Written answers

Tuesday, 29 June 2010

  • Culture Media and Sport

    • Elgin Marbles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will consider the merits of (a) loaning and (b) giving back to Greece the Parthenon Marbles; and if he will discuss...

    • Football: South Africa

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether (a) he, (b) other Ministers and (c) officials from his Department (i) have attended and (ii) plan to attend any...

      Olympic Games 2012: Lambeth

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) what assessment he has made of the legacy for the London borough of Lambeth and its residents from the London 2012...

      Olympic Games 2012: North West

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2010, Official Report, column 235W, on Olympic games 2012: North West, in which...

      Olympic Games 2012: North West

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2010, Official Report, column 245W, on Olympic Games 2012: North West, what the names are...

      Olympic Games 2012: North West

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2010, Official Report, column 245W, on Olympic Games 2012: North West, in which...

      Olympic Games 2012: North West

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2010, Official Report, column 245W, on Olympic Games 2012: North West, what Olympic...

      Olympic Games 2012: North West

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2010, Official Report, column 245W, on Olympic Games 2012: North West, what Olympics...

      Olympic Games 2012: Triathlon Homes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many of the affordable homes in the Olympic Village development owned by Triathlon Homes will be made available as social...

      Olympic Games 2012: Wigan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what he expects the legacy of the 2012 Olympics will be for the Metropolitan borough of Wigan; and if he will make a statement.

      Sports: Facilities

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what mechanisms are in place to prevent the sale or redevelopment of community sports facilities other than playing fields.

  • Northern Ireland

    • Departmental Official Cars

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his policy is on the use by Ministers in his Department of cars allocated from (a) his Department's pool and (b) the Government car pool...

    • Departmental Official Cars

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in his Department are entitled to the use of (i) a car with a dedicated driver, (ii) a...

      Devolution

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the First and Deputy First Minister for Northern Ireland on the devolution of further powers to Northern...

      Irish Language: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by what mechanisms the £8 million allocated the development of the Irish language after the Hillsborough Agreement of 4 February 2010 will...

      Public Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will discuss with the Chancellor of the Exchequer steps to reduce the difference in the per capita level of public expenditure between...

  • House of Commons Commission

    • House of Commons Staff: Costs

      To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, answering for the House of Commons Commission how much the House of Commons Service has spent on (a) staff costs and (b) other costs in respect of each...

  • Scotland

    • Electoral Register

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Electoral Commission on its report on unregistered voters in Scotland.

    • Electoral Register

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps his Department plans to take to reduce the number of unregistered voters in Scotland in response to the recent report by the Electoral...

      Fossil Fuel Levy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the (a) Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) Chief Secretary to the Treasury on the fossil fuel levy; and what...

      Future Jobs Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether Ministers in his Department (a) have had recent discussions and (b) plan to have discussions with representatives of (i) the Scottish Council...

      Video Games

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the computer games industry in Scotland on the prospects for that industry; (2) what...

  • Transport

    • Crossrail Line

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects construction work on the Crossrail project to be completed.

    • Crossrail Line

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the merits of proposals to reduce the planned length of Crossrail trains.

      Departmental Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) special advisers and (b) press officers are employed by his Department; and at what Civil Service pay grade in each such case.

      East Coast Railway Line: Franchises

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of changes to the previously announced timescale for the East Coast rail franchise competition.

      Railways: Franchises

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what estimate he has made of the total cost to the public purse of suspending the (a) Essex Thameside and (b) Greater Anglia rail franchise...

      Railways: Franchises

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the new franchise agreements for the Eastern Region Railway will require the operator to invest in fixed assets, with particular reference to...

      Railways: Overcrowding

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department holds on the extent of overcrowding on the 20 most crowded rail services.

      Railways: Passengers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the change in the number of passengers that will be carried on each rail franchise over the next (a) five, (b) 10, (c)...

      Road Traffic

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the percentage change in traffic levels (a) on English roads and (b) on roads in each county within England was in each year since 1997, taking...

      Transport: Renewable Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has retained the target of 10% of transport energy coming from renewable sources by 2020.

      Transport: Sustainable Development

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he plans to take to build a modern and sustainable transport system in (a) West Sussex and (b) Mid Sussex.

      Travel: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's most recent estimate is of average city centre to city centre journey times by (a) road and (b) rail between London and (i)...

  • Defence

    • Armed Forces: Casualties

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the repatriation of bodies of soldiers killed in action after the closure of RAF Lyneham.

    • Armed Forces: Rescue Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many trained Royal Air Force search and rescue pilots have served on operations (a) in Afghanistan and (b) elsewhere overseas in the last five years.

      Armed Forces: Rescue Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the incremental cost of retraining an armed forces helicopter pilot for a search and rescue role.

      Armed Forces: Rescue Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the running costs, excluding asset depreciation, of the Royal Air Force search and rescue service were in the last 12 months for which figures are...

      Armed Forces: Rescue Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what mechanisms there are to recover from (a) other Departments, (b) local authorities, (c) insurance companies and (d) individuals the cost of...

      Armed Forces: Rescue Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) civilians and (b) members of the armed forces were (i) rescued and (ii) evacuated by Royal Air Force search and rescue helicopters (A) in...

      Chiefs of Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to the public purse was of accommodation for the (a) Chief of the Defence Staff and (b) Chief of the General Staff in the last 12 months.

      Chiefs of Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces are employed in the household of the Chief of the Defence Staff.

      Chiefs of Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent estimate is of the cost to the public purse of staffing the outer office of the (a) chief of the general staff, (b) chief of the...

      Chiefs of Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel are employed in the outer office of the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff.

      Chiefs of Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to the public purse was of the entertainment budget of the chief of the Defence staff in each of the last three years.

      Chiefs of Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many domestic helicopter flights were taken by the First Sea Lord in the last 12 months; (2) how many domestic helicopter flights were taken...

      Defence: Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on re-evaluating existing defence procurement programmes by staff at Defence Equipment and Support in the latest year for which...

      Defence: Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether he plans to streamline the process for defence procurement overseen by Defence Equipment and Support; (2) what changes he plans to the...

      Departmental Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of people employed in jobs dependent on expenditure by his Department in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Northern...

      Departmental Ministerial Advisers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many special advisers (a) he and (b) each named Minister in his Department (i) has appointed to date and (ii) plans to appoint.

      Departmental Official Residences

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any domestic properties in the gift of the Government have been allocated to the use of Ministers in his Department.

      Departmental Public Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on (a) equipment, (b) non-equipment expenditure, (c) service personnel and (d) civil personnel in (i) England, (ii)...

      European Defence Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the chief executive of the European Defence Agency on the UK's relationship with the Agency; and if he will make...

      Navy: Officers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers at each rank of One Star and above there are in the Royal Navy.

      Red Arrows

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what forward contractual obligations for future public appearances the Red Arrows have undertaken; and what financial penalties are liable to be incurred...

      Red Arrows

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the running costs, excluding asset depreciation, of the Red Arrows were in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how much the...

      Written Questions: Government Responses

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to answer question 376, on departmental public appointments, tabled on 27 May 2010.

  • Women and Equalities

    • Trade Unions

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what plans the Government Equalities Office has to consult trade unions concerning deficit reduction plans.

  • Prime Minister

    • Afghanistan

      To ask the Prime Minister how many journalists travelled with him on his recent flight to Afghanistan.

  • Environment Food and Rural Affairs

    • Agriculture: Subsidies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) overpayments and (b) underpayments were made by the Rural Payments Agency in each of the last five years.

    • Food: EU Trade

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Food Standards Agency has made representations to the European Commission to upgrade its TRACES import and export...

      Water Charges: VAT

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate has been made of the effect of the proposed increase in value added tax on the water bills of an average...

  • Education

    • Academies: Dudley

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent discussions he has had with Dudley metropolitan borough council on participation in the academies programme; and if he will make a statement.

    • Building Schools for the Future Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education when his review of school capital funding will be completed; and if he will make a statement.

      Building Schools for the Future Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) whether he plans to change the allocation of £26 million pounds to build a new academy in North West Durham constituency under the Building...

      Building Schools for the Future Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the Building Schools for the Future programme in Tamworth; and if he will make a statement.

      Building Schools for the Future Programme: Coventry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received on the Building Schools for the Future programme from (a) Coventry city council, (b) bodies and charities in...

      Childline: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his plans are for future funding of Childline.

      Children in Care: Cheshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children were in care in the former Cheshire county council area in each of the last five years.

      Departmental Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what contracts his Department has entered into with external consultants since the Government came into office; and what the (a) name of the...

      Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many special advisers (a) he and (b) each named Minister in his Department (i) has appointed to date and (ii) plans to appoint.

      Departmental Official Cars

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on the use by Ministers in his Department of cars allocated from (a) his Department's pool and (b) the Government car pool which...

      Departmental Public Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many officials in his Department are working on renegotiating contracts for the supply of goods and services to the Department as a result of...

      Departmental Reorganisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the cost to the public purse was of (a) signage changes and (b) other measures involved in renaming his Department.

      Foster Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what level of kinship care payments are made in each local authority in England.

      Grammar Schools

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on the creation of grammar school places.

      Schools: Anti-Semitism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department (a) has taken recently and (b) plans to take to reduce levels of anti-Semitism in schools; what recent discussions...

      Schools: Management

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he plans to bring forward proposals to amend the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to apply its provisions to free schools.

  • Work and Pensions

    • Disability Living Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what form the medical assessment for disability living allowance claimants to be introduced in 2013-14 will take; how much work will be...

    • Employment and Support Allowance: Bexley

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency have applied for employment and support allowance since its creation; and how many of...

      Energy: Prices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency, (b) the London borough of Bexley, (c)...

      Jobseeker's Allowance: Dewsbury

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Dewsbury constituency claimed jobseeker's allowance in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

      Pensioners: Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to reduce the number of pensioners living in poverty in Wales.

      Poverty: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of children living in poverty, reckoning in the proposed increase in value added tax, (a) before...

      Poverty: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of children in measured income poverty (a) before housing costs and (b) after housing costs in each...

      Social Security Benefits: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the Financial Statement of 22 June 2010, Official Report, columns 116-30, what estimate he has made of the savings arising from...

  • Energy and Climate Change

    • Departmental Public Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many of his Department's contracts with its suppliers are under review as a result of the recently announced reductions in public...

    • Departmental Public Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many officials in his Department are working on renegotiating contracts for the supply of goods and services to the Department as a...

      Energy Subsidy Reform

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what contribution his Department made to the Joint Report of the International Energy Authority, the Organisation of Petroleum...

      Energy: Billing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the proportion of the average household energy bill attributable to contributions for production subsidies.

      Radioactive Waste: Waste Management

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he plans to take steps to increase the amount of information available to the public about the safety of nuclear waste disposal.

      Renewable Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to encourage the use of energy from renewable heat sources.

      Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on expanding feed-in tariffs to include electricity generated from biomass.

      Wales

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's announcement of 24 May 2010 and pursuant to the answer of 7 June 2010, Official...

  • Justice

    • Prison Sentences: Wales

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many residents of (a) Wrexham and (b) North Wales served custodial sentences of six months or fewer in the last three years for which figures...

  • Treasury

    • Bank Services: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Chancellor of theExchequer what discussions his Department has had with the Office of Fair Trading and the Financial Services Authority on a framework for bank charges since 2009.

    • Capital Investment: Redcar

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much public sector capital funding his Department allocated to Redcar constituency in each of the last five years.

      Child Tax Credit

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families are in receipt of the baby element of tax credits (a) nationally and (b) in Newcastle North constituency.

      Child Tax Credit: Scotland

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in (a) Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency, (b) South Lanarkshire Council area and (c) Scotland claim child tax credit.

      Child Trust Fund: Hartlepool

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many child trust fund accounts at the (a) standard and (b) higher rate have been opened in Hartlepool constituency in each year since the inception of...

      Departmental Official Cars

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Government (a) cars and (b) drivers are allocated to Ministers in his Department.

      Departmental Official Cars

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) make, (b) model and (c) place of manufacture is of the car allocated for the use of each Minister in his Department.

      Energy: Subsidies

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the outcomes were of his discussions with G20 counterparts at the recent meeting on energy subsidy reform; (2) what contribution his Department...

      Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 26 May 2010, Official Report, columns 51-52WS, on Equitable Life, what progress he has made on his plans...

      Green Investment Bank

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria will apply for (a) companies and (b) projects to be eligible to receive support from the planned Green Investment Bank.

      Income Tax: Tax Allowances

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the income tax personal allowance will be for those aged over 65 years who are in employment in 2011-12.

      Income Tax: Weaver Vale

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an estimate of the number of people resident in Weaver Vale constituency who will no longer pay income tax consequent on the proposed...

      Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander: Isle of Man

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with (a) the government of the Isle of Man and (b) the Isle of Man Regulator on the repayment to UK depositors of...

      Personal Savings

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he intends to take to encourage the providers of cash ISA products to provide a more responsive service to consumers wishing to switch their (a)...

      Poverty: Children

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects on levels of child poverty of the measures announced in his recent Budget in each of the next five years.

      Poverty: Children

      To ask Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects of the proposed freeze on child benefit on the likelihood of achieving Government's objective to end child poverty by...

      Poverty: Children

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the 2010 Budget what assessment he has made of the likely effects of his proposals on the likelihood of achieving Government's objective...

      Pregnant Women: Grants

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in (a) Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency, (b) South Lanarkshire council area and (c) Scotland had received health in pregnancy...

      Public Expenditure: Wales

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on implementing the recommendation of the Independent Commission on Funding and Finance for Wales that the Government produce an annual...

      Public Expenditure: Wales

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what (a) population ratios, (b) comparability factors and (c) calculations underpinthe consequential changes to the funding of the National Assembly for...

      Public Expenditure: Yorkshire and the Humber

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much public sector capital funding was provided in each parliamentary constituency in Yorkshire and the Humber in each of the last five years; and if he...

      Public Finance

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the oral statement of 17 June 2010, Official Report, columns 1040-1, on public spending, what estimate he has made of the (a) number and cost...

      Public Finance

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the 2010 Spending Review, what mechanism he intends to use to determine whether capital projects produce a significant economic return.

      Public Finance

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what mechanism his Department plans to use to assess capital investment projects in the 2010 Spending Review.

      Research and Development Tax Credit

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the future of research and development tax credits for business; and if he will make a statement.

      Revenue and Customs: Manpower

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff were on the payroll of HM Revenue and Customs and its predecessors on (a) 1 May 1990, (b) 1 May 2000 and (c) the most recent date for...

      Revenue and Customs: Manpower

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) Protestant, (b) Roman Catholic and (c) non-determined appointees there were in HM Revenue and Customs offices in Northern Ireland in 2009.

      Sheffield Forgemasters: Finance

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations his Department has received from private sector companies on the decision not to proceed with the loan proposal for Sheffield Forgemasters.

      Tax Allowances

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of his Budget proposals for marginal tax rates on the distribution of personal incomes.

      Taxation: Aviation

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to introduce value added tax on aircraft fuel.

      Taxation: Business

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in (a) Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency, (b) South Lanarkshire council area and (c) Scotland had used the Time to Pay...

      Taxation: Probate

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much HM Revenue and Customs spent on contesting the payment of taxes with probate executors in 2009.

      Vat

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effects on the number of jobs of the proposed change to the rate of value added tax.

      VAT: Great Yarmouth

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in Great Yarmouth were registered for value added tax in each of the last five years.

      Working Tax Credit

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in (a) Newcastle North constituency and (b) the UK are in receipt of the child care element of tax credits; and how many of those earn a...

  • Home Department

    • Community Policing

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of neighbourhood policing teams which will be affected by the reduction in police funding for 2010-11.

    • Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the change has been in the number of incidents of (a) violent crime, (b) burglary, (c) theft and (d) domestic violence between 1997...

      Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the level of public confidence in published crime statistics.

      Departmental Public Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which elements of the proposed £82 million savings announced to the budgets of her Department's agencies and non-departmental public...

      Passports: Biometrics

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on halting the second generation of biometric passports after 2012.

      Speed Limits: Cameras

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much accrued to the Consolidated Fund from the payment of penalties issued on the basis of evidence from speed cameras in each year since...

      Speed Limits: Cameras

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many notices of intended prosecution have been issued for speeding in a speed camera site area in each year since 2007.

      Theft: Electronic Equipment

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to prevent young people carrying electronic devices from being targeted by street criminals.

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

    • Armed Conflict: Diamonds

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with his EU counterparts the level of compliance of conditions in the Marange diamond fields with the terms...

    • European Parliament

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2010, Official Report, column 37W, on the European Parliament, what further steps he plans to...

      Kyrgyzstan: Violence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment his Department has made of the security situation in the Kyrgyz Republic, with particular reference to...

      Languages: GCSE

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 15 February 2010, Official Report, column 355W, on EU institutions, if he will discuss with the...

      Languages: Higher Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 15 February 2010, Official Report, column 355W, on EU institutions, if he will discuss with the...

      Palestinians: International Assistance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on the cases of three British citizens on the Gaza aid flotilla who...

      South America: Organised Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications of the election of the new president of Colombia for UK policy on combating drug...

      United Nations: Reform

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on reform of the United Nations.

  • Health

    • Young Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to increase the level of participation in local public health programmes for young children funded by his Department.

    • Commissioning Structures

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to merge primary care trust commissioning structures with local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

      Healthcare-acquired Infections

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to eradicate healthcare-acquired infections in NHS facilities.

      Healthy Child Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the healthy child programme; and if he will make a statement.

      Long-Term Neurological Conditions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent assessment is of his Department's progress in the implementation of the national health service framework for long-term neurological...

      Work Capability: Fluctuating Conditions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the methods for assessing patients with multiple sclerosis, myalgic...

      Waiting Times

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the maximum target period of 18 weeks between GP referral and treatment; and if he will make a statement.

      Combat Veterans: Mental Health

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve arrangements for mental health care of combat veterans; and if he will make a statement.

      Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to bring forward proposals for a (a) minimum unit pricing on alcohol products and (b) requirement for such products to carry health...

      Blood: Contamination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will equalise the level of payments made by the Skipton Fund and the MacFarlane Trust for people infected by contaminated blood and blood products.

      Cancer: Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will instruct the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to expedite its review of Lapatinib.

      Contaminated Blood and Blood Products Inquiry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on Recommendation 6(h) of Lord Archer's report on contaminated blood and blood products.

      Dietary Supplements: EU Law

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on the Food Supplements Directive; and if he will make a statement.

      Drugs: Rehabilitation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) value for money of total abstinence-based drugs treatment programmes compared with...

      Food: Pesticides

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider the merits of undertaking pesticides analysis of high-risk non-animal origin foodstuffs in an approved laboratory prior to dispatch to...

      Herbal Medicines: EU Law

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will assess the potential effect on the number of visits to GPs by patients of withdrawal of authorisation for certain herbal products...

      Hospitals: Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many empty former psychiatric hospitals there are; and how many of them are in the process of (a) being sold and (b) being sold for the purpose of...

      Hospitals: Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an assessment of the merits of the sale by the NHS of empty properties which were formerly mental health institutions.

      Medical Equipment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an estimate of the number of static NHS lithotriptor machines there are per million population in England.

      Mumps: Vaccination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an assessment of the merits of reintroducing a licence for the single mumps vaccine.

      Muscular Dystrophy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding was allocated for the care of Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients in each region through special commissioning groups in the latest...

      NHS: Ict

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what percentage of NHS IT expenditure in 2009 was on online services accessible to people with an internet browser; (2) what percentage of NHS IT...

      North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has made an assessment of the effects on the revenue budget of North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust of the decision not...

      Quarrying: Health Hazards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the health effects of dust particles on the people resident in areas near mineral or gravel pits.

      Warrington Primary Care Trust: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department has taken to process the adjustment in direction of travel formula (DTF) in respect of Warrington Primary Care Trust in...

  • International Development

    • Departmental Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what properties his Department (a) owns and (b) leases overseas; whether those properties are shared with other Government...

    • Family Planning

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which section of his Department has responsibility for the (a) formulation and (b) implementation of policy on (i) abortion and (ii)...

      Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what (a) projects, (b) programmes and (c) other initiatives he expects the £6 billion his Department has allocated to global...

      Iraq: Overseas Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects in Iraq are being funded by his Department; what the budget of each such project is; and if he will make a statement.

  • Cabinet Office

    • Admiralty House: Flags

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office for what reasons the Royal Standard was not hoisted at Admiralty House on the occasion of the visit of Her Majesty the Queen in June 2010.

    • Departmental Manpower

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what discussions he has had with the UK Statistics Authority on (a) the publication by his Department of figures relating to non-payroll staff and (b)...

      Departmental Mobile Phones

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East of 14 June 2010, Official Report, column 329W, on departmental mobile telephones, what...

      Government Departments: ICT

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to increase the efficiency of the arrangements for disposal, resale and refreshment of Government ICT equipment.

      Government Departments: Procurement

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress has been made towards publishing Government tenders in full online and free of charge.

      Government Departments: Procurement

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress has been made towards awarding 25 per cent. of Government contracts to small and medium-sized businesses.

  • Communities and Local Government

    • Housing: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of new homes built in (a) Tottenham constituency, (b) the London Borough of Haringey and (c)...

    • Local Government Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 10 June 2010, Official Report, columns 15-17WS, on the local government...

      Local Government Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 10 June 2010, Official Report, columns 15-17WS, on the local government...

      Local Government Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 10 June 2010, Official Report, columns 15-17WS, on the local government...

      Local Government Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consideration he has given to the merits of relaxing the Audit Commission's requirement on local authorities to appoint...

      Local Government Finance: Working Neighbourhood Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 10 June 2010, Official Report, columns 15-17WS, on the local government...

      Local Government Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he plans to take to encourage the running of local public services by local people.

      Local Government: Referendums

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress he has made on his proposals to give residents the power to instigate local referendums on local issues.

      Mortgages: Government Assistance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made for the number of people who have received support from the (a) Support for Mortgage scheme, (b)...

      Non-domestic Rates

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2010, Official Report, column 162W, on non-domestic rates, whether he plans to provide...

      Non-domestic Rates: Garages and Petrol Stations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment has been made of the merits of (a) freezing and (b) capping increases in business rates arising from the April...

      Offices: Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what items of new furniture and fittings have been purchased for the office of each Minister in his Department since 6 May 2010;...

      Planning Permission: Blackpool

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consideration he gave to the provisions of (a) Planning Policy Guidance note 13: Transport, (b) Planning Policy Guidance...

      Planning Permission: Blackpool

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consideration he gave to representations made by Lancashire County Council that development application No. 09/0740 to...

      Planning Permission: Blackpool

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what account he took in reaching his decision not to call in the development plans submitted to Blackpool Borough Council,...

      Public Houses

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will take steps to ensure provision of business, legal and financial advice and support to members of local communities...

      Regeneration: Newcastle

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will provide support for the continuation of the Bridging Newcastle Gateshead programme funded by the Pathfinder Budget in...

      Renewable Energy: Planning Permission

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he intends to make the necessary amendments to the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted...

  • Deputy Prime Minister

    • Constituencies

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what amendments to legislation governing devolution he plans to propose in order to implement his proposals to establish fewer constituencies with more equal...

    • Departmental Official Cars

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many Government (a) cars and (b) drivers are allocated to Ministers in his Office.

      Departmental Official Cars

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many civil servants in the Privy Council Office are entitled to the use of (i) a car with a dedicated driver, (ii) a car from the Government car pool and...

      Electoral Register

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to bring forward proposals for individual voter registration.

      Electoral Register

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was spent on the registration of elections by local authorities in England in each of the last 10 years.

      Electoral Register

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the merits of using bar coding on electoral registration forms to assist with electoral registration.

      Members: Conduct

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress he has made on proposals to introduce a power for electors to recall their Member of Parliament.

  • Business, Innovation and Skills

    • Business: EU Law

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when his Department last made an estimate of the cost of EU regulations to British businesses.

    • Business: Scotland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses in (a) Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency, (b) South Lanarkshire council area and (c) Scotland have...

      East of England Development Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of the East of England Development Agency's allocated capital programme expenditure was spent in each year since...

      Environment Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2010, Official Report, column 456W, on environmental protection, what his definition of...

      Environment Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to increase the level of support provided by UK Trade and Investment for UK-based companies that develop and...

      Foreign Investment in UK: Israel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assistance his Department provides to Israeli businesses wishing to (a) invest in the UK and (b) take part in joint...

      Further Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he plans to take to assist into further education those ineligible for funding support for study at further...

      Further Education: Wales

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 21 June 2010, Official Report, columns 1-2WS, on further education investment,...

      Israel-British Business Council

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much was allocated by his Department to the Israel-Britain Business Council in each of the last two years; for what purposes;...

      Mobile Phones: Competition

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will bring forward proposals to reduce mobile telephone termination rates; and if he will make a statement.

      Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many cars were purchased under the scrappage scheme in (a) Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency, (b) South Lanarkshire...

      Office for Life Sciences

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for the future of the Office for Life Sciences; and if he will make a statement.

      One NorthEast

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what assessment he has made of the effects of the proposed abolition of One NorthEast on the Passionate People Passionate...

      Overseas Trade: Israel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much trade with Israel contributed to the UK's gross domestic product in each of the last two years; what recent discussions...

      Overseas Trade: Israel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to increase trade between the UK and Israel; how much his Department (i) has...

      Sheffield Forgemasters: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the planned repayment period was for the proposed loan to Sheffield Forgemasters which was withdrawn on 17 June 2010; and...

      Sheffield Forgemasters: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will publish representations his Department received from individuals or groups on the proposed loan to Sheffield...

      Sheffield Forgemasters: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when Sheffield Forgemasters first requested that his Department to provide a loan facility.

      Sheffield Forgemasters: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he had with Sheffield Forgemasters between 7 May and 17 June 2010 on the proposed £80 million loan facility.

      Street Trading: Public Consultation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects to publish the responses his Department has received to the joint consultation on modernising street trading and...

  • House of Lords

    • Afghanistan Air Force

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their involvement in the development of an Afghan air force; and how many personnel are undergoing training.

    • Air Quality

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how the levels of air quality in United Kingdom cities compare with those in other capital cities in the European Union; and whether they forecast having to pay...

      Asylum Seekers

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the interval between the ending of section 4 support and the start of normal benefits for asylum applicants granted leave to remain; and what steps they...

      Bank of England

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Financial Policy Committee of the Bank of England and the Monetary Policy Committee will both be chaired by the Governor of the Bank.

      Banking: Cheques

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they are giving to banks on the plan of the Payments Council to abolish cheques.

      Banks: First Trust Bank

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ensure that the interests of customers, staff and pensioners will be protected in the event of any sale of the First Trust Bank in Northern...

      Belize

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the plans for the military base in Belize; and whether Kenya is being considered as an alternative.

      Benefits

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will change the criteria for housing single people dependant on alcohol or drugs so that they are paid no more non-housing benefits than the...

      Civil Litigation

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce legislation in this session to implement the recommendations of the Review of Civil Litigation Costs by Lord Justice Jackson.

      Crime: DNA Database

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of crimes solved by the use of DNA techniques.

      Crime: Drink-Driving

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many breath tests were conducted by the police in Great Britain in each year since 2000.

      Crime: Drink-Driving

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (a) males, and (b) females, in each parliamentary constituency have been (1) prosecuted, (2) found guilty, and (3) sentenced to immediate custody for...

      Crime: Perjury

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many court witnesses were (a) charged with, and (b) convicted of, perjury in England and Wales in each of the past three years.

      Crime: Women

      To ask Her Majesty's Government when the organisations running projects funded under the Diverting Women from Custody programme will be informed by the Directors of Offender Management whether...

      Department for International Development: Budget

      To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Department for International Development's budget is ring-fenced against cuts.

      Energy: Nuclear Power

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to secure private finance to manufacture key components for the United Kingdom's nuclear industry, following the withdrawal of their loan...

      Energy: Nuclear Waste Disposal

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest assessment of the geological suitability of west Cumbria for nuclear waste disposal, with reference to rock structure and long-term ground...

      Energy: Nuclear Waste Disposal

      To ask Her Majesty's Government which areas of the United Kingdom have been assessed for their suitability for nuclear waste disposal, with reference to rock structure and long-term ground water...

      Energy: Renewables

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will request utility companies providing electricity to show on their invoices the cost of their support for wind and other renewable forms of energy,...

      Energy: Wind Generation

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with representatives of local government about increasing the amount of onshore wind energy in the United Kingdom.

      Financial Services Regulation

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the views of the Court of the Bank of England were sought before the Chancellor of the Exchequer decided to transfer to the Bank responsibility for...

      Financial Services Regulation

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Bank of England will levy a charge on the banking industry to cover the cost of micro-prudential regulation.

      Fishing: Common Fisheries Policy

      To ask Her Majesty's Government , further to the Written Statement by Lord Henley on 22 June (WS 101) on reform of the common fisheries policy, whether they will propose that the responsibility...

      Government Departments: Expenditure Cuts

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many job losses they estimate will result from the public sector cuts announced on 24 May; and whether they plan to avoid redundancies through redeployment.

      House of Lords: Members

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many members of the House of Lords hold a remunerated part-time or full-time appointment in government departments or bodies.

      Immigration

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the occupations on the latest list of shortage occupations for immigration purposes; and how many visas were issued to non-European Union nationals in the...

      Immigration: Reintegration

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to broaden the scope of the UK Border Agency's reintegration centre scheme to countries other than Afghanistan.

      Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, when the Financial Services Authority registered the formation of Independent Networks Cooperative Association Ltd on 25 November 2009, it took account of...

      Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what procurement process was used by Independent Networks Cooperative Association (INCA) to ensure transparency in agreeing the contract to license the brand and...

      Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd

      To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Financial Services Authority registered the formation of Independent Networks Co-operative Association Ltd (INCA Ltd) when the application form did not...

      Internet: Broadband

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are in place for an independent professional evaluation of the grants of £300,000 in 2008 and £900,000 in 2009 to Alston Healthcare under...

      Internet: Broadband

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ask the National Audit Office to investigate procurement of contracts and services for the Manchester Digital Development Agency (MDDA) and the...

      Ira

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people were killed and injured by Semtex explosives provided by the Government of Libya to the IRA.

      Ira

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will hold a public inquiry to establish the identities of those who ordered, organised and financed the IRA attack on shopping areas of Belfast in...

      Ira

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will hold a public inquiry to establish the identities of those who ordered and financed the IRA killing of two Royal Ulster Constabulary officers in...

      Kyrgyzstan

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they are having with the government of Kazakhstan in the latter's capacity as the 2010 chairman of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation...

      Legal Aid

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the minimum proportion of the total legal aid budget they expect to spend in the field of social welfare law.

      Legal Aid

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the minimum proportion of the total legal aid budget they expect to spend on not-for-profit providers of legal services.

      Legal Services Commission

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce legislation in this session to turn the Legal Services Commission into an executive agency.

      Maxim Bakiyev

      To ask Her Majesty's Government on what grounds Mr Maxim Bakiyev was arrested by immigration officials at Farnborough airport on 13 June.

      Maxim Bakiyev

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Mr Maxim Bakiyev remains in detention; and, if so, under what conditions.

      Maxim Bakiyev

      To ask Her Majesty's Government on what grounds the acting Government of Kyrgyzstan has requested the extradition of Mr Maxim Bakiyev.

      Ministry of Defence: Female Staff

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the Ministry of Defence has experienced any problems relating to policy and action as a result of having no female Ministers.

      Northern Ireland Office: Staff

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they propose to require senior staff in the Northern Ireland Office to take a cut in salary in view of the cut accepted by the Secretary of State for...

      Olympic Games 2012

      To ask Her Majesty's Government on how many occasions in each of the last four years the Serious Fraud Office, HM Revenue and Customs or the City of London Police have visited the Olympic...

      Pensions

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what would be the cost, compared to current projected expenditure on public sector pensions, if future accruals were to remain (a) defined benefit up to...

      Police: Central Motorway Police Group

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the duties of the Central Motorway Police Group; and to whom they report.

      Public Bodies

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total expenditure by non-departmental public bodies in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2007-08, (c) 2006-07, (d) 2005-06, and (e) 2004-05. To ask Her Majesty's...

      Railways: High Speed 1

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the sale documentation for High Speed 1 infrastructure is based on (a) full regulation as undertaken by the Office of Rail Regulation for the conventional...

      Railways: High Speed 1

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what incentives or bonuses will be available to staff at High Speed 1 in the event of a successful sale.

      Retirement Age

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to use the power conferred by the Equality Act 2010 to abolish the default age of retirement of 65.

      Road Safety

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the road safety area based grant revenue and capital allocations for each local highway authority in 2010-11 as at April 2010; how much was allocated to...

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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