Thursday, 23 October 2008
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what IT projects his Department is undertaking; and what the most recent estimate of (a) the cost and (b) the completion date of each is.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent on overnight accommodation by his Department's civil servants in the last 12 months.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people aged over (a) 55 and (b) 60 years were recruited by his Department in 2007-08; and what percentage in each case this was of the number of...
To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what recent discussions the Committee has had with the Electoral Commission on its role in...
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the cost effectiveness of Government-commissioned advertising in the last 12 months relating to matters falling...
To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what recent representations the Church Commissioners have received on the levels of theft of lead, copper and other...
To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what estimate the Commissioners have made of the number of cases of damage to historic churches caused by bats.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many agencies were sponsored by his Department in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 1997-98.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason fencing is being erected adjacent to the southbound carriageway south of junction 8 of the M1; and what the cost is of such fencing.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what official visits he and his immediate predecessor undertook using public transport in the last 12 months.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the timescale is for research to be carried out on the way concessionary travel is administered; who has been commissioned to undertake the...
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of staff in (a) his Department and (b) the executive agencies for which he is responsible are disabled; and what...
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 did not qualify for the disability premium...
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many national insurance numbers were issued to dependants of work permit holders in each year from 2002 to 2007; (2) how many...
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which areas are covered by each weather station used to assess the temperature for the purpose of cold weather payments.
To ask the Solicitor-General what criteria are applied by the (a) Serious Fraud Office and (b) Fraud Prosecution Service to determine whether to accept a case.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Gibraltarians are serving in the UK armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on the provisions of the Army Terms of Service (Amendment etc.) Regulations 2008, with reference to young people...
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what direct running costs the UK has incurred to date in the use of RAF Menwith Hill and RAF Fylingdales in the US Missile Defence System.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 17 September 2008, Official Report, columns 2250-1W, on armed forces: training, when his Department's bilateral programme with...
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the Government have to ratify the Convention on cluster munitions within the next 12 months.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of (a) entertainment, (b) advertising and promotion and (c) public relations consultancy to his Department in 2007-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contribution the UK is making to efforts to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden; and if he will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to discontinue the Royal Navy role in the Combined Task Force 150 in anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden; and if he will make a...
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps the Government is taking to promote multilateral nuclear disarmament.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further steps the Government intends to take in order to meet the obligations of Article 5 of the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role RAF Croughton plays in the US missile defence system.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received of the recent capture of a Ukrainian ship by pirates in Somali waters; what response he has made to these reports; and if he...
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of dental treatment for members of the Territorial Army.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on progress towards a successor to the D5 missile; and what role UK personnel have played in...
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at which bases in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) Wales US visiting forces are based.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many months and what percentage time each Royal Navy attack submarine in service spent (a) on operations and (b) in maintenance in (i)...
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many days each Type 42 destroyer in service spent at sea in each year since 2003; (2) how many days each attack submarine in service has spent...
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what progress has been made on the network change programme for the post office network in Greater...
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what progress has been made on the post office network change programme.
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what guidance his Department gave to community groups on participating in the Post Office consultation on...
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent assessment he has made of the level of activity in the construction industry.
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent assessment he has made of the competitiveness of the British glass industry; and if he will...
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many meetings Ministers in his Department have had with the Minister for the East of England to discuss...
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps he is taking to promote and protect growth in small businesses.
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps he is taking to support the work of the Internet Governance Forum.
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (1) what assessment he has made of the relationship between the price of alcohol and drinking behaviour;...
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assistance his Department makes available to help rural businesses meet energy bills.
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent assessment he has made of the future competitiveness of the retail sector.
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps his Department is taking to protect small businesses in the current economic climate; and if he...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2008, Official Report, column 989W, on terrorism, what progress has been made on point 11...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authority-owned, non-decent dwellings there were in (a) the South West and (b) Stroud district in the last 12...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much council tax liability was written off by local authorities in each year since 1985; and what proportion of council tax...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what percentage of council tax liability was not collected by local authorities in England in each year since 1985.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average Band D council tax increase was in England in each year since 1985.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was spent on overnight accommodation by her Department's civil servants in the last 12 months.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many civil servants working in her Department and its agencies have pensions with a cash equivalent transfer value of over...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 29 April 2008, Official Report, column 313W, on the index of deprivation, whether distance...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost to the public purse of the Government Offices for the Regions was in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the total programme budget managed or influenced by Government Offices for the Regions (a) was in 2007-08 and (b) is in...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 12 May 2008, Official Report, column 1393W, on the green belt, what her reasons were for approving...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 May 2008, Official Report, columns 37-39WS, on home information packs, in...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 6 October 2008, Official Report, column 322W, on home information packs, how many penalty charge...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many householders have presented themselves to a local authority as homeless in England in each year since 1985; and how...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether directors of the Homes and Communities Agency who are also employed by (a) the Housing Corporation and (b) English...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff are employed by (a) the Housing Corporation and (b) English Partnerships; and how many of these staff she...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much of the public funding available for the provision of affordable housing in the next three years is ring-fenced for such...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2008, Official Report, columns 1098-1100W, on housing: overcrowding, what estimate she has...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment she has made of the effect of current economic conditions on the financial position of private finance...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the capital value of (a) housing association and (b) council housing stock in each year since 1997.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much public funding was provided to (a) Stroud District Council and (b) Gloucestershire County Council in (i) non-formula...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities and other public institutions for which she has responsibility hold accounts in Icelandic banks; and how...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she plans to make an order moving the date of the local elections in 2009; and if she will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether there are restrictions on local authorities using their powers as laid under Part 2 of the Local Government and Public...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will extend the deadline for responses to her Department in respect of the appeal by New Milton Sand and Ballast to the...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff were employed by Ordnance Survey in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance she has provided to local authorities on the time it should take to (a) investigate planning transgressions and...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations she has received on the number of planning enforcement files open and awaiting action by Castle Point...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations she has received from local authorities on the likely effect of the provisions of Clause 151 of the...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the estimated cost to the public purse is of the work of regional ministers annually; and if she will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what estimate her Department has made of the number of (a) privately rented student accommodation or houses, (b) student...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what (a) time period and (b) jurisdictions are covered by Criminal Records Bureau checks on (i) British and (ii) foreign...
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers the regional development agencies will have in respect of regional planning for Traveller camps from 2010.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the relationship between the use of allotments and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate he has made of annual carbon dioxide emissions arising from bodies recognised as public corporations by...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 6 March 2008, Official Report, column 2715W, on the Centre for Environment Fisheries and...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department has re-assessed any of its UK flood mapping timelines in view of the accelerated rate of Arctic summer...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) listening exercises and (b) public forums his Department has held in each of the last two years; and what the (i)...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library the details of the assumptions behind his policy on encouraging savings in household bills...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the government of China on that country's involvement in the ivory trade; and if he...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the EU Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries on whether the UK is empowered...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was claimed in expenses for taxi travel by officials from (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies in (i)...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what proportion of written questions for answer on a named day his Department has answered on the due date in...
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps will need to be taken for the EU to achieve a 30 per cent. reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2020 from a...
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on the percentage of greenhouse gas emissions reductions which should be delivered through the Clean Development...
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he plans to publish a revised impact assessment relating to the Climate Change Bill to take account of the amended target to...
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether emissions from (a) aircraft, (b) shipping and (c) cement manufacture are included in (a) the targets to be set in the...
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) how much the Government have spent on research into climate change since 1997; (2) how much the Government have provided by way...
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many of the directors of the Energy Savings Trust are from energy producing organisations.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what system is in place for ensuring that the Code for Sustainable Homes and the Code of Practice operated by the Energy Savings Trust...
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to ensure a competitive market for petrol and diesel.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the reliability of the medical assessment procedure in assessing claims under the coal miners'...
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much the Government have provided by way of grants or subsidies to the University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit in each...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on the compulsory (a) fingerprinting, (b) iris scanning and (c) photographing of (i) UK and (ii) other passengers at UK...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding has been allocated to tackling antisocial behaviour in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Sudanese nationals have been refused asylum in the UK in each of the last 12 months; and how many are awaiting a decision on an...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Zimbabwean nationals were refused asylum in the UK in each of the last 12 months; and how many are awaiting a decision on an asylum...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent by the Border and Immigration Agency and its predecessor on (a) taxi fares, (b) hotel accommodation, (c) first class...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of (a) murders, (b) assaults, (c) robberies and (d) other crimes committed while under the...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many agencies were sponsored by her Department in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 1997-98.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on overnight accommodation by her Department's civil servants in the last 12 months.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much (a) her Department and (b) the UK Border Agency and its predecessors spent on polling and focus groups in each of the last five years.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of (a) entertainment, (b) advertising and promotion and (c) public relations consultancy to her Department in 2007-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the proportion of Class A drugs sold on the streets of the UK which had originated in Afghanistan in the most...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons UK nationals acting as sponsors for overseas applicants applying for a UK visa are required to send personal financial...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals who were (a) under 13 and (b) between (i) 13 and 15, (ii) 16 and 18 and (iii) 19 and 21 years of age had their DNA...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of adding DNA samples to the National DNA database in each year since 1995.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those (a) arrested for and (b) convicted of human trafficking offences in the UK were (i) male and (ii) female in each of the...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the nationalities were of those (a) arrested and (b) convicted of human trafficking offences in the UK in each of the last five years.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for leave to remain have been received from addresses in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) the London...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of under 18-year-olds that arrived unaccompanied in the UK and were taken into care but subsequently...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines have been issued by her Department on the grant of indefinite leave to remain (ILR) under the legacy exercise to individuals...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average period of time was between a foreign national prisoner finishing their sentence and being deported in the last 12 months;...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many DNA samples were taken from people (a) charged and (b) cautioned (i) in each police area and (ii) in total in each of the last...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of (a) maintenance, (b) electricity, (c) heating and (d) other bills for the ministerial residence in South Eaton Place has...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how football clubs are charged for the cost of policing during games; who is responsible for the level of such charges; and what...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers are available to local authorities wishing to regulate the establishment of lap dancing clubs.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many meat detection sniffer dogs were in use at ports and airports in Great Britain on (a) 1 January and (b) 1 July in each year since 2002.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place to ensure that sensitive financial data required by the UK Border Agency to be sent overseas by those sponsoring...
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) date of appointment and (b) expected date of end of term of office is of each member of (i) the Advisory Group on Hepatitis and (ii) the...
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the alcoholic beverage industry on the health effects of underage drinking.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was for cancer treatment in West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust area in the latest period for which figures are available.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the causes of health inequalities between men and women in the last 10 years; and...
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the public health guidelines on hepatitis B will be published.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was paid by his Department to Iris London in each financial year since 2001; which contracts were awarded by his Department to Iris London in...
To ask the Secretary of State for Health which local authorities have decided to proceed with full implementation of transforming community equipment services following the recent trials.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) nurses, (b) general practitioners, (c) surgeons, (d) ward support staff and (e) administrative staff were employed in the NHS in each...
To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 6 October 2008, Official Report, column 457W on Health: obesity, which public service agreements published by the Government...
To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons the Government did not set a target to reduce levels of obesity in children between 1997 and 2004.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made towards (a) designation of specialised services to guarantee patient safety and (b) ensuring that service staff are used...
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department has taken to ensure that cancer networks adhere to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on...
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding is available for treatment of metastatic prostate cancer in (a) England, (b) each strategic health authority area and (c) each primary...
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many clinical nurse specialists for prostate cancer there were in (a) England, (b) each strategic health authority area and (c) each primary care...
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to (a) announce the amount of funding Thame Community Hospital, Oxfordshire, will receive from the Community Hospital Development Fund...
To ask the Secretary of State for Health which countries are classified as possessing a level of tuberculosis infection sufficient to justify the treatment of their nationals as a high risk group...
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the rate of tuberculosis infection was among children under 11 years of age in each of the last five years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of (a) the number of children who will be vaccinated under the revised guidelines for the national BCG vaccination programme...
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the reasons are for moving to a policy of selective rather than universal vaccination of children against tuberculosis.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has with the government of Bangladesh on outbreaks of violence against Christians and other religious...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of India on arms sales to the Government of Burma.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Burma about the incidence of human rights abuses in that country since...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his ASEAN counterparts on the supply of military police and security equipment to the...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the number of political prisoners in Burma.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Chinese Government on the conduct of the Government of Burma.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Burma on the outcome of the most recent visit to Burma by the UN special...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the pursuit of a United Nations Security Council resolution on Burma...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the prospects of securing an EU embargo on arms supplies to Colombia.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many valid UK diplomatic passports are held by (a) serving accredited UK diplomats, (b) other Foreign and Commonwealth...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the sale of arms to Ethiopia.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on extrajudicial killing in Guatemala.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Indian Government on the alleged persecution of Christians in Orissa state; and if...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of terrorist attacks in India over the last 12 months, broken down by (a) location and (b)...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support the Government is providing to India to assist counter-terrorism activities in India; and if he will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what mechanisms are in place for co-operation with the Indian Government on intelligence relating to (a) the causes of and (b)...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the (a) projected and (b) maximum number of investigations and trials is the International Criminal Court could undertake...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the list of banks domiciled in Iran, including their branches and subsidiaries abroad,...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Kenya; and if he will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps the Government have taken to assist the Government of Pakistan in reducing the incidence of extremism in that...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of incidents involving the alleged persecution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the UN arms embargo on Sudan.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on (a) compliance with and (b) breaches of the UN arms embargo on Darfur.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government have taken to facilitate free and fair elections in Sudan as outlined in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the establishment of a no-fly zone over Darfur.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Russian Government and (b) the Chinese Government on the political and...
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Darfur; and if he will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what procedures his Department uses to compile its advice on travel to Sudan.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to question 220187, on staff, tabled on 15 July.
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many diagnoses of prostate cancer there were in (a) England, (b) each strategic health authority area and (c) each primary care trust area...
To ask the Leader of the House pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2008, Official Report, columns 1377-78W, on the parliamentary session, for how many hours the House (a) sat, (b) considered...
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what support the Government has provided to building societies during the recent economic difficulties.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people aged over (a) 55 and (b) 60 years were recruited by his Department in 2007-08; and what percentage in each case this was of the number of...
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely effect of any decision to lower fuel duties in Northern Ireland on tax revenues.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the annual revenue which would be forgone by raising the higher rate of income tax threshold to (a) £45,000 and (b)...
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were paying the higher rate of income tax in (a) 1997 and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking in partnership with the Bank of England to reduce the spread between official interest rates and the three-month London inter-bank...
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the ratio is between the cost of premises mortgaged by Northern Rock and the average earnings of their mortgagees (a) nationally, (b) in the North...
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the reasons were for the decision by HM Revenue and Customs to review the guidance on vessels that do not qualify under the seafarers' earnings...
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Parliamentary Business Unit of the Tax Credit Office plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West's letter of 14 July...
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Parliamentary Business Unit of the Tax Credit Office plans to respond to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West's correspondence of 5 August 2008 on...
To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills whether his Department has commissioned research on the extent to which further education institutions are equipping students...
To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much was spent on overnight accommodation by his Department's civil servants in the last 12 months.
To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 19 June 2008, Official Report, column 1187W, on Dorneywood:...
To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the Learning and Skills Council on delays in education maintenance allowance payments...
To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how projects funded by the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) are selected; what independent assessment is undertaken of...
To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which organisation regulates the quality of foundation degrees.
To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what criteria are used to determine whether further education college courses for people with learning difficulties are...
To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what Government grants are (a) available to and (b) planned to be introduced for universities for improving and widening...
To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills (1) how much the Government have spent on university physics departments since 1997; (2) how much research funding the...
To ask the Prime Minister (1) what events have been held at 10 Downing Street since 1 August 2008; (2) if he will place in the Library a copy of invitations sent out for the last 10 events...
To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 17 September 2008, Official Report, column 2229W, on the Cabinet: meetings, if he will notify the hon. Members for North Cornwall, Worthing...
To ask the Prime Minister how much champagne was ordered by the Prime Minister's Office for consumption at events at (a) 10 Downing Street and (b) Chequers in each of the last six months.
To ask the Prime Minister how much was spent on overnight accommodation by civil servants in his Office in the last 12 months.
To ask the Prime Minister how many non-pensionable bonuses were awarded to members of staff in his Office in the last 12 months; and at what total cost.
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list (a) his special envoys and (b) their (i) professions, (ii) responsibilities as envoys and (iii) dates of starting and ending their roles.
To ask the Prime Minister (1) what the roles of (a) Wilf Stevenson and (b) Nicola Burdett are in his Office; and if he will make a statement on their remuneration; (2) what the role is of...
To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with the Leader of the Opposition before the announcement of the bank rescue package; and when those discussions were held.
To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish a response to the e-petition submitted via his website calling for a jobs guarantee for newly-qualified midwives.
To ask the Prime Minister if he will place responsibility for the energy-saving activities of the market transformation programme with the Department for Energy and Climate Change; and if he will...
To ask the Prime Minister what consideration he gave to the effect on the Doha world trade talks of the recall of the British Commissioner holding the post of EU Trade Commissioner.
To ask the Prime Minister what consideration he gave to visiting Sderot during his recent visit to Israel; and if he will make a statement.
To ask the Prime Minister at what time and on what date Lord Mandelson's appointment as Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform formally commenced.
To ask the Prime Minister if he will encourage Ministers with business in the House to walk between their departmental buildings in Whitehall and Victoria Street and the Palace of Westminster.
To ask the Prime Minister (1) how meetings of the Regional Economic Council of Ministers will be accountable to (a) Parliament and (b) the public; if he will place copies of the minutes of...
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when officials in his Department next intend to meet representatives of the Health Food Manufacturers Association to discuss the import of food...
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps are being taken to meet the learning and development needs of (a) youth offender team managers, (b) prison governors and (c) probation...
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what the projected cost is of implementing fully the E-Asset IT system; (2) what the cost to date has been of implementing the E-Asset IT system;...
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost has been of developing the co-ordinated online record of electors to date.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans there are to consult on developing the next phases of the co-ordinated online record of electors.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether a full cost-benefit analysis of introducing a co-ordinated electoral registration service has been undertaken by the Department.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the status is of the development of the coordinated online record of electors project.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether a final decision on the scope and specification of the Co-ordinated Online Register of Electors project has been made.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether there are any plans to introduce e-voting mechanisms before the local and European elections in 2009.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether there are any plans for further e-voting pilots in the next 12 months.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the budget is for work on remote electronic voting over the next two years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much funding his Department provided for the Energy Savings Trust in 2007-08; and how much it is providing for 2008-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what percentage of HM Courts Service staff are now linked to the LIBRA system; (2) when LIBRA will become operational across the whole magistrates...
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the implications of the deficit in the Judicial Contributory Pension Fund.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance is issued on the validity of (a) fatwas and (b) other rulings issued by religious authorities in the determination of matrimonial disputes.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether any bills originating in Guernsey making provisions for the law relating to medicine have received Royal Assent in the last two years; and if he...
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effect of not completing the implementation earlier in 2008 of C-NOMIS to the Probation Service in terms of end to end...
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for which categories of offences those foreign national prisoners who have been released in the UK without being deported in the last five years were...
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department has taken to ensure that (a) existing and (b) potential users of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal have...
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the new arrangements for the Special Education Needs and Disability Panel on access to the tribunal...
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the potential cost implications of the new system for special educational needs and disability tribunals for (a) parents,...
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the new case management system for the Special Educational Needs and Disability Panel has been piloted.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when his Department plans to publish the response to the consultation on weekend voting.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the Independent Monitoring Board Annual Report on HM Young Offender Institution Werrington, what assessment he has made of the...
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many young offender institutions have specialist social workers in permanent posts working in them.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many young people attended more than (a) one, (b) two and (c) three young offender institutions in each of the last 10 years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions he has had with Ministers from the Department for Children, Schools and Families on the drafting of the Youth Action Plan.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he will publish the results of the pilot of the Youth Justice Management Information System.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what the estimated cost is of implementing the Connectivity system across the youth justice network; (2) what the cost to date has been of...
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much UK aid funding in response to the cyclone in Burma has been allocated to education; and if he will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) the European Union and (b) the USA on funding for the second year of the...
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 15 October 2008, Official Report, column 1339W, on departmental consultants, on what projects expenditure...
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 15 October 2008, Official Report, column 1339W, on departmental consultants, what his Department's projected...
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost was of (a) entertainment, (b) advertising and promotion and (c) public relations consultancy to his Department in 2007-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what steps the Government has taken to improve the support given to developing countries immediately following natural disasters;...
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2008, Official Report, column 993W, on overseas aid, what his Department's definition of a low...
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance the Government provided to the Government of Pakistan following the 2005 earthquake.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2008, Official Report, column 995W, on South America: research, what priority themes were...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number of academies linked to schools associated with military establishments.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many private sponsors of (a) existing and (b) planned academies have had discussions with his Department about withdrawing...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether any women have acted as individual sponsors of academy schools.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what powers he has to dismiss any academy sponsor; and when those powers have been exercised.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many adopted children waited longer than (a) 12, (b) 18, (c) 24, (d) 30, (e) 36, (d) 42 and (e) 48 months to be adopted...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department spent on (a) after-school facilities and (b) holiday clubs in each of the last 10 years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department is planning to spend on the Building Schools for the Future programme in each year from 2011-12 to...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what guidance his Department gives to local authorities on the placement of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children who are...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what progress has been made on plans for the proposed Crayford Academy.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many agencies were sponsored by his Department or its predecessors in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 1997-98.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department spent on upgrading its IT in each of the last three financial years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which magazines and other publications his Department distributes to (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools on a regular...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children were fostered by a grandparent in each of the last 10 years, broken down by local authority.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what surveys his Department has conducted to estimate the proportion of the school student population which wishes to stay on in...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils stayed in education in 2008 after the age of 16 having attended a secondary school (a) with and (b) without a...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) pursuant to the answer of 7 October 2008, Official Report, columns 590-91W, on the general certificate of secondary...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of pupils who did not gain a single grade C or above at GCSE in 2008 were resident in the 50 per cent. most...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what the budget of the Young Gifted and Talented programme is in 2008-09; (2) what the value is of the contract awarded to...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to increase the number of people from low-income backgrounds who study at university.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the National Assessment Agency budget has been in each year since its establishment; and if he will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) when Lord Sutherland's report on Key Stage Testing in 2008 will be published; and if he will make a statement; (2) when...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when Ministers or officials from his Department met (a) the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, (b) the National Assessment...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) for what reasons ETS was required to undertake face to face training for markers of the 2008 key stage tests, rather than...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families for what reasons there was not a full-scale logistics pilot for the 2008 key stage 2 and 3 tests; and if he will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what options his Department has considered for the publication of key stage 2 test results for schools taking the single level...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will publish the minutes of the meeting between the National Assessment Agency and Ofqual on 21 February 2008; and if he...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the statement of 14 October 2008, Official Report, columns 673-87, on national curriculum tests, for what reasons his...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many companies have tendered to provide the 2009 Key Stage 2 standard assessment tests; and if he will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) which local authorities are involved in the pilot schemes to extend the pre-school education entitlement to two-year-olds;...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2008, Official Report, column 1133W, on pre-school education, what the timescale is for the...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what estimate he has made of the number of (a) untrained staff and (b) staff trained to level (i) one, (ii) two and (iii)...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the additional number of staff who will have to enter the childcare sector to extend the free...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of pupils of primary school age in maintained schools are in classes of (a) fewer than 20, (b) 20...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupil referral units do not have provision for pupils with special educational needs, broken down by local authority.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much was spent per head of the population on education in (a) rural and (b) urban areas in 2007-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average financial allocation per pupil was in (a) Devon local authority area and (b) England in each of the last five years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has for the future of BTEC qualifications.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people who were entered for a (a) GCSE and (b) A Level did not sit one or more exams in each of the last five years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what average proportion of (a) primary and (b) secondary school teacher's working time was spent (i) completing...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much land has been bought for educational use in England in (a) the last 12 months and (b) the last 10 years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how educational land is valued for sale.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the area of educational land is in England; and what the average amount of land per school is.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what restrictions are in place for the selling of educational land for residential use.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in Peterborough offer competitive sports as part of their...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many national challenge schools will be entering national challenge trusts.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the likely effects on educational standards in Stoke-on-Trent over the next 10 years of the closure...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many students in maintained schools in September have begun working towards (a) the Cambridge Pre-U examination and (b) the...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average amount of funding per student was in comprehensive secondary schools of (a) fewer than 100, (b) 100 to 199,...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department has taken to monitor trends in out-of-area placements made by social services.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the vacancy rates for child social workers were in England in each year since 2001, broken down by local authority.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the total cost of the implementation of the diploma programme.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he plans to publish an estimate of the number of children studying for diplomas in 2008-09; and if he will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils he expects to enrol on a new diploma course in September (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011; and if he will make a...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools he expects to offer one or more new diploma courses starting in September (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011; and...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his latest estimate of the number of students who will begin a diploma course in 2009-10 is; and if he will make a statement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to introduce a general diploma.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many qualified full-time male secondary school teachers were working as teachers in each of the last 10 years, broken...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools did not have a qualified full-time male teacher in each of the last 10 years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average starting salary of a (a) primary and (b) secondary school teacher (i) in England, (ii) in London and (iii)...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to increase the number of primary teacher training (a) undergraduate and (b) postgraduate courses with a...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what schemes co-ordinated by (a) his Department and (b) local authorities that provide opportunities for experienced, recently...
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 1 April 2008, Official Report, column 818W, on truancy, how many pupils have had a recorded...
asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they will take, following the consultation on the KPMG Review of the Social Responsibility Standards for the Production and Sale of Alcoholic Drinks,...
asked Her Majesty's Government: How many people in England and Wales were (a) fined more than £250, and (b) received the maximum penalty of £500 for refusing to stop drinking or to...
asked Her Majesty's Government: Against how many people in England and Wales proceedings were commenced for the offence of obtaining alcohol for a person who was drunk in each year since 2005.
asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the current European Union code of conduct on arms exports; and whether they propose to make it more effective and legally...
asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether all United Kingdom regulated banking subsidiaries of non-bank organisations that meet the requisite tier 1 capital requirements will be eligible to...
asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will make representations to the Government of France to recognise United Kingdom civil partnerships in the same way that a French pacte civil de...
asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will participate in a proposed visit by European Union heads of mission in Bogota to the Curvurado river basin, where according to recent reports,...
asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will raise, at the forthcoming United Nations Universal Periodic Review of Colombia, the large increase in the number of displaced persons between...
asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations they have made or plan to make to the Government of Egypt about their alleged "refoulement" of Eritrean refugees, the prison conditions under...
asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their response to the proposals in the Sterckx report presented to the European Parliament which would establish a Community vessel traffic monitoring and...
asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether, at the forthcoming European Union summit meeting, they will propose that there should be a procedural agreement for the future management of the Community...
asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether their foreign policy embraces the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.
asked Her Majesty's Government: What representations they have made either directly or through the European Union to the Governments of Georgia and Russia regarding their use of cluster munitions...
asked Her Majesty's Government: What greetings have been posted on the website of the Department for Communities and Local Government to adherents of each of the major religions of the world...
asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the answer by Baroness Ashton of Upholland on 10 June (Official Report, House of Lords, col. 480), whether the Cabinet Office's attention has been drawn...
asked Her Majesty's Government: What response the British consulate-general in Hong Kong received when they raised the exclusion from the territory of a British external examiner who was...
asked Her Majesty's Government: How many British citizens have been denied entry into the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region since 1 January 2007; and what reasons have been given to the...
asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the practicality of all government dwellings with fewer than four bedrooms due to be put on the market being offered for sale as...
asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the Housing Corporation is seeking to merge all black and minority ethnic (BME)-led housing associations into larger white-led associations and How many...
asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the longest period that an unaccompanied child asylum seeker has been held in a United Kingdom detention centre; and what were the reasons for this.
asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they will take following recent air attacks by Turkey in northern Iraq; whether they have discussed those attacks in NATO; and what assessment they...
asked Her Majesty's Government: When a British diplomat last visited the Gaza Strip; and whether they have proposals for improving access and freedom of movement for the inhabitants of Gaza.
asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they, the quartet and the quartet representative are taking to ensure that Gaza receives parts and equipment needed to maintain and repair water and...
asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress has been made in reducing the numbers of unauthorised settlement outposts and security checkpoints on roads in the West Bank, thus implementing...
asked Her Majesty's Government: How much each rank of official in the Northern Ireland Office spent on taxis during the past financial year.
asked Her Majesty's Government: How much the Northern Ireland Parades Commission has spent on taxis in each of the past five years.
asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they intend, within the Committee of Ministers, to support the recommendation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 3 October that the...
asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will discuss with the Government of Pakistan the 1,321 cases of violence against women reported for the first three months of 2008, in particular the...
asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Housing Minister, Caroline Flint, on 7 July (Official Report, House of Commons, 1355W), whether the sample responding to...
asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 29 September (WA 418) which indicates that they have no policy to involve senior police commanders in negotiations...
asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they are taking to encourage a restriction on population growth in the world.
asked Her Majesty's Government: In what circumstances a person can be sent to prison for non-payment of debt in Northern Ireland.
asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the ratio of prisoners to wardens in prisons in (a) Northern Ireland, and (b) England.
asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps the Cabinet Office has taken to ensure that Ministers answer Questions for Written Answer within the two-week target; and why the department had 11 late...
asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress is being made in bringing forward a programme of railway electrification.
asked Her Majesty's Government: Which Minister will make the decision on awarding the contract to build St Helena's airport; and when this decision is expected to be announced.
asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they have taken, in advance of the G8 summit in July, to facilitate a meeting between President Hu Jintao and the Dalai Lama to discuss the situation in...
asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 10 June (Official Report, House of Lords, col. 476), how they will use the new sign to advise large and heavy...
asked Her Majesty's Government: What assessment they have made of the nine criminal charges reported to have been brought against Leyla Zana in the High Court of Diyarbakir, Turkey.
asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their response to the observations of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women Committee of 18 July,...
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.