Written answers

Monday, 29 September 2008

  • Women and Equality

    • Children

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what discussions on age discrimination against children and young people in the provision of goods, facilities and services Ministers and officials in...

    • Children

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what written representations concerning age discrimination against children and young people in the provision of goods, facilities and services...

      Children

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many refuges for women and children have a dedicated indoor play area for children.

      Commission for Racial Equality: Leave

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many days leave the chair of the Commission for Racial Equality took in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007.

      Departmental Alcoholic Drinks

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what measures are in place in the Government Equalities Office to monitor expenditure on alcohol for hospitality purposes.

      Departmental Alcoholic Drinks

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what purchasing process is used by the Government Equalities Office for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

      Departmental Aviation

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many individual domestic air flights were undertaken within Great Britain by representatives of the Government Equalities Office since its creation;...

      Departmental Consultants

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many contracts the offices now comprising the Government's Equalities Office awarded to consultants in 2006-07; how many contracts went out to...

      Departmental Domestic Visits

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality on how many occasions she visited (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland in an official capacity in the last 12 months.

      Departmental Paper

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what percentage of paper used (a) for photocopying and (b) in printed publications by the Government Equalities Office has been from recycled sources.

      Departmental Pay

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many and what proportion of staff in the Government Equalities Office have received bonus payments since the office was established; what the total...

      Departmental Postal Services

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what steps the Government Equalities Office has taken to monitor the cost of its mail services since its establishment.

      Departmental Responsibilities

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many reviews of regulation the Government Equalities Office has conducted or commenced since its establishment, and in which areas.

      Departmental Retirement

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the standard retirement age in the Government Equalities Office is; and how many people worked beyond the standard retirement age since the...

      Departmental Written Questions

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many and what proportion of Parliamentary questions for answer on a named day to the Government Equalities Office received a (a) holding and (b)...

      Departmental Written Questions

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how long on average the Government Equalities Office took to answer (a) ordinary written and (b) named day questions since its creation.

      Equal Pay

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what estimate she has made of the pay gap between men and women in each of the last three years.

      Equality

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2008, Official Report, column 2831W, on equality, whether individual commissioners are required to give...

      Single Equality Bill (Draft)

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality whether the draft single Equality Bill will be subject to pre-legislative scrutiny in the House.

  • Treasury

    • Banks

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings he has had with representatives of the banking industry since the onset of the credit crunch; what agreements were reached at such meetings;...

    • Council Tax

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the Valuation Office Agency's local authority liaison meeting of 23 July, what assessment (a) his Department and (b) the Valuation...

      Gaming Machines

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research (a) his Department and (b) the Gambling Commission has (i) commissioned and (ii) published since March 2008 on the effects of the...

      National Insurance Contributions

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was raised in national insurance contributions in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) Wales, (d) Scotland and (e ) Northern Ireland in each of the...

      National Minimum Wage: Agriculture

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of the level of compliance with national minimum wage requirements in the agricultural sector; and if he will make a statement.

      Revenue and Customs: Correspondence

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will arrange for a substantive reply to be sent to the hon. Member for Walsall, North to his letter of 13 August to the tax credit office, Preston,...

      Revenue and Customs: Official Hospitality

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much each HM Revenue and Customs office spent on (a) alcohol and (b) entertainment in the last three months, broken down by region.

      Stamp Duty Land Tax

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the percentage of home purchase transactions that will benefit from the stamp duty exemption for properties between...

      Tax Incentives: Energy

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to use tax incentives to encourage energy conservation.

      Taxation: Energy

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the introduction of a tax on energy companies in relation to windfall profits.

      Valuation Office: Geographical Information Systems

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether an invitation to tender document has been published for the Valuation Office Agency's new geographic information system.

      Valuation Office: Geographical Information Systems

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the specification for the Valuation Office Agency's new geographic information system, redacting any commercially...

      Valuation Office: Rightmove

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the Valuation Office Agency's Management Board meeting minutes of 19 June 2008, what conclusion the Board reached in relation to (a) the...

      Valuation Office: Rightmove

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2008, Official Report, columns 1106-07W, on the Valuation Office Agency: Rightmove, what the contractual deadline and...

      Valuation Office: Travel

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what overseas countries and cities have been visited by representatives of the Valuation Office Agency during the last 12 months at public expense; and what...

      VAT: Energy

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the revenue that will be raised from VAT on domestic energy as a result of increases in fuel prices in 2008-09.

  • International Development

    • Departmental Alcoholic Drinks

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what purchasing process is used by his Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

    • Departmental Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what account his Department takes of the level of energy efficiency of buildings before entering into agreements to (a) rent and (b)...

      Departmental ICT

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what IT contracts his Department has entered into in the last two years.

      Departmental Postal Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to monitor the cost of its mail services in the last 12 months.

      Departmental Sick Leave

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff in his Department have had five or more periods of sickness absence of less than five days in two or more of the last...

      Departmental Visits Abroad

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost of overseas visits by each Minister in his Department has been since 1997.

      Developing Countries: HIV Infection

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to work in partnership on AIDS prevention with government bodies in those countries to which his...

      Developing Countries: HIV Infection

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects and programmes his Department funds (a) to address critical health worker shortages and (b) to secure long-term...

      Food

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent by his Department on (a) food and (b) food of British origin in each of the last five years.

      Food

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development from which five countries of origin the greatest amount of food was procured by his Department in the last year for which figures are...

      Kenya: Asylum

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department has provided to enable Kenyan families displaced by post-election violence to return to their homes.

      Overseas Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to paragraph 7.53 of his Department's 2008 Annual Report, which Millennium Development Goals his Department is not on track to...

      Overseas Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what scenario and contingency planning his Department has employed in its country programmes relating to fragile states; what the cost...

      Overseas Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made in meeting the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals Call to Action; what steps have been taken to...

  • Home Department

    • Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent to support the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs in each of the last five years.

    • Airwave Service

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the Airwave system will be implemented for police forces in the London area.

      Airwave Service

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the guaranteed lifespan of the aerials used in the Airwave project is; and what preventative maintenance programme for these aerials has...

      Airwave Service

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what options her Department has considered for integrating talk groups within the Airwave system; and what estimate it has made of the cost...

      Airwave Service

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions her Department has had with construction industry representatives on the inclusion of Airwave technology in large...

      Animal Experiments: Scotland

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) supplying, (b) breeding and (c) scientific procedure establishments designated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act...

      Animal Experiments: Scotland

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many regulated procedures under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were carried out in Scotland in 2007.

      Animal Experiments: Scotland

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many project licences were (a) granted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in 2007 and (b) in force at the end of 2007...

      Animal Experiments: Scotland

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the regulated procedures conducted in Scotland in 2007 under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were performed...

      Animal Experiments: Scotland

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the regulated procedures conducted in Scotland in 2007 under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were carried out...

      Antisocial Behaviour Orders

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many individual support orders were issued in (a) 2006 and (b) 2007; and what proportion of all antisocial behaviour orders...

      Antisocial Behaviour: Blackpool

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department has taken to reduce antisocial behaviour in Blackpool since 2005.

      Asylum

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many appeals against decisions made in legacy asylum claims had been heard by the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal as of 31st July 2008.

      Asylum: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate her Department has made of the number of asylum seekers who had been waiting more than two months to be paid section 4 support...

      Asylum: Zimbabwe

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) Zimbabwean and (b) Darfuri asylum seekers of each (i) age group and (ii) sex are in each UK immigration removal centre; and...

      Biometrics: Airports

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what use the UK Border Agency will make of data collected during biometric fingerprint checks at airports.

      British Nationality

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there are any circumstances in which it makes a material difference to the inheritance of British citizenship by descent whether the...

      Community Safety Accreditation Schemes

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers (a) private companies and (b) other organisations participating in community safety accreditation schemes have in each police...

      Community Safety Accreditation Schemes

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which (a) private companies and (b) other organisations are in the community safety accreditation scheme in each police force area; and how...

      Community Safety Accreditation Schemes

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many non-UK citizens have been accredited under community safety accreditation schemes since the inception of such schemes, broken down...

      Community Support Officers: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police community support officers there were in the London boroughs of (a) Newham, (b) Hackney and (c) Tower Hamlets in each of...

      Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her most recent estimate is of the annual cost to the British economy of crime.

      Crime: Business

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her most recent estimate is of the number of crimes committed against business in each of the last three years.

      Crime: Waste Disposal

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many waste disposal offences were recorded in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) type of offence and...

      Criminal Records: International Cooperation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals are under discussion at EU level to enable access to the criminal records of one EU member state by the authorities of another.

      Departmental Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department's policy is on improving the energy efficiency of the buildings which it (a) rents and (b) owns; what changes there...

      Departmental Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account her Department takes of the level of energy efficiency of buildings before entering into agreements to (a) rent and (b)...

      Departmental Data Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether personal data for which her Department is responsible is (a) stored and (b) processed overseas; and if she will make a statement.

      Departmental Data Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether personal data held by her Department has been transferred to compact discs and sent to external agencies in the last 12 months.

      Departmental Data Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions are issued to staff in her Department on how to (a) collect, (b) use and (c) delete personal information on members of...

      Departmental Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether (a) companies based in the United States and (b) UK subsidiaries of US companies have been contracted by her Department and its...

      Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff in her Department were (a) dismissed, (b) made subject to disciplinary procedures short of dismissal, (c) moved to...

      Departmental Early Retirement

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff in (a) her Department and (b) her Department's agencies have taken early retirement in the last two years.

      Departmental ICT

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date, (c) current expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) current...

      Departmental ICT

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of her Department's personal digital assistants were (a) lost and (b) stolen in each of the last five years; and what the value of...

      Departmental ICT

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she has taken to ensure that counterfeit routers and other hardware are not utilised in her Department's computer networks.

      Departmental ICT

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the cost of the PentiP computer system; and if she will make a statement on the timetable for its...

      Departmental Internet

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if her Department will (a) follow the Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA) guidelines and (b) display ICRA's label on the websites...

      Departmental Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many jobs her Department expects to relocate under the policy of civil service job dispersal.

      Departmental Marketing

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of (a) internet and website design and hosting, (b) print media design and (c) broadcast media of each of her...

      Departmental Paper

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of paper used (a) for photocopying and (b) in printed publications by her Department was from recycled sources in each of...

      Departmental Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of her Department's staff are employed within each salary band; what the title and role of each position within...

      Departmental Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of staff in her Department were making additional voluntary contributions to their pensions in each of the last...

      Departmental Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cash equivalent transfer value is of the public sector pensions of the 10 highest paid members of staff in her Department and its...

      Departmental Retirement

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the mandatory retirement age in her Department is; and how many people were allowed to work beyond the mandatory retirement age in each...

      Departmental Sick Leave

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff in her Department have had five or more periods of sickness absence of less than five days in two or more of the last five years.

      Departmental Sick Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff in (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) the non-departmental bodies for which it has responsibility have received...

      Departmental Vetting

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of staff recruited to (a) her Department and (b) its agencies were required to have a Criminal Records Bureau check before...

      Detention Centres: Translation Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what appointment procedures individuals, organisations or companies providing interpretation services in detention or immigration centres are...

      Disabled Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of staff in (a) her Department and (b) the executive agencies for which she is responsible are disabled; and...

      Drugs: Misuse

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of testing people committing trigger offences as defined in Schedule 6 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 for...

      Emergency Calls: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many emergency calls were received by the police regarding incidents in (a) the London borough of Newham, (b) the London borough of...

      Emergency Calls: Hoaxes and False Alarms

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hoax 999 calls to the police there were in each of the last three years in (a) Bolton, (b) the North West and (c) England and Wales.

      Entry Clearances: Foreign Workers

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many businesses had applied for licences to sponsor foreign migrants by (a) 31 July 2008 and (b) 31 August 2008.

      Entry Clearances: Iraq

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage refusal rate was for UK visas applied for by Iraqi citizens (a) at the British Embassy in Jordan and (b) overall in the...

      Genetics: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) males and (b) females aged (i) under 15, (ii) 15 to 24, (iii) 25 to 34, (iv) 35 to 44, (v) 45 to 54, (iv) 55 to 64 and (viii)...

      Genetics: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 18 April 2006, Official Report, column 290W, on DNA database, what the projected growth is for the number of...

      Genetics: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of people with DNA profiles held on the national DNA database living in (a) Leeds West constituency, (b) Leeds Metropolitan...

      Genetics: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many DNA profiles on the national DNA database are of people resident in (a) the UK, (b) Leeds West constituency, (c) Leeds...

      Genetics: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many individuals' data were held on the National DNA Database in each financial year for which records are available; (2) how many...

      Genetics: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests she has received from other European member states for a crosscheck of a DNA sample against profiles on the national DNA...

      Genetics: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment she has made of the probability of an adventitious match between DNA profiles submitted by law enforcement agencies of...

      Government Departments: Personal Records

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Government services require individuals to provide personal information to Government departments and agencies.

      Human Trafficking

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many suspected (a) people traffickers and (b) trafficking victims have been intercepted in maritime operations by (i) the UK Border...

      Identity Cards: Aviation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the potential advantages and disadvantages of the use of identity cards in the airline industry against...

      Identity Cards: Foreigners

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of foreign nationals in the UK who will hold a biometric registration document by June 2010.

      Illegal Immigrants

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many suspected illegal immigrants have been apprehended in British waters as a result of boarding inspections carried out by boats used...

      Illegal Immigrants

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many known overstayers (a) were deported, (b) were removed, (c) left of their own accord and (d) had no action taken against them in...

      Illegal Immigrants: Aviation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fines her Department issued to airlines for carrying illegal immigrants into the UK in the last 12 months; and which airlines were fined.

      Immigration

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what service standards for the processing of leave to remain applications are in place.

      Immigration Officers: Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much sick pay was paid to immigration officers in each of the last five years; and what proportion of the immigration officer staffing...

      Immigration Rules

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria she used to determine which of the 19,000 foreign nationals, dealt with as old cases, have been granted leave to remain; how...

      Immigration: Armed Forces

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account is taken of gallantry awards for service in the armed forces in determining applications for settlement in the UK.

      Internet: Security

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department's budget for cyber-security measures is.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to answer the letter to her dated 29 May 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Viviea Duhaned.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she will reply to the hon. Member for Walsall, North's letter of 8 July 2008 on a constituent, reference M12920/8; and what the reasons...

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letters of 26 February, 4 March and 4 June from the hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling regarding Mr. and...

      National Security: Entry Clearances

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been (a) deported and (b) excluded from the UK on national security grounds since August 2005, broken down by quarter.

      Neighbourhood Wardens: Foreign Workers

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the non-UK citizens who do not have a right to work in the UK but are licensed to work in the security industry by the Security...

      Neighbourhood Wardens: Foreign Workers

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance her Department has issued on the accreditation of (a) EU and (b) non-EU citizens under the Community Safety Accreditation...

      Offenders: Deportation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the 1,013 foreign nationals released from prison without being considered for deportation originally identified as (a) the more...

      Passports: China

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will introduce measures to ensure that all passport details of unaccompanied children travelling on flights from China and Vietnam are...

      Police Patrolling

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time spent by a police officer on street patrol in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) England and Wales was in each of the last...

      Police: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much on average it costs to employ a police constable in the London borough of (a) Newham, (b) Hackney and (c) Tower Hamlets annually.

      Police: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the capital spend on the police service in the London boroughs of (a) Newham, (b) Hackney and (c) Tower Hamlets was in each of the...

      Police: International Co-operation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 25 April 2008, Official Report, columns 119-21WS, on the Justice and Home Affairs Council,...

      Police: Labour Turnover

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage change in the number of full-time police officers in Bolton North East has been since 1997.

      Police: Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in each police force in each of the last 10 years; and how many police officers there were per 1,000...

      Police: Public Participation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent she plans to implement the recommendations contained in the report by Louise Casey, "Engaging Communities in Fighting Crime".

      Racially Aggravated Offences

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many racially-motivated crimes were recorded in each police force area in each of the last five years.

      Revenue and Customs: Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many HM Revenue and Customs staff were based at each (a) port of entry and (b) airport as at 31 December 2007.

      Security: European Union

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with Council of Europe member states on the development of a European Union Standing Committee on Internal...

      Surveillance

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unauthorised surveillances were discovered by the Office of Surveillance Commissioners in each of the last five years.

      Surveillance: Local Authorities

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make it her policy to require local authorities to publish their inspection reports from the Office of Surveillance Commissioners.

      Terrorism: Asylum

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been denied asylum on the grounds of participation in terrorism since the announcement of the then Prime Minister's 12...

      Terrorism: British Nationality

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been stripped of UK citizenship under the provisions of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2005 as outlined in...

      Terrorism: Entry Clearances

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been (a) deported and (b) excluded from the UK on the grounds of fomenting extremism under the 12-point plan...

      Terrorism: Extradition

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been extradited for terrorism-related offences since the announcement of the then Prime Minister's 12-point plan in...

      UK Border Agency: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will instruct the UK Border Agency to provide a substantive response to the hon. Member for Walsall, North's letter of 11 August...

      UK Border Agency: Drug Seizures

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what drug seizures have been made by or with the operational involvement of the revenue cutters operating in the Maritime Section of the UK...

      UK Border Agency: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what revenue protection targets have been set for the UK Border Agency.

      Video Games: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences of retailers selling video games or DVDs to underage customers were recorded in each police force area in England and Wales...

      Written Questions

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to answer Question 162680, tabled by the hon. Member for Hertsmere on 6 November, on English language requirements.

  • Work and Pensions

    • Car Allowances

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what mileage allowance is provided to each category of entitled worker by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

    • Child Support Agency: Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff worked for the Child Support Agency (a) at the latest date for which figures are available and (b) in 1997.

      Children: Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals' postal addresses have been disclosed by the Child Support Agency to their former partners; and if he will make a statement.

      Children: Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what steps are taken when child support payments are wrongly awarded because of faults in computer systems; and if he will make a...

      Commercial Directorate

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of (a) organisational charts for the structure of the Commercial Directorate below divisional level,...

      Council Tax Benefit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was received in council tax benefit on average by claimant families with a child (a) claiming and (b) not claiming disability living...

      Council Tax Benefit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion and number of council tax benefit recipients receive less than 100 per cent. council tax benefit.

      Departmental Alcoholic Drinks

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures are in place in his Department to monitor expenditure on alcohol for hospitality purposes.

      Departmental Alcoholic Drinks

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what purchasing process is used by his Department for the procurement of alcohol for hospitality purposes.

      Departmental Appeals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on how many occasions his Department and its predecessor instructed the Treasury Solicitor to seek leave to appeal to the House of Lords from...

      Departmental Aviation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individual domestic air flights were undertaken within Great Britain by representatives of (a) his Department and (b) its agencies...

      Departmental Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what his Department's policy is on improving the energy efficiency of the buildings which it (a) rents and (b) owns; what changes there...

      Departmental ICT

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department's IT (a) systems and (b) services conform to the ISO 27001 standard.

      Departmental ICT

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the (a) start date, (b) original planned completion date and (c) actual completion date was of each IT project completed by his...

      Departmental Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will provide a table showing the profile of the Department's staff by grade in (a) total and (b) each business unit.

      Departmental Marketing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of (a) internet and website design and hosting, (b) print media design and (c) broadcast media of each of his Department's...

      Departmental Overtime

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of overtime payments paid to staff in his Department was in each of the last 12 months, broken down by pay grade.

      Departmental Press

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent by his Department on subscriptions for magazines, newspapers and other publications in each of the last 24 months.

      Departmental Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's policy is on requesting discounts from its suppliers in return for swift payment of invoices.

      Departmental Public Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) forecast cost in (i) real and (ii) net present value terms and (b) most recent estimated cost was of (1) the pension...

      Departmental Responsibilities

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which projects his Department has commissioned from (a) think tanks and (b) charities in each of the last two years for which figures are...

      Departmental Sick Leave

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the average duration of single periods of sick leave taken by staff in (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) the...

      Departmental Sick Leave

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average duration of single periods of sick leave taken by staff in (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) the...

      Departmental Sick Leave

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of staff in his Department have had more than two periods of sickness absence of less than five days in each of...

      Departmental Sick Leave

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff in his Department have had five or more periods of sickness absence of less than five days in two or more of the last five years.

      Departmental Sick Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff in (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) the non-departmental bodies for which it has responsibility have received...

      Departmental Sick Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was paid in sick pay to staff in (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) the non-departmental bodies for which it has...

      Disability Living Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many claims there were for disability living allowance by (a) children and (b) adults with Asperger's syndrome in each of the last...

      Disability Living Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made in his Department's discussions on granting blind people entitlement to the higher rate mobility component of...

      Employment and Support Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent on (a) employment and support allowance and (b) incapacity benefit in the latest year for which figures are...

      Employment: Learning Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to help those with acute learning disabilities find sustainable employment.

      Fish

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much fish was procured by his Department and at what cost in each of the last five years, broken down by species; and what amount and value...

      Fuel Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent tackling fuel poverty in each the last 10 years; and how much it expects to spend in the next 12 months.

      Health and Safety Executive: Inspections

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Health and Safety Executive inspectors he expects to (a) retire, (b) leave the service and (c) join the service in (i) 2008, (ii)...

      Health and Safety Executive: Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff worked for the Health and Safety Executive (a) at the most recent date for which figures are available and (b) in 1997.

      Housing Benefit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how much of the money allocated to each local authority to pay discretionary housing payments was unspent in each year since it was...

      Housing Benefit: Antisocial Behaviour

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in each of the eight housing benefit anti-social behaviour local authority pilot areas have (a) received written warnings of...

      Incapacity Benefit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants he expects there to be on incapacity benefit in each of the next five years, broken down by type of incapacity benefit.

      Incapacity Benefit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of the working-age population in each parliamentary constituency received incapacity benefit in each of the last five years.

      Incapacity Benefit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of incapacity benefits are aged 60 years and over in each parliamentary constituency.

      Incapacity Benefit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of regulation of private sector contracted welfare services for incapacity benefit...

      Incapacity Benefit: Wakefield

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children in (a) Hemsworth constituency and (b) Wakefield district are dependent on parents or guardians whose main income source is...

      Income Support

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants he expects there to be of income support in each of the next five years, broken down by type of income support.

      Income Support

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much families with a child (a) claiming and (b) not claiming disability living allowance received on average in (i) income support and...

      Income Support: Disabled

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many new claims for income support on the grounds of incapacity for work for which the claimant qualified for the disability premium from...

      Income Support: Lone Parents

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many lone parents whose youngest child is aged 11 years or over are in receipt of income support, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

      Industrial Health and Safety: Construction

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to increase the number of Health and Safety Executive inspectors covering the construction industry.

      Jobcentre Plus: Security Guards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 21 April 2008, Official Report, column 1842W, on Jobcentre Plus: security guards, if he will place in the Library a...

      Lone Parents: Income Support

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of lone parent families he estimates will be affected by the changes to the eligibility criteria for income...

      Low Incomes: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the median income was in each region in the UK in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what estimate he has made of the...

      Maternity Benefits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons maternity allowance work has been centralised into four benefit delivery centres.

      National Insurance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 9 May 2008, Official Report, column 44WS, on national insurance numbers, what estimate he has...

      National Insurance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many national insurance numbers were incorrectly issued in each of the last 10 years.

      New Deal for Disabled People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have been enrolled on the New Deal for Disabled People since its inception (a) nationally and (b) in West Lancashire.

      New Deal for Lone Parents

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to develop skills training for parents participating in the New Deal for Lone Parents; and if he will make...

      New Deal Schemes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 24 April 2007, Official Report, columns 1095-6W, on New Deal schemes, if he will provide equivalent figures...

      New Deal Schemes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 25 June 2007, Official Report, columns 484-88W, on the New Deal for Young People, if he will provide...

      Pension Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Pension Credit rules concerning service charges for people living in sheltered and extra...

      Pensioners: Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of pensioner households living in poverty (a) before housing costs and (b) after housing costs in...

      Pensioners: Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to reduce levels of poverty in persons aged over 65 years; what research has been (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated...

      Pensioners: Social Security Benefits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what estimate the Department has made of the average amount unclaimed by single pensioners aged 75 to 85 years old who are entitled to,...

      Post Office Card Account

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made in the decision-making process for the selection of an operator for the Post Office card account; and if he will...

      Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance his Department and its agencies have given to local authorities on the use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 for...

      Remploy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of former Remploy workers who have found alternative employment.

      Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2008

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to publish the Social Security Advisory Committee's report on the proposals contained in the Social Security (Miscellaneous...

      Social Security Benefits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to reduce by at least half the time it takes benefits offices to deal with a reconsideration request; and if he...

      Social Security Benefits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many complaints his Department has received in respect of the Belfast benefit delivery centre in the last 12 months, broken down by...

      Social Security Benefits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children lived in households that had been in receipt of (a) jobseeker's allowance, (b) incapacity benefit and (c) income support...

      Social Security Benefits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of work-focused interviews which will be conducted in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011, (d) 2012 and...

      Social Security Benefits: Cost of Living

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of increases in the cost of living on people on benefits.

      Social Security Benefits: Fraud

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what estimate he has made of the number of people who committed benefit fraud in each of the last 10 years; (2) what estimate he has...

      Social Security Benefits: Pensioners

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on each state benefit for pensioners in (a) Scotland and (b) England in the last year for which figures are available; and...

      Social Security Benefits: Pensioners

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much (a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples (i) claiming and (ii) not claiming disability living allowance received on average...

      Social Security Benefits: Polygamy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consideration has been given to the legality of benefit payments to polygamous families for each additional wife in line with current...

      Students: Mentally Ill

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what benefits are available to (a) undergraduate and (b) postgraduate students who have been released into the community under section 117 of...

      Voice Verification

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what pilot schemes on the use of voice recognition technology are (a) being undertaken and (b) planned by his Department in Wales; (2)...

      Welfare to Work

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effects of the economic situation on the (a) rate of progress in obtaining the goals, (b) timing of...

      Winter Fuel Payments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the level of the winter fuel payment was in (a) cash terms, (b) real terms expressed in 2003 prices and (c) as a percentage of the...

      Xansa

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what contracts his Department has signed with Xansa plc in the last five years; (2) what payments have been made by his Department to...

  • Children, Schools and Families

    • Departmental Expert Groups

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what expert groups his Department has set up since it was established.

    • Departmental Information Communications Technology

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what information technology projects initiated by his Department and its predecessors have been cancelled prior to completion in...

  • Justice

    • Offenders: Armed Forces

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) serving and (b) former armed forces personnel were (i) given custodial sentences following a plea or a finding of guilty and (ii) given a...

  • Environment Food and Rural Affairs

    • Agriculture: Minimum Wage

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Gangmasters Licensing Authority on enforcement of the minimum wage in the...

    • Agriculture: Subsidies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many single farm payment scheme claims from (a) North Yorkshire, (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) England from...

      Agriculture: Subsidies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many single farm payment scheme claims for each of the last three years have not been paid in full.

      Agriculture: Subsidies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the number of farmers who have received none of the single farm payment they were due...

      Agriculture: Subsidies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much (a) fines and (b) interest payments for late payments of the single farm payment cost in each of the years that...

      Agriculture: Subsidies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what occasions computer system failure has resulted in the inability of the Rural Payments Agency to (a) access...

      Agriculture: Subsidies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what systems are in place to create and safely store historical records relating to single farm payments.

      Allotments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the environmental effects which may arise from the maintenance of allotments.

      Animal Welfare: Prosecutions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many prosecutions for offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 have been brought (a) in Leeds and (b) in total since...

      Animals: Diseases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) sheep and (b) cattle were infected by coccidiosis in each of the last five years.

      Bovine Tuberculosis: Vaccination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he plans to publish an evaluation of the fieldwork being undertaken as part of the vaccine trials for bovine TB taking...

      Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the percentage of the contribution to global carbon dioxide emissions from (a) power...

      Carbon Emissions: Rural Areas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department has taken to implement the CERT 40 per cent. carbon dioxide emission reduction obligation among...

      Cattle

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of cows born annually in the UK prior to 1996; what estimate he has made of the...

      Cattle

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of records relating to cows born in the UK before 1996 that have been lost; and if he...

      Departmental Alcoholic Drinks

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are in place in his Department to monitor expenditure on alcohol for hospitality purposes.

      Departmental Appeals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many occasions his Department and its predecessor instructed the Treasury Solicitor to seek leave to appeal to the...

      Departmental Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will provide a breakdown by source of the level of carbon dioxide emissions from his Department's (a) agencies and...

      Departmental Conferences

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will list the conferences hosted by his Department in each of the last two years; and what the cost was of each conference.

      Departmental Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many permanent staff in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies are classed as (i) staff without posts and (ii) part of...

      Departmental Marketing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost was of (a) internet and website design and hosting, (b) print media design and (c) broadcast media of each...

      Departmental Official Hospitality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department spent on entertainment in each of the last five years.

      Departmental Overtime

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many hours of overtime were worked by staff in each pay grade in his Department in each of the last 12 months.

      Departmental Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was claimed in reimbursable expenses by press officers in his Department and its agencies in each of the last three...

      Departmental Responsibilities

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which projects his Department has commissioned from (a) think tanks and (b) charities in each of the last two years for...

      Domestic Wastes: Waste Management

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his policy is on the frequency of bin collections; and if he will make a statement.

      Environment Agency: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how the Environment Agency's planned £17 million savings from the flood risk management budget in 2007-08 break down...

      Environment Protection: Offenders

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many fixed penalty notices for environmental offences were issued in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) type...

      Flood Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many local resilience forums have received information on critical infrastructure at risk or areas at risk of flooding...

      Flood Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what timetable has been set for the implementation of a national floods exercise.

      Food

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will bring forward proposals to increase food production through (a) agriculture, (b) horticulture, (c) allotments...

      Food

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the extent to which the UK was self-sufficient in food production in each year since 1997,...

      Food: Genetically Modified Organisms

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of publicly-procured food exceeded the 0.9 per cent., genetically-modified labelling threshold in each of the...

      Greyhounds: Animal Welfare

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what meetings have taken place between representatives of the greyhound industry and Ministers and officials from his...

      Inland Waterways

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many vacant moorings British Waterways recorded in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007 and (d) the first half of 2008.

      Inland Waterways

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what expenditure his Department incurred on the British Waterways Mooring Trial, including set-up costs and the cost of...

      Inland Waterways: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what income British Waterways accrued from mooring fees in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007; and what the projected income...

      Inland Waterways: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many boat owners paid mooring fees to British Waterways in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007; and how many have paid such...

      Non-Departmental Public Bodies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 1 July 2008, Official Report, column 766W, on the Commission for Rural Communities, how much...

      Oil Palm: Biodiversity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding he has allocated for evaluation of the biodiversity value of areas of rainforest left within oil palm...

      Slaughterhouses

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many slaughterhouses available to cull cows born before 1996 there will be by the end of 2008; and if he will make a...

      South West Water Authority

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what (a) assets and (b) funds are available to the residual South West Water Authority; (2) what consideration he...

      Warm Front Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to improve the speed of performance, technical competence and overall efficiency of Warm Front and...

      Warm Front Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will direct the White Young Green review team and representatives of his Department to meet representatives of J and L...

      Warm Front Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness, (b) value for money and (c) compliance with open tender requirements...

      Warm Front Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) accordance with the principles of natural justice of the...

      Warm Front Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what procedures were followed by (a) his Department, (b) White Young Green and (c) Eaga in (i) the suspension of J and L...

      Waste Disposal: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs further to his Department's press release of 2 June 2008, on recycling in public places, whether waste collection authorities...

  • Transport

    • Departmental Consultants

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department has spent on consultancy fees in each year since the Department was created.

    • Departmental ICT

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information technology projects initiated by her Department and its predecessors have been cancelled prior to completion in the last five years;...

      Departmental Travel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2008, Official Report, column 612W, on departmental travel, if she will place in the Library the figures for staff...

      East Coast Railway Line

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she next plans to meet the management of National Express to discuss the punctuality of East Coast Main Line rail services.

      East Coast Railway Line

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will meet a delegation of passengers to discuss the provision of rail services on the East Coast Main Line.

      Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the answers of 12 July 2007, Official Report, columns 1579-80W, on A69, Greenhead, if she will publish the letter dated 1 December...

      Tamworth to London Euston Railway Line

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will take steps to facilitate an increase in the number of trains travelling between Tamworth and London Euston, with particular regard to...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

    • China: Earthquakes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Chinese government on ensuring the Tibetan areas affected by the recent earthquake whose...

    • Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to reply to the letters dated 2 July and 3 September from the hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling regarding Mr....

      Ukraine: NATO

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts on the progress of Ukraine's Membership Action Plan to join the Alliance;...

      UN Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of the UK's compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination...

  • Culture Media and Sport

    • Alcoholic Drinks: Licensing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will bring forward amendments to the Licensing Act 2003 to (a) limit the number of licensed premises to which any one person can...

    • Arts Council: ICT

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what the cost to date of the Arts Council's Arena IT system has been; (2) what the tender process was for the procurement of the...

      Culture: Olympic Games 2012

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funds his Department and its agencies (a) have allocated and (b) plan to allocate to the Cultural Olympiad; and from what source...

      Film: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what film production supported by public (a) funding and (b) other assistance took place in the South West of England in each of the...

      Lacrosse

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what public funding (a) his Department and (b) bodies for which his Department is responsible is providing for teams representing (A)...

      Sport England

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what assessment (a) his Department and (b) Sport England has made of the performance of the 12 trailblazer projects that piloted...

      Sports: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much it will cost to provide coaching and competition in sport for all school children by 2012.

      Swimming

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which local authorities have expressed their intention to take part in his Department's scheme for free swimming for (a) over 60 and...

  • Defence

    • Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 22 July 2008, Official Report, column 1052W, on Afghanistan: peacekeeping operations, (1) what the details were of each...

    • Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the (a) operational control, (b) administrative control, (c) technical control, (d) tactical control and (e) other command...

      Armed Forces: Deployment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what operations British forces have been deployed in each year since 1997; and what the scale of each operation was according to the terms set out in...

      Armed Forces: Food

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the pay as you dine scheme.

      Armed Forces: Food

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have registered for the Hungry Soldier scheme.

      Armed Forces: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the target number of (a) single living accommodation and (b) service family accommodation in the UK to be upgraded to each standard of condition...

      Armed Forces: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to assist armed services personnel to meet housing costs; and if he will make a statement.

      Army: Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) authorised establishment and (b) number of vacancies of each (i) battalion and (ii) other definition of army unit is; and what the...

      China: Armed Forces

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with EU counterparts on the military training of Chinese nationals within EU member states.

      Departmental Furniture

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) chairs, (b) desks and (c) other office furnishings have been purchased by his Department and its agencies in each of the last five years;...

      Departmental Sick Leave

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what percentage of staff in his Department have had more than two periods of sickness absence of less than five days in each of the last...

      EU Battlegroups

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the EU Battlegroup roster continues up to 2015.

      Trident Missiles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Trident warheads were operationally available at the latest date for which figures are available; and when that number fell below 160.

  • House of Lords

    • Agriculture: Sheep

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: What is the estimated cost of introducing individual electronic identification of sheep in (a) Northumberland, (b) England, and (c) the United Kingdom.

    • Agriculture: Sheep

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: What discussions have been held recently within the European Union about individual electronic identification of sheep.

      Agriculture: Sheep

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: What discussions have been held recently between Ministers and National Farmers’ Union representatives about European Union proposals on individual...

      Agriculture: Vaccines

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Further to the reply by Lord Rooker on 7 July (Official Report, col. 573), why the earliest projected date for widespread use of a BCG cattle vaccine is mid...

      Agriculture: Vaccines

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Further to the reply by Lord Rooker on 7 July (Official Report, col. 573), why the earliest projected date for widespread use of a badger vaccine is 2014, in...

      Agriculture: Vaccines

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How long it will take to change the European Union rules against vaccinating cattle for tuberculosis once the United Kingdom makes an application following the...

      Armed Forces: Pensions

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Whether they will publish in the Official Report the letter about their proposals on the future of the Pensions Appeal Tribunal sent by Sir Robert Carnwath of...

      Bio-energy Infrastructure Scheme

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Whether the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will exclude from its awards of grants from the bio-energy infrastructure scheme any...

      Bovine Tuberculosis

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Further to the Statement by Lord Rooker on 7 July (Official Report, cols. 568-70), whether there has been any scientific investigation of the increase in the...

      Common Agricultural Policy: Single Farm Payment

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: How many farmers were overpaid or underpaid by the single farm payment scheme in each of the last three years in (a) England, (b) the east of England, and (c)...

      Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Agencies

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Further to the Written Statements by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Marine, Landscape and Rural Affairs, Mr Jonathan Shaw, on 16 June...

      Fishing: Dee Estuary

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Why the Dee Estuary Cockle Fishery Order (SI 2008/1472) contains no reference to offences under the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967 and the scale of...

      Flame Retardants

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: How much funding is being made available to assess the effectiveness and safety of new environmentally friendly, alternative flame retardants, which do not...

      Flame Retardants

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: What assessment they have made of the environmental safety of decabromodiphenyl ether in (a) medical devices and (b) textiles.

      Flame Retardants

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: What steps they are taking to encourage environmentally friendly flame retardants.

      Food: Pork and Bacon

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: What action the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is taking to implement the Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative in respect of its...

      Government: Inspectors

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: How many persons classified in statute as inspectors have been (a) employed and (b) authorised by each government department in each year since 2000; and how...

      Government: Regional Offices

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: How much each regional government office spent on (a) tourism promotion, and (b) economic development and regeneration, in each of the past five years.

      Iran: UK Exports

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: What was the total value of (a) annual United Kingdom exports to Iran; and (b) annual United Kingdom imports from Iran, in each of the past 10 years.

      IT: Smart Computer Usage

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: What reduction in carbon emissions could be achieved through the Government’s smart computer usage campaign in (a) five, and (b) 10 years’ time; and...

      Libraries and Archives

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Whether they plan to extend to designated collections in libraries and archives the funding opportunities that the Designation Challenge Fund provides for...

      Non-emergency Number

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: How many instances of litter and fly-tipping have been reported to the 101 non-emergency number in each service area since the service was launched.

      Playing Fields

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: How many playing fields were sold in (a) 2004, (b) 2005, (c) 2006 and (d) 2007; what the acreage of those playing fields was in each of those years; and what...

      Railways: St Pancras Train Shed

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Whether the St Pancras train shed is a listed building under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990; and what prosecution or...

      Solar and Photovoltaic Installations

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Whether the funding available for the Rural Development Programme for 2007-13 for the east Midlands will cover solar or photovoltaic installations; and, if...

      Waste Management: Brofiscin Quarry

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Morgan of Drefelin on 17 December 2007 (WA 109) and the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 22 April (WA 295), how a...

      Waste Management: Brofiscin Quarry

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Whether access to the environs of Brofiscin Quarry is prohibited to humans; and, if not, whether it is considered safe for children to play there.

      Waste Management: Brofiscin Quarry

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 9 July (WA 90), when and in what form Mr Gowan instructed the Environment Agency Wales to destroy all copies...

      Waste Management: Packaging

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Whether they will issue guidance on the packaging of central and local government reports to ensure they do not use excess cardboard or paper.

      Afghanistan: Objectives

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What are their objectives in Afghanistan; and how they will know when they have been met.

      Afghanistan: Poppy Crop

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the anticipated receipts to the Afghan farming community for its production of the poppy crop in the 2008 calendar year are more or less than the United...

      Arabic

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many speakers of Arabic are employed in the United Kingdom by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and what percentage of total Foreign and Commonwealth Office...

      Armed Forces: Complex Weapons

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Statement by Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 15 July (WS 58) on complex weapons, what work has been undertaken on the project for an Indirect...

      Bahrain: Human Rights

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What discussions they have had with other European Union Governments about attending the court proceedings in Bahrain against human rights defenders, identified by...

      Belfast Agreement: Ethnicity

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 19 June (WA 175) concerning the meaning of “ethnicity”, how they defined the word when included in the...

      Bloody Sunday: Saville Inquiry

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 1 July (WA 26), in what circumstances an apology is offered when information is incorrectly published; and Further...

      British Overseas Territories

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Why a posting appeared on the website of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 5 July quoting Ms Meg Munn MP as responding to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs...

      British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 21 July 2008 (WA 199) concerning the British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat, on what basis a decision was...

      Census

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: What are the figures by category for each of the national identity and religion questions in the 13 May 2007 England and Wales test census.

      Census

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will consider a breakdown of the question on religion in the 2011 England and Wales census.

      Children: Secure Training Centres

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many professional visits by (a) local authority social workers, (b) youth offending team workers, (c) counsellors and therapists, (d) lawyers, (e) independent...

      Common Agricultural Policy

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 14 July (WA 107), whether they will commission research to estimate the annual number of (a) children and (b)...

      Diplomatic Recognition

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Why, following the finding of the House of Lords that Mr Hany Salaam was dishonest in a $50 million fraud, he was subsequently accredited to the United Kingdom as...

      Diplomatic Service List

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will reintroduce the Diplomatic Service list; and whether there is an electronic edition of the list available on the internet.

      Disabled People: UN Convention

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they plan to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

      Discrimination

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will amend United Kingdom anti-discrimination legislation in light of the decision of the European Court of Justice in Case C-303/06 Coleman v...

      E-Privacy and Data Protection

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Through what legislation they have transposed the requirement of the ePrivacy Directive 2002/58/EC that member states shall ensure the confidentiality of...

      Food: Pork and Bacon

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: What action the Cabinet Office is taking to implement the Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative in respect of its purchasing of pork and bacon; what...

      Government: IT Contracts

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What information technology contracts have been entered into by the Department for Communities and Local Government and its predecessors and its agencies in each...

      Government: Mail Delivery

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How much the Prime Minister's office spent on non-Royal Mail delivery and courier services in each of the last five years.

      Government: Sick Leave

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many working days have been lost to sick leave by employees of the Department for Work and Pensions and its agencies and predecessors in each of the last five...

      Housing: Home Information Packs

      asked Her Majesty's Government: In what circumstances the fee for a home information pack may be paid to an estate agent in advance of the surveys for the pack being undertaken.

      Indonesia: Religious Minorities

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their reaction to the decree adopted by the Indonesian Cabinet banning activities by the Ahmadiyya Muslims; and, given the treatment of Ahmadiyya Muslims...

      Infrastructure

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What public consultation has taken place on the proposal to create a National Infrastructure Planning Commission; and what was the number, the nature of any...

      Internet: Copyright

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they consider that the unauthorised alteration of the contents of a network stream constitutes copying or adapting a copyright work without first obtaining...

      Internet: Deep Packet Inspection

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What advice they have received from the Information Commissioner's Office with regard to Deep Packet Inspection and use of cookies with or without consent from...

      Internet: Unencrypted Material

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the advice of the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office that copyright applies to computing and the internet in the same...

      Israel and Palestine: Gaza

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have received evidence that Israeli forces fired shells into the Gaza Strip on 16 April that contained flechettes; and whether they will make...

      Northern Ireland Office: Budget

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 12 May (WA 113) concerning the budget of the Northern Ireland Office, what were the changing resource requirements...

      Northern Ireland Office: Questions for Written Answer

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Since 1 January, how many Questions for Written Answer in the House of Lords have been answered by the Northern Ireland Office inside 14 days; and what that is as...

      Northern Ireland Office: Staffing

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people are employed in the Northern Ireland Office; what their grades are; and how this compares with each of the last three years.

      Northern Ireland: Bill of Rights

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 10 June (WA 95) concerning the appointment of the chairman of the Northern Ireland Bill of Rights Forum, what...

      Northern Ireland: Equality and Parity

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Tunnicliffe on 21 July (WA 217) concerning funding for Irish culture and languages, from whom they have received...

      Parades: Northern Ireland

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Tunnicliffe on 25 June (WA 255) concerning costs of the Northern Ireland Parades Commission, what mediation initiatives were...

      Parades: Northern Ireland

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many monitors the Northern Ireland Parades Commission had on duty on 12 July; who selected them; and how much they were paid.

      Parades: Northern Ireland

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 21 July 2008 (WA 220), concerning monitors for the Northern Ireland Parades Commission, why it is not appropriate...

      Parades: Northern Ireland

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Tunnicliffe on 21 July (WA 220) concerning the Northern Ireland Parades Commission, when the position of chairman was...

      Prisoners: Northern Ireland

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Since 1 January, how many prisoners in Northern Ireland have been released on compassionate or other leave; and how many have returned.

      Royal Mail: Pension Service Post

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for Pensions Reform, Mr Mike O’Brien, on 3 June (HC Deb, 803W), whether, under the contracted...

      Sudan: Crimes Against Humanity

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Which Sudanese officials, identified for investigation by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, have travelled to the United Kingdom in the...

      Sudan: Darfur

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What were the circumstances surrounding the deaths of six peacekeepers from the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur; and what is being done to identify...

      Sudan: Darfur

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress is being made in identifying and indicting those responsible for genocide and crimes against humanity in Darfur, with a view to bringing them to...

      Sudan: Darfur

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress has been made in fulfilling the Prime Minister's undertaking to provide helicopters to the United Nations-African Union and United Nations mission in...

      Sudan: Peacekeepers

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What defensive military equipment and how much ammunition was available to the United Nations-African Union peacekeepers recently killed in Darfur; what means they...

      Ulster-Scots

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Tunnicliffe on 21 July (WA 216) concerning funding for Ulster Scots language and culture and for Irish language and culture,...

      Zimbabwe: Licence to Print Money

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the effect on President Mugabe of the withdrawal by the German company concerned of the licence for software used to print...

      Zimbabwe: SADC Conference

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the effect on the principles of democracy in Zimbabwe of Southern African Development Community countries holding a forthcoming...

      Airports: Heathrow

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 17 July (WA 180-81), what constitutes economic benefits in considering a waiver to land at Heathrow...

      Airports: Heathrow

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 17 July (WA 180-81), from which airlines the 177 flights given waivers to land at Heathrow Airport...

      Airports: Heathrow

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 17 July (WA180-81), what constitutes a VIP in relation to waivers to land at Heathrow Airport...

      Airports: Heathrow

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 17 July (WA180-81), what constitutes an emergency in relation to waivers to land at Heathrow...

      Airports: Heathrow

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 17 July (WA 180-81), what has been the estimated cost to the Exchequer of public officials servicing...

      Benefits: Disability Living Allowance

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What contact the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions had with the chief executive officer of the royal national institute for the blind on 21 July about the...

      Children: UNCRC Observations

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How they plan to disseminate the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child’s concluding observations to (a) children, (b) parents, (c) the...

      Children's Commissioner

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How they will engage the children’s commissioners in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in formulating their response to the United Nations...

      Economy

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Whether they forecast the economy to improve or worsen over the next year.

      Government: Refurbishment of Buildings

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What has been the total public expenditure on (a) procurement of buildings and (b) refurbishment of buildings by central government departments, other public...

      Inflation

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Whether they forecast that inflation will stay below 5 per cent over the next year.

      Justice: Children and Young People

      asked Her Majesty's Government: When their response to the child evidence review consultation will be published.

      Pay Settlements

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: How they intend to ensure that low earners such as municipal refuse collectors do not, during the current economic circumstances, have imposed on them low...

      Qualifications

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What data they have on the "reasonable adjustments" made under the arrangements described in paragraph 14 of the criteria for the accreditation of external...

      Railways: Rolling Stock

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Why they have not placed orders for 317 of the 1,300 new vehicles promised in the High Level Output Statement, in the light of the fact that most train operating...

      Railways: St Pancras Train Shed

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether Section 7 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 applies in respect of the St Pancras train shed; and, if not, whether Section...

      Roads: A55

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any progress has been made in talks with the Government of the Republic of Ireland about breaches of road safety law being detected on the A55 in north Wales.

      Roads: Young People

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: What are the educational initiatives targeted at 14 to 18 year-old road users within each local highway authority area in 2006-07 and 2007-08; and what...

      Roads: Young People

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: What plans they have to include any evaluation in the current road safety programme of the Department for Transport in connection with young road users.

      Schools: Educational Psychologists

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many (a) fully qualified and (b) trainee educational psychologists the relevant local authority employs in each of the 10 districts of Greater Manchester.

      Airports: Passport Queues

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 16 June (WA 121-22), whether they will place in the Library of the House the records on which his reply...

      British Citizenship

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will place in the Library of the House an anonymised copy of the letter from the Nepalese Ministry of Home Affairs (Ref: 064/65, Dispatch No. 33,...

      Crime: DNA Database

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people have been found guilty of crimes through use of the DNA database whose details were stored on the database but who had not previously been...

      Crime: Knives

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many knives were collected in total under amnesty schemes in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) the east of England, and (c) Essex in each of the last five years.

      Crime: Metal Theft

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they are taking regarding thefts of metal objects from public places, including gully grates in highways, street furniture and from the roofs of...

      Government: E-crime

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Which departments have been the victims of attempted or actual e-crime in the last five years; and who has access to that data.

      Identity

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: How much it cost to establish the “My Life My ID” website; what is the annual cost of maintaining it, including staff time; and how many unique...

      Immigration: Age Assessment

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What proportion of applicants for asylum or humanitarian protection the Home Office subjected to age assessment in each of the last five years; and what proportion...

      Immigration: Failed Asylum Seekers

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will ensure that failed asylum seekers will not be returned to Zimbabwe, Sudan or Iran before the end of 2008.

      Immigration: Harmondsworth

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What percentage of detainees, on average, have remained in Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre pending a removal decision for (a) more than 28 days and (b)...

      Immigration: Returned Asylum Seekers

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have a system to monitor the fate of returning asylum seekers.

      Internet: BT and Phorm

      asked Her Majesty's Government: When they first became aware of BT's trials of behavioural targeting systems in 2006 and 2007; and what action they took; and On what date the Home Office first...

      Internet: BT and Phorm

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Which United Kingdom authorities have received complaints regarding the interception or surveillance of communications and related traffic data for the purpose of...

      Non-emergency Number

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will undertake a cost-benefit analysis of proceeding with national implementation of the 101 non-emergency number; and What estimate they have made of...

      Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the responsibilities of the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism concerning Part 1 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

      People Trafficking: Children

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of levels of co-operation between police services, the UK Border Agency, and local authority social services concerning children...

      Prisoners: Foreign Nationals

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many foreign national prisoners are being held in (a) HM prisons and (b) young offender institutions under Immigration Act powers.

      Visas

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress they have made in the talks with the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of Moldova on the visa facilitation agreement between...

      Workers Registration Scheme

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will defer the payment of £90 for those joining the Workers Registration Scheme until the first wage has been received.

      Afghanistan: Provincial Reconstruction Teams

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress they have made, following the recommendation of the House of Commons International Development Committee, in reaching agreement with the Government...

      Armed Forces: Pensions

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Whether, in light of Command Paper 7424, The Nation’s Commitment: Cross-Government Support to our Armed Forces, their Families and Veterans, and the...

      Armed Forces: Pensions

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 16 July (WA 151), whether the Confederation of British Ex-Service Organisations (COBSEO), comprising...

      Common Agricultural Policy

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their latest estimate of the annual additional cost of food to the average United Kingdom family which can be attributed to the common agricultural policy.

      Community Legal Advice Centres

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What services will be available to persons ineligible for legal aid but seeking advice on representing themselves in (a) Hull, (b) Barking, (c) Cardiff, (d) East...

      Crime: Domestic Violence

      asked Her Majesty's Government: In each of the past three years (a) how many people convicted of domestic violence offences were sentenced to attend programmes aimed at changing abusive...

      Crime: Knives

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people were treated for knife injuries in National Health Service hospitals in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Essex in each of the past five years.

      Embryology

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 16 July (WA 153—4), what consideration was given by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority...

      Embryology

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 16 July (WA 154—5) and 12 May (WA 108), and his definition of human admixed embryos on 15...

      Embryology

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 16 July (WA 154—5), how the “hamster test” might be viewed as providing a precedent...

      Embryology

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 21 April (WA 234), 2 May (WA 109—10), 19 June (WA 177—8), 24 June (WA 227), 1 July (WA...

      Embryology

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 19 June (WA 187—8), what is the evidence suggesting that the use of intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection...

      Health: Alzheimer's

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: What consideration they have given to the dementia tax report, published by the Alzheimer’s Society; and whether they will take any action in response to...

      Health: Assessment and Remuneration

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: What is the justification for paying a bonus to surgeons for performing their duties effectively; whether they plan reciprocal action where operations are...

      Health: Assessment and Remuneration

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will publish an effectiveness scale against which surgeons will be assessed for each type of operation; whether there will be a built-in recovery time...

      Health: Assessment and Remuneration

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Whether they intend to introduce a bonus scheme for all NHS personnel who perform their duties effectively; whether they intend to reduce their basic salaries...

      Health: Bone Marrow

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What further steps they are taking to increase the number of people having blood tests to determine whether they can be bone marrow donors; and whether they will...

      Health: Cardiac Problems

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: How many people in England and Wales have been diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia in each year of the past five years (a) in total; (b) in each strategic...

      Health: Cardiac Problems

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: How many people diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia have been treated with (a) cardiac resynchronisation therapy devices, and (b) internal cardioverter...

      Health: Herbal Products

      asked Her Majesty's Government: When the statutory registration of herbal medicine practitioners will take effect; and how this will affect the sale of Chinese herbal patent remedies.

      Health: Herbal Products

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many applications for product registrations under the traditional herbal medicinal products directive (2004/24/EC) have been received to date by the Medicines...

      Health: Herbal Products

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many applications under the traditional herbal medicinal products directive (2004/24/EC) the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency expects to...

      Health: Herbal Products

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Which herbal products are currently available on the market under Section 12(2) of the Medicines Act 1968; and for which of those products an application has been...

      Health: Herbal Products

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will ensure that botanical food supplements containing ingredients for which claims are approved under the provisions of the Nutrition and Health...

      Health: Herbal Products

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What statistics they have collected about the number of specialist manufacturers and distributors of herbal remedies who have ceased trading or intend to cease...

      Health: Prescribing Data

      asked Her Majesty's Government: With reference to page 11 of the consultation document issued by the NHS Information Centre on 4 June entitled Wider Release of Prescribing Data Consultation...

      Health: Prescribing Data

      asked Her Majesty's Government: With reference to page 4 of the consultation feedback document issued by the NHS Information Centre on 4 June entitled, WiderRelease of Prescribing Data...

      Health: Prescribing Data

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Why the consultation document issued by the National Health Service Information Centre on 4 June entitled, Wider Release of Prescribing Data: Consultation Document...

      Health: Radiologists

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: What steps they are taking to ensure that there are sufficient consultant radiologists to meet demand for scans and complex imaging as a consequence of the...

      Health: Radiologists

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many (a) breast screening radiologists, and (b) colonic screening radiologists are working in the United Kingdom in the past five years.

      Health: Urology Appliances

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many new categories and sub-categories there are in the June consultation proposed new arrangements under part IX of the drug tariff for the provision of stoma...

      Health: Urology Appliances

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they took into account that the weight of a monthly home delivery for intermittent catheters is often in excess of 6 kilograms when developing their...

      Immigration: Armed Forces Deserters

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Why the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal website lists the tribunal case of BE (Iran) as the current authority on the treatment of an asylum seeker who has deserted...

      Israel and Palestine: Gaza Sewage

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations they have made to the World Health Organisation about discharge of sewage in Gaza and the danger of pollution and infection in the Mediterranean.

      Israel and Palestine: West Bank

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their response to a recent report by the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs which claimed that Israel had put in place an...

      Prison: Knife Crime

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether there is sufficient prison accommodation to detain all individuals convicted of knife-related crimes in England and Wales.

      Schools: Educational Psychologists

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Whether they support the use of trainee educational psychologists to provide core assessment and consultancy services in schools in England.

      Schools: Teachers

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many teacher training institutions are instructing student teachers that they should not touch children in their charge; whether they approve of this advice;...

      Smoking

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What areas will be covered by the review on smoke-free legislation in England.

      Smoking

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they are taking to alter young people's perceptions of the social acceptability of smoking among adults; and In the light of the British Medical...

      Sudan: Oil Revenues

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What mechanisms exist to ensure that oil revenues in Sudan are distributed in accordance with the comprehensive peace agreement.

      Tribunals

      asked Her Majesty's Government: When Sir Robert Carnwath's term of office as senior president of tribunals is due to expire.

      Waste Management

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 21 June 2007 (WA 71), which European Union legislation contributed to current waste disposal requirements in the...

      West Papua

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they, and international organisations, are taking in respect of West Papua to improve education, to protect the rainforest and to prevent damage from...

      Afghanistan: Bagram Airbase Prisoners

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether British intelligence officers are involved in the interrogation of prisoners at the United States-controlled Bagram airbase.

      Afghanistan: Bagram Airbase Prisoners

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any female prisoners are held alongside the male prisoners at Bagram airbase; and What is the identity and nationality of prisoner number 650 at Bagram...

      Armed Forces: Complex Weapons

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Statement on complex weapons by Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 15 July (WS 58), what material contracts have been entered into in relation to...

      Armed Forces: Complex Weapons

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Statement on complex weapons by Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 15 July (WS 58), what steps they are taking to ensure their unfettered access...

      Armed Forces: Complex Weapons

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Statement on complex weapons by Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 15 July (WS 58), what are the key user requirements of each project assigned to...

      Armed Forces: Complex Weapons

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Statement by Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 15 July (WS 58) on complex weapons, on how many programmes Team CW will undertake specific concept...

      Armed Forces: Complex Weapons

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: Further to the Written Statement on complex weapons by Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 15 July (WS 58), how the teaming agreement by the Ministry of Defence with...

      Armed Forces: Complex Weapons

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Statement on complex weapons by Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 15 July (WS 58), who the senior responsible owner is for each of the five...

      Armed Forces: Complex Weapons

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Statement by Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 15 July (WS 58) on complex weapons, who are the present shareholders and directors of Roxel (UK...

      Channel Islands: Unfair Commercial Practices Directive

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive is required to be implemented by the Governments of the Channel Islands under the provisions of protocol 3 of the...

      E-Privacy and Data Protection

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Which bodies act as the competent national authorities for the enforcement of the e-privacy and data protection directives; and for which articles of those...

      Government: Mail Delivery

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How much the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and its predecessors spent on non-Royal Mail delivery and courier services in each of the...

      Ofcom

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What proportion of Ofcom's income is provided by BT and its subsidiary companies.

      Petrol

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they have taken to encourage competition in the price of petrol between supermarkets.

      Prisoners: Women

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many women prisoners serving indeterminate sentences for public protection in Bullwood Hall and Cookham Wood prisons have had their access to the courses...

      Regional Development Agencies

      asked Her Majesty’s Government: What was the combined budget of all regional development agencies in each year since 1998.

      Gulf War Veterans

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answers by Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 12 December 2007 (WA 54—55) and Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 4 June (WA 58) about the handling...

      House of Lords: Appointments

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What arrangements will apply to the appointment of new Peers following the recent White Paper on House of Lords reform; whether any guidance has been given to the...

      Internet: BT and Phorm

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What communications they have received from the European Commission regarding users' complaints about the trials of Phorm technologies by BT in 2006 and 2007 and...

      Police: Northern Ireland

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 19 June (WA 176), whether the Police Service of Northern Ireland will switch to a target based on the number of...

      Post Offices

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 21 June 2007 (WA 71), which stated that the closure of Post Offices in the United Kingdom did not result from European...

      Prisoners: Northern Ireland

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What different levels of sentence and associated arrangements are currently available to prisoners in Northern Ireland.

      Rural Areas: Telephones

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What discussions Ministers and officials have had with BT regarding proposals to close rural telephone boxes.

      Sudan: Oil Revenues

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What development has taken place in South Sudan using oil revenues agreed under the comprehensive peace agreement.

      Agriculture: Bluetongue

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, in view of the losses borne by the sheep industry during the foot and mouth outbreak in 2007 caused by a leak from a government research centre at...

      Alcohol

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they will take in response to the recommendations in the KPMG report, Review of the Social Responsibility Standards for the production and sale of...

      Armed Forces: Awards

      asked Her Majesty's Government: When the new system for honouring troops killed on operations will come into effect; under what criteria awards will be made; and which members of a service...

      Armed Forces: Bearskin Caps

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What evaluation they have commissioned, by whom, when and with what results, into the use of synthetic alternatives for the Canadian black bear fur used in the...

      Armed Forces: Bearskin Caps

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the present cost of providing ceremonial headwear made of Canadian black bear fur for the Household Division's five Foot Guards regiments; what was the...

      Armed Forces: Bearskin Caps

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they purchase Canadian black bear fur for purposes other than for the provision of headwear for the Household Division's five Foot Guards regiments; if so,...

      Armed Forces: Complex Weapons

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What complex weapons are in service with the Armed Forces.

      Armed Forces: Complex Weapons

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have any projects for future complex weapons other than those assigned to Team CW.

      Armed Forces: Eurofighter

      asked Her Majesty's Government: In which export markets the United Kingdom defence industry takes the leading role in marketing the Eurofighter Typhoon.

      Armed Forces: Garrisons

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many troops will be based at the proposed West Midlands super-garrison in (a) 2012—17, and (b) 2018—30.

      Armed Forces: Germany

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many Armed Forces personnel will be based in Germany in (a) 2008—2011, (b) 2012—2017, and (c) 2018—2030; and what is the value of the land and...

      Armed Forces: Iraq

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the approximate total number of members of the United Kingdom Armed Forces deployed to Iraq involved in incidents into which the Royal Military Police have...

      Armed Forces: Iraq

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether there are any further incidents involving the conduct of members of the United Kingdom armed forces deployed to Iraq into which the Royal Military Police...

      Armed Forces: Royal Marines

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to move 45 Commando Royal Marines from Arbroath to south-west England in the 2018—30 period.

      Childcare: Ofsted Report

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they will take in response to the report by Ofsted covering 143 childcare centres.

      Civil Partnerships

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will encourage the introduction of European Union legislation or legislation in the other member states of the European Union for the mutual...

      Climate Change: Carbon Dioxide Emissions

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the change between 1992 and 2004 in carbon dioxide emissions associated with United Kingdom consumption of goods and services, including imports, exports...

      Cluster Munitions

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What restrictions are in place to prevent the export of cluster munitions, as defined in the Trade in Goods (Categories of Controlled Goods) Order 2008 (SI...

      Cluster Munitions

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether any cluster munitions have been exported, or licensed or approved for export, since 30 May 2008; and, if so, in what quantity; to what destination; and to...

      Crime: Knives

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 22 July (WA 241), and following confirmation by the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, that there was a...

      Crime: Sexual Offences

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many children have been convicted of sexual offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in each of the past three years.

      Crime: Treason

      asked Her Majesty's Government: In which statutes the offence of treason and the penalties for that crime are set out.

      Cybercrime

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether (a) the national identity register, (b) the National Health Service database, (c) the National DNA Database and (d) the children's register are safeguarded...

      Cybercrime

      asked Her Majesty's Government: When they plan to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime; and whether they will make any reservations to it.

      Diplomatic Relations: US and Iran

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they will consider taking in discussions with the Government of the United States to encourage an early resumption of full diplomatic relations between...

      Discrimination

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President (Baroness Ashton of Upholland) on 22 July (WA 243), whether, in light of the race directive as interpreted by...

      Egypt: Religious Freedom

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will make representations to the Government of Egypt concerning the recent arrest of 40 members of the Muslim Brotherhood.

      Fishing

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 14 July (WA 108), what is the annual tonnage of dead fish thrown into the sea by Scottish vessels in Scottish...

      Food: Pork and Bacon

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What action the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is taking to implement the public sector food procurement initiative in respect of its purchasing of pork and...

      Galileo Satellite System

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will maintain their opposition to the use of the Galileo satellite system for military purposes in spite of the vote by the European Parliament on 10...

      Health: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have any proposals for the use of computerised cognitive behavioural therapy for the benefit of prisoners; and, if so, where; and in what...

      House of Lords: Appointments

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What arrangements are in place for the selection of the chairman of the House of Lords Appointments Commission and for Parliament to scrutinise that appointment.

      House of Lords: Letters Patent

      asked Her Majesty's Government: By what means Letters Patent creating peerages can be changed; and in what legislation that has occurred.

      Human Rights

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How they consider the United Nations Human Rights Committee and the international community should deal with violations of human rights by the lower tiers of...

      India: Property Legislation

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are making representations to the Government of Goa regarding the reinterpretation of existing property legislation and amendment to the Indian...

      Inflation

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have considered changing the make-up of the basket of goods and services used to assess inflation.

      Israel and Palestine: Prisoners

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations they will make to the Government of Israel about the release of Palestinian prisoners, including Members of the Palestinian Parliament.

      Jury Service

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the reasons for retaining an upper age limit of 70 for jury service.

      Moldova

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What recent ministerial contact has taken place with the Government of Moldova.

      Moldova

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they will take to strengthen the United Kingdom presence in Moldova following the decision to cease BBC World Service broadcasting in the Republic of...

      Moldova

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations they have made in the negotiations on a new legal framework for relations between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova.

      Moldova

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What information they have received regarding the efforts of the authorities of the Republic of Moldova to implement the European Union—Moldova European...

      Nigeria: President

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will, if approved, recognise the Nigerian presidential process as soon as the High Court in Abuja has delivered its verdict; and whether the United...

      Non-emergency Telephone Number

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many calls there have been to the 101 non-emergency number in each of the service areas (a) in total; and (b) per head of population since the service was launched.

      Northern Ireland Office: Communications Review

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 14 July (WA 116) concerning a review of communications regarding bodies sponsored by the Northern Ireland Office,...

      Northern Ireland: Bill of Rights

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 10 June (WA 94—95) concerning the expenses incurred by the chairman of the Northern Ireland Bill of Rights...

      Police: National Computer

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many requests have been made for corrections to individual entries on the Police National Computer in the last year for which information is available in (a)...

      Post Offices: Cornwall

      asked Her Majesty's Government: In respect of the proposed closure of post offices in Cornwall by Post Office Ltd, (a) what financial criteria have been applied to inform the decision-making...

      Questions for Written Answer: Costs

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Tunnicliffe on 21 July (WA 217—18) concerning the disproportionate cost of answering Parliamentary Questions, who...

      Questions for Written Answer: Late Answers

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many Questions for Written Answer remained unanswered, in breach of the 14-day rule, when the House of Lords rose for the Summer Recess on 22 July; how many of...

      Supreme Court

      asked Her Majesty's Government: In the light of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 and the White Paper An Elected Second Chamber: Further reform of the House of Lords, whether they have any...

      Terrorism: Stop and Search

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people have been stopped and searched under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 since its introduction in (a) the Metropolitan Police Authority area and...

      Terrorism: Stop and Search

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people who have been stopped and searched under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 have been provided with a copy of the form which is completed at the...

      Terrorism: Stop and Search

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people stopped and searched under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 have been (a) arrested and (b) charged in (1) the Metropolitan Police Authority...

      Ulster-Scots

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Tunnicliffe on 21 July (WA 216) concerning funding for Ulster-Scots language and culture and Irish language and culture in...

      Zimbabwe

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their reaction to the talks between the Government and Opposition in Zimbabwe.

      Alcohol

      asked Her Majesty's Government: In light of the report by the Royal College of Physicians, whether they will review their policies on cut-price drinking and the opening hours of public houses.

      Alcohol: Labelling

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What meetings they have planned to discuss the mandatory codes proposed in the consultation on alcohol retailing Safe, Sensible, Social-consultation on further...

      Armed Forces: Helicopters

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress has been made to date with the British-French helicopter initiative; and what further progress they anticipate in the short term and in the longer term.

      Armed Forces: Non-military posts

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many serving members of the Armed Forces occupy positions which (a) have in the past been occupied by civilians; (b) may alternatively be occupied by...

      Armed Forces: Tactical Requirements

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What consideration has been given to offering cash prizes for innovative ideas to solve tactical military requirements; and what changes to legislation would be...

      Armed Forces: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans have been made for buying Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) beyond those currently in service; and what representations have been made by United...

      Buses

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether local authorities and bus operators are receiving sufficient funding to allow the concessionary bus fares scheme to work properly.

      Cyprus

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend to extend the Prime Minister's recent “freer trade for Palestinians” appeal to citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus...

      Energy: Air Source Heat Pumps

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their assessment of the contribution to domestic energy supply which air source heat pumps could provide.

      Energy: Air Source Heat Pumps

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will consider incorporating air source heat pumps into the Code for Sustainable Buildings.

      Energy: Renewables

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Why, at a recent meeting of the European Union Energy Working Group, they proposed to change the text of the draft directive on renewable energy to remove the...

      Equal Pay

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their assessment of the impact on local authority budgets of the recent Court of Appeal judgment on equal pay schemes in local government.

      Health: Cancer Drugs

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will reconsider the non-availability on the National Health Service of certain cancer drugs which can prolong life.

      Health: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Which NHS trusts have used the ultrasis computerised cognitive behavioural therapy system since the White Paper Our Care, Our Health, Our Say; and what is their...

      Health: Drug Tariff

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the areas of the drug tariff in which the NHS efficiency target is used to determine the annual fee increase formula for remuneration.

      Health: Drug Tariff

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many new (a) categories, and (b) sub-categories there are in their consultation document, Proposed new arrangements under Part IX of the Drug Tariff for the...

      Health: Herbal Products

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 22 July (cols. WA 254—255), (a) what estimate they have made of the cost of commissioning...

      Heritage: Historic Ships

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they are taking to secure the future of historic ships in the forthcoming Heritage Protection Bill.

      House of Lords: Reform

      asked Her Majesty's Government: To what extent, in considering House of Lords reform, they have taken into account the value the House attaches to the participation of the senior judiciary in...

      Licensing

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What mechanisms are used to inform local authorities of their powers and duties under the Licensing Act 2003; what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of...

      Licensing

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they are considering amending the Licensing Act 2003 to include the protection and promotion of public health as one of its objectives.

      Licensing: Music

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 22 July (WA 242), with which representatives of the music sector they are discussing draft exemptions to...

      Licensing: Music

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 22 July (WA 272), what is their definition of the phrase “de minimis” in that context; whether...

      Northern Ireland Office: Bonuses

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Davies of Oldham on 22 July (WA 274—5) concerning bonuses paid to civil servants, what are the overall limits set by HM...

      Police: Northern Ireland

      asked Her Majesty's Government: On what basis the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland was instructed by a Northern Ireland Office Minister to participate in recent...

      Police: Northern Ireland

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether it is their policy to involve senior police commanders in confidential negotiations with terrorists and criminals; and, if so, how such negotiations...

      Political Parties: Funding

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 14 July (WA 125) concerning donations to political parties, why there are different rules for Irish citizens living...

      Railways: Franchises

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have examined the relationship between the duration of railway franchises and the amount of money invested by franchisees in railway infrastructure;...

      Railways: Rolling Stock

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether it is still their intention to authorise the ordering of 1,300 new rail vehicles during control period 4 (2009-14); and, if so, whether the rolling stock...

      Railways: Rolling Stock

      asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will authorise the order for the additional cars for the Trans-Pennine Express trains which the train operating company wishes to acquire.

      Railways: Rolling Stock

      asked Her Majesty's Government: When they will authorise the order which National Express East Anglia needs in order to relieve overcrowding on its routes.

      Railways: Rolling Stock

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether First Great Western Trains are to receive any of the 1,300 new carriages that the Government propose to order during control period 4 (2009—14).

      Religion

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they propose to take to counteract the wishes of some Muslim students to kill in the name of religion.

      Shipping: Navigational Aids

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the number of navigational aids in England and Wales inspected by Trinity House in the past three years; how many were found to be defective; of these,...

      Tax Credits

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How much money has been lost due to overpayment of tax credits.

      Taxation: Inheritance Tax

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they plan to increase the threshold for inheritance tax.

      Taxation: VAT

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Following the judgment of the House of Lords on 18 July 2007 in Sempra Metals Limited v HM Commissioners of Inland Revenue and another, what would be the...

      Taxation: VAT

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Following the publication of the litigation and settlements strategy by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), whether HMRC will not litigate all VAT matters and instead...

      Taxation: VAT

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Following the judgment of the House of Lords on 23 January in Condé Nast Publications Limited v HM Revenue and Customs and the creation of a new deadline for...

      Transport: Cambridgeshire Guided Busway

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Cambridgeshire guided busway operation will be liable for business rates; and, if so, how these will be assessed.

      Turkey: Religious Freedom

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have made, or intend to make, representations to the Government of Turkey concerning the religious freedoms of the Alevis, in particular their...

      Asylum Seekers

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have given consideration to The Rights of Women Seeking Asylum: A Charter, produced by Asylum Aid and other non-governmental organisations; and...

      Asylum Seekers: North Korea

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What help they have received from the Government of South Korea in identifying around 450 people claiming asylum in the United Kingdom as North Koreans; and...

      Cybercrime

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Which elements of the critical national infrastructure are protected by an air gap; and which are connected to the internet.

      Government: Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What engagements the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland had in Northern Ireland in May and June; and What were the public engagements of the Secretary of...

      Government: Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland plans to visit the United States; if so, when; and for what reason.

      Home Office

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their reaction to the Financial Times ratings of “The Best and Worst in Whitehall” of 12 May which rated the Home Office the lowest department on...

      Immigration: Vaccination

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What arrangements the UK Border Agency has to vaccinate infants with HIV-positive mothers for tuberculosis.

      Northern Ireland Office: Bonuses

      asked Her Majesty's Government: When bonuses were first paid to employees of the Northern Ireland Office; why they were created; and what is the percentage increase of awards in each year.

      Northern Ireland Office: Business Cases

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether in 2007 the Northern Ireland Office funded organisations which have not submitted a business case for funding; and, if so, what were those organisations.

      Northern Ireland Office: Business Cases

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 14 July (WA 117—18) concerning business cases submitted to the Northern Ireland Office, what are the other...

      Supreme Court

      asked Her Majesty's Government: In view of the contribution the British legal system makes to the United Kingdom economy, what steps they have taken to ensure that when the new Supreme Court...

      Weeds

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What statutory obligations apply to public authorities in respect of the control of noxious weeds, particularly ragwort, Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam.

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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