Written answers

Thursday, 20 November 2008

  • Prime Minister

    • Departmental Information Officers

      To ask the Prime Minister how many full-time equivalent press officers (a) work and (b) provide assistance for his Office.

    • Departmental Manpower

      To ask the Prime Minister how many staff were employed by his Office in 2007-08; and how many staff were employed by his predecessor's office in (a) 2005-06 and (b) 2006-07.

      Departmental Television

      To ask the Prime Minister whether the television licence fee in his official ministerial residence is paid from public funds.

      Departmental Written Questions

      To ask the Prime Minister how many Questions for written answer were tabled to him and to his predecessor in Session (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04, (c) 2004-05, (d) 2005-06, (e) 2006-07 and (f)...

      Energy

      To ask the Prime Minister when the London meeting on energy referred to in his recent speech in Abu Dhabi is scheduled to take place; what the objective of the meeting will be; and whether...

      Political Office: Telephones

      To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Philip Davies) of 8 October 2008, Official Report, column 618W, on political office: furniture, how...

      Shrewsbury

      To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit Shrewsbury.

      World Economy

      To ask the Prime Minister what proposals he made at the summit convened by President Bush on reform of the global economy in Washington on 15 November 2008; if he will post on his departmental...

  • Northern Ireland

    • Departmental Internet

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for which Government websites his Department is responsible; how many visitors each received in the last period for which figures are available;...

    • Drugs: Convictions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were convicted of drug-related offences in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

      Drugs: Sentencing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average sentence handed down by the courts in Northern Ireland for (a) possession of and (b) dealing in drugs was in each of the last...

      Police Service of Northern Ireland: Disabled

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of new police officer recruits who joined the Police Service of Northern Ireland since November 2001 declared...

  • Defence

    • Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the (a) Government and (b) armed forces have held discussions with the Taliban in Afghanistan during 2008.

    • Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the reasons are for Harriers undertaking a night commitment in Afghanistan.

      Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the introduction of (a) 9,000 US combat troops and (b) a second US operated runway on command and...

      Armed Forces: Compensation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) shortest and (b) longest length of time has been between a soldier being killed in action and the standard payment following a death in...

      Armed Forces: Families

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the most recent Armed Forces Families' Attitude Survey.

      Armed Forces: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how frequently he receives reports updating the progress-tracking grid on implementation of measures proposed by the Defence Select Committee, the Adult...

      Catterick Barracks

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in the investigation of allegations of physical abuse and harassment at Catterick Barracks.

      Central Africa: Air Force

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF (a) C-17 Globemaster, (b) C-130K Hercules, (c) C-130J Hercules, (d) Tristar, (e) VC-10 aircraft and (f) other RAF aircraft listed by...

      Christmas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have spent on Christmas (a) cards, (b) parties and (c) decorations in the last 12 months.

      Defence: Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) the procurement of the new carriers, (b) the procurement of the Joint Strike Fighter, (c) the Trident...

      Floods: Thames Estuary

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the advice provided by the Meteorological Office to the Environment Agency on the effects of climate change in...

      Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made towards apprehending those allegedly responsible for the killing of six members of the Royal Military Police in a police...

      Military Aircraft

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent estimate is of the annual cost of (a) maintaining and (b) operating (i) the VC10 and (ii) the Tristar fleet.

      Military Aircraft

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Merlin HM MK1 helicopters and (b) Nimrod MR2 aircraft are stationed in the UK.

      Military Aircraft: Repairs and Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) target and (b) actual number of (i) BAE and (ii) RAF maintenance staff is at RAF Marham.

      Military Bases: Helicopters

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he expects to announce decisions arising from Project Belvedere; (2) what the latest estimate is of the costs of Project Belvedere; (3) how...

      Navy: Detainees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures Royal Navy personnel are instructed to follow in circumstances where they detain people who then claim asylum; and how many people have...

      Navy: Piracy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many incidents involving pirates the Royal Navy has been involved with in each of the last three months.

      Nuclear Weapons: Decommissioning

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to increase the skills available to his Department, its agencies and bodies for which he is responsible for the dismantling of...

      Racial Harassment

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

      Somalia: Piracy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many pirates have been captured off the coast of Somalia by HMS Cumberland; where they are being held; under which legal framework; and if he will...

      Tornado Aircraft: Repairs and Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Tornado GR4 aircraft are awaiting maintenance at RAF Marham.

      Tornado Aircraft: Repairs and Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) contractually determined monthly throughput rate is of Tornado GR4s undergoing maintenance at RAF Marham and (b) the actual throughput...

      Trident

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions during the initial gate period for the Trident submarine replacement programme he plans to produce a progress report to Parliament.

      USA: Nuclear Power

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons are seconded from (a) his Department and (b) the Atomic Weapons Establishment to United States Nuclear Research and Development...

  • Environment Food and Rural Affairs

    • Bees: Disease Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received from the British Beekeepers' Association on levels of funding for protection of bee health.

    • Embassies: Waste Management

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 7 March 2008, Official Report, column 644W, on embassies: waste management, and of 9 January 2008,...

      Gypsum

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to promote the recycling of waste gypsum.

      Severn Barrage: Nature Conservation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the (a) species of flora and fauna which would be affected by the construction of a Severn...

      Waste Disposal: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) of 4 November 2008, Official...

  • Wales

    • Welsh Language: Railways

      To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Department for Transport, Virgin Trains and Great Western Trains regarding the use of the Welsh language in respect of...

  • Electoral Commission Committee

    • Electoral Register

      To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what the Electoral Commission's latest estimate is of the number of eligible people who are...

    • Political Parties: Finance

      To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission pursuant to the answer of 6 October 2008, Official Report, column 83W, on political parties:...

  • House of Commons Commission

    • Members: Allowances

      To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission on what date the Commission expects to publish information relating to hon. Members' expenses following the...

  • Transport

    • A40: Repairs and Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the (a) initial budget and (b) cost outturn was for the Highways Agency roadworks on the A40 at Over, Gloucestershire; (2) what the...

    • Aviation: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) flights and (b) low-flying flights to (i) Heathrow and (ii) London City airports there were in (A) 1997 and (B) at the latest date for...

      Aviation: Noise

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the meaning is of the term bear down used in the Air Transport White Paper 2003 in relation to aircraft noise; and what the policy of bearing down...

      Aviation: Noise

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the Government's policy is on reducing aircraft noise from (a) day and (b) night and early morning flights to and from Heathrow airport.

      Bus Services: Concessions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the national bus concessionary fares scheme on community rail partnerships.

      Departmental Postal Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department uses the Royal Mail as the primary company for sending its post, parcels and packages.

      Departmental Public Transport

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of his Department's staff use public transport to travel to and from work.

      Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Telephone Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much revenue the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has received from the use of revenue sharing phone numbers in each of the last five years.

      Driving Tests: Gravesham

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will estimate the additional average cost to learner drivers from Gravesham if the Gravesend Driving Test Centre is closed and they are...

      Heathrow Airport: Construction

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the effect of a third runway at Heathrow Airport on the UK's ability to meet EU nitrogen oxide targets.

      Heathrow Airport: Public Transport

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish targets he has agreed with BAA for increasing the proportion of passengers arriving at and departing from Heathrow via public transport.

      Lorries: Safety

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will undertake research to evaluate the merits of mandatory fitting of Fresnel lens mirrors on (a) British and (b) foreign heavy goods vehicles.

      National Contingency Plan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will discuss with Ministerial colleagues the merits of amending the National Contingency Plan to incorporate cargo-related incidents; (2)...

      Railways: Welsh Language

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with First Great Western Trains and Virgin Trains on the use of the Welsh language in respect of (a) rail services...

      Rolling Stock

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what his Department's policy is on the involvement of rolling stock companies in the procurement and funding of new trains; (2) what his...

      Thames Gateway Crossing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial contribution his Department plans to make to the Thames Gateway road crossing in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13, (d) 2013-14...

  • Treasury

    • Bank Services

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the proportion of depositors in Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander (Isle of Man) who were unable to bank in the UK because of...

    • Bank Services: Charities

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 29 October 2008, Official Report, columns 1094-5W, on bank services, if he will put in place arrangements to support charities...

      Cash Dispensing

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 17 July 2008, Official Report, columns 37-38WS, on free cash machines (low-income areas), how many sites...

      Child Trust Fund: Wales

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Child Trust Fund take-up rates were for (a) each constituency in Wales and (b) each ward in the Cardiff South and Penarth constituency in the...

      Departmental Information Officers

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many full-time equivalent press officers (a) work and (b) provide assistance to his Department.

      Departmental Internet

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many page hits from how many visitors his Department's website received in 2007-08.

      Departmental Internet

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of maintaining his Department's website was in 2007-08; and what the forecast costs for maintaining websites within his responsibility are for...

      Departmental Liability

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what dates in each of the last five years his Department informed the House of the creation of contingent liabilities relating to his Department or its...

      Departmental NDPBs

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the remit is of each non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department; and what budget each has been set for (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and...

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letters of 31 July and 8 September 2008 from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare on behalf of his constituent, Alex Layard.

      Non-Domestic Rates: Empty Property

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 10 September 2008, Official Report, column 1988W, on empty property: regeneration, whether his Department has received...

      Revenue and Customs: Databases

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 3 November 2008, Official Report, columns 103-4W, on Revenue and Customs: databases, what personal details are held on the...

      Revenue and Customs: Databases

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 3 November 2008, Official Report, columns 103-4W, on Revenue and Customs: databases, what guidelines there are on (a) the...

      Revenue and Customs: Databases

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 3 November 2008, Official Report, columns 103-4W, on Revenue and Customs: databases, what estimate his Department has made of the...

      Revenue and Customs: Databases

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 3 November 2008, Official Report, columns 103-4W, on Revenue and Customs: databases, what the definition is of a business need...

      Revenue and Customs: South West

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the proposed closure of the Penzance HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) office upon (a) net average...

      Revenue and Customs: South West

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the 21 HM Revenue and Customs offices in the Government office of the South West region which are to be closed or substantially closed under the...

      Revenue and Customs: South West

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely (a) cost and (b) savings associated with contracts for the lease of office premises resulting from the HM Revenue...

  • Health

    • Asbestos: Tamworth

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people required treatment for asbestos-related conditions in Tamworth constituency in each year since 1997.

    • Departmental Internet

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health for which Government websites his Department is responsible; how many visitors each received in the last period for which figures are available; and what...

      Diabetes: Hampshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of (a) type 1 and (b) type 2 diabetes have been diagnosed in people of each age group in each primary care trust area in Hampshire in...

      Doctors: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to provide doctors with training on communication with patients about the costs of different treatment approaches.

      Drugs: Internet

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department is taking to prevent the sale of untested and illegal pharmaceutical drugs via the internet; and if he will make a...

      General Practitioners: Cambridgeshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what savings were made by GP practices in the NHS Cambridgeshire area through the practice-based commission scheme in 2007-08; (2) what the savings...

      General Practitioners: Pharmacy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will take steps to ensure that the availability of over-the-counter medicines from GP dispensing practices proposed in the Pharmacy White...

      Health Centres

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 3 November 2008, Official Report, column 83W, on health centres, what the potential risks of starting a new service are.

      Health Centres

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 20 October 2008, Official Report, column 64W, on health centres, what assessment his Department has made of the likely effects...

      Hospitals: Waiting Lists

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GP referrals were made for (a) inpatient and (b) outpatient treatment in each of the last eight quarters.

      Hospitals: Yorkshire and Humber

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many delayed discharges there were from (a) the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, (b) York District Hospital and (c) Harrogate Hospital in the...

      Maternity Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2008, Official Report, column 524W, on maternity services, what (a) standalone midwifery units and (b) midwifery...

      Maternity Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2008, Official Report, column 524W, on maternity services, when the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts came into...

      Melanotan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on the use of melanotan; and whether NICE is...

      Melanotan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has had with regulators on the safety of Melanotan.

      Mental Health Services: Hospital Beds

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mental health beds are in (a) single rooms and (b) mixed areas.

      Mental Health Services: Hospital Beds

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of providing all mental health unit beds in single sex accommodation.

      NHS Direct: Enfield

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the Enfield Primary Care Trust area have consulted NHS Direct in each year since 2000.

      NHS: Ict

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend East of 6 October 2008, Official Report, column 444W, on medical records: data...

      NHS: Negligence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been paid out by the NHS in compensation to patients in each of the last three years; and how much has been paid out in legal costs in...

      NHS: Standardisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS organisations are members of GS1.

      NHS: Standardisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of (a) medicines and (b) medical supplies to the NHS are being supplied with GS1 standardised barcodes.

      NHS: Standardisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many automated dispensing systems are in place in the NHS.

      NHS: Standardisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of patients involved in safety incidents in NHS organisations which (a) are and (b) are not members of GS1.

      North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust: Doctors

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors per 100,000 residents there were in the area covered by the North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust in each year between 1997 and 2007.

      North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust: Pay

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

      Oral Health

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 10 November 2008, Official Report, column 826W, on employment of oral health specialists, what steps his Department is taking...

      Pharmacy: Winchester

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescription items have been dispensed (a) by dispensing doctors in Winchester and the Meon Valley and (b) in the community by community...

      Phenylketonuria

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of phenylketonuria have been diagnosed in the last 12 months; and how many of these have led to a grant of disability living allowance.

      Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the number of 16 to 25 year olds who have been screened for sexually transmitted infections in each strategic...

      Slaughterhouses: Inspections

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many inspections of abattoirs were conducted by the Meat Hygiene Service in each of the last five years; and what the average number of inspections...

      Surgery: Waiting Lists

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting times for (a) heart and (b) cancer operations in the area covered by South Staffordshire primary care trust were in the last 12...

      Tuberculosis

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of persons treated for tuberculosis who were living in (i) private and (ii) social...

      York Hospitals NHS Trust: Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent (a) medical consultants, (b) other medical staff, (c) nurses, (d) other professional staff, (e) administrative and...

  • Leader of the House

    • Members: Allowances

      To ask the Leader of the House how many hon. Members have been required to make repayments of their communications allowance following investigations by the Standards and Privileges Committee...

    • Members: Pensions

      To ask the Leader of the House how many hon. Members have chosen to exercise each of the options available under the hon. Members' pension scheme.

  • Innovation, Universities and Skills

    • Science

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps his Department proposes to take in order to increase public interest in science.

    • Apprenticeships

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps his Department is taking to ensure the provision of apprenticeships for small and medium-sized enterprises in the...

      Apprenticeships

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of apprentices employed in the public sector in (a) the Isle of Wight and (b) England.

      Apprenticeships

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what plans he has to increase the number of apprenticeships available to young people.

      University Places

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent representations he has received on numbers of applications by state school pupils for university places.

      Maintenance Grants

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many new students in (a) Staffordshire, (b) the west midlands and (c) England will have a reduced entitlement to...

      Young People: University

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps his Department takes to support universities in the work they undertake to encourage young people to apply to them.

      Tuition Fees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills when he will begin the tuition fees' review.

      Further Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of the contribution made by further education colleges to the communities in which they are based.

      Further Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many higher education students are studying in further education colleges.

      Astronomy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much his Department is spending on astronomy and space research in 2008-09.

      Higher Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent progress there has been in widening participation in higher education.

      Further and Higher Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent steps the Government has taken to increase the numbers of students participating in further and higher education.

      Energy Technologies Institute

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of progress in the work of the Energy Technologies Institute.

      Skills

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps he is taking to increase employees' skills levels in science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects.

      Apprentices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps he has taken to ensure that apprentices do not lose their apprenticeships in the current economic climate.

      ConstructionSkills: Consultants

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells of 29 April 2008, Official Report, column 292W, on...

      Research: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much quality-related research funding was received by each UK higher education institution for the period 2003-04 to 2008-09.

  • Home Department

    • Alcoholic Drinks: Public Places

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the maximum fine for anyone not obeying an instruction to stop drinking, or to give up their drink in a designated public place will...

    • Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department has taken following the publication of the Youth Alcohol Action Plan to assist the police, local authorities and...

      Automatic Number Plate Recognition

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate the Office of the Surveillance Commissioner has made of the level of use of automatic number plate recognition; and what...

      Borders: Personal Records

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will reduce for leisure boaters the period of notice required for the passenger and crew manifests and boat details of boats entering...

      Community Safety Accreditation Schemes

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which approved organisations have had enforcement powers granted to them through community safety accreditation schemes; and which...

      Community Safety Accreditation Schemes

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces have a community safety accreditation scheme in place; and what enforcement powers have been granted to each scheme.

      Community Support Officers: Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police community support officers have been stationed in Crosby constituency in each year since 1997.

      Crime Prevention

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Pendle of 9 March 2001, Official Report, column 310W, on the Home Office, which police...

      Departmental Data Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) computers and (b) hard drives in her Department contain non-encrypted data.

      Departmental Information and Communications Technology

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of her Department's staff have remote access to the Department's IT infrastructure.

      Departmental Internet

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what costs her Department incurred in internet and website design and hosting in each year since 2001.

      Departmental Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2008, Official Report, column 259W, on departmental procurement, what payments her Department made to...

      Departmental Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2008, Official Report, column 259W, on Departmental procurement, what payments her Department made to...

      Departmental Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2008, Official Report, column 259W, on Departmental procurement, what payments her Department made to...

      Departmental Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2008, Official Report, column 259W, on Departmental procurement, what payments her Department made to...

      Departmental Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2008, Official Report, column 259W, on departmental procurement, what payments her Department made to...

      Deportation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people the Government have been unable to deport in the last 12 months; and for what reason in each case.

      Deportation: Iran

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent consideration she has given to a moratorium on the deportation of gay people to Iran.

      Deportation: Offenders

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons suspected of terrorism offences the Government has been unable to deport owing to (a) legal challenges and (b) an...

      Detention Centres: Security

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many detainees escaped from each immigration detention centre in each year since 1997.

      Electronic Government: International Co-operation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what recent estimate she has made of the cost of Project Stork; what progress has been made in the project; and if she will make a...

      Genetics: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of people on the national DNA database were aged (a) under 16 and (b) under 18 years at the time their profile...

      Human Trafficking: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government has considered the establishment of a system of guardianship for child victims of trafficking.

      Human Trafficking: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what support system is in place for children who are victims of human trafficking.

      Identity Cards: Biometrics

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the police on the use of (a) non-unique digital representations of fingerprint biometrics and (b) unique...

      Identity Cards: Biometrics

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether workers employed in sensitive locations applying for identity cards from 2009 will be required to provide 10 fingerprints.

      Identity Cards: Data Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the personal information collated before an individual's interview to enrol in the identity card scheme will be destroyed after use;...

      Identity Cards: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what work is being undertaken by her Department on whether identity cards should be extended to British citizens under the age of 16 years.

      Illegal Immigrants: Prisoners

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost per day of detaining an immigration offender in the immigration estate was in the latest period for which figures are...

      Interception Modernisation Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what access local authorities will have to geodata from mobile telephone use under the Interception Modernisation Programme.

      Interception of Communications Commissioner

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what role the Interception of Communications Commissioner has in inspecting local authorities.

      Local Authorities: Inspections

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which local authorities have been inspected by the Office of the Surveillance Commissioner in the last 12 months.

      Local Authorities: Surveillance

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance the Interception of Communications Commissioner has issued to local authorities on their use of powers under the Regulation of...

      Local Authorities: Surveillance

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response she has made to the Interception of Communications Commissioner on her proposals for local authorities to make greater use of...

      Local Authorities: Surveillance

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many local authorities were authorised to intercept communications data in the last year for which figures are available according to...

      Marriage

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason approval as a venue for a civil marriage ceremony may not be given to premises with a recent connection with any religion,...

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to respond to the letter to her dated 1 September from the right hon. Member for Manchester Gorton with regard to Mrs N. Akhtar.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to answer the letter to her dated 25 September from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton in regard to Mrs Mohsin.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she will respond to the letter to her of 12 August from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Faiz ur-Rasool.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she will respond to the letter of 24 September from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs. F. Khan.

      Office of the Surveillance Commissioner

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the annual cost to the public purse of the Office of the Surveillance Commissioner has been in each of the last three years.

      Police National Computer

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received from the Data Protection Commissioner on the accuracy of criminal records held on the Police...

      Police: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of her Department's ability to implement the recommendations of the Bichard Inquiry on a Police National...

      Police: Parades

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of policing the (a) Henley Regatta 2008, (b) London Marathon 2008, (c) London Gay and Lesbian Pride March 2008 and (d)...

      Police: Surveillance

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will place in the Library a copy of the National Policing Improvement Agency's report on the lawful and effective use of covert techniques.

      Powers of Entry

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when she expects Lord West to complete his review of powers of entry; and what plans she has to publish his report; (2) whether the...

      Proof of Identity

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what joint ventures have been established by the Identity and Passport Service concerning identity verification.

      Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what use there has been of notices under section 49 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 since 1 October 2007.

      Royal Mail: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will place in the Library a copy of the most recent inspection report of the Royal Mail Group by the Office of the Surveillance...

      Vetting: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what costs will be incurred by (a) employers, (b) employees and (c) volunteers to register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority.

  • Work and Pensions

    • Carer's Allowance: Tamworth

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were in receipt of carer's allowance in Tamworth constituency in each year since its inception.

    • Child Benefit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many EU or EEA nationals are receiving UK child benefit for a child or children living in another EU or EEA member state; and how much was...

      Departmental ICT

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what IT projects (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies is undertaking; and what the most recent estimate of (i) the cost and (ii)...

      Departmental Mass Media

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which organisations provided media monitoring services to (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies in...

      Departmental Temporary Employment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many temporary workers (a) are employed by his Department and (b) were employed by his Department in each year since 1997; (2) how...

      Departmental Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on external training courses for departmental staff in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007 and (d) 2008; and which...

      Departmental Written Questions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many questions for written answer were tabled to his Department in Session (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04, (c) 2004-05, (d) 2005-06, (e)...

      Disability Living Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) average and (b) maximum duration of a fixed award of (i) disability living allowance and (ii) attendance allowance was in each...

      Disability Living Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many awards have been made for (a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance under special award rules in each of the last...

      Disability Living Allowance: Chronically Sick

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are receiving disability living allowance under the special rules relating to a terminal illness (a) in total and (b) broken...

      Disability Living Allowance: Sight Impaired

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to decide whether the higher rate of mobility allowance should be awarded to those who are visually impaired.

      Disability Living Allowance: Sight Impaired

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate his Department has made of the likely cost of extending the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance...

      Incapacity Benefit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidelines his Department has in place regarding contacting incapacity benefit claimants by telephone in the evenings and at weekends.

      Income Support: Lone Parents

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's estimate is of the average benefit income of lone parents affected by the changes to the eligibility rules for income...

      Mentally Ill Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information his Department has gathered on the effect of its policies and practices on the recruitment, development and retention of...

      Motability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 6 October 2008, Official Report, column 69W, on Motability, how many allegations of (a) fraud and (b) misuse were...

      Post Office Card Account

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what additional functionality the new Post Office Card Account will offer; and if he will make a statement.

      Post Office Card Account

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the oral statement of 13 November 2008, Official Report, columns 965-82W, on the Post Office Card Account, what the increased...

      Post Office Card Account

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place a copy of each of the public tender documents for the Post Office Card Account in the Library.

      Winter Fuel Payments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the cost of extending the winter fuel payment to people (a) receiving the higher rate mobility...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

    • Afghanistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many studies his Department has (a) initiated and (b) completed on the lessons learned for his Department from the war in...

    • British Indian Ocean Territory: Prisons

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Prisons Ordinance 1981 of the British Indian Ocean Territory was intended to authorise.

      China: Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to hold discussions with the Governments of China and India on ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and use...

      Climate Change

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress his Department has made on Departmental Strategic Objective 8 to promote a low carbon, high growth global economy...

      Democratic Republic of Congo: Peacekeeping Operations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution the UK (a) provides and (b) plans to provide to the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and...

      Democratic Republic of Congo: Peacekeeping Operations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is UK policy that the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo should be reinforced; and what changes are...

      Departmental ICT

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what IT projects (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies is undertaking; and what the most recent estimate of (i) the...

      Departmental Marketing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the cost effectiveness of Government-commissioned advertising in the last 12 months relating to...

      Departmental Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what proportion of civil servants in his Department and its agencies are members of the (a) Classic, (b) Classic...

      Departmental Public Participation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many citizens' juries his Department has held since 1 July 2007; what the cost was of each; what issues were discussed at...

      Departmental Security

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many security passes have been reported (a) lost and (b) stolen by staff in (i) his Department and (ii) agencies sponsored...

      Departmental Telephone Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what agencies or units for which his Department is responsible require the public to make telephone calls to them on numbers...

      Departmental Visits Abroad

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost of overseas visits by each Minister in his Department has been since 1997.

      Diego Garcia: Aviation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who is responsible for maintaining and possessing the flight logs of aeroplanes flying in and out of Diego Garcia.

      Diego Garcia: Detainees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United States is required to seek permission from the UK Government to use UK-run civilian detention facilities on...

      Diego Garcia: Detainees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether there is a US-administered military detention facility on Diego Garcia.

      Diego Garcia: Detainees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people have been held in the police station on the island of Diego Garcia since 2001; and for what reasons in each case.

      Diego Garcia: Military Bases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether there have been any requests put (a) to British officials based in Diego Garcia and (b) directly to his Department...

      Diego Garcia: Military Bases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether there have been any requests from the US Administration for permission to use their facilities on Diego Garcia for...

      Georgia: Russia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of relations between Georgia and Russia; and if he will make a statement.

      Ilois: Resettlement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions his Department has held with the Chagos islanders on their wish to return to the Chagos Islands.

      Iraq: Asylum

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much it has cost to date to administer the Locally Employed Staff Assistance scheme for Iraqi nationals; and if he will make...

      Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the legal basis for the presence of UK forces in Iraq will be after the expiry of the UN mandate in December 2008; and if...

      Plain English

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many documents produced by his Department were submitted to the Plain English Campaign for approval for Crystal Mark status...

      Plain English

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many documents produced by his Department were submitted to the Plain English Campaign for approval for Crystal Mark status...

      Turks and Caicos Islands: Hurricanes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department plans to provide to the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands during the reconstruction phase...

  • Culture Media and Sport

    • Departmental Catering

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether food and drink on sale to staff of (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies at official premises is subsidised from...

    • Gambling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether he plans to revise his guidance on split premises and adult gaming centres.

      Licensing Laws

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will bring forward proposals to amend the legislation relating to applications for licences under the Licensing Act 2003 so that...

      Music: Internet

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to protect smaller music bands and record labels from illegal downloading.

      Redundancy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff in his Department left under (a) involuntary and (b) voluntary staff exit schemes in each year since 2005-06; how many...

  • International Development

    • Bangladesh: Overseas Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he has plans to fund a catering training institute in Sylhet, Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement.

    • Cayman Islands: Hurricanes

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of islands on the Cayman Islands which have been affected by the recent hurricane.

      Cayman Islands: Hurricanes

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the level of the damage caused by the recent hurricane to hit the Cayman Islands; and what estimate he...

      Cayman Islands: Hurricanes

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid his Department has provided for the Cayman Islands following the recent hurricane.

      Chain Reaction Conference

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department provided to the Chain Reaction conference on 17 to 18 November 2008.

      Departmental Accountancy

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's (a) chart of accounts and (b) resource account codes and usage...

      Montserrat

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government is taking to encourage tourists to visit Montserrat.

      Montserrat

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions his Department has had with the government of Montserrat on encouraging alternative industries to tourism in Montserrat.

      Montserrat

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether there are plans to develop the transport infrastructure of Montserrat.

      Montserrat

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will provide financial assistance to Montserrat to establish a network of abattoirs for the humane slaughter of animals.

      Turks and Caicos Islands: Overseas Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid his Department plans to provide to the residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands during reconstruction following Hurricane...

      Turks and Caicos Islands: Overseas Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what role his Department has played in the development of a long-term recovery plan for the Turks and Caicos Islands following...

  • Communities and Local Government

    • Aerials: Planning Permission

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information her Department holds on the number of mobile telephone mast planning applications which were (a) refused and...

    • Buildings: Demolition

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what statistics (a) her Department and (b) its agencies collect on the number of demolitions of non-domestic dwellings.

      Business Links: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 30 October 2008, Official Report, column 1256W, on...

      Business Links: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 30 October 2008, Official Report, column 1256W, on...

      Carbon Monoxide: Poisoning

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps her Department is taking to reduce levels of carbon monoxide poisoning in private homes.

      Community Relations: Dalits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will assess the extent of inter-communal discrimination against Dalit people living in the UK.

      Council Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which organisations are being paid to facilitate work for her Department on (a) council housing, (b) the review of council...

      Council Tax: Fraud

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate the Audit Commission has made under the National Fraud Initiative of the (a) level and (b) number of fraudulent...

      Deprivation Indicators

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will list in descending order the (a) current and (b) previous rankings of all lower super output areas (LSOA) in the...

      Eco-towns: Shelter

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 3 November 2008, Official Report, column 122W, on...

      Energy Performance Certificates

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of energy performance certificates in encouraging homeowners to improve levels...

      Government Offices National Indicator Analysis Tool

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the (a) purpose and (b) specification of her Department's Government Offices National Indicator Analysis Tool scoping...

      Home Ownership Incentive Schemes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much local authority stock was sold under the Right to Buy scheme in each year since 1997.

      Homelessness

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent steps the Government has taken to reduce levels of (a) street and (b) youth homelessness.

      Homelessness

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent steps the Government has taken to promote services available to people who are homeless.

      Homelessness: Cornwall

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people have been recorded as homeless in (a) Cornwall, (b) the South West and (c) each parliamentary constituency in...

      Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what reports on housing policy her Department and its predecessors have (a) commissioned and (b) issued in each year since...

      Housing: Construction

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effect of changes in the (a) market for housing, (b) availability of mortgage finance and...

      Housing: EC Law

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 3 November 2008, Official Report, column 125W, on housing:...

      Housing: Elderly

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimates she has made of the number of over-80s households in (a) the Vale of York, (b) North Yorkshire and (c) the UK.

      Housing: Low Incomes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she has assessed the merits of revising her targets for the creation of new (a) social and (b) intermediate market...

      Housing: Low Incomes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 3 November 2008, Official Report, columns 124-5W, on...

      Housing: Low Incomes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 3 November 2008, Official Report, columns 124-54W, on...

      Housing: Low Incomes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department has allocated for affordable housing in Crosby constituency in the next three years.

      Housing: Valuation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 6 November 2008, Official Report, column 628W, on...

      Local Government Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 30 October 2008, Official Report, column 1279W, on local government finance, which (a) district...

      Local Government Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 30 October 2008, Official Report, column 1277W, on local authorities, what her Department's definition...

      Local Government: Bank Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam of 6 November 2008, Official Report, column 724W, on local...

      Local Government: Non-Profit Making Organisations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance she has issued to (a) local authorities and (b) regional development agencies on increasing the number of...

      Local Government: Reorganisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable for elections to each of the new unitary authorities is.

      Mobile Homes: Coastal Areas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) permanent and (b) holiday caravans there are in the catchment area of each of the principal seaside towns of England.

      Multiple Occupation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many houses of multiple occupation there are in each of the principal seaside towns of England; and what percentage this...

      Noise: Pollution

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of noise levels attributable to micro-wind turbines under permitted development consents; and if...

      Non-domestic Rates: Business

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether implementation of (a) a Nottingham workplace parking tax and (b) a Greater Manchester congestion charge would...

      Non-domestic Rates: Valuation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 30 October 2008, Official Report, column 1284W, on...

      Non-domestic Rates: Valuation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 30 October 2008, Official Report, column 1284W, on...

      Non-domestic Rates: Valuation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 30 October 2008, Official Report, column 1284W, on...

      Regional Planning and Development

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what the reasons are for the time taken to publish the Government's response to the Review of Sub-National Economic...

      Regional Planning and Development: Thames Gateway

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many small businesses she expects to undertake work in connection with the Thames Gateway project.

      Repossession Orders

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many house repossessions have been enforced by lenders without a court order in each month of the last three years, broken...

      Retail Trade: Planning

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the revised Planning Policy Statement 6 will include a presumption against out-of-town retail development.

      Shelter: Eco-Towns

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what steps her Department took to ensure that (a) hon. Members, (b) local authorities and councillors, (c) local media...

      Small Businesses: Tax Allowances

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 3 November 2008, Official Report, column 116W, on...

      Travelling People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many authorised sites for gypsies and Travellers were provided in (a) 1988 and (b) 1998 by local authorities in (a) Essex,...

      Valuation Office: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for how many residential dwellings in England and Wales the Valuation Office Agency has access to property data through its...

      Valuation Office: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the proportion of records relating to private (a) sales and (b) rental transactions in England...

      Valuation Office: Reorganisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Valuation Office Agency will use the property information held by the Rent Service for its valuation functions once...

  • Duchy of Lancaster

    • Departmental Members Interests

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library the latest copy of the Cabinet Office Board Members' Register of Interests.

  • Children, Schools and Families

    • Children in Care: Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he has taken to reduce the risk of young people in care becoming involved in criminal activity.

    • Children: Bed and Breakfast Accommodation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children were housed in bed and breakfast accommodation in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) age and (b) region.

      Children: Day Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many child care places there were in the London Borough of Enfield in each year since 1997.

      Departmental Information

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend East, of 17 October 2008, Official Report, column 1583W, on...

      Departmental Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of invoices for goods and services procured from small and medium-sized businesses were paid within 30 days of...

      Further Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent guidance he has issued to local authorities on the provision of post-16 education.

      General Certificate of Secondary Education: Crosby

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what percentage of eligible pupils passed GCSEs at grades A to C including English and mathematics in Crosby constituency in...

      Higher Education: Vocational Guidance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the extent to which careers advice influences academically-able pupils in their decision on whether...

      Plain English

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much has been spent by his Department on Plain English Campaign training courses for its staff in each year since 2005.

      Primary Education: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the expected demand is for primary school places for each London borough for the next four years.

      Pupils: Intimidation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what progress his Department is making in tackling cyberbullying in schools.

      Runaway Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many young runaways there were in each year since 2000; and what steps have been taken to assist them over that period;...

      Runaway Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what provision is in place for long-term specialist foster carers to take in young runaways for an extended period of time; and if...

      Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what original estimate was made of the costs of implementing the provisions of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006; and...

      Special Educational Needs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average time taken to issue a statement of special educational needs was in (a) Stoke-on-Trent and (b) England in the...

      Special Educational Needs: East of England

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much funding was allocated to special needs provision in each county in the East of England in each year since 1997.

      Special Educational Needs: Transport

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children with special education needs (SEN) are transported to school from (a) their homes and (b) pick-up points for...

      UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his most recent assessment is of the steps necessary to implement the removal of the Government's reservations on the UN...

      Vetting: Overseas Residence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps need to be taken in order to facilitate the taking into account of relevant offences committed overseas when...

      Young People: Antisocial Behaviour

      To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2008, Official Report, column 1082W, on young people: anti-social behaviour, when the...

  • Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform

    • Broadband

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent representations his Department has received on the role of private companies' in the roll-out...

    • Business Confidence

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what surveys of business confidence his Department and its predecessors have conducted or commissioned...

      Business Link

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate his Department has made of the number of businesses that (a) sought advice, (b) received...

      Business: VAT

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many new businesses in Leicester South constituency have registered for value added tax in each year...

      Departmental Internet

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform for which Government websites his Department is responsible; how many visitors each received in the last...

      Departmental NDPBs

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the remit is of each non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department; and what budget each...

      New Businesses: Greater London

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many new business start-ups there were in Bexley in each of the last three years.

      Smarta

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much funding his Department provided for Smarta in each of the last three years.

      Smarta

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate his Department has made of the user numbers for Smarta in each of its first three years.

  • Justice

    • Administration of Justice: Mental Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions he has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on the implementation of the proposals on service users in the justice system made by...

    • Civil Proceedings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what research his Department has carried out on the cost to the Courts Service of litigants in person.

      Cremation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many cremation certificates were issued in each of the last five years; (2) what guidance he issues on good practice in issuing cremation...

      Departmental Land

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans there are for each of the sites owned by HM Courts Service registered on the Register of Surplus Public Sector Land; what construction...

      Disability Living Allowance: Appeals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many disability living allowance and incapacity for work cases his Department lost on appeal in the latest period for which figures are available,...

      Legal Advice and Assistance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many individuals have been assisted using the Legal Help Scheme since the introduction of fixed fees; (2) how many individuals have had more...

      Legal Representation: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent research his Department has carried out on the effect of fixed fees on the number of people who represent themselves in court proceedings.

      National Probation Service for England and Wales

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to publish the report his Department commissioned from KPMG on options for the future structure of the National Probation Service.

      Pleural Plaques

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many responses he has received from (a) trades unions, (b) insurers and (c) members of the public to his Department's consultation on pleural...

      Prisoners Transfers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many requests were received from prisoners for transfer to a prison near their home in 2008; how many were approved; and if he will make a statement.

      Prisoners: Employment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what provision will be made in Titan prisons to enable prisoners to undertake skilled real work initiatives.

      Prisons: Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what comparative assessment his Department has made of the effects of using (a) buprenorphine naloxone, (b) methadone and (c) buprenorphone alone in...

      Rape: Sentencing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people released from prison after serving a sentence for (a) rape and (b) sexual assault in England and Wales in each of the last five years...

      Shoplifting: Fixed Penalties

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of those issued with a fixed penalty notice for retail theft in the last three years have subsequently reoffended.

  • Energy and Climate Change

    • Carbon Sequestration

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of when carbon capture and storage technology would be commercially deployed following the establishment of a...

    • Departmental Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to improve the energy performance of his Department's headquarters.

      Departmental Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what financial contributions his Department is making to international bodies in 2008-09.

      Departmental Land

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much surplus land his Department owns; and what the (a) area and (b) estimated monetary value of each site is.

      Departmental Public Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2008, Official Report, columns 441-42W, on departmental public expenditure, by what date he...

      Electricity Generation: Wind Power

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the annual (a) percentage of active generating time achieved and (b) total amount of electricity...

      Energy Group

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will place in the Library the organisational chart for the Energy Group.

      Energy Markets Unit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will place in the Library the organisational chart for the Energy Markets Unit.

      Energy Supply

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent progress has been made towards the objective of ensuring the (a) reliable supply and (b) efficient use of secure, clean...

      Energy Supply

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to monitor the UK's electricity supply capacity margin.

      Energy Supply: Africa

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with his counterparts in African countries on the possibility of a high voltage direct current cable...

      Energy Supply: Europe

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with his European counterparts on the possibility of an integrated high voltage direct current cable...

      Fallow Initiative

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent steps have been taken by the Fallow Initiative; what assessment he has made of its progress; and if he will make a statement.

      Franco-British Nuclear Forum

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) on how many occasions Ministers have attended meetings of the Franco-British Nuclear Forum since its creation; (2) what role his...

      Natural Gas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of days of gas supply held in UK gas storage facilities.

      Natural Gas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the total capacity of new gas storage facilities that will come onstream in 2009.

      Nuclear Power Stations: Public Participation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how he intends to take into account the submissions made to the consultation on the strategic siting assessment of nuclear power...

      PowerPerfector

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress has been made on the rollout of PowerPerfector at Whitehall Place.

      Renewable Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which funding schemes operated by his Department support (a) renewable energy (b) technology development and (c) production.

      Renewable Energy: National Grid

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the cost which would be incurred by the National Grid if nuclear energy were used to meet the 2020...

      Renewables Advisory Board

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what future work programme has been set for the Renewables Advisory Board; and if he will make a statement.

      Renewables Advisory Board: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what funding the Government has provided for the Renewables Advisory Board in each financial year since its creation.

      West of Shetland Taskforce Steering Group

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent steps have been taken by the West of Shetland Taskforce Steering Group; what assessment of its progress he has made; and if...

  • House of Lords

    • Agriculture: Seasonal Workers

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will increase the number of permits to work in the United Kingdom issued under the seasonal agricultural workers scheme; and Whether they have...

    • Airports: Stansted

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps the planning inspectorate has taken to ensure no party is disadvantaged by the Stansted G2 inquiry.

      Armed Forces: Warships

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the current planned in-service date of each of the first three vessels in the Future Surface Combatant programme.

      Armed Forces: Warships

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What are the anticipated intervals for major refits of surface warships and minor surface warships; and What are the anticipated intervals for major refits of...

      Bees

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will consider funding research to ascertain why bees are dying in the numbers they are.

      Benefits: Backdating

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to commission independent research to assess the impact of the reduction of the backdating period for pension credit, housing and council tax...

      Crime: Money Laundering

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How much money, property and other realisable assets were recovered from (a) the 595 persons found guilty in all courts in England and Wales in 2005 of money...

      Climate Change: Emissions Trading

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they support lifting the ban on forest carbon credits in the European emissions trading system.

      Emissions Trading Scheme

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How soon they expect to include aviation in the European Emissions Trading Scheme after the directive on the subject, approved by the Council of Ministers, is...

      Equality and Human Rights Commission

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many posts there are in the Equality and Human Rights Commission; how many vacancies there are at present; how many vacancies are being temporarily filled by...

      Government Departments: Public Relations

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office, Ms Tessa Jowell, on 8 October (Official Report, House of Commons, 635W) on...

      Government Departments: Websites

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Andrews on 3 November (WA 17), whether, in order to grant Christianity equal status with other religions whose festivals...

      Housing: Energy Efficiency

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they are taking to promote the filling of cavity walls in United Kingdom homes, in order to reduce the costs of heating and promote energy efficiency.

      Ministry of Defence: Fraud Hotline

      asked Her Majesty's Government: On how many occasions the Ministry of Defence fraud hotline has been used in the past 12 months; and how much is spent on publicising it.

      Pet Owners

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How much they have spent in total on the new pet owners' code of practice; and what was spent on (a) consultation, (b) production and publication, and (c) Civil...

      Pet Owners

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What consultation they have undertaken with United Kingdom animal charities on the new pet owners' code of practice.

      Post Office: Pension Payment System

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, Ann McKechin, on 29 October (Official Report, House of Commons, cols....

      Post Offices

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their assessment of the number of Post Offices which may close if Paypoint was contracted to run the Post Office card account; and When they will make an...

      Railways: Wheelchair Users

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What arrangements train operators must make for accommodating wheelchair users who use their stations.

      Recycling: Batteries

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 27 October (WA 149), whether they will commission a feasibility study into the construction of a...

      Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 4) Regulations 2008

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Why the Explanatory Note to the Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 4) Regulations 2008 (SI 2008/2424) states that "a full impact assessment has not...

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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