Written answers

Wednesday, 15 September 2010

  • Justice

    • Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what consideration his Department has given in its invitation to tender for (a) prison law and (b) family law services in 2010 to ensuring that the...

    • Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment of capacity to carry out work his Department makes in determining the allocation of matter starts to companies tendering under the Legal...

      Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many appeals against the tender decisions made in respect of Legal Services Commission (LSC) contracts due to commence on 14 October 2010 in (a)...

      County Courts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what consultation he plans to undertake with (a) magistrates, (b) district judges and (c) others on the implementation of his proposals to...

      Courts: Operating Costs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the total running costs were of the Surrey and Sussex Courts Board in each of the last four years.

      Custodial Treatment: North Wales

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) men and (b) women received immediate custodial sentences from courts in North Wales in the last five years.

      Departmental Official Hospitality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in July 2010.

      Fixed Penalties: Shoplifting

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward proposals to introduce a fixed penalty system for offences related to shoplifting in order to reduce expenditure on prosecutions.

      Legal Aid: Families

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many legal practices in (a) Houghton and Sunderland South constituency and (b) Sunderland were awarded contracts to provide family legal aid...

      Magistrates Courts: Fines

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the total amount is of fines issued in magistrates courts in the last three years which remain unpaid.

      Prison Service: Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the ratio of prisoners to prison officers is across the Prison Service.

      Prison Service: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much the (a) Prison Service and (b) Probation Service have spent on places on the course Delivering Effective Penal Policy: Taking a Radical New...

      Prisoners: Literacy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners learnt to read while serving their sentences in each of the last five years.

      Prisons: Visits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many closed visits there have been in each prison in each of the last three years.

      Rape

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has for the funding of (a) rape crisis centres and (b) sexual assault referral centres in 2011-12.

      TV: Licensing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people received a custodial sentence on conviction for non-payment of a TV licence in the last two years.

  • House of Commons Commission

    • Departmental Pay

      To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the answer of 6 September 2010, Official Report, column 2W, on departmental manpower, how many...

  • Northern Ireland

    • Big Society

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on implementation of the Government's big society proposals in Northern Ireland.

    • US Investment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with the US Administration on inward investment in Northern Ireland.

      Economic Development

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on economic development in Northern Ireland.

      Assembly Constituencies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the implications for the number of seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly of...

      Economy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his most recent assessment is of the state of the Northern Ireland economy.

      Departmental Official Hospitality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in July 2010.

      Parades

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on proposals for changes to legislation regulating parades in...

  • Environment Food and Rural Affairs

    • Departmental Billing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of invoices from suppliers her Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

    • Environmental Stewardship Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the monetary value of payments made under the (a) Entry Level, (b) Higher Level and (c) Upper Entry Level Stewardship...

      EU Law

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many officials in her Department work (a) full-time and (b) for most of their time on the negotiation, implementation...

      Tyres

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether (a) her Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies take into account rolling resistance as...

  • Treasury

    • Bereavement Allowance

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider the merits of treating bereavement allowance as non-taxable income; and if he will make a statement.

    • Charities: Private Education

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the annual tax revenue foregone by the Exchequer as a result of the charitable status of private schools.

      Child Benefit

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate has been made of the number of malicious counterclaims for child benefit in the latest period for which figures are available;

      Child Benefit

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people earning over £37,401 in (a) England, (b) Dudley Borough and (c) Dudley North constituency receive child benefit.

      Departmental Electronic Equipment

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on televisions in each year since 1997.

      Departmental Fines

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many transport-related fines his Department has settled on behalf of its staff in each year since 2005; and what the cost to the public purse was in...

      Departmental Internet

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons it was decided not to moderate the content of contributions to his Department's Spending Challenge website.

      Departmental Internet

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) others represent his Department on the Spending Review Challenge Group.

      Food: Prices

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the rate of food price inflation (a) was on the latest date for which information is available and (b) is forecast to be over the next 12 months.

      Gift Aid

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average cost of processing a gift aid claim on donations made to charities was in the latest period for which figures are available.

      Green Investment Bank

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which official in his Department has lead policy responsibility for proposals relating to the establishment of a Green Investment Bank.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter of 29 July 2010 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Noman.

      Tax Allowances: Married People

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to bring forward proposals to introduce transferable tax allowances for married couples.

      VAT: Crown Dependencies

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to amend the UK's Act of Accession to the European Communities to remove Crown Dependencies' eligibility for low value...

      VAT: Hearing Aids

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to zero rate privately-purchased hearing aids for value added tax.

      Welfare Tax Credits

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households receive the 50-plus element of working tax credit; and what the average payment of that element was in the latest period for which...

      Welfare Tax Credits

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families receive the baby element of child tax credit; and what the average payment of that element was in the latest period for which figures are...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

    • Afghanistan: Politics and Government

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with President Karzai on membership of the Afghan government's High Level Peace Council.

    • Burma: Elections

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether officials in the British Embassy in Burma have had recent discussions with leaders of ethnic minorities in Burma on the...

      Dalai Lama

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates the Dalai Lama last visited the UK; for how long he stayed; where he visited; what the purpose of the visit was;...

      European Parliament

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the adoption of a single seat for the European Parliament.

      Human Trafficking

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department takes to provide assistance to UK citizens who have been trafficked overseas and are prosecuted...

      Narco-terrorism: Mexico

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department has given to the government of Mexico to counter narco-terrorism.

  • Work and Pensions

    • Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether all pre-2003 Child Support Agency cases will be transferred to the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission by 2011.

    • Children: Peterborough

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children were living in poverty (a) before and (b) after housing costs in Peterborough constituency in each year since 2001; and if...

      Children: Tyne and Wear

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of children (a) in absolute poverty, (b) in relative poverty and (c) with combined material...

      Departmental Billing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many payments to suppliers were made by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies (i) within 30...

      Departmental Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many external training courses were attended by staff of his Department in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of...

      Employment: East Lothian

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of jobs supported by the Future Jobs Fund in the area most closely corresponding to East Lothian...

      Future Jobs Fund: Washington Tyne and Wear

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobs in the (a) public, (b) private and (c) third sector have been created by funding from the Future Jobs Fund in Washington and...

      Health and Safety Executive

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for the future of the Health and Safety Executive.

      Housing Benefit: Camden

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people resident in the London borough of Camden have been unemployed for more than a year and are claiming housing benefit.

      Housing Benefit: Scotland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of claimants of housing benefit in (a) Scotland, (b) Glasgow and (c) Glasgow North West (i) are claimants of jobseeker's...

      Incapacity Benefit: Medical Examinations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many incapacity benefit claimants were unable to undergo medical examinations in the Aberdeen trial area because they were unfit to travel.

      Incapacity Benefit: Wimbledon

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Wimbledon constituency claimed incapacity benefit in (a) 2005, (b) 2007 and (c) 2010.

      Industrial Diseases: Asbestos

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of people who have been paid compensation by (a) insurance companies and (b) employers for...

      Jobcentre Plus: Manpower

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Jobcentre Plus staff are employed on fixed-term contracts; how many of them have been granted contract extensions since 22 June 2010;...

      Jobseeker's Allowance: Gateshead

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many lone parents are in receipt of jobseeker's allowance in Gateshead constituency.

      Jobseeker's Allowance: Wolverhampton

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people will have been on jobseeker's allowance for over 12 months by 2013 in Wolverhampton North East constituency.

      Means-tested Benefits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of (a) retaining each universal benefit at the average rate and (b) adopting means testing for...

      Security

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many British standards apply to the installation and maintenance of automatic security gates; and what training is required of people...

      Security

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how the Health and Safety Executive monitors automatic security gates in the workplace for (a) compliance with relevant British Standards and...

      Security

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) deaths and (b) serious injuries have been caused by the operation of automatic security gates in the workplace in each of the...

      Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of each benefit type received a benefit sanction in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11.

      Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many benefit claimants of each benefit type received a benefit sanction of more than one week's benefit entitlement in 2009-10.

      Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with those responsible for making medical assessments of eligibility for employment and support allowance...

      Child Benefit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many counterclaims have been made for child benefit in each of the last five years; and how many such claims have led to the other parent's...

  • Communities and Local Government

    • Business Improvement Districts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many business improvement districts there were (a) in each of the last three years and (b) on the latest date for which...

    • Council Housing: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on the reform of council housing finance.

      Council Tax: Tax Rates and Bands

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate his Department has made of the number of homes in England incorrectly banded in the 2005 council tax revaluation.

      Departmental Cleaning Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on cleaning in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08, (c) 2008-09 and (d) 2009-10.

      Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what declarations of (a) interests, (b) gifts and (c) hospitality were made by special advisers in his Department in (i)...

      Departmental Official Hospitality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in July 2010.

      Domestic Violence: Supporting People Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many support units for (a) women and (b) men at risk of domestic violence were provided or part-funded by Supporting...

      Domestic Violence: Supporting People Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities have been granted Supporting People funding to support (a) women and (b) men at risk of domestic...

      Fire Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent submissions he has received on the future use of the (a) estate and (b) IT system constructed as part of the...

      Fire Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had on the future use of the (i) estate and (ii) IT...

      Fire Services: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of his Department's in-year budgetary savings for 2010-11 will come from the central Government grant to fire...

      Fires: Electric Cables

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many fires in private rented properties (a) in North Swindon constituency and (b) England and Wales were attributed to...

      Fruit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was spent on fruit supplied to Ministerial offices in his Department in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10.

      Housing Improvements: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment he has made of the disabled facilities grant; if he will retain current funding levels for the grant; and...

      Local Enterprise Partnerships

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how soon he expects local enterprise partnerships to be established once they have been approved by his Department.

      Local Government Finance: Wigan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) whether he has made an assessment of the impact on frontline services in Wigan of the spending reductions he announced in...

      Non-domestic Rates

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average national non-domestic rate bill was in each (a) region and (b) local authority area in each of the last three...

      Non-domestic Rates

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much each local authority collected in national non-domestic rate revenue in each of the last three years.

      Non-domestic Rates

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many national non-domestic rate hereditaments there were in each (a) region and (b) local authority area in each of the...

      Planning Inspectorate: Handbooks

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will place in the Library a copy of the Planning Inspectors' Handbook.

      Referendums

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to give residents the power to instigate binding local referendums on...

      Smith Institute

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what strategic consultancy work was undertaken by the Smith Institute for his Department in 2009-10; what the cost was; and...

      Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to his Department's press release of 5 August 2010, if he will place in the Library a copy of the contract and...

      Waste Management: Departmental Responsibilities

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what responsibilities his Department has for the (a) development and (b) implementation of (i) policy and (ii) programmes...

      West Northamptonshire Development Corporate: Public Relations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to his Department's press release of 5 August 2010, if he will place in the Library a copy of the contract and...

      West Northamptonshire Development Corporation: Public Relations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reasons the West Northants Development Corporation had a contract with Chelgate Public Affairs.

  • Energy and Climate Change

    • Energy Supply

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will make a statement on his Department's contribution to the Strategic Defence and Security Review with regard to the energy...

    • Greenhouse Gas Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what requirements there are on (a) district and (b) county councils to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and if he will make a statement.

      Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Business

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has to introduce mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions by businesses; and if he will make a statement.

      Power Stations: Offshore Industry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what (a) planning regulations, (b) planning guidance and (c) other regulations there are on the location of power stations required...

      Renewable Energy: Electric Cables

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his Department's plans are to support the installation of high voltage direct current cabling and infrastructure for the...

      Wind Power

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent representations he has received from businesses on the financial situation of the offshore wind industry.

      Wind Power

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has to encourage foreign investment in the UK's offshore wind industry.

      Wind Power

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he plans to increase the amount of offshore wind energy produced nationally.

      Wind Power: Noise

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what process his Department used to select Hayes McKenzie to oversee the investigation into the application of planning authorities of...

  • Home Department

    • Alcoholic Drinks: Prices

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to bring forward legislative proposals to prohibit the sale of alcohol below cost price.

    • Anti-Semitism

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department has (a) taken since July 2010 and (b) plans to take during the next three months to combat anti-Semitism; and if...

      Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Gateshead

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many residents of Gateshead borough (a) are subject to antisocial behaviour orders and (b) have breached an antisocial behaviour order...

      Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Hyndburn

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders were issued to residents of Hyndburn in each year since 2002.

      Antisocial Behaviour: Public Opinion

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the findings of the July 2010 British Crime Survey in respect of public perceptions of levels of antisocial...

      Asylum

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department provides assistance to asylum seekers with a professional or skilled background to retain their skills whilst awaiting...

      Asylum

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers there are from each country of origin whose cases (a) were pending at the inception of the legacy cases scheme and...

      Asylum: Pakistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women from Pakistan have applied for asylum in the UK in each year since 2000; and how many such applications were (a) granted and...

      Asylum: Pakistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether an assessment of the human rights situation for women in Pakistan is made when determining asylum applications from such women.

      Borders: Personal Records

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions changes have been made to the specifications for the contract relating to the e-Borders programme.

      Borders: Personal Records

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many consultants were employed by her Department on the e-Borders programme in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08, (c) 2008-09 and (d) 2009-10;...

      Crime: Theft

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences of (a) burglary, (b) theft and (c) robbery were detected in each of the last nine years; and in respect of how many such...

      Human Trafficking: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children referred to the National Referral Mechanism have been identified as trafficked and subsequently prosecuted for alleged...

      Licensing Laws

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for temporary event notices there were in each local authority area in each of the last three years.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when her Department plans to reply to the letter of 30 July 2010 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Waseem...

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 20 July 2010 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr M. I. Khan.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 30 July 2010 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr R. Boadi.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 2 August 2010 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms L. T. Sithole.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 2 August 2010 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr R. K. Mzwimbi.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 2 August 2010 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr C. Madzonayiko.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 2 August 2010 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms S. Mpofo.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 2 August 2010 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Miss B. A. Boasiako.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 15 July 2010 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs H. Farhat.

      Off-licences

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many licences for alcohol off-sales there are per head of population in each constituency.

      Passports: Biometrics

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has concluded commercial negotiations with suppliers of second generation biometric passport technology; and what level of...

      Schengen Agreement

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) which EU proposals and initiatives other than those that seek to build upon the Schengen acquis have been presented to the Council...

      Terrorism: Intercept Evidence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress her Department is making on determining ways to allow intercept evidence to be used in terrorism cases.

      Written Questions: Government Responses

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to answer question 8166, tabled on 8 July 2010, on the Terrorism Act 2000 (section 44).

  • Cabinet Office

    • European Year of Volunteering

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what activities have been funded by the European Year of Voluntary Activities Promoting Active Citizenship in the UK.

    • Industrial Disputes

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many (a) collective and (b) individual trade disputes of each type in the (i) public and (ii) private sector were recorded in each class of...

      Public Sector: Community Benefit Clauses

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps the Government is taking to encourage the use of community benefit clauses in the public sector.

      Social Enterprises: Tax Allowances

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department takes to encourage social enterprises to adopt a legal model which entitles them to tax relief.

  • Defence

    • Armed Forces: Boxing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the participation of members of the armed forces in boxing; and if he will make a statement.

    • Armed Forces: Boxing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any members of the armed forces have been injured and rendered unfit for duty (a) for up to one week, (b) for up to one month, (c) for longer...

      Armed Forces: Compensation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with The Royal British Legion to (a) increase the scope and monetary value of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme...

      Armed Forces: Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of each armed service were dismissed for using illegal substances in each of the last five years.

      Armed Forces: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what account his Department takes of (a) children for whom armed forces personnel do not have full custody, (b) children of armed forces personnel over...

      Armed Forces: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work his Department has undertaken on the Defence Housing Estate at RAF Brize Norton in preparation for the proposed closure of RAF Lyneham.

      Armed Forces: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made on implementing recommendation 1, on strategic review, of the National Audit Office report of Session 2008-09 on...

      Armed Forces: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will include in the proposed Military Covenant a commitment to first class accommodation for military personnel and their families.

      Armed Forces: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many thefts from (a) unoccupied and (b) occupied houses owned by the Ministry of Defence were reported in 2009.

      Armed Forces: Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in respect of which 50 substitute (a) service family and (b) single living accommodation properties the highest rents were charged in 2009.

      Armed Forces: Medals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on reviewing the (a) right of ex-service personnel to wear medals awarded by foreign governments and (b) practice of...

      Armed Forces: Mental Health

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the effects of loss of limbs in combat on the mental health of soldiers.

      Armed Forces: Prosthetics

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department will undertake a review of the (a) quality and fit of prosthetic limbs and (b) level of counselling offered to former service...

      Armed Forces: Uniforms

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on replacing the ceremonial uniforms of the (a) Grenadier Guards, (b) Coldstream Guards, (c) Scots Guards, (d) Irish...

      Armed Offices: Driving

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel in each service were trained as drivers in each of the last five years for which figures are available; how many in each such...

      Army: Horses

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to the public purse was of maintaining horses in the Army in 2009-10.

      Commonwealth: Armed Forces

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many servicemen from other Commonwealth countries (a) are serving in the UK armed forces and (b) have served in the UK armed forces in (i) the last...

      Cyprus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether all the land occupied by his Department's facilities in Cyprus is classed as sovereign British territory.

      Departmental Television and Film

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) television programmes and (b) feature films were filmed at locations owned by his Department in 2009.

      Elizabeth Cross

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Elizabeth Crosses have been presented to date; and how many were in respect of (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan.

      Germany

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people employed by his Department in Germany are (a) UK citizens and ( b) non-UK citizens.

      Germany: Armed Forces

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many children of British military personnel who are (a) under 10 years old and (b) between 10 and 18-years-old are being educated in Germany.

      Germany: Armed Forces

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Army, (b) Royal Air Force and (c) Royal Navy personnel are based in Germany.

      Gibraltar

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people employed by his Department in Gibraltar are (a) UK citizens and (b) non-UK citizens.

      Inside Right Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent assessment is of progress of the Inside Right programme; and if he will make a statement.

      Military Covenant

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to bring forward legislation to enshrine the military covenant in law.

      Military Covenant

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultation his Department has undertaken on re-writing the military covenant; and if he will make a statement.

      Military Exercises

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions military personnel undertook training exercises at each site outside the UK between 2008 and 2010.

      Military Exercises

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent estimate he has made of the average annual cost to the public purse of sending military personnel to train at his Department's bases and...

      Military Exercises

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent estimate he has made of the average annual cost to the public purse of sending military personnel to sites outside the UK to undertake...

      Roads: Accidents

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces were (a) killed, (b) seriously injured and (c) slightly injured in road accidents when (i) on duty and (ii) off...

  • Business, Innovation and Skills

    • Apprentices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage people to take up his Department's funding for additional apprenticeship places in 2010-11.

    • Broadband: Kent

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans his Department has to roll out superfast broadband to the rural and hot-spot areas in Chatham and Aylesford...

      Cabinet Committees: Trade

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills who will chair the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Trade.

      Construction: Industry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many complaints from the public his Department has received about building firms in each of the last five years; and if he...

      Construction: Industry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many complaints (a) his Department and (b) its non-departmental public bodies have received from the public about (i)...

      Debts: Advisory Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of debt advice in respect of the most vulnerable people funded from...

      Debts: Advisory Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent estimate he has made of the number of Citizens Advice Bureau caseworkers provided for from the Financial Inclusion Fund.

      Debts: Advisory Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people received debt advice provided for from the Financial Inclusion Fund in each of the last five years.

      Employment Tribunals Service

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to streamline the employment tribunal system.

      Further Education: England

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students from England began attending further education colleges in Wales in each of the last five years.

      Further Education: Wales

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students from Wales began attending further education colleges in England in each of the last five years.

      Further Education: Wrexham

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students from Wrexham began attending further education colleges in England in each of the last five years.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to reply to the letter of 1 June 2010 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Eleanor...

      Regional Development Agencies: Local Enterprise Partnerships

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent estimate he has made of the (a) capital and (b) annual running costs of (i) regional development agencies and (ii)...

      Unemployment: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people aged (a) between 16 and 24 and (b) between 18 and 24 years resident in Milton Keynes are not in education,...

  • International Development

    • Africa: Overseas Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on (a) administration, (b) logistics and transport, (c) food items, (d) non-food items and (e) other...

    • Africa: Overseas Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on immediate assistance in respect of humanitarian situations in Africa in each of the last three years;...

      Africa: Overseas Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on (a) tarpaulins and tents, (b) mosquito nets, (c) blankets, (d) kitchen sets, (e) hygiene/first...

      Africa: Overseas Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the annual monetary value is of the contract held by his Department with Crown Agents in respect of the delivery of emergency and...

      Departmental Chief Scientific Advisers

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on how many occasions each Minister in his Department has met his Department's Chief Scientific Officer since 6 May 2010.

      Departmental Empty Property

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on vacant properties in each year since 1997.

      Developing Countries: Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to assist developing country authorities in the collection of poverty data classified by indigenous...

      Overseas Aid: Pneumonia

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid his Department has allocated to tackling pneumonia in each of the last five years.

      World Health Assembly: Pneumonia

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans his Department has to implement the World Health Assembly resolution on pneumonia; and if he will make a statement.

  • Culture Media and Sport

    • Broadband

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) what targets he has for rollout of superfast broadband; and if he will make a statement; (2) how much funding for...

    • Broadband

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) how much he estimates the previous Government's policy of providing universal access to basic broadband by 2012 was...

      Departmental Official Hospitality

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in July 2010.

      Film: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will take steps to encourage the production of films by British producers funded from sources based in Britain; and if...

      Newspaper Press

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will bring forward proposals to require UK-based newspapers owned by people not resident in the UK to display on each...

      Sports

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the total cost to the public purse is of the Talent Identification Programme operated by UK Sport and the English...

      Swimming: Concessions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much his Department estimates will be saved by ending the free swimming scheme for children under 16-years-old; what the...

  • Prime Minister

    • Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

      To ask the Prime Minister what declarations of (a) interests, (b) gifts and (c) hospitality were made by special advisers based in No. 10 Downing street in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10.

    • Departmental Offices

      To ask the Prime Minister what percentage of his Office's office accommodation he has offered to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport as office accommodation for staff of that...

  • Deputy Prime Minister

    • Polling Station: Fraud

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans the Government has to introduce a requirement to provide proof of identification at polling stations to help eliminate voter fraud.

    • Voting Methods

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will bring forward proposals to restrict voting in the House of Commons on matters exclusively relating to England to hon. Members who represent...

  • Health

    • Abortion: Health Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department issues on the presentation of information about abortion services in GP clinics.

    • Abortion: Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the General Medical Council on guidance to medical practitioners on conscientious objection to abortion and the...

      Cancer: Drugs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the interim regional panels for cancer treatment will be able to take decisions on the provision of drugs relating to exceptional case requests.

      Cancer: Hertfordshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the number of patients in Hertfordshire likely to be prescribed with innovative cancer drugs in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12...

      Colic: Osteopathy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on the use of osteopathy to treat infant colic.

      Community Hospitals: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the Community Hospital Fund was unspent at the time of the 2010 General Election; whether that money has been carried forward; by what means...

      General Practitioners

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to place restrictions on the nature of contracts into which primary care trusts may enter in the interim period prior to the...

      General Practitioners

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures will be used to transfer assets of primary care trusts and strategic health authorities to GP consortia.

      General Practitioners: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanism he plans to introduce for the allocation of funds by NHS commissioning boards to GP consortia.

      General Practitioners: Rural Areas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether GP commissioners in rural areas will be able to form clusters with other GP commissioners across county boundaries.

      General Practitioners: Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure all GPs have access to adequate (a) information and (b) training on care for patients with eating disorders.

      Genetically Modified Organisms: Crops

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent surveys the Food Standards Agency has commissioned or conducted on public views on genetically-modified crops; what the cost to the public...

      Health Centres

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the future of existing polyclinics; and if he will make a statement.

      Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to publish the content of feedback forms submitted during consultation workshops on the NHS White Paper.

      Health Services: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the proposed changes to the healthcare commissioning process on those with the most complex health...

      Health Services: Voluntary Organisations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements his Department has made to record responses to the recent NHS White Paper from health charities.

      Health Visitors: Recruitment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what date he expects to have completed the recruitment of the additional 4,200 Sure Start health visitors foreseen in the Coalition Agreement.

      Lister Hospital

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) procedures and (b) timetable he intends to adopt for his Department's decision on Stage 4 of the redevelopment of the Lister Hospital,...

      Mental Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what dates Ministers in his Department have met (a) mental health charities and (b) other health charities to discuss the NHS White Paper.

      New Cross Hospital Wolverhampton: Nurses

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses there were at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton (a) in 1997 and (b) on the latest date for which information is available.

      NHS

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements his Department has made to log local authority responses to the NHS White Paper.

      NHS 111

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training and qualifications NHS 111 staff will be required to have.

      NHS Direct

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in (a) England, (b) West Midlands, (c) Dudley borough and (d) Dudley North constituency used the NHS Direct service in each year since...

      NHS Direct

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation his Department held with (a) medical professionals, (b) trade unions and (c) the public on the decision to replace the NHS Direct...

      NHS Direct

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of (a) current NHS Direct staff are trained nurses and (b) NHS staff will be trained nurses.

      NHS Direct

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training and qualifications NHS Direct staff are required to have.

      NHS: Lobbying

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is provided to NHS bodies on subscribing to lobbying organisations.

      NHS: Social Enterprises

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether private sector organisations will receive payment from NHS funds for providing mentoring assistance to social enterprise and public service...

      NHS: Temporary Employment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the National Health Service has spent on the employment of temporary contract staff in each of the last three financial years.

      North West London Hospitals NHS Trust

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will grant North West London Hospitals NHS Trust further funding for health and safety repairs; and if he will make a statement.

      Obesity: Surgery

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many surgical procedures of each type to treat obesity in patients under the age of 18 years were carried out on the NHS in (a) England and (b)...

      Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has (a) commissioned, (b) evaluated and (c) undertaken on the operation of (a) prescription charges, (b) the Prescription...

      Primary Care Trusts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has provided to primary care trusts on the reorganisation of those trusts by 2010; and if he will make a statement.

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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