Written answers

Thursday, 21 March 2013

  • Attorney-General

    • Serious Fraud Office

      To ask the Attorney-General how many gifts and acts of hospitality recorded on the Serious Fraud Office's (SFO) gifts and hospitality register in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d)...

  • Work and Pensions

    • Advertising

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance his Department issues on whether it is permitted for a political candidate to be featured on an advertisement sponsored by his...

    • Cold Weather Payments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) households in total, (b) pensioner households, (c) working-age households, (d) two adult working-age households with children, (e)...

      Employment and Support Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claims for employment and support allowance on the grounds of (a) certain infectious and parasitic diseases, (b) neoplasms, (c)...

      Employment and Support Allowance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many claimants of employment and support allowance have been assigned to the work-related activity group as a result of clerical...

      Housing Benefit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to consider the cases of applicants for the discretionary housing payment who are unable to find smaller...

      Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received from charities and voluntary organisations on the effect of the under-occupancy penalty on disabled people.

      Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the rent of those parents of disabled children exempted from the under-occupancy penalty will be paid from the general housing benefit...

      Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his recent announcement exempting households with disabled children from the under-occupancy penalty, for what reasons adults...

      Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the written ministerial statement from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions of 12 March 2013, Official Report, column 9WS,...

      Housing Benefit: Warrington

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Warrington North constituency are in receipt of (a) housing benefit and (b) local housing allowance; and what the average...

      Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was paid to officials in (a) his Department and (b) its non-departmental public bodies in bonuses and other payments in addition to...

      Personal Independence Payment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of potential personal independence payment claimants who do not have a landline telephone in (a)...

      Personal Independence Payment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average length of time a person making an initial inquiry about claiming the personal independence payment...

      Social Security Benefits

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) whether it is his policy that domestic abuse survivors accommodated in refuge services should be exempt from the benefit cap; (2) if he...

      Social Security Benefits: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2013, Official Report, column 105W, on social security benefits, which local authority IT system is used by...

      Social Security Benefits: Worthing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the new Enquire service was introduced into Worthing Benefit Centre.

      Universal Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the furthest distance a universal credit claimant will be from an internet access device that will be installed in...

      Universal Credit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of free community access points that could be used by people in receipt of universal credit in (a)...

      Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his Department's impact assessment on the Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill, what effect the Bank of England's February 2013...

      Work Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to improve the performance of the Work Programme.

  • Prime Minister

    • Armed Forces Pay Review Body

      To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with (a) Ministers and (b) officials in the Ministry of Defence on his decision not to reappoint Professor Alasdair Smith as Chairperson of the...

  • Treasury

    • Banks: Cyprus

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the statement of the Financial Secretary of 18 March 2013, Official Report, column 620, on Cyprus, what intelligence his Department had on the...

    • Common Agricultural Policy

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions the Prime Minister has had with EU ministers on the cost of the common agricultural policy (CAP) following the recent vote in the EU...

      Economic Growth

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 18 March 2013, Official Report, columns 32-4WS, on economic development, whether his proposed Single Local...

      Non-domestic Rates: Appeals

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many appeals are with the Valuation Office Agency in relation to non-domestic rates which have not been placed into a sub-programme to be determined and...

      Revenue and Customs

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people worked in customer services in HM Revenue and Customs in each of the last four years.

      Revenue and Customs

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government is taking to improve the telephone and online assistance provided by HM Revenue and Customs.

      Smuggling: Fuels

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to recent operations by HM Revenue and Customs staff in conjunction with Irish customs officers in border areas of Northern Ireland and the...

  • Leader of the House

    • Electronic Government: Petitions

      To ask the Leader of the House whether there is a procedure for the removal of an e-petition from the Government website if no foundation of facts is supplied in the subject of that e-petition.

  • Transport

    • A303: Accidents

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have been (a) killed and (b) seriously injured on the A303 in each of the last 10 years.

    • A590 and A595: Accidents

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many accidents were recorded on the A590 in each of the last five years; and how many such accidents led to (a) fatalities and (b) injuries;...

      Biofuels

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the total value is of Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation certificates that have been awarded for using waste derived from biomethane in...

      Driving Instruction: Qualifications

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what professional qualifications people trading as driving instructors are required to have.

      Driving Instruction: Qualifications

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what NVQs are awarded by the Driving Standards Agency to qualified driving instructors who are nationally registered with the Association of Driving...

      Goring and Streatley Station

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with First Great Western about the cost of redeveloping Goring and Streatley station.

      High Speed 2 Railway Line

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Stone of 1 February 2013, Official Report, column 1007W, on High Speed 2 railway line, whether the...

      High Speed 2 Railway Line

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average offer made was for properties prior to an application to the Exceptional Hardship scheme relating to the High Speed 2 route as a...

      High Speed 2 Railway Line

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what level of costs his Department will be (a) seeking and (b) paying to the organisations that brought the judicial reviews against High Speed 2.

      High Speed 2 Railway Line

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what compensation he plans to seek from Dialogue for Design following the adverse judgement against the running of the first consultation compensation...

      High Speed 2 Railway Line

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to tender for the re-run of the compensation consultation process for High Speed 2; and if he will take steps to exclude Dialogue for...

      High Speed 2 Railway Line

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the estimated cost is to his Department of re-running the compensation consultation for the first stage of High Speed 2; (2) when he plans...

      Motor Vehicles: Testing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many responses were received to the public consultation in 2011 by the Vehicle and Operators Services Agency (VOSA) on the incorporation of...

      Motorways: Litter

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) pursuant to the answers of 1 March 2013, Official Report, column 695W and 11 March 2013, Official Report, column 21W, on motorways: litter, what...

      Motorways: Litter

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what his legal obligations are under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, section 89, with regard to litter on motorways; (2) whether the...

      Railways: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on rail infrastructure in (a) East Yorkshire, (b) Yorkshire and Humber region and (c) London in the last five years.

      Railways: North West

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment his Department has made of the need for additional capacity at Stockport Station and Heaton Norris junction to facilitate service...

      Railways: North West

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment his Department has made of the potential for redirecting rail services between Stockport and Stalybridge and beyond to facilitate...

      Roads: East Sussex

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the economic case for the Bexhill to Hastings link road, with his guidance to the local transport...

      Sunderland Port

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the level of (a) public and (b) private sector investment in the Port of Sunderland was in each of the last five years.

      Telephone Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department's customer service telephone lines are restricted to those beginning 0870.

  • International Development

    • Nepal

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance her Department has provided to Nepal in each of the last three years.

    • Overseas Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of international aid provided by the Government is spent on resources provided by the Ministry of Defence.

      Palestinians

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether UK aid contributes to the Palestinian Authority TV channel.

      Palestinians

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what information has been provided by the Palestinian Authority on the total in monthly salaries paid from the Treasury of the...

      Palestinians

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what audits her Department has undertaken on monthly salaries paid from the Treasury of the Palestinian National Authority; (2)...

      Telephone Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether her Department's customer service telephone lines are restricted to those beginning 0870.

  • Communities and Local Government

    • Centre for Global Eco-Innovation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much European Regional Development Fund funding has been paid to Inventya Ltd for work associated with the Centre for Global...

    • Local Government Finance: Northamptonshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what amount (a) Corby Borough Council, (b) East Northamptonshire District Council and (c) Northamptonshire County Council (i)...

      Telephone Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department's customer service telephone lines are restricted to those beginning 0870.

  • Energy and Climate Change

    • Biofuels

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the total value is of those feed-in tariffs and renewable fuel obligation certificates that have been awarded to the energy sector...

    • Biofuels

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment his Department has made of the financial incentives available per unit of biomethane if utilised for (a)...

      Cheaper Energy Together

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of bids from local authorities to the Cheaper Energy Together scheme have been (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful in...

      Cheaper Energy Together

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which local authorities applied for Cheaper Energy Together funding; and which bids were (a) accepted and (b) rejected.

      Drax Power Station

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) what assessment he has made of the potential emissions reductions expected from the Drax coal to biomass conversion project; (2)...

      Electricity Interconnectors

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress his Department has made on plans to extend electricity cable links between the UK and France; and if he will make a statement.

      Energy: Billing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans his Department has to require energy companies to put people aged over 75 on to the lowest tariff.

      Energy: Billing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average household energy bill was in each region of the UK in each year for which figures are available.

      Energy: Competition

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many customers switched energy supplier in each (a) local authority area and (b) region in each of the last three years.

      Fuel Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of household income was spent on fuel for each decile of income in each year for which figures are available.

      Green Deal Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) how much his Department contributed in each category of expenditure to the cost of marketing material for the Green Deal low cost...

      Heating

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to publish his heat strategy.

      Leave

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies qualify for privilege days;...

      Natural Gas: Storage

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of (a) the implications of geological faults on phase two of the High Speed 2 route from Birmingham to...

      Natural Gas: Storage

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will update the regulatory framework for underground salt cavern gas storage facilities to account for the potential risks posed...

      Natural Gas: Storage

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will require underground gas storage operators to demonstrate their ability to meet their financial responsibilities in the event...

      Natural Gas: Storage

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will impose financial responsibility requirements on natural gas storage operators to ensure that costs of cavern failure, gas...

      Natural Gas: Storage

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether data relating to (a) geological formations and (b) testing prior to undergroud gas storage operations are considered to be...

      Natural Resources

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what work his Department is undertaking on resource depletion and its implications for climate change and growth.

      Office for Unconventional Gas and Oil

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Office for Unconventional Gas and Oil maintains dialogue with people in those...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

    • British Indian Ocean Territory

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made on resettling those evicted from the Chagos Islands in the 1960s.

    • Cyprus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government has to extend an invitation to the new President of Cyprus to make an official visit to London.

      European External Action Service

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the total contribution by the UK Government in respect of the European External Action Service in...

      Hezbollah

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the most recent statements of Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary General, Sheikh Neim Qassem, on the...

      Iran

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on Iranian production of plutonium at Arak.

      Jordan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the UK started (a) directly supporting and (b) funding the training of Syrian opposition forces in Jordan.

      Jordan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further steps the Government is considering to assist Jordan in its humanitarian crisis.

      Middle East

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of Hamas rocket fire into Israel.

      Nepal

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the UK's relationship with Nepal; and if he will make a statement.

      Palestinians

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the extent of arms smuggling into Gaza.

      South Africa

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with his South African counterpart recent reports that more than a quarter of schoolgirls in that country are...

      South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which organisations provided submissions to the government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in its consultation...

      Syria

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to assess whether the Syrian opposition groups being trained with UK support are using such training...

      Syria

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the contribution by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of 6 March 2013, Official Report,...

      Syria

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the contribution by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of 6 March 2013, OfficialReport,...

      Telephone Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department's customer service telephone lines are restricted to those beginning 0870.

      Tunisia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to support democratic presidential elections in Tunisia.

  • Business, Innovation and Skills

    • Business Names

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations he has received from chambers of commerce in respect of his Department's consultation on company and...

    • Business: Government Assistance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effects of the Enterprise Guarantee Scheme on lending to small and medium-sized enterprises.

      Out of Town Shopping Centres: Northamptonshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will visit Wellingborough and Rushden to see the Skew Bridge/Rushden Lakes site.

      Reliance Yacht Management

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if the Insolvency Service will examine the cases of Reliance Yacht Deliveries Limited and Reliance Maritime Limited to see if...

  • Northern Ireland

    • Parades Commission

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will publish the guidelines, protocols and memoranda governing the way the Parades Commission reaches decisions on notified parades.

    • Plants

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much her Department spent on indoor and outdoor plants and trees in each year from 2005 to 2010.

  • Scotland

  • Cabinet Office

    • Hypothermia

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people died from hypothermia in each (a) local authority area and (b) region in each year for which figures are available.

    • Motor Vehicles: Costs

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of average take home pay in (a) 2013 and (b) 2010 was spent by a family owning a family saloon car with average (i) miles per gallon and...

      Social Enterprises: EU Action

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of progress with implementing the EU Commission's Social Business Imitative.

  • Defence

    • Air Force: Military Bases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at which RAF bases each fast jet squadron is located.

    • Armoured Fighting Vehicles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Warrior infantry fighting vehicles are in service with the British Army.

      Nato

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any UK personnel or assets have been assigned to NATO Operation Active Fence.

      Nepal

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the UK's bilateral defence relationship with Nepal; and if he will make a statement.

      Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the thirty-second Report of the Committee of Public Accounts, Ministry of Defence: Managing the defence inventory, HC 745, what steps...

      Ultra Electronics

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts his Department has with Ultra Electronics Holdings plc; and what the (a) monetary value and (b) net worth is of any such contract.

      Warships

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the current value of (a) RFA Wave Knight, (b) RFA Wave Ruler, (c) RFA Gold Rover, (d) RFA Black Rover, (e) RFA Orangeleaf,...

  • Environment Food and Rural Affairs

    • Farms: Economic Situation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the UK's recent downgrading from AAA credit status on farming and food...

    • Meat Products

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what recent representations he has received on the import of mechanically-separated meat destined for sausage meat; and...

  • Health

    • Ambulance Services: North West

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the average transfer times of hospital vehicles using blue lights travelling from Furness General Hospital to (a) Royal...

    • Aplastic Anaemia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there have been any cases of aplastic anaemia in the UK in the last 10 years.

      Arthritis

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve the information, support and advice given to people with rheumatoid arthritis about their medication to improve concordance...

      Arthritis

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure continuity of care across the NHS and public health and social care services for patients diagnosed with rheumatoid...

      Arthritis

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of regional variations in the usage of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence-approved treatments for...

      General Practitioners

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many unfilled vacancies there have been for GPs in each region in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012.

      Horse Meat

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health which products each retailer has withdrawn from sale since 15 January 2013 due to concerns about horsemeat.

      Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent comparative assessment he has made of the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients in the UK and other European Union countries;...

      Medical Records: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the cost of establishing an integrated medical and social care record system for every child in England.

      Medicine: Overseas Students

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with UK medical schools on the proportion of foreign students that are offered places relative to UK students; and if he will...

      NHS: Reorganisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the names are of all reports which were commissioned for the NHS Next Stages Review; (2) what the cost to his Department was of commissioning...

      NHS: Reorganisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the total cost of (a) establishing clinical commissioning groups, (b) closing primary care trusts and (c) closing...

      Opiates

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence-based guidance and information his Department has provided to prescribers on the use of medicines for opioid substitution therapy with a...

      Suicide

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on suicide prevention in each year since 2010.

      Telephone Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department's customer service telephone lines are restricted to those beginning 0870.

  • Home Department

    • Alcoholic Drinks: Consumption

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of levels of alcohol consumption in the UK since 2004 and the role of the Government's Alcohol Strategy; and if...

    • Confiscation Orders

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many confiscation orders were (a) issued and (b) successfully enforced under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in each year since that Act...

      DNA: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) physical DNA profiles and (b) digital DNA profiles have been removed from the DNA database since the introduction of the...

      Indigo Public Affairs

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what meetings (a) she, (b) Ministers, (c) officials and (d) special political advisers of her Department have had with Indigo Public Affairs...

      Licensed Premises

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment she has made of the potential effects of the proposed withdrawal of the requirement to publish alcohol licence notices...

      Odgers Berndtson

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the purpose was of her meeting with Odgers Berndtson in September 2012.

      Police: Greater London

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the oral answer by the Prime Minister of 6 March 2013, Official Report, columns 956-7, on police officers, how the figure of...

      Sexual Offences: Southwark

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many charges for sexual offences were brought in the London borough of Southwark in each year from 2007 to 2012.

      Sovereignty: Scotland

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations she has received from the Scottish Government on (a) passports and (b) dual citizenship with the UK in the event of...

      Termination of Employment

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officials in (a) her Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies have left that body due to (i) resignation, (ii)...

  • Education

    • Asperger's Syndrome

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what steps his Department is taking to ensure that classroom teachers are trained to understand Asperger's syndrome; (2) what (a) guidance and...

    • Bullying

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Cardiff West of 23 January 2013, Official Report, column 326W, on bullying, how many cases named special...

      Children in Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many looked-after children there are in each local authority in England.

      Children: Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children are on the at-risk register for (a) England and (b) local authorities in the Tyne and Wear area.

      Financial Services: Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to promote financial budgeting and other life skills in schools.

      GCE AS-level

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effect of the proposed establishment of AS levels as a stand-alone qualification on take-up of each subject at AS level.

      Members: Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) for what reasons the Permanent Secretary of his Department made public his reply of 13 February 2013 to the private letter from the hon. Member...

      Offences Against Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education further to his letter to the hon. Member for Monmouth, what steps have been taken by Lord Freud to ascertain the name of the Islamic Faith School...

      Pre-school Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many applications to become an early years and childcare provider under (a) the Early Years Register and (b) the Childcare Register were...

      Primary Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he intends to publish the primary school accountability consultation.

      School Meals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it compulsory for schools to implement a cashless payment system for school lunches.

      Schools: Sports

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what research and data collection relating to (a) sport and (b) physical education his Department has (i) initiated, (ii) terminated and (iii)...

      Special Educational Needs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether it is his policy that all young people who at present have a statement of special educational needs should be automatically transferred to an...

      Special Educational Needs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether the regulations to be produced under the Children and Families Bill will require the (a) teaching hours and (b) number of days education per...

      Special Educational Needs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he plans to take to ensure that schools deliver better outcomes for pupils with special educational needs who are not entitled to an...

  • Justice

    • Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what the (a) total floor space and (b) floor space measured in square metres per full-time equivalent post is of properties used by his Department;...

    • Criminal Proceedings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department has spent on (a) supporting vulnerable and intimidated victims and witnesses, (b) separate secure waiting rooms and (c) video...

      Criminal Proceedings: Legal Aid Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will publish a list of meetings (a) he and (b) officials in his Department have had with (i) the Co-op, (ii) Eddie Stobart and (iii) any other...

      Fines

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what proportion of people with fines approached the fines officer prior to payment of their fine in each year since 2010; (2) what proportion of...

      Fines: Surcharges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how much was collected in victim surcharge fines in (a) the year in which the fine was imposed and (b) the year which the fine was paid in full in...

      Overtime

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost was of overtime payments in each pay grade in (a) his Department and (b) each of its arm's length bodies in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and...

      Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was paid to officials in (a) his Department and (b) its non-departmental public bodies in bonuses and other payments in addition to salary in...

      Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what allowances and subsidies in addition to salary were available to officials in (a) his Department and (b) its non-departmental public bodies in each...

      Personal Taxation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance his Department gives to chairs of its national arm's length bodies and regional public bodies on claiming exemption from personal tax.

      Police Cautions: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the reasons were for each police arrest and caution given to those under the age of 18 since May 2005.

      Richard III

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what procedure was followed when deciding to allow burial of the remains of Richard III in Leicester Cathedral; what consideration was given to the...

      Sick Leave

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many days (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies has lost to staff sickness in each of the last five years; and what...

      Sick Leave

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies have had (i) fewer than five days, (ii) five to 10 days,...

      Telephone Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department's customer service telephone lines are restricted to those beginning 0870.

  • Culture Media and Sport

    • Broadband: Rural Areas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she plans to take to ensure that BDUK grants mobile network operators full access to publicly-funded BDUK broadband poles and...

    • Olympic Games

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) whether her Department provides any long-term funding for the Special Olympics Great Britain team; (2) whether her Department has...

  • House of Lords

    • Agriculture: Genetically Modified Crops

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of research by scientists at the European Food Safety Authority published in Issue 57 of Science in Society regarding the potential...

    • Agriculture: Single Farm Payment

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional steps they are taking to ensure that farmers comply with the European Union decision that land claimed for single farm payment entitlement is...

      Airports: Security

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Attlee on 11 March (WA 1), in the light of the prevalence of electronic check-in, what steps they take to ensure that...

      Alcohol: Minimum Pricing

      To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will announce the outcome of the consultation on minimum unit pricing for alcohol.

      Bahrain

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain since January 2012 concerning (1) attacks on peaceful protesters and medical personnel, (2)...

      Banking

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the United Kingdom is well equipped to flourish as a centre for Islamic banking and finance; and whether they intend to...

      Building Stability Overseas Board

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is a dedicated member of the Building Stability Overseas Board who has explicit responsibility for gender, peace and security.

      Climate Change

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Verma on 13 February (WA 158), concerning statistical models for global temperatures and the likelihood of a linear...

      Cyclists: Speed Limits

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Attlee on 7 March (WA 413) concerning cycling speed limits, whether, in the light of the ability of cycles to exceed speeds...

      Elections: Mailings

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the costs of freepost election address mailings to each elector or household (1) in the 2010 General Election, from each candidate and (2) in the 2009...

      Embryology

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 11 March (WA 12), whether they will describe how their definition of pronuclei has changed between passage of the...

      Eritrea

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that 3,000 Eritreans fled Eritrea in 2012 for the refugee camps in Eastern Sudan.

      EU: Taxation

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the legal basis for (1) the Eurozone financial transaction tax, and (2) the European Union cap on bankers' bonuses; and what voting arrangements apply in...

      Finance: Funding for Lending Scheme

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to extending the Funding For Lending Scheme to Community Finance Development Institutions.

      Flooding

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effects of regular dredging of waterways on the incidence of flooding and standing water in farming areas in England.

      Flooding

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord De Mauley on 27 February (WA 323), what is their assessment of the action to be taken to improve the management of flood...

      Gaza

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of truck loads of produce which have exited Gaza during the recent ceasefire.

      Gaza

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning recent attacks on Gazan fishermen within the six mile fishing limit.

      Health: Antibiotics

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what government advisory committees relating to antimicrobial resistance have been in existence in the last five years; what is their current status; what are the...

      Health: Sickle Cell Anaemia

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what is being done to include community organisations in delivering specialised sickle cell disorder services to sufferers and their carers.

      Health: Sickle Cell Anaemia

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultation has taken place to ensure a smooth transition between the specialised sickle cell disorder services commissioned by the National Health Service...

      Horses

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of the problem of horses fly-grazing on pastures or areas of grass such as sports fields; and, if so, what advice they are...

      Human Rights

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cases brought against the United Kingdom Government are currently pending at the European Court of Human Rights.

      Human Rights

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cases were lodged against the United Kingdom Government at the European Court of Human Rights in each year since 2009.

      Human Rights

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what support, if any, is offered to (1) individuals, (2) non-governmental organisations, and (3) groups of individuals, who seek to bring cases against the United...

      Human Rights

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received, since 2010, from other member countries of the Council of Europe with regard to the United Kingdom's (1) current, and (2)...

      Human Rights

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of withdrawal from the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and its Protocols as...

      Human Trafficking

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the children referred by the UK Border Agency in 2012 to the National Referral Mechanism for Victims of Trafficking entered the United Kingdom without...

      Human Trafficking

      To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the female children referred by the UK Border Agency to the National Referral Mechanism for Victims of Trafficking in 2012 were victims of sexual...

      Hungary

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of current and proposed constitutional changes in Hungary and their implications for Hungary's continued membership of the European...

      Israel

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made representations to the government of Israel regarding the recommendation in the report Children in Military Custody that "the maximum period...

      Israel

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning its issuing of licences for oil exploration on the Golan heights.

      Israel and Palestine

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the arrests of Palestinian MPs Khaled Abu Arafeh and Mohammed Totah, who are currently...

      NHS: Chief Executive

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 13 March (WA 69), whether the current NHS chief executive will take up any position with the NHS Commissioning Board...

      NHS: Private Management

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 11 March (WA 30), why there are no new proposals to allow qualified private firms to manage NHS trusts.

      Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Randerson on 11 March (WA 31), what advice they have received on the compatibility with the European Convention on Human...

      Nuclear Weapons

      To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 25 February (WA 251-2) whether they sent a delegate to the conference on the humanitarian impact of nuclear...

      Nuclear Weapons

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the summary point made by the Chair of the conference on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons in Oslo on 4 and 5 March, the...

      Schools: Academies

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what account they take of the state of a school's finances in determining whether or not it should become a sponsored academy.

      Somalia

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that women and their rights are meaningfully represented at the international conference on Somalia in London.

      Sudan

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking at the United Nations Security Council to ensure that parties involved in the conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile comply with...

      Taxation: Corporation Tax

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage and support social green behaviour by guaranteeing corporation tax relief for the sponsorship of accredited global...

      Taxation: Inheritance Tax

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what the small gift exemption for Inheritance Tax of £250 per year per donee would be in 2013 if adjusted for inflation as measured by the Retail Price Index;...

      UK Border Agency

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the actual, specific and itemised costs incurred by the UK Border Agency when processing applications for (1) asylum, (2) a family reunion for refugees...

      United Arab Emirates

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of claims by six defendants in the current mass trial in the United Arab Emirates that they were tortured while in custody; and...

      Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

      To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the use of unmanned aerial vehicles is regulated in the United Kingdom.

      Women: Peace and Security

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is taking to raise awareness and monitor the use of the toolkit for United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325...

      Women: Peace and Security

      To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to women's rights organisations in (1) Afghanistan, (2) the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and (3) Nepal, as part of the...

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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