Written answers

Thursday, 9 December 2010

  • Northern Ireland

    • Bill of Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of proposals for a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.

    • Bill of Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans to publish the results of his Department's consultation on a Northern Ireland Bill of Rights.

      Economic Situation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) when the Government expect to bring forward their proposals for rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy; (2) what economic proposals he...

      Public Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he plans to meet the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland to discuss the effects of the outcome of the...

      Saville Inquiry: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much the Saville Inquiry spent on IT equipment up to February 2010; and how such equipment was disposed of at the end of the inquiry.

  • Justice

    • Prisoners: Voting Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2010, Official Report, column 165, if he will publish each item of correspondence between him and Scottish...

  • Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority Committee

    • Contracts: Employment

      To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, whether contracts of employment signed by Independent...

    • Members: Expenses

      To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what steps have been taken to investigate allegations that...

  • Church Commissioners

    • Church Commissioners Annual Report 2009

      To ask the hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, with reference to the Church Commissioners Annual Report 2009, page 34, if he will place in the Library a copy of the...

    • Church Of England: Finance

      To ask the hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, what the overheads and running cost to the Church of England were of Lambeth Palace in the latest period for which...

      Churches: Finance

      To ask the hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, which (a) buildings and (b) land holdings in the church estate have a monetary value (i) between £5 million and...

      Churches: Finance

      To ask the hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, what (a) buildings, (b) land and (c) property holdings of estimated monetary value of over £1 million the Church...

      Diocesan Advisory Committee

      To ask the hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church Commissioners had completed a consultation with the Diocesan Advisory Committee under section 3 of...

      Lambeth Palace: Finance

      To ask the hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, how much income was generated from (a) visitors, (b) room hire and (c) other sources at Lambeth Palace in the latest...

      Written Questions: Government Responses

      To ask the hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, when he plans to answer questions (a) 25191, (b) 25192, (c) 25197, (d) 25400, (e) 25402 and (f) 25428, on the...

  • Treasury

    • Aggregates Levy: Northern Ireland

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress his Department has made on negotiations with the European Commission for the reinstatement of the aggregates credit relief scheme; and if he...

    • Banks: Crown Dependencies

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had with each Crown dependency to discuss banking regulation and tax avoidance...

      Banks: Loans

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department plans to introduce lending targets for those banks which are part-owned by the Government.

      Departmental Complaints

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints (a) his Department and (b) National Savings has received in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what recent estimate...

      Departmental Correspondence

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on printing and postage for correspondence in each of the last three financial years.

      Departmental Press: Subscriptions

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much (a) his Department and (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible spent on press cuttings services in each of the last 12...

      Departmental Secondment

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people employed in the financial services industry were seconded to his Department in each month in the last two years.

      Economic Situation: Snow and Ice

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on the economy of recent adverse weather conditions.

      EU Budget

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what value for money assessment he has undertaken of the UK's contribution to EU spending in each of the last three years.

      EU Grants and Loans

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which projects undertaken in the UK with support from EU funds (a) wholly and (b) in part are required to be identified by a flag or logo.

      Financial Inclusion Fund

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Financial Inclusion Fund in reducing financial exclusion since the Fund was established; and if he...

      Office for Budget Responsibility

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 8 November 2010, Official Report, column 97W, on the Office for Budget Responsibility, whether the examination of sustainability...

      Personal Savings: Children in Care

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he plans to bring forward proposals to provide a financial contribution for looked after children as part of the proposed junior individual...

      Revenue and Customs: Standards

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the efficiency of HM Revenue and Customs staff in responding to written correspondence from taxpayers; and if he will...

      Tax Allowances

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 October 2010, Official Report, column 144W, on BP: tax allowances, for what reasons tax relief granted by the Exchequer for a...

      Taxation: Construction

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2010, Official Report, column 284W, on taxation: construction, what information HM Revenue and Customs holds on the...

      VAT: Charities

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the amount of additional revenue which will be collected from charities as a result of the change in the rate of value...

      Welfare Tax Credits

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the claim for tax credits from Craig Bridges, a constituent of the hon. Member for Torbay, to be activated and for payment to begin.

      Working Tax Credit

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to assess an entitlement to the additional element of working tax credit on account of disability by means other than...

  • Solicitor-General

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

    • Colombia: Politics and Government

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of Colombia requesting that church leaders be treated as a particularly...

    • Departmental Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people have received a salary of more than £140,000 per annum from his Department in each of the last five years.

      European Union: Treaties

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals for Treaty amendment consequent on the meeting of the European Council on 28 and 29 October 2010 have been (a)...

      Iran: Nuclear Weapons

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what recent reports he has received from Arab states on the acquisition of atomic weapons by Iran; and if he will make a...

      Wood

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the compliance of (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public...

      Zimbabwe: Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps at the United Nations he (a) has taken since his appointment and (b) plans to take in the next six months in...

      Zimbabwe: Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of political violence in Zimbabwe; what recent discussions he has had with his Zimbabwean...

      Zimbabwe: Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on allegations of human rights abuses in Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

      Zimbabwe: Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions (a) HM ambassador to Zimbabwe, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department...

  • House of Commons Commission

    • Poultry

      To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, what arrangements the House of Commons catering service plans to put in place to...

  • Electoral Commission Committee

    • Homelessness: Voting Rights

      To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what steps the Electoral Commission is taking on the registration of homeless people...

  • Home Department

    • Animal Experiments: Botulinum Toxin

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will review the continued use of mice for the potency testing of botulism under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in the...

    • Asylum: Deportation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of progress of the UK Border Agency in implementing the recommendations on the management of removals made by...

      Asylum: Deportation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on the treatment of people in custody by her Department's contractor for escort services to...

      Asylum: Deportation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on no-notice removals for failed asylum-seeking families; and if she will make a statement.

      Departmental Written Questions

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the number of questions to her Department tabled in the (a) House of Commons and (b) House of Lords...

      Detention Centres: Females

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to end the detention of women in immigration removal centres.

      Detention Centres: Medicine

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many months of medicine her Department provides to those diagnosed with HIV or AIDS at each immigration detention centre upon removal...

      Drugs: Misuse

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons she plans to propose the removal of the statutory requirement for scientists to be on the Advisory Council for the Misuse of...

      Entry Clearances: Entertainers

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the thousand work visas to be issued under Tier One of the revised immigration rules she expects to be issued to musicians,...

      Entry Clearances: Entertainers

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance she plans to issue to those assessing Tier One work visa applications on determining whether an applicant has exceptional...

      Entry Clearances: Entertainers

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effects of restrictions on Tier One immigration on musicians and other performers seeking to perform in...

      Immigration

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has made an assessment of the merits of increasing the number of points available in the points-based immigration system for...

      Immigration

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions officials of her Department have had with officials of the Department for International Development on proposed changes to...

      Immigration Controls

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the potential effects of the annual limit on non-EU immigration on the care sector.

      Offensive Weapons: Advertising

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward legislative proposals to regulate the advertisement of knives and air weapons in free newspapers.

  • Scotland

    • Departmental Conferences

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what his Department's annual budget for conferences was at (a) 7 May 2010 and (b) 7 December 2010.

  • Women and Equalities

    • Equal Pay

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what research she has commissioned on the gender pay gap since May 2010; and what steps she plans to take to close the gap.

  • Prime Minister

    • Chanukah

      To ask the Prime Minister if he will seek to publish in the Official Report the text of his Chanukah message to the Jewish community; and if he will make a statement.

    • Drugs

      To ask the Prime Minister on which dates he has attended ministerial meetings on tackling drugs since 6 May 2010.

      Football: World Cup

      To ask the Prime Minister (1) how many people travelled with him to Zurich in connection with the FIFA World Cup vote on 2 December 2010; and what the cost to the public purse was of that...

      Nuclear Power

      To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the oral evidence taken by the Liaison Committee on 18 November 2010, HC 608-i, Q 92, on what dates and at what locations he met representatives of EDF; what...

      Schools Sport Partnerships Scheme

      To ask the Prime Minister how many representations he has received from (a) Olympic medal winners and (b) athletes on his decision to reduce levels of funding for the Schools Sport Partnerships...

      Special Representative for International Trade and Investment

      To ask the Prime Minister what recent assessment he has made of the work of the UK's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment.

      Written Questions

      To ask the Prime Minister whether he has set a target for answering written questions tabled for answer on a named day; and if he will make a statement.

  • Communities and Local Government

    • Bus Services: Concessions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent representations he has received from hon. Members on funding of the national concessionary bus fare scheme; and if...

    • EU Grants and Loans: North East

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether provisions exist to ensure that match-funding is in place for the North East England 2007-13 European Regional...

      EU Grants and Loans: North East

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the monetary value is of North East England 2007-13 European Regional Development Framework Competitiveness Programme...

      Housing Benefit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) whether his Department will use agreed market rents when determining what 80 per cent. of market rent is in a given area;...

      Housing: South Lanarkshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) if he will estimate the number of vacant private rented homes with (a) one bedroom and (b) two bedrooms in (i) South...

      Local Government Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reasons his Department decided that the majority of reductions in central Government contributions to local government...

      Local Government: Billing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on prompt payment of suppliers; and what assessment he has made of...

      Regional Government

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the potential effects on households of his proposed reform of regional governance; and if he will...

      Working Neighbourhoods Fund: Newcastle upon Tyne

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding from the Working Neighbourhood Fund was granted to organisations and projects in Newcastle Upon Tyne Central...

      Youth Services: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will assess the merits of encouraging local authorities to protect the provision of youth centres when considering the...

      Youth Services: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what financial support is available to community groups that wish to take over the operation of youth centres that face closure...

      Youth Services: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the provision of youth centres by local...

  • Health

    • Accident and Emergency Departments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time in accident and emergency departments was in each of the last five years.

    • Blood: Contamination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to complete his review of the recommendations of the Archer inquiry into the supply of contaminated blood in NHS facilities.

      Dental Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of people able to receive treatment from an NHS dentist.

      Dental Services: Crewe

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the percentage of residents of the Crewe and Nantwich constituency that have access to an NHS dentist.

      Departmental Billing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department follows on the prompt payment of suppliers.

      EU Law

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many EU directives are pending transposition into domestic legislation by his Department; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each such...

      Eyesight: Testing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people in Crewe and Nantwich constituency eligible for a free eye test.

      Family Nurse Partnership Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the outcomes of the Family Nurse Partnership programme; and what plans he has for the future of the service.

      Food Standards Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the incorporation into his Department of the nutrition functions of the Food Standards Agency.

      Hospitals: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to support the development and schooling of children who are patients in paediatric wards; and if he will make a statement.

      Hospitals: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the variation in the outcomes of his Department's assessment and the Dr Foster Hospital Guide 2010 in respect of each...

      Mental Illness

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many of the individuals allocated a personal budget in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10 had mental health needs; (2) how many direct payment users...

      NHS: Business Interests

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether (a) Bassetlaw Primary Care Trust and (b) Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals Trust awarded contracts to companies in respect of which...

      Palliative Care: Prisoners

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what palliative care provision there is for prisoners in the North West.

      Primary Care Trusts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals for the abolition of primary care trusts.

      Prostate Cancer: Health Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what strategy his Department has to raise awareness of prostate cancer.

      Smoking: Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding his Department allocated to NHS smoking cessation services in the period (a) 2007-10 and (b) 2010-13.

      Strokes: Nottinghamshire and Sheffield

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions thrombolysis treatment has been used to treat stroke patients in (a) Bassetlaw, (b) Sheffield, (c) Nottingham and (d) Sheffield...

  • Work and Pensions

    • Child Support Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Child Support Agency operates target response times for correspondence from hon. Members' offices.

    • Child Support Agency: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how long on average it took for the Child Support Agency to respond to contact by (a) telephone, (b) post and (c) e-mail in the latest...

      Disability Living Allowance: Scotland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the (a) effects on and (b) cost to local authorities in Scotland of the removal of the mobility component of...

      Employment and Support Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what estimate he has made of the number of contributory employment and support allowance recipients who will become entitled to...

      Housing Benefit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the merits of giving local authorities greater flexibility in how they correspond with claimants of housing benefit and...

      Housing Benefit: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has made an assessment of the likely effects of reductions in levels of housing benefit on homelessness levels in (a)...

      Jobseeker's Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) the UK, (b) the South East, (c) Oxfordshire and (d) Oxford West and Abingdon constituency have been in receipt of...

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Minister for Housing plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Hastings and Rye of 25 October 2010 reference AR/BW/0008,...

      National Employment Savings Trust Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consideration he has given to establishing a mechanism to prevent a conflict of interest arising for potential asset managers bidding in...

      New Businesses: Bradford

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2010, Official Report, column 1005W, on new businesses: Bradford, what plans he has for (a) funding,...

      New Enterprise Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which areas will participate in the New Enterprise Allowance pilots; and when these pilots will begin.

      New Enterprise Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what mechanism he plans to establish to assess applications for New Enterprise Allowance payments.

      New Enterprise Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average monetary value of all payments under the New Enterprise Allowance for a recipient.

      New Enterprise Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many new businesses he expects to be established as a result of support from the New Enterprise Allowance by (a) April 2011, (b) October...

      Older People: Employment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people aged 50 years and over moved off benefits and into work in the last 12 months.

      Pensioners: Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of pensioners aged (a) between 60 and 65, (b) between 65 and 70, (c) between 70 and 75, (d) between 75 and 80 and (e) 80...

      Social Security Benefits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to simplify the application procedures for state benefits; and if he will make a statement.

      Unemployment: Scotland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of workless households in (a) Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency, (b) Berwickshire, Roxburgh...

      Unemployment: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to reduce the weekly cost of youth unemployment.

      Unemployment: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of 16 to 24-year-olds out of work for more than 12 months.

      Universal Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people who will face (a) higher and (b) lower marginal deduction rates following full...

      Winter Fuel Payments: Crewe and Nantwich

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Crewe and Nantwich constituency received the winter fuel allowance in the latest period for which figures are available.

      Winter Fuel Payments: Kilmarnock

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people aged (a) 60 to 65, (b) 65 to 70, (c) 70 to 80 and (d) over 80 years were paid the winter fuel allowance in Kilmarnock and...

  • Transport

    • BRB (Residuary) Ltd.

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the procedure will be for the disposal of the assets of BRB (Residuary) Ltd.

    • First Great Western: Electrification

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what work his Department carried out on its plans for electrification of the Great Western main line between London and Swansea in the period (a) 23...

      Football: South Africa

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on entertainment activities related to the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

      Fuels: Prices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department will bring forward proposals to limit petrol and diesel price rises in the UK.

      Gospel Oak Railway Line: Electrification

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions his Department has had with the Mayor of London on electrification of the Barking to Gospel Oak railway line.

      Lower Thames Crossing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to consult local residents on a new Lower Thames Crossing; when he expects such consultation to take place; and if he...

      M25

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what plans his Department has to improve junctions 30 and 31 of the M25; what recent representations he has received on the junctions; and if he...

      M25: Closures

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the financial effects on the economy of closures of the M25.

      Motorways: Accidents

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many collisions involving a motor vehicle there have been on the A1 at Elkesley in 2010 to date.

      Public Transport: Fares

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department holds for benchmarking purposes on (a) bus and (b) light rail and underground fares in cities (i) in the UK and (ii)...

      Public Transport: Public Consultation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department takes to include reduced-fare users in consultations on the future of public transport services.

      Railways: Electrification

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether a rail service between Preston and Manchester via Chorley and Bolton will be maintained following electrification of the Manchester to...

      Railways: Franchises

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make standard off-peak travel times a requirement for new rail franchisees.

      Railways: Passengers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward proposals to ensure that rail passengers are entitled to a seat in return for the fare paid; and if he will make a statement.

      Railways: Repairs and Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much and what proportion of the £90 million allocated to improving rail platforms in the 2010 spending review will be spent in (a) Coventry,...

      Railways: Subsidies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department provided in public subsidy to each train operating company in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10; and how many...

      Road Traffic: Black Cat

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what bids for funding have been made to improve traffic flow at the Black Cat roundabout on the A1 in each of the last five years for which figures are...

      Road Traffic: Newark

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what bids for funding have been made to improve traffic flows on the A1 south of Newark in the last five years for which figures are available; and...

      Roads: Accidents

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average (a) death, (b) injury and (c) personal injury rate from road traffic accidents was per mile of (i) trunk A-roads, (ii) all A-roads...

      Waterloo Station

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a list of the (a) individuals and (b) organisations from whom he has received representations on the future of the Waterloo...

      West Coast Main Line

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce his decision on the West Coast Main Line franchise.

      Written Questions: Government Responses

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to reply to Question 20169, on the cap on rail fares, tabled on 25 October 2010.

  • Energy and Climate Change

    • Energy Supply

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the cost was of (a) electricity and (b) gas supplied to his Department's offices at 3 Whitehall Place in each of the last 12...

    • Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to respond to the letters from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay of 18 October and 30 November 2010 on cheapest...

  • Cabinet Office

    • Charity Commission: Finance

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the outcome of the comprehensive spending review on the ability of the Charity Commission to...

    • Civil Servants: Recruitment

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether he has plans to increase the number of civil servant entrants on the science and engineering fast stream.

      Civil Servants: Recruitment

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many science and engineering fast-streamers were recruited by each Government Department in each of the last five years for which figures are...

      Immigration

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of immigrants from (a) each EU member state and (b) each other state resident in each parliamentary constituency.

      Immigration: Morocco

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of Moroccan nationals who were resident in the UK in each year since 2000.

      New Businesses

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what information his Department holds on the number of small and medium-sized enterprises established in the last 10 years; and what information it...

      Public Sector: Procurement

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Southend West of 24 November 2010, Official Report, column 254, on consultancy, what safeguards are in...

      Vacancies

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the average number of employment vacancies (a) in each of the last 10 years and (b) in the latest period for which...

      Voluntary Work

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department is taking to work with charities to ensure the effective deployment of volunteers.

      Voluntary Work: Young People

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of likely providers of the National Citizenship Service in (a) the Black Country and (b) the Metropolitan borough of Dudley.

      Voluntary Work: Young People

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether he has received any applications for providers of the National Citizenship Service from organisations based in (a) the Black Country and (b)...

  • Education

    • Children in Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children subject to a care order, police protection order or emergency protection order excluding children looked after under Section 20 of...

    • Curriculum: Armed Conflict

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will bring forward proposals to include in the National Curriculum measures to teach school children about the UK's involvement in military conflict.

      Departmental Postal Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department has taken to identify those of its services that could be provided through the Post Office network.

      Education Maintenance Allowance: Stoke-on-Trent

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of young people in Stoke-on-Trent who are in receipt of education maintenance allowance would be eligible for support under the...

      Free School Meals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of children in (a) Hastings and Rye constituency, (b) East Sussex and (c) England who are...

      Free Schools

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education who will be responsible for assessing the fitness to practice of teachers in free schools.

      Further Education: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether funding from the Discretionary Learner Support Fund will be contingent on a minimum level of attendance at a further education institution.

      Further Education: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether further education colleges which enrol 14 to 16 year olds eligible for funding from the pupil premium will receive a share of that funding.

      Pre-school Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what the average hourly rate per child paid to childcare providers is under his Department's nursery education funding scheme for three and four...

      Public Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department has established processes to monitor any effects of proposed reductions in its expenditure.

      Pupils: Bullying

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to prevent the use of (a) anti-Semitic and (b) homophobic material in part-time weekend schools.

      Schools: Rural Areas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools classified by his Department as rural there were in each county in each year since 1997.

      Schools: Vocational Guidance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he plans to consult (a) local authorities and (b) schools on his plans for a school-based careers service.

      Schools: Vocational Guidance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education which groups of young people will be given priority for access to careers and connexion services in future.

      Schools: Vocational Guidance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to ensure the professional impartiality of the (a) careers and (b) connexions services after the devolution of...

      Special Educational Needs: Pupil Exclusions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of children with (a) school action plans, (b) school action plus plans and (c) statements of special educational needs...

      Special Educational Needs: Pupil Exclusions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of children with (a) school action plans, (b) school action plus plans and (c) statements of special educational needs...

      Specialist Schools and Academies Trust: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department has (a) paid out and (b) granted to the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11; what the...

      Students: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether academic institutions will be required to assess household income when determining the students they plan to fund through the Discretionary...

      Students: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for unspent funds in discretionary learner support funds at the end of academic year 2011-12.

      Students: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what age limits will be placed on access to student financial support for the discretionary learner support fund by his Department for the academic...

      Students: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effects on student choice in applying to higher education institutions of differing levels of financial assistance...

      Students: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether private training providers will be eligible for Government funding to administer their own discretionary learner support funds in academic year...

      Sure Start Programme: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what funding he expects to provide for Sure Start during the spending review period.

      Vocational Guidance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what mechanism he plans to establish to ensure that common professional standards for careers and Connexions services are maintained in each local...

  • International Development

    • Developing Countries: Sexuality

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce the incidence of discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender...

  • Defence

    • Afghanistan: Armed Forces

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many recruits there were to the Afghan National Army in each month of 2009 and 2010; (2) how many people left the Afghan National Army in each...

    • Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what regulations govern his Department's relationship with the private security contractors it employs in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

      Colchester Garrison

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has plans to declare any part of the Middlewick Ranges, Colchester Garrison, surplus to military requirements.

      Departmental Land

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long on average it took to complete a land quality assessment on part of the defence estate in the latest period for which figures are available.

      Departmental Overtime

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on overtime for staff working within his private office in each of the last five years.

      Departmental Press: Subscriptions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which local newspapers his Department had a subscription between May 2006 and May 2010; on what date each such subscription started; and what the cost...

      Departmental Press: Subscriptions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on press cuttings services in each year since 1997.

      France: Military Alliances

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to consult hon. Members during the ratification process for the proposed UK-France Treaty on nuclear weapons co-operation.

      USA: Cluster Munitions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department took to inform both Houses of discussions with officials of (a) the US Administration and (b) other governments relevant to...

      USA: Cluster Munitions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has issued any authorisation specified under the visiting forces section of the Cluster Munitions Prohibition Act 2009 to bring cluster...

  • Environment Food and Rural Affairs

    • Landfill

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill sites.

    • Ancient Woodland: Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for future funding for the protection of ancient woodland and forests.

      Insurance Premiums: Flooding

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effects of proposed changes to her Department's flood defence budget on the level of...

      Waste Review

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to publish the findings of her Department's waste review.

      Commons Fisheries Policy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had on the reform of the common fisheries policy; and if she will make a statement.

      Food Labelling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had on mandatory country of origin labelling; and if she will make a statement.

      Common Agricultural Policy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will bring forward a contingency plan to support UK farming in the event that the common agricultural policy is...

      Rural Development: England

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for the future administration of the socio-economic elements of the rural development programme for England.

      Departmental Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 24 June 2010, Official Report, column 291W, what assessment she has made of progress in increasing...

      EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcome was of the most recent meeting of the Fisheries Council; and which UK Ministers attended.

      Public Bodies: Public Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what estimate she has made of the potential saving to the public purse of the abolition of the Environment Protection...

      UK Woodland Assurance Standard

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate her Department has made of the area of privately-owned forest which is managed to the UK Woodland Assurance...

  • Business, Innovation and Skills

    • Aimhigher Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the likely socio-economic effects on young people from low-income families of (a) increasing...

    • Apprentices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of organisations that have taken on apprentices since the publication of the 2009 Office...

      Apprentices: Graduates

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many apprenticeship positions suitable for graduates he expects to be created in each of the next five years as a result of...

      Business: Government Assistance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many grants made by his Department to small firms based in Reading West constituency under the (a) Small Firms Local...

      Departmental Contracts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department plans to take to encourage and support small and medium-sized enterprises and third sector...

      Departmental Public Bodies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the oral statement of 20 October 2010, Official Report, column 961, on the spending review, which 24 public bodies...

      Football: South Africa

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department spent on entertainment activities related to the 2010 FIFA World cup.

      Further Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what new freedoms further education colleges will benefit from in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13.

      Overseas Students

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect on further education colleges of the Government's proposal to restrict student visas to...

      Student Loans Company: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the average time taken was for the Student Loan Company to reply to a letter from (a) an hon. Member and (b) a member of...

      Students: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what research his Department has commissioned on the number of students from families with children eligible for free...

      Students: Fees and Charges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what evidence he has received on the elasticity of demand of students from families with an annual income of (a) up to...

      Students: Loans

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which categories of part-time students will not be eligible for student loans under his proposals for higher education funding...

      Vocational Guidance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding his Department plans to allocate to the all-age careers service in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13;...

  • House of Lords

    • Armed Forces: Retired Officers

      To ask Her Majesty's Government when the decision was taken, and on what grounds, to exclude retired officers from appointment as Regimental Secretaries and in the initial stages of the...

    • Banking

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have specifically raised with other governments the need for greater disclosure by banks of high-level remuneration; and, if so, what responses they...

      Banks: Green Investment Bank

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what role the Green Investment Bank will play in promoting and supporting energy efficiency.

      Banks: Green Investment Bank

      To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect the Green Investment Bank to be operational.

      Banks: Lending

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will require the Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland to enter into new lending commitments; and whether they propose to require other...

      Banks: Stress Tests

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the light of the Irish banking sector problems, they will make representations to the Committee of European Banking Supervisors (CEBS) to increase the...

      Benefits

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, following their child benefit reforms, a parent would lose their child benefit if a wealthy grandparent were to move into the family home.

      Benefits

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people are currently claiming jobseeker's allowance while studying part-time at college in (a) England and Wales, (b) Northern Ireland, and (c) Scotland....

      Benefits

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people living in residential care have completed a work capability assessment and were (a) judged fit for work, and (b) placed in the work-related...

      Benefits

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many 16 to 24 year-olds currently claim jobseekers allowance.

      Benefits: Disability

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of recipients of higher-rate mobility disability living allowance in residential homes who have all their mobility...

      Driving: Licences

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the percentage of requests to surrender a licence that are sent to a driver's current address.

      Driving: Licences

      To ask Her Majesty's Government on what basis the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency have decided upon a 28-day time limit for the surrender of a licence.

      Education: Teacher Training

      To ask Her Majesty's Government , as part of their forthcoming changes to the higher education framework, whether they will provide for a single "portal" for student applications, whether for...

      Embryology

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 30 June (WA 282) and 23 November (WA 297), how the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) scrutinised...

      Embryology

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Earl Howe on 24 November (WS 101-2), which individuals either currently or recently employed by the Human Fertilisation and...

      Embryology

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Thornton on 27 January (WA 338-9) and by Earl Howe on 12 November (WA 143), what was initially communicated as the...

      Embryology

      To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) permitted the Centre for Reproductive and Genetic Health (CRGH) to import donated eggs from Russia...

      Embryology

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 24 November (WA 339-40), when the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority first required that non-confidential...

      Environmental Protection Advisory Committee

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the cost in 2009-10 of the Environmental Protection Advisory Committee.

      Food: Codex Alimentarius

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the level of irradiation allowed by the Codex Alimentarius is effective in reducing the risk of bacterial contamination or whether it should be augmented.

      Further Education: 16-hour Rule

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the effect of the 16-hour rule on the incentivisation of unemployed people seeking to gain qualifications through part-time study with...

      Further Education: 16-hour Rule

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they have issued to the devolved Administrations to ensure that the 16-hour rule relating to part-time study is interpreted consistently across the...

      Government Departments: Staff

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the numbers and percentages of male and female employees in (a) each government department, and (b) non-departmental government bodies.

      Government: Ministerial Visits

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the names and positions held of the business leaders who accompanied the Prime Minister on his visit to China.

      Gross Domestic Product

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest estimate of the percentage of gross domestic product which will be represented by the National Debt in 2015.

      Gross Domestic Product

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what will be their annual interest payments in 2015 (a) assuming interest rates remain the same as now, (b) assuming they are 1 per cent higher, (c) assuming they...

      Gulf War Illnesses

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what level of recognition is currently given to the condition "Gulf War Illness" by war pension tribunals.

      Health: Drugs

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will provide more funding for research into the side effects of anti-depressant medication.

      Health: Drugs

      To ask Her Majesty's Government who are the members of the newly established "Steering Group of Officials" in the Department of Health who will review benzodiazepines and other prescribed drugs;...

      Health: Mammograms

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will offer annual mammograms to women over the age of 40.

      Health: Strokes

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Act FAST campaign to recognise stroke symptoms.

      Higher Education: Funding

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will increase understanding of the specifics of the Higher Education funding policy amongst students.

      Highways Agency: Traffic Officers

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of what savings to public expenditure would be made by abolishing the Highways Agency's Traffic Officer Service, after allocating to...

      Holy See

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the British Embassy in the Holy See has cost in each of the last five years.

      House of Commons: Staff

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the estimated cost of making redundant staff employed by 50 MPs as a result of reducing the size of the House of Commons.

      Houses of Parliament: Members

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to legislate to prevent members of devolved assemblies from also being members of the House of Commons or House of Lords; and if so, what...

      Housing

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the proposed new affordable homes will be built in (a) Greater Manchester, and (b) the City of Manchester, in each of the next four years.

      Housing Benefit

      To ask Her Majesty's Government when the cap on housing benefits for tenants in private rented housing will take effect.

      Housing Benefit

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether existing housing benefit claimants who increase their earnings to the extent that they are no longer eligible for housing benefit will receive any...

      Human Rights

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the European Union concerning the adherence to human rights clauses in European Union Association agreements by countries...

      Iceland

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what rate of interest receivable is assumed in national accounts in respect of the debt owed by Iceland to the United Kingdom; and where this income and the...

      Inflation

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all income levels by decile are currently experiencing similar levels of price inflation.

      Justice: Sentencing

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any further research has been carried out to bring up to date the result of the survey referred to in Paragraph 25 Appendix 6 of Making Punishments...

      Morocco

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the European Union regarding review of the European Union Association Agreement with Morocco.

      Morocco

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of European Union multilateral aid is given to Morocco.

      Morocco

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the European Union concerning the adherence of Morocco to the conditions of the European Union Morocco Association Agreement.

      National Parks

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what annual grants they have made in each of the last ten years to each National Park in England.

      NHS: Specialist Services

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the specialist services they will ask the NHS Commissioning Board to commission.

      Northern Ireland: Human Rights Commission

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Shutt of Greetland on 23 November (WA 313), concerning appointments to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, whether...

      Parliamentary Constituencies

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the forecast cost of completing a full review by the boundary commissions of all parliamentary constituencies by 2013.

      Parliamentary Constituencies

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what forecast they have made of the annual additional costs that will be incurred by MPs taking on enlarged constituencies.

      Planning

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether Natural England have satisfied the provisions of Section 3 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 to...

      Planning

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the response of Natural England to planning application DCNW2008/1289/F to Herefordshire County Council is consistent...

      Prisoners: Work

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many prisoners in England and Wales carried out work in each of the years 1990-2010.

      Prisons: Population

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to reduce the prison population by 3,000.

      Railways: Fares

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what impact they expect their decision to raise the cap on regulated rail fares will have on the environment.

      Railways: Fares

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assurances they have received from train operators regarding (a) new rolling stock purchases, and (b) improving passenger conditions, prior to raising the cap...

      Railways: High Speed 2

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the estimated cost to public funds of the proposed High Speed Two rail route.

      Railways: High Speed 2

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what forecast they have made of power or fuel usage of the new proposed high speed trains compared with current Intercity trains on the High Speed Two route.

      Roads: A1

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the widening of the A1 north of Newcastle will be prioritised if the road is designated as a Strategic National Transport Corridor.

      Rome: British Embassy

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the British Embassy in Rome has cost in each of the last five years.

      Royal Family: Overseas Visits

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the cost to the taxpayer of the Duke of York's overseas visits in his capacity as the United Kingdom Special Representative for International Trade and...

      Schools: Reading

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on children's education of the new national reading test for six-year-olds.

      Shipping: Towing Vessels

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times the services of the Coastguard emergency towing vessel based in Stornoway have been required since 1 September.

      Shipping: Towing Vessels

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the costs of the use of Coastguard emergency towing vessels in assisting vessels in difficulty in distress are recovered from the ship's owners and/or insurers.

      Transport: Survey

      To ask Her Majesty's Government when was the last time the Department for Transport website was the subject of a user survey; what were the recommendations arising from this survey; which of...

      UK Bill of Rights

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a British Bill of Rights.

      UK Investment: Foundation X

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will be advising the police of any matters in connection with the organisation described by Lord James of Blackheath as Foundation X.

      Vehicles: Lorry Semi-trailers

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether lorry semi-trailers up to 2.05 metres longer than the current maximum permitted by European Directive 96/53 EC can operate in (a) the United Kingdom, and...

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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