Written answers

Tuesday, 25 November 2014

  • Department for Transport

    • M1: Lighting

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to install lighting on further sections of the M1 motorway; and if he will make a statement.

    • M1: Northamptonshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the reason is for the current roadworks on the M1 motorway south of junction 19; and when he expects those works to be completed and all...

      ParkingEye

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received on the activities of Parking Eye and its treatment of old and vulnerable motorists.

      Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any (a) external contractors and (b) consultancy companies engaged by his Department have charged more than the initial price agreed for their...

      Taxis: Exhaust Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what comparative assessment he has made of the proportion of taxis in London and the UK that are zero emission capable; and if he will make a statement.

      Buses: Electric Vehicles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what comparative assessment he has made of the proportion of buses in London and the UK that are hybrid electric; and if he will make a statement.

      ParkingEye

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will review the data sharing arrangements between the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and Parking Eye.

      Shipping: Philippines

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration on the recruitment of seafarers to work on (a) UK flagged and (b)...

  • Department for Communities and Local Government

    • Shepherd's Bush Market

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will publish any correspondence between his Department and London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham before June 2014, on...

    • Planning Permission

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many recommendations his Department has received from Natural England or English Nature to call in a planning case in each...

      Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether any (a) external contractors and (b) consultancy companies engaged by his Department have charged more than the initial...

      Domestic Violence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of (a) time limits on length of stay and (b) quotas for local...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    • Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether any (a) external contractors and (b) consultancy companies engaged by his Department have charged more than the initial...

    • Chevening Scholarships Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the cost to the public purse was of Chevening scholarships in each of the last three years.

      Thailand

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Thailand on sex tourism; and what steps he is taking to stop (a)...

      Burma

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what guidance his Department has issued on the use of the word Rohingya in communications with the government of Burma.

      Burma

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with his Burmese counterpart on the Rohingya in Burma forming a political party in that...

      Palestinians

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in (a) the government of Israel and (b) the Palestinian authority following...

      Islamic State

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the income ISIL receives from oil fields; what steps he is taking to restrict this income; and...

      Ukraine

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts about future relations with Ukraine.

      Visits Abroad

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2014 to Question 214210, what the cost to his Department was of providing support to the...

      Egypt

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps are being taken to ensure that UK visitors to Egypt are aware of the dangers of H5N1 bird flu virus.

      Islamic State

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to prevent the killing of hostages by ISIL.

      Hezbollah

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received of a recent bomb attack by Hezbollah against Israeli soldiers on the Lebanon border with Israel.

      Afghanistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assurances he has had from the US administration about the (a) treatment of remaining prisoners at Guantánamo Bay and...

  • Attorney General

    • Prosecutions

      To ask the Attorney General, if he will bring forward proposals to introduce a right of appeal against a charging decision of the Crown Prosecution Service on the grounds that it is unduly lenient.

    • Offences against Children: Prosecutions

      To ask the Attorney General, how many (a) men and (b) women were prosecuted for offences covering sexual activity with a child in each of the last 10 years.

  • Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    • Business: Stafford

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent steps his Department is taking to support businesses in Stafford constituency.

    • Financial Services: ICT

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent assessment he has made of the value of the financial technology sector to the economy.

      British Business Bank: Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he made of the level of the support given by (a) the Northern Ireland Assembly and (b) other organisations in...

      NHS: Wales

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations he has received from the Welsh Government requesting the exemption of the Welsh National Health Service...

      Nuclear Engineering

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when a decision will be made on the location of the new nuclear engineering college.

      Post Offices: Rural Areas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the Network Transformation programme on rural communities; and if he...

      Post Offices: Rural Areas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many rural sub post offices existed in (a) 2010 and (b) 2013.

      Emigration: Skilled Workers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what research he has commissioned on the economic loss incurred as a result of the emigration of highly-skilled workers from the UK.

      Remembrance Day

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with his Ministerial colleagues on the creation of a new bank holiday on 11 November to honour the...

      Business: Clacton

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of his policies to support small and medium-sized enterprises on businesses in Clacton...

      Consumers: Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of consolidating Government schemes relating to the accreditation of...

      Defence: Kuwait

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will list all meetings between Ministers in his Department and representatives of Kuwaiti defence companies in each of the...

      Bayer

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what meetings (a) he and (b) officials in his Department have had with Bayer plc in the last five years.

      Insolvency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on the effect of the changes to insolvency litigation in the...

      Defence: Qatar

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will list all meetings between Ministers in his Department and representatives of Qatari defence companies in each of the...

      Postal Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent representations he has received form private sector mail delivery companies on delivering mail in urban areas of the...

      Higher Education: Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the Statement of 7 April 2014 on higher education student support: changes to Disabled Students' Allowance...

      Motor Vehicles: Insurance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much and what proportion of the total annual expenditure of the Competition and Markets Authority was spent on activities...

      Motor Vehicles: Insurance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much and what proportion of the total annual expenditure of the Financial Reporting Council was spent on activities relating...

      Low Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to encourage employers to implement the living wage; and what estimate he has made of the number of...

  • Department for International Development

    • New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the New Alliance for Food and Security and Nutrition programmes on...

    • Slavery

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the implication for its policies of the figure in the Global Slavery Index of 0.5 per cent...

      Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many staff worked in her Department's central disability team in (a) June 2014 and (b) November 2014.

      Disability

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether she has appointed a senior disability champion for her Department.

  • Department for Education

    • Class Sizes: Heywood

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) primary and (b) junior schools in Heywood and Middleton constituency have class sizes in excess of 30 pupils.

  • Ministry of Justice

    • Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether any (a) external contractors and (b) consultancy companies engaged by his Department have charged more than the initial price agreed for their...

    • Knives: West Yorkshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of all sentences handed down for (a) knife possession and (b) aggravated knife possession at (i) Keighley Magistrates'...

      Terrorism: Reoffenders

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2014 to Question 204644, in the case of the person who re-offended by committing a further terrorist-related...

      Bail

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2014 to Question 208509, what amount of surety monies was not collected when defendants breached their bail...

      Courts: Crimes of Violence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2014 to Question 209535, at which court each such violent incident took place; what the nature of each such...

      Belmarsh Prison

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners held in HMP Belmarsh for what offences were first time offenders on 31 December 2013.

      Prisoners

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many hours were spent in cells on average each day by (a) male and (b) female prisoners for the latest period for which information is available.

      Prisoner Escapes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners escaped from custody whilst on special purpose licence in each of the last 10 years.

      Offences against Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) age and (b) sex of the (i) offender and (ii) victim was in each case where an offender was given a caution for the offence of sexual...

      Sentencing: Video Conferencing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been sentenced via video link in each of the last three years.

      Drugs: Sentencing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people received a (a) custodial sentence, (b) community penalty, (c) financial penalty and (d) other disposal for offences related to class (i)...

      Prisoners: Foreign Nationals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many foreign national prisoners from each country were convicted of each offence type in the last year for which figures are available.

      Non-departmental public bodies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that quangos comply with freedom of information legislation.

      Criminal Proceedings: Veterans

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2014 to Question 211583, who the advisers to the review of veterans in the criminal justice system are.

      Courts: Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many officials in his Department are assigned to the court reform programme.

      Courts: Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2014 to Question 209524, on courts: buildings, what his Department plans to spend on the package of investment in...

      Courts: Buildings

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2014 to Question 209520, how many representations he has received on the court reform programme.

      Courts: Sunderland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2014 to Question 207412, if he will place in the Library the plans, blueprints and all associated documents...

      Licensing Laws

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prosecutions under legislation prohibiting alcohol sales to intoxicated persons there have been in each year since 2010.

      Child Abuse in North Wales Judicial Inquiry Review

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to publish the Macur Report before May 2015.

      Youth Offending Teams

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, by what date officials carrying out the youth offending team stock take, announced by the Minister for Prisons, Probation and Rehabilitation on 17...

  • Ministry of Defence

    • Afghanistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions UK forces have used a US Air Force Reaper Remotely Piloted Air System in Afghanistan in each year; and whether each such use was...

    • Kurds

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the military resources which have been provided to Kurdish forces by the UK in the last three years.

      Veterans: Mental Health Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2014 to Question 207562, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that ex-service personnel in receipt of...

      Hebrides

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what reports he has received of a sonic boom over the outer-Hebrides on 29 October 2014; and what assessment he has made of the likely cause.

      Strategic Defence and Security Review

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will bring forward the timescale for the revision of the Strategic Defence and Security Review.

      Armed Forces Covenant: Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the commitments in the Armed Forces Covenant have been implemented in Northern Ireland to date.

      Offshore Industry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements his Department has in place with (a) NATO and (b) Norway for the defence of maritime offshore installations in the North Sea.

      Fisheries: Protection

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which military assets are tasked with fisheries protection within the UK's exclusive economic zone.

      British Overseas Territories

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which military assets are tasked with the defence of British Overseas Territories.

      Libya

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps are being taken to assess the effectiveness of the training programme in place for Libyan soldiers in the UK.

      Libya

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons it was decided that the UK should train Libyan soldiers in the UK rather than Libya.

      Libya

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons UK-based training for Libyan soldiers has been cancelled for all participants.

      Libya

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Libyan soldiers previously in receipt of UK military training at Bassingbourn have been withdrawn; and how many such people are (a) facing...

      Libya

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) criminal convictions and (b) criminal charges are held by members of the Libyan armed forces receiving training in the UK.

      Syria

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress the surveillance mission in Syria has made; and if he will make a statement.

      War Widows: Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's announcement of 8 November 2014, on pensions of surviving spouses and civil partners of personnel, whether the widows...

      Portsmouth Dockyard

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many expressions of interest in Portsmouth Shipyard have been received.

      Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been spent in the (a) assessment phase and (b) demonstration and manufacture phase of the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability Tanker...

      Royal Fleet Auxiliary

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Written Statement of 22 February 2012, on Armed Forces MARS Tankers, by the then Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and...

      Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any (a) external contractors and (b) consultancy companies engaged by his Department have charged more than the initial price agreed for their...

      Veterans: Military Decorations

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average length of time is that veterans of the Normandy landings are waiting for their application to receive the Legion d'Honneur to be processed.

      Trident

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department takes to monitor the safety and performance of the UK's nuclear deterrent and weapons programme.

      Military Bases: Hebrides

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which other (a) NATO and (b) non-NATO nations are investing in defence assets in the Hebrides.

      Kuwait

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list all meetings between Ministers in his Department and representatives of Kuwaiti defence companies in each of the last four years.

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Social Security Benefits: EU Nationals

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of nationals of each EU country who are in the UK and claiming benefits.

    • Income Support: Dundee

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in Dundee East constituency have had income support capped since the introduction of the benefit cap.

      Income Support: Western Isles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in Na h-Eileanan an Iar constituency have had income support capped since the introduction of the benefit cap.

      Income Support: Moray

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in Moray constituency have had income support capped since the introduction of the benefit cap.

      Income Support: Perth

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in Perth and North Perthshire constituency have had income support capped since the introduction of the benefit cap.

      Income Support: Banff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in Banff and Buchan constituency have had income support capped since the introduction of the benefit cap.

      Employment and Support Allowance: Scotland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employment and support allowance claimants in Scotland since October 2008 were placed in the work-related activity group that had a...

      Post Office Card Account

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to reach a decision on the future of the Post Office card account after the current contract ends in March 2015.

      Access to Work Programme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of disabled people who have received assistance under the Access to Work scheme in between receiving a...

      Cuadrilla Resources

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what instances there have been of well integrity failure at onshore oil and gas drill sites operated by Cuadrilla Resources in the UK since...

      Work Programme: Older People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to improve the performance of the Work Programme for jobseekers aged over 50.

      Work Programme: East of England

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people (a) were eligible for and (b) participated in the Work Programme in each parliamentary constituency in the East of England in...

      Winter Fuel Payments: British Nationals Abroad

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2014 to Question 213491, how many representations he has received on the future of the winter fuel...

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Air Pollution

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to reduce the amount of (a) chemicals and (b) toxic metal being sprayed into the atmosphere above...

    • Air Pollution

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she made of the volumes of (a) chemicals and (b) toxic metals sprayed annually into the atmosphere...

      Dogs: Sales

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department issues to members of the public about where to buy a puppy.

      Dogs: Animal Breeding

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to make the principles of the Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme mandatory...

      Dogs: Animal Breeding

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will encourage local authorities to use Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme inspectors to (a) conduct inspections on...

      Dogs: Animal Welfare

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what reports her Department has received of cruelty to animals in the trafficking of dogs from Eastern Europe to the UK.

      Rural Development Programme: North East

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when funding decisions for the year beginning January 2015 for the North Pennines Dales LEADER will be announced.

      White Fish: Conservation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what account she takes when deciding on measures to reduce the mortality in bass stocks of the (a) value to the UK economy...

      Flexible Working

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of (a) women and (b) men have made a statutory application to request flexible working in her...

      Flood Control

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many of the 890 flood defences damaged as result of the winter floods in 2013-14 have been repaired to date.

      Cuadrilla Resources

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Environment Agency has investigated any potential or actual cases of water contamination at onshore oil and gas...

      Climate Change

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to respond to the International Panel on Climate Change's report entitled Climate change 2014:...

  • Home Office

    • Offences against Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the report of the Government's inquiry into historic child abuse will be shared with her Department before it is published.

    • Entry Clearances: Malawi

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of applicants from Malawi for UK visas for whom a UK sponsor will pay who have been rejected...

      Entry Clearances: Malawi

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the average length of time taken between first application for and being granted a UK visa for applications...

      Entry Clearances: Malawi

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of how much money her Department received from (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful visa applications from Malawi...

      Entry Clearances: Africa

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the money saved by her Department by the move to regional hubs in Africa to process UK visa applications.

      Asylum

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost was of legal representation in asylum claims in each of the last five years.

      Asylum

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of asylum application decisions were overturned on appeal in each of the last five years.

      Asylum: Syria

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had on UNHCR's request for more resettlement places for Syrian Refugees in 2015-16; if she will make it her...

      Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many women have been detained at Yarl's Wood Detention Centre for (a) 0 to six months, (b) six to 12 months, (c) over one year and (d)...

      Detention Centres

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many spaces are required in the immigration detention estate.

      Entry Clearances: Malawi

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of how many online applications for UK visas from Malawi have been started but remain uncompleted since December 2013.

      Entry Clearances: Malawi

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many complaints her Department has received about the system for online applications for UK visas from Malawi in each month since...

      Entry Clearances: Malawi

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the proportion of Malawians visiting the UK with a visa and at the invitation of a UK-based organisation who...

      Entry Clearances: Malawi

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of documents being lost, damaged or misplaced during the process of applying for a UK visa from Malawi there were in each...

      Entry Clearances: Malawi

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether an applicant's financial status is a consideration in the process of applying for a UK visa from Malawi; and whether such applicants...

      Offences against Children: Databases

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2014 to Question 213787, on offences against children: databases, for what reasons the Childbase...

      Sprakab

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the quality of service provided to her Department by Sprakab in decision-making on asylum claims; and...

      Sprakab

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the value was of contracts awarded by her Department to Sprakab in each of the last five years.

      Asylum: Syria

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have settled in the UK under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Scheme to date.

      Asylum: West Midlands

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of G4S Care and Justice Service Ltd's compliance with housing standards for asylum seekers across the West Midlands.

      Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any (a) external contractors and (b) consultancy companies engaged by her Department have charged more than the initial price agreed...

      Asylum: Syria

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she last met the Refugee Council to discuss the number of Syrian refugees that have been settled in the UK.

      Asylum: Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications have been received from asylum seekers temporarily resident in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and...

      Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many women held in Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre were on constant observation to prevent self-harm in each year since 2010.

      Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Tier (a) 1, (b) 2 and (c) 5 post-study work visas were issued in-country in (i) 2009, (ii) 2010, (iii) 2011, (iv) 2012 and (v) 2013.

      Sexting: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued to mobile telephone companies on their legal obligations in respect of the sending and storing of...

      Asylum

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) target and (b) actual average waiting time for asylum seekers to receive an appointment for an initial screening interview is.

      Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff in her Department were employed in non-frontline roles in each of the last five years.

      British Nationality

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people from which countries from outside the UK have been granted UK citizenship in the last five years.

      Flexible Working

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of (a) women and (b) men have made a statutory application to request flexible working in her Department; and...

      Organised Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect on the role of the National Crime Agency in tackling organised crime throughout the UK of the UK...

      Police: Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of what it would have cost to have continued paying police widows' pensions to those widows or widowers who...

      Offences against Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department expects to be shown successive versions of the final report and associated documents in the historic child abuse inquiry.

      Proceeds of Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Suspicious Activity Reports relating to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 have been submitted to the National Crime Agency in each of...

      Africa: Females

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will commission a study to establish the prevalence of breast-ironing in the UK amongst the Western, Eastern and Central African...

  • Scotland Office

    • Flexible Working

      To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many and what proportion of (a) women and (b) men have made a statutory application to request flexible working in his Department; and how many of...

  • HM Treasury

    • Financial Ombudsman Service

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) Ombudsmen and (b) other staff the Financial Ombudsman Service employs; and what the total staffing cost of this body is.

    • Freezing of Assets

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure harmonisation of the approaches of the UK, the US and the EU in freezing assets of people suspected of funding...

      Pensions: Advisory Services

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance he has issued on the provision of advice to investors by self-invested personal pensions providers.

      New Businesses: Technology

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what supply side reforms he is undertaking to encourage investment in start-up technology businesses in the UK.

      Motor Vehicles: Insurance

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much and what proportion of the total annual expenditure of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority was spent on activities relating...

      Motor Vehicles: Insurance

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much and what proportion of the total annual expenditure of the Prudential Regulation Authority was spent on activities relating to the motor insurance...

      Money Laundering and Terrorism

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on measures to improve the EU's response to money laundering and terror financing.

      Child Benefit

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many households were subject to reductions in child benefit because of an apprentice aged under 18 being in the household in 2013-14.

      Money Laundering

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Financial Conduct Authority last reviewed the performance of banks in managing high risk money-laundering situations.

  • Department for Energy and Climate Change

    • Climate Change

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what bi-lateral discussions he has had with international partners on their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions before the...

    • Ofgem

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Oral Answer of 6 November 2014, Official Report, column 955, on off-grid gas customers, if he will make it his policy...

      Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Annual Energy Statement of 6 November 2014, Official Report, column 982, what assessment his Department has made of...

      Energy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Oral Answer of 6 November 2014, Official Report, column 953, on energy bills, what the evidential basis was for the...

      Energy: Competition

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Annual Energy Statement of 6 November 2014, Official Report, column 982, what the evidential basis was for the...

      Fracking

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Oral Answer of 6 November 2014, Official Report, column 952, on fracking, if he will make it his policy to ensure that...

      Energy: Prices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Oral Answer of 6 November 2014, Official Report, column 959, on energy bills, which large energy companies have...

      Energy: Billing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate he has made of average debt levels of customers in debt to their energy supplier for (a) electricity and (b) gas in each...

      Coke

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment his Department has made of the role, of coke in supplying the future energy needs of the UK.

      Energy: Industry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate he has made of the number of people employed in the energy efficiency industry in each year since 2005.

      Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment his Department made of the implications for his decision to pay subcontracted staff in his Department the living wage...

      Flexible Working

      To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many and what proportion of (a) women and (b) men have made a statutory application to request flexible working in his Department;...

  • Cabinet Office

    • Procurement

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any (a) external contractors and (b) consultancy companies engaged by his Department have charged more than the initial price agreed for their...

    • Employment: Older People

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the rate of (a) employment and (b) unemployment is for people aged (i) 50, (ii) 51, (iii) 52, (iv) 53, (v) 54, (vi) 55, (vii) 56, (viii) 57, (ix)...

      Lung Cancer

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of lung cancer patients survived for at least two years after diagnosis in each foundation trust area in each year since 2005.

      Job Creation: East of England

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many new jobs have been created in each parliamentary constituency in the East of England since October 2012.

      Bacterial Diseases

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Office of National Statistics plans to publish data on the mortality rate for deaths in 2013 involving (a) C.difficile and (b) MRSA in (i)...

  • Department for Culture Media and Sport

    • Arts: East Riding

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what Arts Council funding has been allocated to East Yorkshire constituency in each of the last five years; and for what projects such...

    • Arts: Nottinghamshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much of the Arts Council funding allocated to Nottinghamshire has been spent in each of the last five years.

      Telecommunications: Scandinavia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will undertake an assessment of the potential lessons that can be learned from Scandanavia in delivering (a) mobile telephone...

      Telecommunications: Oxfordshire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the density of population in Oxfordshire compared to the North York Moors allows residents in Oxfordshire to have better mobile...

  • House of Commons Commission

    • Correspondence

      To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, what the average daily number of letters sent from the House of Commons to each...

  • Department of Health

    • In Vitro Fertilisation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to page 15 of Mitochondrial Donation: Government response to the consultation on draft regulations to permit the use of new treatment...

    • NHS: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans NHS England has to make use of the Commissioning for Quality and Innovation Scheme to improve coverage of (a) clinical audits and (b) patient...

      NHS: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS (a) trusts and (b) foundation trusts recorded a deficit in each of the last three years.

      General Practitioners

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many GPs were in practice in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13.

      Tobacco: Packaging

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to advertise alternatives to smoking tobacco on cigarette packaging.

      Blood: Contamination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people historically registered with (a) MFET Ltd. and (b) the Skipton Fund have been (i) non-hemophiliacs infected following NHS treatment with...

      General Practitioners: Pay

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average remuneration for (a) part-time and (b) full-time GPs in each clinical commissioning group area was in the last three years.

      Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the scale of the problems associated with excessive consumption of alcohol among students.

      General Practitioners: East of England

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average distance travelled for an out-of-hours GP appointment was in (a) Suffolk, (b) Bedfordshire, (c) Cambridgeshire, (d) Essex, (e)...

      NHS: Research

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to encourage and enhance research and development within the NHS.

      Christmas

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much (a) Monitor, (b) Public Health England and (c) NHS England spent on Christmas decorations in 2013-14; and how much each body is planning to...

      Food: Labelling

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on the effect on the food industry of the Food Information Regulations 2014; and if he will make a statement.

      Infectious Diseases

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research he has commissioned on the use of on-the-spot testing for infections and the effect of this on the use of antibiotics.

      Nursing and Midwifery Council

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of increased Nursing and Midwifery Council registration fees on the number of nurses and midwives in England.

      Suicide: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the increasing levels of youth suicide across the UK.

      Meningitis: Vaccination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent progress has been made on vaccination for meningitis B.

      Doctors: Vacancies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the vacancy rate for medical practitioners in the NHS.

      Locums

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of how much was spent on locum doctors in the NHS in each of the last five years.

      Thalidomide

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to discuss with the National Advisory Council of the Thalidomide Trust a contribution by his Department towards the health costs...

      Procurement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether any (a) external contractors and (b) consultancy companies engaged by his Department have charged more than the initial price agreed for their...

      Blood: Contamination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many new registrations there (a) have been with MFET Ltd and (b) were with MSPT 1 and MSPT 2 since those organisations were first established;...

      Hospitals: Admissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people with (a) fractured neck of femur, (b) appendectomy, (c) drainage of abscess, (d) essential hypertension (diabetes related), (e) chronic...

      Diabetes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have had their feet amputated as a result of diabetes in each NHS commissioning area in each of the last five years.

      Diabetes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many adult patients on insulin therapy have been offered an Insulin Passport in each NHS commissioning area in each of the last five years.

      North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent steps he has taken to improve the performance of the North East Ambulance Service.

      Drugs: Licensing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many full-time equivalent officials in his Department work on the availability of off-patent drugs to be used in new indications.

      Skipton Fund

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 28 November 2012 to Question 129969 and pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2014 to Question 213610, what the reason is...

      Drugs: Licensing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the contribution by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Second Reading of the Off-patent Drugs Bill on 7 November 2014,...

      Hospitals: Admissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the rate of emergency hospital admissions was for people with (a) fractured neck of femur, (b) appendectomy, (c) drainage of abscess, (d) essential...

      Hospitals: Admissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average length of stay in hospital was for people with (a) fractured neck of femur, (b) appendectomy, (c) drainage of abscess, (d) essential...

      Diabetes

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions has he had with NHS England on the future funding of the Patient Experience of Diabetes Survey.

      Blood: Contamination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 17 November 2014 to Question 213661, what estimate he has made of the number of Stage 2 HCV infectees who contracted the virus...

      NHS

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which (a) accident and emergency departments, (b) NHS trusts, (c) NHS foundation trusts and (d) mental health trusts he has visited in an official...

      Health Professions: Regulation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish his response to the Law Commission Review of the Regulation of Health Care Professionals published in April 2014; and what his...

      Antibiotics

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance he issues on the commissioning of novel antibiotics designed to treat life-threatening infections at a national level through NHS England's...

      Antibiotics

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Government's response to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee report, Ensuring access to working antimicrobials,...

      Health Services: Veterans

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to check on the health of service personnel who were wounded or hurt in the Second World War and subsequent conflicts.

      Bayer

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what meetings (a) he and (b) officials in his Department have had with Bayer plc in the last five years.

      Meningitis: Vaccination

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to negotiate an agreement on the price of the vaccine for meningococcal B.

      Dialysis Machines

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has been made by NHS England of the specialist skills and knowledge required to commission dialysis.

      Paracetamol

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost to the public purse was of prescriptions issued for paracetamol in England in each of the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

      Mental Health Services: Young People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve mental health services for young people.

      General Practitioners

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in (a) each surgery in the North Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group area and (b) each Clinical Commissioning Group area in England...

      Lung Cancer

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of lung cancer patients in each foundation trust area received radiotherapy treatment in each year since 2005.

      General Practitioners

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve recruitment of GPs.

      NHS: Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to measure and improve patient experience and compassionate care.

      Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will commission a prevalence study on foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

      Mental Health Services: Children

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of child and adolescent mental health services.

  • House of Lords

    • Anaemia

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action is being taken to reduce the number of patients admitted to hospital with iron deficiency anaemia.

    • Asylum: Finance

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they would incur any contractual penalties if they were to decide to cancel the Azure Card; and if so what those penalties would be.

      Asylum: Finance

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many, if any, refused asylum seekers have had support under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 removed.

      Asylum: Finance

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many refused asylum seekers, who have been supported under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, have subsequently been granted leave to...

      Asylum: Middle East

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many refugees from the Christian communities of Iraq and Syria have been received into the United Kingdom in the last 12 months; and whether they intend...

      European Court of Human Rights

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that the European Court of Human Rights is continuing to protect freedom of expression and freedom of the press; and if not, whether...

      Heaths: North West

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government which organisation controls heath and heather areas in the north-west of England, and where those areas are.

      Immigration: Poland

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the contribution by resident Polish nationals to the cultural life of the United Kingdom.

      Imperial War Museum

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to assist the Imperial War Museum in continuing to provide its library services to meet the extra demand during the...

      Iran

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of drought in Iran, what assistance they will provide (1) for water conservation and pricing, and (2) to promote public and private...

      Lebanon

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what actions they are taking internationally to reduce over-crowding, improve safety and provide medical care for the inhabitants of Shatila and similar...

      Obesity

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the statement in the recently published NHS Five Year Forward View that “the NHS will therefore now back hard-hitting national action...

      Overseas Students

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any proposals to follow the Canadian example of allowing foreign students the opportunity to work in the United Kingdom for a limited...

      Sudan

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the response of the United Nations Mission in Darfur to recent incidents including mass rape in Darfur.

      Sudan

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that systematic rape of women and girls occurred on 31 October and 1 November in Tabit village, North Darfur, and...

      Work Capability Assessment

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether people who are undergoing a work capability assessment because of mental health problems are guaranteed assessment by health professionals who have...

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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