departments: Internet

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many hits the (a) most popular and (b) least popular website run by his Department has received since 1 January 2007.

      Departments: Official Hospitality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much was spent by the Department, and its predecessor on official hospitality in the last 12 months.

      Departments: Reorganisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the estimated cost of re-branding is expected to be following the formation of his Department.

      Departments: Road Traffic Offences

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many fixed penalty tickets were incurred by vehicles within the purview of his Department in the last year for...

      Departments: Secondment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many staff are seconded to his Department from outside Government; from which outside body each has been seconded;...

      Departments: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many of his Department's public service agreement targets (a) take and (b) do not take account of rural proofing.

      Departments: Trade Unions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 13 June 2007, Official Report, column 1080W, on Departments: trade unions, what other...

      Industrial Disputes: Ballots

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what plans his Department has to bring forward proposals to amend legislation or regulations on the conduct of ballots...

      Macfarlan Smith: Monopolies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether his Department has undertaken the analysis set out in paragraph 13 of the response of the Department for Trade...

      Marine Legislation: Devolution

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many meetings have taken place between his Department and its predecessor and the Scottish Executive's (a)...

      Overseas Trade: Burma

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what records his Department keeps of which UK registered companies are trading (a) with and (b) in Burma.

      Post Offices: Closures

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many (a) urban and (b) rural post offices closed in (i) the UK and (ii) Wales in each year since 1997.

      Post Offices: Portsmouth

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform at which post offices proposed for closure in Portsmouth the postmaster has applied for a severance or redundancy payment.

      Post Offices: Suffolk

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the likely effect on retail businesses which contain post offices in (a) Nacton, (b)...

      Post Offices: Suffolk

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the likely effect on retail businesses which contain post offices in (a) Bramfield,...

      Postal Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 8 October 2006, Official Report, column 356W, on postal services, which of the products and...

      Postal Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of Royal Mail's proposal to cease Sunday and bank holiday postal collections.

      Postal Services Commission

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Postcomm in fulfilling its role to protect the universal service...

      Small Businesses: Closures

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (1) how many small business closures there have been in each region in the last five years; (2) how many small...

      Trade Union Political Funds

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what advice and guidance (a) his Department and (b) the Certification Officer has provided on whether trade union...

      Trade Union Political Funds

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what guidance (a) his Department and (b) the Certification Officer has produced on whether a trade union may use...

      Trade Union Political Funds

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what guidance his (a) Department and (b) the Certification Officer has produced on whether trade union members who...

      Trade Union Political Funds

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what guidance (a) his Department and (b) the Certification Officer has produced on whether application forms to join...

      Trade: Barbados

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the value was of (a) imports and (b) exports of (i) goods and (ii) services between Barbados and the United...

      Trade: Bermuda

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the value was of (a) imports and (b) exports of (i) goods and (ii) services between Bermuda and the United...

      Union Modernisation Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether any payments have been withheld by his Department from projects awarded funding under round one of the Union...

      Union Modernisation Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform for how many projects awarded funding under round one of the Union Modernisation Fund an independent accountant's...

      Union Modernisation Fund: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the value of payments made by the Union Modernisation Fund was in each year for which figures are available.

  • Communities and Local Government

    • Council Tax Benefits: Hampshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what council tax benefits were paid in each local authority in Hampshire in each year since 2000-01; what estimate she has made...

    • Council Tax: Parish Councils

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much parish precepts on council tax are estimated to raise across England in 2007-08.

      Council Tax: Valuation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research, including opinion research and polling, her Department has (a) undertaken in-house and (b) commissioned from...

      Departments: Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many invitations to tender her Department and its predecessor have issued since 2002; and for what purpose in each case.

      Departments: Disadvantaged People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will give examples of the use her Department has made of the Compact Codes of Good Practice on Community Groups and on...

      Departments: Discrimination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many claims have been made against (a) her Department and (b) its agencies under the Sex Discrimination Act since 2002;...

      Departments: Official Hospitality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department spent in total on travel, subsistence and hospitality in the last year for which audited figures are...

      Departments: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many of her Department's public service agreement targets (a) take and (b) do not take account of rural proofing.

      Elections: Bedfordshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) whether district, town and parish council elections will be held in South Bedfordshire District in May 2008 following the...

      Emergencies: Planning

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consideration has been given to potential (a) enhancement of multi-agency response resilience and (b) financial...

      Ethnic Groups: Equal Opportunities

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when her Department plans to produce the proposed race equality duty toolkit.

      European Regional Development Fund: Fines

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what risk and contingent liabilities her Department has allowed for in relation to potential fines from the European Commission...

      Fire Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what delays have occurred in meeting (a) milestones and (b) targets in relation to the Firelink contract.

      Fire Services: Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what account was taken of her Department's policy of encouraging small and medium-sized enterprises to participate in public...

      Fire Services: Firebuy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what process was followed by Firebuy Limited in setting the technical specifications for procurement on behalf of the Fire and...

      Fire Services: Firebuy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much Firebuy Limited has spent on determining the (a) items and (b) item specifications of procurement on behalf of the...

      Fire Services: Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of the Stage 3 Review of the Integrated Clothing Project by 4ps (Public and Private...

      Floods: Council Tax

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on council tax bills of the recent flooding in the worst...

      Floods: Grants

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether councils receiving 100 per cent. Bellwin contributions following the recent flooding will have to pay for the Bellwin...

      Gardens: Heating

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make an assessment of the merits of powers for local authorities (a) to regulate and (b) to ban the use of...

      Homelessness: Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how much homelessness grant was paid to each London local authority in each of the last five years; (2) how much...

      Housing Market: Regeneration

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research has been commissioned by (a) Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders and (b) her Department into property speculation...

      Housing: Grants

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much housing renewal grant funding was allocated to the demolition of properties in each Pathfinder area in each year since...

      Housing: Peterborough

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make a statement on the impact of immigration on (a) new house building and (b) previously occupied housing, with...

      Housing: Voluntary Organisations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance she is giving to local authorities on the implications of the Government's policy of promoting the role of the...

      Lee Valley Regional Park Authority: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what the precept was on Band D council tax bills set by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority in each year since 1997-98;...

      Lee Valley Regional Park Authority: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she plans to amend the Levying Bodies (General) Regulations 1992 in relation to the precept set by the Lee Valley...

      Local Authorities: Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether each local authority pension fund in the East of England is in surplus or in deficit; and by how much in each case.

      Local Government Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 3 September 2007, Official Report, column 1683W to the hon. Member for Beckenham, on local government...

      Local Government Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the (a) total budget and (b) estimated administration costs are of each Government Office for the Region in England in...

      Local Government Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate her Department and its taskforces have made of the (a) direct and (b) indirect costs of local government...

      Parish Councils: Audit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations her Department received from the Audit Commission to reform sections 15 and 16 of the Audit Commission Act...

      Parliament Square

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will take steps to ensure the use of land in Parliament Square as a campsite complies with the provisions of the Public...

      Regional Development Agencies: Planning

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the date is for the transfer of regional planning responsibilities from the regional chambers to the regional development...

      Renewable Energy: Valuation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the presence of ground source heat pumps would be taken into account in the valuation of a property for business rate...

      Sand: Lancashire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what sand reserves there are in Lancashire.

      Sand: Lancashire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidelines are issued to Lancashire County Council on the amount of sand it is expected to produce each year.

      Training: Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what total public expenditure was on the (a) Pathways to Work and (b) Train to Gain programmes in 2006-07.

  • Environment Food and Rural Affairs

    • Packaging

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent submissions he has received on the contribution of packaging to domestic waste levels.

    • Flood Sirens: Norfolk

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the future provision of flood sirens in Norfolk.

      Dairy Farming

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on profitability in the dairy farming sector.

      Single Farm Payment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the administration of the single farm payment.

      Foot and Mouth

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many lorries were used to transport foot and mouth disease infected carcases to the incinerator during the most recent...

      International Whaling Commission

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage countries which support conservation to join the International Whaling Commission; and...

      High Energy Light Bulbs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to phase out the use and availability of high energy light bulbs.

      Flood Risk

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the insurance industry on flood risk.

      EU Set-aside Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effects of terminating the EU scheme for set aside.

      Climate Change Bill

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of the Climate Change Bill.

      Flooding: Civil Installations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the protection of key civil installations from flooding.

      Agriculture: Subsidies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on discussions he has had with (a) IT consultants, (b) stakeholders and (c) the Rural...

      Agriculture: Subsidies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what his most recent estimate is of the amount of financial disallowance the European Commission will impose on the...

      Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research his Department is funding into personal carbon allowances.

      Dangerous Dogs Act 1991

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government have taken to enforce the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

      Dredging

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) whether assessments of dredging applications take into account possible risks to neighbouring sites, such as estuaries;...

      Fisheries: Quotas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the value was of each fisheries quota swap to each party involved in each year since 1997.

      Fisheries: Quotas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his estimate is of the value of the fish swapped in the cross year quota swap of 40 tonnes Area VII angler fish in 2007...

      Fisheries: Quotas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what cross-year fisheries quota swaps have taken place in 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

      Foot and Mouth Disease: Compensation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the statement of 8 October, Official Report, column 40, on foot and mouth/bluetongue, from what budget the...

      Foot and Mouth Disease: Compensation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) from which of his Department's budget headings the funding for the package of support measures for English farmers...

      Institute for Animal Health: Waste Disposal

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 9 October 2007, Official Report, column 450W, on the Institute for Animal Health: waste disposal,...

      Laboratories: Licensing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) which laboratories have been licensed by his Department under the Specified Animal Pathogens Order 1998 with conditions...

      Pirbright Laboratory

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he received on biosecurity from (a) the Institute for Animal Health, (b) Merial, (c) the...

      Pirbright Laboratory: Sewers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what risk assessments have been carried out at the Pirbright laboratory facility on the drainage system; and if he will make...

      Seas and Oceans: Legislation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he plans to publish the Marine Bill; and if he will make a statement.

      Wetlands: Conservation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on Government policy on the protection of marshes, wetlands and mud and salt flats in and around...

  • Work and Pensions

    • Basic Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 12 September, Official Report, column 2101W, on basic pensions, if he will estimate how many women aged (a) 60,...

    • Child Support Agency Annual Report 2006-07

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the reasons are for the time taken to produce the Child Support Agency's Annual Report for 2007; and if he will make a statement;...

      Child Support Agency: ICT

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the progress of Child Support Agency IT upgrade initiatives.

      Departments: Policy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what policy changes his Department has implemented since 27 June 2007.

      Employment: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the (a) average cost of getting a person back into work in each year since 1997 and (b) the average savings to...

      European Social Charter

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the UK's (a) compliance with and (b) reporting to the European Committee of Social Rights on the European...

      Financial Assistance Scheme: Compensation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Financial Assistance Scheme has paid out in compensation to qualifying members.

      Fuel Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to tackle long-term fuel poverty.

      Industrial Health and Safety: Formaldehyde

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Government has undertaken an impact assessment on the recommendations of the European Commission's Scientific Committee on...

      Jobcentre Plus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2007, Official Report, columns 2368-9W, on Jobcentre Plus, whether an investigation was conducted on the...

      National Insurance: Lancashire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many national insurance numbers were issued to non-UK citizens resident in Ribble Valley in each of the last five years.

      New Deal for Young People: Berkshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of participants in the new deal for young people in (a) Reading, (b) Wokingham and (c) Berkshire were repeat participants in...

      New Deal for Young People: Berkshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of participants in the new deal for young people in (a) Reading, (b) Wokingham and (c) Berkshire returned to receiving...

      New Deal for Young People: Forest of Dean

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of participants in the New Deal for Young People in the Forest of Dean district were repeat participants in the last year for...

      New Deal for Young People: Jobseekers Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of participants in the new deal for young people in (a) Pembrokeshire, (b) Wales and (c) the UK returned to receive...

      New Deal for Young People: Milton Keynes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of participants in the New Deal for Young People in Milton Keynes unitary authority were repeat participants in the last year...

      Occupational Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the proportion of the working age population that belonged to an employer-sponsored defined benefit pension scheme...

      Pension Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people stopped claiming pension credit in each of the last three years, broken down by reason for non-continuance; (2) how many...

      Pension Service: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many letters sent by the Pensions Service were misdirected in each of the last 10 years.

      Pension Service: Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many members of the Pensions Service Board are entitled to a final salary pension.

      Pension Service: Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Pensions Service spent on its own pension scheme in each of the last five years.

      Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 16 May 2007, Official Report, column 769W, on pensions, how many of the estimated number of people with pension...

      Pensions: Complaints

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints about handling of claims for the state pension the Pensions Service received in each of the last five years.

      Pensions: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many large databases there are at the National Pensions Centre; what each one is used for; and what data are held in each one.

      Pensions: Personal Savings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who are saving insufficient funds for retirement.

      Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the statistical measurement of living in poverty is in the UK.

      Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what special training is received by doctors contracted by his Department to carry out personal capability assessments in severe and enduring...

      Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many personal capability assessments were carried out by Atos Healthcare for his Department in the last year for which figures are...

      Social Security Benefits: Unemployment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people had their benefits reduced as a consequence of not taking a reasonable job offer in each of the last 10 years.

      State Retirement Pensions: Overseas Residence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many International Pension Centre clients (a) live permanently abroad and (b) require documents to be translated into a language other...

      Unemployed: Elderly

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many men aged between 60 and 65 years are required to sign on at job centres but are not receiving any benefits.

      Winter Fuel Payments: Hemsworth

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Hemsworth constituency claimed the winter fuel allowance in each year since its introduction.

  • Health

    • Acute Beds

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated in each acute hospital in England in each year since 1997.

    • Airedale NHS Trust: Cancer

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the proposed changes to oncology provision at Airedale NHS Trust; and if he will make a statement.

      Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many individuals aged 11 to 18 years resident in the Peterborough constituency were treated for alcohol-related health problems in each year since 1997.

      Ambulance Services: Obesity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ambulance services have replaced their fleet of ambulances in order to deal with obese people.

      Baby Care Units: Nurses

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were in training for qualifications in neonatal specialty in each year from 2002 to 2006; and if he will make a statement.

      Benzodiazepines: Misuse

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people who misuse benzodiazepines presented themselves for treatment to the statutory drug treatment services in each year since 2000.

      Benzodiazepines: Misuse

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision is made by the statutory drug treatment services for the treatment of clients whose primary problem is misuse of benzodiazepines.

      Chlamydia: Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals Trust

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many diagnoses of chlamydia there were in the Peterborough and Stamford hospitals trust area in each year since 1997.

      Chlamydia: Screening

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what his most recent estimate is of the number of community pharmacies which offer chlamydia screening; (2) if he will make a statement on the...

      Dental Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of dental practices in England he estimates offer NHS dental services to at least two-thirds of their patients.

      Dental Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 17 September 2007, Official Report, column 2205W, on dental services (1) whether his Department reviews the local needs...

      Dental Services: Eastern Region

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of dentists in each county in the East of England are taking on new NHS patients.

      Dental Services: Eastern Region

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of dentists in each county in the East of England undertake NHS work.

      Departments: Alcoholic Drinks

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many bottles of champagne his Department has purchased in the last 12 months.

      Departments: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department follows on the maximum time taken to respond to hon. Members' correspondence; and what performance against that target was in...

      Departments: Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were employed by his Department on 1 January in each of the last five years; and how many of these staff were (a) permanent employees,...

      Departments: Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of employees in (a) his Department and (b) each (i) executive agency and (ii) non-departmental public body funded by his...

      Departments: Official Hospitality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by his Department on official hospitality in the last 12 months.

      Departments: Official Visits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions he has visited each region in an official capacity in the last 12 months.

      Departments: Policy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what policy changes his Department has implemented since 27 June 2007.

      Dietary Supplements: EU Law

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the outcome was of (a) the meeting between the Food Standards Agency and the European Commission on 12 September 2007 to discuss the...

      Drugs: Leeds

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many registered drug addicts there were in the (a) Leeds West constituency and (b) the City of Leeds in each year since 1997; and if he will make a...

      Family Practitioner Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the basis was for the statement in his Department's White Paper Our Health, Our Care, Our Say, Cm 6737, published on 30 January 2006, that dual...

      General Practitioners

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts form the 25 per cent. of trusts with the poorest GP provision; and what measures are used to calculate such provision.

      Health Professions: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health who the 72 doctors, nurses and health professionals are who have agreed to become clinical champions in strategic health authorities as part of the NHS...

      Health Services: Luton

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what impact the conclusions of the recent review by Lord Darzi are expected to have on health inequalities in Luton South.

      Health Services: Pharmacy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration was given to the merits of appointing a pharmacist to Lord Darzi's advisory board on future strategy on primary and community care.

      Health Services: Pilot Projects

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department expects completion of the long term condition whole system demonstrator project action plans for (a) Newham, (b) Kent and (c)...

      Healthcare: Acquired Infections

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 3 May 2007, Official Report, column 1843W, on healthcare: acquired infections, when his Department expects the project to...

      Hospitals: Cleaning Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what central monitoring process will be used by his Department to monitor the deep cleaning of all hospitals over the next year; (2) what...

      Hospitals: Cleaning Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the first programme of hospital deep cleaning will commence; when he expects it to be completed; when the programme will be evaluated in order for...

      Hospitals: Disease Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the level at which fines for poor control of hospital infection, as announced in his Department's NHS Next Stage Review:...

      Human Tissue and Embryos Bill (Draft)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on the draft Human Tissue and Embryos Bill.

      Infant Foods: EU Action

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what process the Government followed in deciding its policy and interpretation of Commission Directive 2006/14/EC on Infant Formula and Follow-on-Formula;...

      Influenza: Vaccination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many and what percentage of (a) registered carers and (b) people with diabetes in the Stockport Primary Care Trust area received an influenza...

      Influenza: Vaccination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 17 October 2007, Official Report, columns 1171-2W, on influenza: vaccinations, when he expects all 15 million doses of the...

      Junior Doctors: Working Hours

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of junior doctors worked a maximum of 48-hours a week in the latest period for which figures are available.

      Junior Doctors: Working Hours

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether time spent asleep by a junior doctor on call counts against the 48 hour working time directive; and if he will make a statement.

      Life Expectancy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the life expectancy at (a) birth, (b) 18, (c) 40 and (d) 60 years is for (i) men and (ii) women in each local authority area.

      Macular Degeneration: Rheopheresis

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of rheopheresis in treating dry age-related macular degeneration.

      Mesothelioma: Merseyside

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in Merseyside have been diagnosed with mesothelioma in each of the last five years, broken down by hospital trust.

      Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus: Eastern Region

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of MRSA were reported in each hospital in the Eastern Region in each of the last five years.

      Neurology: Out of Area Treatment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many persons resident in Wales were treated as (a) in-patients and (b) out-patients at the Walton Centre, Fazakerley, Liverpool in each of the last...

      NHS Direct

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) on what issue the most complaints were received by NHS Direct in each of the last 12 months; (2) how many complaints were received by NHS Direct in...

      NHS Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of individuals who were in receipt of controlled drugs through prescription in each of the last five years; and if...

      NHS Trusts: Ministerial Powers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has made (a) an intervention order under section 66 of the NHS Act 2006 and (b) an order declaring an NHS body to be in default under section...

      NHS: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the presentation entitled Financial Regime, given at the Financial Management and Reporting Steering Group meeting on 23 March 2007, which...

      NHS: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the presentation entitled Financial Regime given at the Financial Management and Reporting Steering Group meeting on 23 March, whether the...

      NHS: Higher Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what means he monitors NHS contracts with higher education institutions for initial training and professional development services for NHS personnel...

      NHS: Higher Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions his Department has held with representatives of higher education institutions on workforce planning involving initial professional...

      NHS: Information Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what checks his Department and NHS trusts carry out on literature displayed in general practice waiting rooms and hospital out-patient departments to make...

      NHS: Milton Keynes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what spare capacity, expressed in patient numbers, is available for (a) under 18, (b) over 18 fee-paying and (c) over 18 charge-exempt people to...

      NHS: Reorganisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the consultees to the interim report from the Our NHS Our Future exercise.

      NHS: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to reassign points in the clinical domain of the quality and outcomes framework to the access domain.

      Ophthalmic Services: Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost of ophthalmic services in each of the regions was in each of the last three years.

      Patient Safety Direct

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to establish Patient Safety Direct, as announced in his Department's publication, Our NHS, Our Future, NHS Next Stage Review: Interim...

      Patients: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the evidential basis is for the statement on page 15 of his Department's NHS Next Stage Review: Interim Report, published on 4 October 2007, that 56...

      Research for Innovation, Speculation and Creativity Funding Committee: Public Appointments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health who the members were of the Research for Innovation, Speculation and Creativity Funding Committee on 13 September.

      Resteosis

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of resteosis there were between (a) 1990 and 2000 and (b) 2000 and 2006.

      Strategic Health Authorities: Reorganisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to restructure the regional boundaries of the strategic health authorities.

      Streptococcus: Pregnant Women

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 19 October 2007, Official Report, column 1400W, on Streptococcus: pregnant women, if he will take steps to bring the assessment...

      Suffolk Primary Care Trust: Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by Suffolk Primary Care Trust on salaries and wages for (a) general and senior managers, (b) nurses and midwives and (c)...

      Varicose Veins: Medical Treatments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts fund endovenous laser treatment.

      West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust: Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by (a) West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust and (b) Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust on salaries and wages for (i) general and senior managers,...

  • Treasury

    • Cannabis: South West Region

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) yachts and (b) other boats containing cannabis were seized in the South West in each year since 2001.

    • Children

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the gender ratio was for children born in England and Wales in each income decile in the last year for which data are available.

      Clostridium: Death

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) people and (b) people under the age of (i) one and (ii) five died from (A) clostridium difficile and (B) MRSA infection in each year from...

      Customs Officers: South West Region

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many customs officers (a) there were and (b) were withdrawn in the South West in each of the last five years.

      Death: Firearms

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people died from gunshot wounds in the UK in each of the last 10 years.

      Death: Weather

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many winter excess deaths there were in (a) England and (b) the UK in each year since 1996-97.

      Departments: Alcoholic Drinks

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many bottles of champagne his Department purchased in the last 12 months.

      Departments: Overtime

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was paid to staff in overtime in his Department in each of the last 12 months.

      Divorce

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many divorces occurred in families with (a) one relevant male child and (b) one relevant female child in the last year for which data are available.

      Drugs: South West Region

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many customs officers there were covering Devon and Cornwall in each of the last five years; and how many kilos of (a) heroin, (b) cocaine, (c)...

      Duty Free Allowances: Tobacco

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what guidance he has issued on the levels of personal import allowances for (a) tobacco and (b) alcohol in relation to EU member states acceding (i)...

      Employment: Sandwell

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in (a) Warley constituency and (b) Sandwell metropolitan borough council area were (i) employed (A) full-time and (B) part-time and (ii)...

      Financial Services: National Income

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of UK gross domestic product came from (a) UK financial services and (b) institutions in the City of London/Square Mile in the latest...

      Income Tax

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much would be raised in a year by an additional 1 penny on the income tax rate.

      Infant Mortality

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the rate of infant mortality was in (a) the five most deprived areas in England and (b) England in each year since 1979.

      Local Strategic Partnerships: Finance

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what funding will be allocated to local strategic partnerships for the financial year 2008-09.

      National Insurance Fund

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was in the national insurance fund in each month in each of the last 10 years.

      Productivity

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the average percentage change in the productivity of (a) the financial services sector and (b) the economy as a...

      Revenue and Customs: Theft

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many laptops have been stolen from HM Revenue and Customs in the last 12 months; (2) what disciplinary action has been taken further to the theft...

      Unemployment: Glasgow

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many unemployed (a) male and (b) female young people live in Glasgow, East constituency; and what percentage each figure represents; (2) how...

      Unemployment: Young People

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many under 25 year olds were not in employment, education or training in (a) England, (b) Northamptonshire and (c) Kettering in each of the last five...

      Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there is a value at which a tax credit overpayment would be considered unreasonable in a situation in which there was no official error and the...

      Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the largest tax credit overpayment waived was in the financial year (a) 2006-07, (b) 2005-06, (c) 2004-05 and (d) 2003-04; (2) how many tax...

      Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions one unit of HM Revenue and Customs has indicated an intention to take court action, a claimant who had already reached a repayment...

      Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions tax credit claimants who had submitted documentary evidence of their wage have had their income registered as nil by HM Revenue and...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

    • Afghanistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether a programme similar to that for Iraqi staff will be established to recognise local Afghan staff working for the British...

    • Arctic

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with countries with a territorial interest in the Arctic on potential claims; and if he will...

      British Overseas Territories

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the areas where the UK has plans to stake territorial claims; and if he will make a statement.

      Burma: Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the impact of the increase in poppy cultivation in Burma on peace and security in the region;...

      Burma: Economic Policy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations his Department has made to the governments of (a) China, (b) Russia, (c) India and (d) France on...

      Burma: Overseas Trade

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what trade exists between the UK and Burma; what the value is of such trade; and if he will make a statement.

      Burma: Politics and Government

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of his meetings with the Indian Minister for External Affairs on 3 October and the...

      Defence: Exports

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations the Government have received from UK ambassadors and high commissioners since 25 July on arrangements...

      Democratic Republic of Congo: Security

      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 (DRC) to guarantee the security of the...

      Departments: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance his Department follows on the maximum time taken to respond to hon. Members' correspondence; and what performance...

      Departments: Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what percentage of employees in (a) his Department and (b) each (i) executive agency and (ii) non-departmental...

      Departments: Public Participation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many citizens' juries were arranged for (a) his Department and (b) his Department's agencies in each year since 1997;...

      EU External Relations: Commonwealth

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to improve EU-Commonwealth relations; and if he will make a statement.

      EU Reform: Treaties

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the most significant five differences are between the Constitutional Treaty under consideration in 2005 and the Reform...

      EU Reform: Treaties

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information has been available to him to enable him to assess popular support for a referendum on the proposed European Treaty.

      European Union: Publicity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent action the Government has taken to inform the public about the European Union and the UK's membership of it.

      HMS Sussex

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's objectives are in the negotiations with Spain on the location and subsequent excavation of the sunken...

      HMS Sussex

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that the gold onboard the sunken warship, the Sussex, is not claimed by the Spanish government.

      Iraq: Casualties

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Prime Minister's response to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Jeremy Corbyn) following his Oral Statement...

      Iraq: Christianity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the welfare of Christians in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

      Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs where and when he raised the concerns of Sir Mike Jackson on US policy in Iraq with his US counterpart; and if he will publish...

      Iraq: Reconstruction

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what initiatives are being pursued by (a) his Department and (b) the British embassy in Baghdad to encourage investment...

      Iraq: Resettlement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what definition he uses of locally employed staff; and if he will make a statement.

      Islam

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has received representations from governments abroad on the publication of material in the UK critical of...

      Occupied Territories

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what assessment has been made of the likely impact of Israel's declaration that Gaza is a hostile entity on the...

      Sudan: Peace Negotiations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the withdrawal of the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement from the Unity...

      Sudan: Politics and Government

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to mediate with the different parties in Sudan's Government of National Unity (GNU); what reports he has...

      Ukraine: Work Permits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether people entering the UK from the Ukraine for the purposes of the performing arts are required to pay the revised charge...

      UN General Assembly: Nuclear Disarmament

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at what level his Department is represented at the ongoing 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly; what proposals...

      UN General Assembly: Nuclear Disarmament

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UK will make a statement at the United Nations General Assembly on (a) the operating status of nuclear weapons,...

      Western Sahara

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Government policy on the Western Sahara.

  • House of Lords

    • Airports: Heathrow

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations they have received on the proposal that the Border and Immigration Agency's operations at Heathrow airport be subjected to the same...

    • Airports: Heathrow

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations they have received on subjecting the airport security regime of the Department for Transport to the same performance targets as the rest of...

      Airports: Security

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Which English airports have taken steps to improve and speed-up the security measures for overseas travellers arriving in this country.

      Animal Welfare: Squirrels and Toads

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Which areas of England and Wales have sites devoted to the preservation of the red squirrel; and which sites are devoted to the preservation of the natterjack toad.

      Banking

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the guarantee of bank or building society deposits includes all loans, including bonds.

      Defence Export Sales Organisation

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What advantage they anticipate from changing ministerial responsibility for part of the work of the Defence Export Sales Organisation.

      Fishing: Navy Protection

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether Royal Navy ships undertake fisheries protection duties in the territorial waters of (a) France; (b) the Republic of Ireland; or (c) the Netherlands; and...

      House of Lords: Smoking

      asked the Chairman of Committees: What action he is taking to ensure that the no smoking regulations applicable to the House of Lords terrace are enforced.

      Identity Cards

      asked Her Majesty's Government: When they expect to publish the third report on the costs of the identity card scheme under Section 37 of the Identity Cards Act 2006.

      Immigration: Overstayers

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many proposals for regularising the immigration status of long-term over-stayers, who have no criminal convictions, have been received by the Home Office and...

      Immigration: Returns and Resettlement

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will publish the International Organisation for Migration rules governing both refugees and failed asylum applicants who wish (a) to return to their...

      Immigration: Undetermined Cases

      asked Her Majesty's Government: With how many of the 450,000 asylum applicants, whose cases they estimate to be as yet undetermined, they, the Border and Immigration Agency, local authorities or...

      Iraq: Refugees

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are assisting the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to resettle refugees from Iraq (a) trapped between Iraq and Syria at Al-Tanf, and (b)...

      Isle of Man: Government Visits

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Prime Minister or another member of the Cabinet plan to visit the Isle of Man; and, if so, when and for what reason.

      Passports

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What would have been the additional revenue from making a charge of (a) £100, and (b) £200 for the issuing of replacement passports for those reported...

      Passports

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Why persons departing from the United Kingdom do not have their passports checked electronically by the Border and Immigration Agency; what would be the cost of...

      Passports

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many passports were issued from the Belfast office in each of the past five years.

      People Trafficking

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress has been made in implementing the action plan against human trafficking.

      People Trafficking: Operation Parameter II

      asked Her Majesty's Government: When they expect to publish details concerning police operation Parameter II; and whether they will publish an interim report.

      Public Services: Partnership Working

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they are taking to ensure that partnership working between the business, public and voluntary sectors is not replicating old practices but is developing...

      Railways: Train Operating Companies

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What contribution is paid to train operating companies in respect of the expenses they incur as a result of losing their franchises to run passenger services.

      Roads: Abnormal Loads

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What studies the Highways Agency has commissioned from consultants in each of the past eight years concerning the movement of abnormal indivisible loads or related...

      Roads: Recovery of Vehicles

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps the Highways Agency is taking to improve the recovery of vehicles from roads for which it is the highways authority.

      Transport: Heavy Goods Vehicles

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What proposals they have to deal with the nuisance created by heavy goods vehicles using unsuitable roads because the drivers are following the guidance of...

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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