Written answers

Iau, 1 Rhagfyr 2005

  • Environment Food and Rural Affairs

    • Avian Influenza

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her written statement of 15 November 2005, Official Report, column 48WS, on avian influenza (epidemiology...

    • Avian Influenza

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the pooling of samples of different species and different origins delayed the determination of the source of the H5N1...

      Avian Influenza

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the reasons for the presence of H5N1 infection in mesia birds from two cages...

      Avian Influenza

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Surinam caiques were sampled by her Department's staff from the quarantine facility in Essex in which the avian...

      Avian Influenza

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment she made of the merits of requiring all sales of birds to be recorded before introducing the ban on...

      Avian Influenza

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the dates on which inspectors visited the bird quarantine centre in Fambridge, Essex during (a) each of the...

      Chlorofluorocarbons

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how much chlorofluorocarbon has been (a) recovered and (b) released into the environment from (i) refrigerators and...

      Chlorofluorocarbons

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many recycling operations are recovering chlorofluorocarbons.

      Chlorofluorocarbons

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many investigations the Environment Agency is carrying out into the (a) mishandling and (b) failure to recover...

      Cuckmere Valley

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent to date by the Environment Agency on its plans to alter the nature of the Cuckmere Valley; what the...

      Flood Prevention

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will visit Shrewsbury to discuss the need for further flood prevention measures.

      Flood Prevention

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to prevent flooding in the Underdale area of Shrewsbury.

      Greenhouse Gas Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will produce an annual report on greenhouse gas emissions and present it to Parliament.

      Greenhouse Gas Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will introduce legislation creating legally-binding targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

      Mobile Phones/Printer Cartridges

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research has been conducted (a) by and (b) for her Department relating to the recycling and reuse of (i) mobile phones...

      Quad Bikers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what complaints her Department has received on the inappropriate and illegal use of walking trails by quad bikers.

      Quad Bikers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action her Department has taken to enforce laws regarding proper trail and land use by quad bikers.

      Refrigerators

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what target her Department has set for the amount of chlorofluorocarbons that should be recovered from refrigerators in...

      Sustainable Development

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made under the UK's presidency in relation to the sustainable development agenda.

      Timber

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps are being taken to reduce the amount of illegal timber entering the United Kingdom.

      Veterinary Laboratories Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many diagnoses made by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Weybridge were found to be incorrect in (a) each of the last...

      Veterinary Laboratories Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many diagnoses made by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Weybridge were contested in (a) each of the last three years...

  • Transport

    • Correspondence

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Brent, East dated 22 March on behalf of MsChristine Hilder and Mr. Carl Ernsting.

    • Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will amend regulations to prevent the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency from providing names and addresses of vehicle owners to private...

      Integrated Kent Franchise

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce a decision on the Integrated Kent Franchise.

      M5 Traffic Flows

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will conduct a full evaluation of traffic flows at Junction 12 on the M5, including (a) queuing on the slip road and (b) related use of the B4008.

      Railways

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the costs of maintenance on the rail network have been in each winter since 1999–2000, broken down by region.

      Railways

      To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what subsidy the Government have given to the railway industry in each year since 1997.

  • Treasury

    • Bio-fuels

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy on duty rates on fuel from pure vegetable oil in relation to duty rates on conventional fuels.

    • Child Trust Fund

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research his Department has carried out into the income levels of eligible families who have opened child trust fund accounts relative to eligible...

      Child Trust Fund

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many child trust fund accounts have been opened in England, broken down by ethnicity of the child.

      Child Trust Fund

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many child trust fund accounts have been opened since the programme began, broken down by region.

      Child Trust Fund

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households in Paisley and Renfrewshire North have opened child trust fund accounts.

      Corporation Tax (Lancashire)

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much corporation tax was raised from businesses in Lancashire in each year since 1997.

      Endowment Mortgages

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on endowment mortgage complaints that are upheld by the Financial Ombudsman Service and rejected by insurance companies.

      Endowment Mortgages

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints about endowment mortgages were made to the Financial Ombudsman Service in each of the last five years; and how many were upheld.

      Endowment Mortgages

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints about endowment mortgages were upheld by the Financial Ombudsman Service but were then rejected by the insurance company in each of the...

      EU Accounts

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the recent auditing of the EU accounts.

      Illegal Drugs

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many deaths in Sandwell illegal drugs were the primary cause in each year since 1997.

      Low-income Families

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to encourage saving among families on low incomes.

      Milton Keynes Development

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department has spent since 1975 on land purchase and infrastructure to enable the development of Milton Keynes; and what payments have been...

      National Insurance (Freelance Musicians)

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he consulted (a) the Musicians' Union, (b) the Association of British Orchestras, (c) individual major orchestras, (d) the Arts Council for (i)...

      National Insurance (Freelance Musicians)

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when (a) the Musicians' Union, (b) the Association of British Orchestras, (c) individual major orchestras and (d) the Arts Council for (i) England, (ii)...

      National Insurance (Freelance Musicians)

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps were taken between 1988 and 2004 to recover extra revenues from orchestras and ensembles resulting from the 1998 requirements for freelance...

      Nigeria

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much he expects the Government to be paid by Nigeria under the debt settlement agreed at the Paris Club in October; and what proportion this represents...

      Pensioners

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government are taking to reduce the tax burden on old-age pensioners.

      Parliamentary Questions

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will answer questions 9840 and 13874 on tax credits from the hon. Member for Yeovil due for reply before the summer recess.

      Terrorism

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the bank accounts which have been frozen since 11 September 2001 on the grounds of terrorist associations.

      Vat

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what proportion of average household expenditure is (a) taxable at the standard rate of VAT, (b) taxable at the reduced rate of VAT, (c) taxable at...

      Vehicle Excise Duty

      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will widen the vehicle excise duty bands to encourage use of more efficient vehicles.

  • Wales

    • Departmental Entertainment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what expenditure was incurred by the Wales Office on entertaining in each year since 2002–03.

    • Departmental Estate

      To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what (a) land and (b) property his Department (i) owns and (ii) rents in each constituency; and if he will make a statement.

      Departmental Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department and its agencies have spent on (a) the design and production of new logos and (b) employing external (i) public relations and...

      Departmental Research

      To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what research projects commissioned by his Department are being undertaken; and what the publication arrangements are in each case.

      Homelessness (Cardiff)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many individuals in Cardiff were homeless in each year since 1995; and if he will make a statement.

  • Trade and Industry

    • Magazine Distribution

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the recent Office of Fair Trading report on magazine distribution arrangements.

    • Energy Prices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the effect of energy prices on high energy users.

      Science Cities Initiative

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding he proposes to allocate from the science budget for the Government's science cities initiative.

      WTO Meeting

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on negotiations with the USA in preparation for the World Trade Organisation ministerial conference in Hong Kong.

      WTO Meeting

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the EU negotiating position for the forthcoming World Trade Organisation ministerial conference in Hong Kong.

      Commission for Equality and Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the creation of the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights.

      Commission for Equality and Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the staffing implications of the establishment of the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights.

      Unscrupulous Lenders

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he is taking to protect vulnerable people from unscrupulous lenders.

      SMEs (Insurance)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact of the level of insurance premiums on small and medium-sized businesses.

      Cyber-Security

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to provide incentives for the private sector to improve its cyber security.

      Fireworks

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to heighten public awareness of (i) the dangers of fireworks and (ii) the effects of...

      Illegal Logging

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are being taken to reduce the importing of illegally logged wood.

      Illegal Logging

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he plans to introduce legislation to prevent the importing into the United Kingdom of wood illegally logged elsewhere.

      Independent Schools

      To ask the Secretary of State for Tradeand Industry if he will make a statement on the recent Office of Fair Trading report on independent schools.

      Ministerial Travel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been spent in each year from 1 May 1997 on ministerial travel, broken down by (a) provision and running costs of vehicular...

  • Minister for Women

    • Legislation Implementation

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what measures will be taken to ensure small businesses have the necessary information and time to adapt to provisions in the Equality Bill and the...

    • Women's Pensions

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what recent discussions she has had with theDepartment for Work and Pensions on women's pensions.

      Women Entrepreneurs

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what steps the Government is taking to encourage women to start their own businesses.

      Women Entrepreneurs

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what measures the Government has in place to encourage more women entrepreneurs.

      Pregnancy Discrimination

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what steps the Government are taking to tackle pregnancy discrimination in the workplace.

      Gender Pay Gap

      To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what steps the Government are taking to reduce the gender pay gap in the small and medium-sized business sector.

  • Culture Media and Sport

    • Andrew Cunningham (Statement)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether Mr. Andrew Cunningham's statement at a recent conference on the drinks industry, the liberalisation of licensing laws and the...

    • Drinking Age

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment the Government have made of the potential impact on crime and disorder of reducing the legal drinking age to 16 years.

      Licensing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what factors will be examined by her Department when assessing the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 on the 10 named scrutiny local...

      Licensing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what advice the Government have given to (a) local authorities and (b) the police on planning enforcement for licensed premises opening...

      Licensing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what dates since July 2003 her Department's Licensing Advisory Group has met; at which of these meetings the establishment of a...

      National Sports Foundation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Government expects to announce the (a) size, (b) location, (c) names of senior management, (d) budget and (e) operating...

      Physical Education

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what definition she uses of high quality physical education and school sport as required by 2004 public service agreement target number one.

      Public Service Agreements

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she uses (a) averages over several years and (b) a straight comparison between two specific years for the purposes of measuring...

      Regional Casinos

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact of regional casinos on problem gambling.

      Television Licences

      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many households in East Lothian are exempt from requiring a television licence under the exemption scheme for people over the age of...

  • Defence

    • Afghanistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the rules of engagement of the latest NATO deployment into Southern Afghanistan.

    • Army Vehicle Repairs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Army Base Repair Organisation Bovington site contract servicing of individual sections of a vehicle will be carried out off-site by other...

      Astute-class Submarines

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he expects to confirm the total number of Astute-class submarines to be built; (2) when he will decide the final total of (a) Type 45...

      Astute-class Submarines

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the additional capabilities originally intended for the second tranche of Astute-class submarines which have been brought forward into...

      Departmental Assets

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the 10 most valuable (a) movable and (b) immovable assets owned by his Department.

      Departmental Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of his Department's monthly financial submissions to the Treasury's general expenditure monitoring system for (a)...

      Departmental Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of the monthly forecasts of payment and receipts provided by his Department to the Treasury under its cash...

      Departmental Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) existing and (b) former Ministry of Defence (i) Ministers and (ii) officials have taken up offers of employment with companies involved in...

      Dundalk Bombing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information has been requested from him by the Irish authorities in relation to the Dundalk bombing of 1975.

      European Rapid Reaction Force

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role he expects British forces to play in delivering combat logistics for the European rapid reaction force.

      Fixed-wing Aircraft

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) which fixed-wing aircraft types will be available for service at sea in (a) 2012, (b) 2013 and (c) 2014 on present plans; (2) if he will list the...

      Gibraltar

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on industrial relations with the Gibraltar Services Police.

      Iraq

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) pursuant to the answer of 11 November, Official Report, columns 854–56W, on Iraq, whether British officials have issued an apology to the...

      Iraq

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total cost has been to date of compensation paid by his Department to Iraqi citizens since 2003.

      Joint Combat Aircraft

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons the joint combat aircraft was initially intended to be capable of operating from Invincible-class aircraft carriers; and why this...

      Kenya

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his Kenyan counterpart on the renewal of the agreement with Kenya and the UK allowing British soldiers access to...

      Mutual Defence Agreement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what definition he uses of the special nuclear materials referred to in the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement.

      Public Service Agreements

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will publish a Public Service Agreement delivery plan for 2004 Public Service Agreement target number 2.

      Royal Navy (Shore Establishments)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each of the Royal Navy's operational shore establishments in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland including...

      Submarines

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress with introducing the communications electronic support measures system aboard Trafalgar-class nuclear-attack...

      Unarmoured Road Vehicles

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's policy is on the use of un-armoured road vehicles in the transportation of HM Forces personnel in (a) Iraq, (b) Northern Ireland...

      Warships

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the running costs for each of the classes of vessel in service with the Royal Navy were in the last year for which figures are available; what the...

  • Deputy Prime Minister

    • Business Rates Revaluation (Gravesham)

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the impact of business rates revaluation on businesses in Gravesham; and if he will make a statement.

    • Correspondence

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, dated 30 September, on behalf of Trevor Errington, Leader of the chief engineers...

      Council Elections

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister from which (a) organisations and (b) individuals he has received representations (i) opposing and (ii) supporting a move to whole council elections for local...

      Firefighters (Life Insurance)

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent representations he has received regarding the availability of life insurance for firefighters; and whether all firefighters are covered by insurance...

      Housing

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the evidence from his officials to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions Committee on 17...

      Local Government Finance

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his Department has made a written submissionto the Lyons Inquiry on local government finance.

      Local Government Finance

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much additional funding will be allocated in 2005–06 to each council to cover costs of (a) licensing, (b) asylum-seekers, (c) pensions and (d) disposal...

      Primary Care Trusts

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance his Department has given to local authorities on the action to be taken when a primary care trust fails to pay (a) sums it owes to a social services...

      Supporting People Programme

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the funding level for the supporting people programme in (a) England, (b) Wellingborough local authority and (c) East Northamptonshire local authority was in...

      Wirral, South (Funding)

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what funding streams are available to tackle areas of deprivation in Wirral South.

      Wirral, South (Funding)

      To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what programmes the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund has funded in Wirral South.

  • Cabinet Office

    • Departmental Estate

      To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what (a) land and (b) property his Department (i) owns and (ii) rents in each constituency; and if he will make a statement.

  • International Development

    • Direct Budgetary Support

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much EU aid money has been granted for direct budgetary support in each year since 1999, broken down by country recipient.

    • Direct Budgetary Support

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money the UKhas granted to multi-lateral institutions for direct budgetary support in each year since 1999.

      HIV/AIDS

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government has taken during its G8 and EU presidencies to tackle HIV and AIDS in developing countries.

      Iraq

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many consultants his Department employs in Iraq; and how much each was paid in the last year for which figures are available.

      Iraq

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which reconstruction projects have been (a) approved and (b) completed since the end of the Iraq war; and what the cost of each project was.

      Montserrat

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the development of the private sector on the island of Montserrat; and if he will list private foreign...

      Montserrat

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to encourage holiday companies to introduce package holidays to Montserrat.

      Montserrat

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to encourage the tourist industry of scuba diving on the island of Montserrat.

      Mosquito Nets (Africa)

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid his Department is providing to assist in the purchase of mosquito nets in Africa; and if he will list the aid provided to each...

      Uganda

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in northern Uganda; and if he will make a statement.

      United States Hurricane

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost was of the ration packs delivered as hurricane disaster relief and impounded by US authorities; what the cost was of...

  • Northern Ireland

    • Adoption

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children were placed for adoption in Northern Ireland in each year since 1990, broken down by age.

    • Adult Illiteracy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria are used to assess illiteracy in adults in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

      All-Ireland Free Travel Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when discussions will be concluded between the Department of Regional Development in Northern Ireland and the Department of Social and Family...

      Bankruptcies

      To ask the Secretary of State forNorthern Ireland how many bankruptcies there have been in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years.

      Blue Badge Thefts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many incidents of the theft of disabled persons' blue badges have been reported in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

      Bullying

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many instances of school bullying in (a) primary and (b) post-primary schools have been recorded in the last three years; and if he will...

      Consumer Debt

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average level of consumer debt in Northern Ireland was in the last period for which figures are available; what assessment he has made...

      Doctors and Nurses

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) doctors and (b) nurses there were per head of population in (i) Northern Ireland and (ii) each Health Board in each year since 1995.

      Emergency Contraception

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prescriptions of hormonal emergency contraception were prescribed in each of the last 10 years in each region of Northern Ireland.

      Family Planning Clinics

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many family planning clinics there were in Northern Ireland in each year since 1990; and how many women were seen by them in each year,...

      Freelance Musicians

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to ensure that the policy of the Inland Revenue on liability for national insurance contributions does not lead to the...

      Fugitives from Justice

      To ask the Secretary of State forNorthern Ireland how many fugitives from justice meet the criteria for release under the Government's plans.

      Hip Replacements

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many hip replacement operations were performed in each of the last five years, broken down by health board.

      Hospitality Budgets

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total hospitality budget is for his Department's Ministers for 2005–06, including alcohol, food, staff in attendance and other...

      Inward Investment

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his assessment is of the effect on foreign direct investment of corporation tax differentials between Northern Ireland and the Republic of...

      Mental Health Bill

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with his Cabinet colleagues on the extension of the draft Mental Health Bill to Northern Ireland; and if he will...

      Ministerial Travel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent in each year from 1 May 1997 on ministerial travel, broken down by (a) provision and running costs of vehicular transport,...

      Murders

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been murdered in each year since 1997 in (a) East Belfast, (b) North Belfast, (c) South Belfast and (d) West Belfast.

      NHS (Elderly Staff)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many employees aged over 70 years are working in the national health service in Northern Ireland.

      Northern Ireland Assembly (Land Use Powers)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what powers the Northern Ireland Assembly would have to (a) amend and (b) to delete (i)green belt designations, (ii) areas of outstanding...

      Nursing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nursing vacancies there are in each health board area; and how many nurses are employed in each of the hospitals in Northern Ireland.

      Parole

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what methods are used in Northern Ireland for tracking prisoners on parole; and if he will make a statement.

      Parole

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria are applied in Northern Ireland when considering whether a prisoner is eligible for parole; and if he will make a statement.

      Police

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are employed by each district command unit to collate and produce Police Service of Northern Ireland statistical information.

      Police

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) female and (b) male Police Service of Northern Ireland officers were recruited in each year for which figures are available, broken...

      Police

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidance his Department has given the Police Service of Northern Ireland on the (a) purchase and (b) hire of police road vehicles.

      Police

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police vehicles in each district command unit were (a) purchased and (b) hired in each of the last five years for which figures are...

      Prescriptions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) paid for and (b) free prescriptions were issued in each health board area in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years.

      Prisons

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost has been in each prison in Northern Ireland in the last five years of providing (a) educational facilities, (b) dental services,...

      Magilligan Prison

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Government has commissioned an economic assessment of the impact on the North West of Northern Ireland of (a) closing Magilligan...

      Public Bodies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many public bodies in Northern Ireland have paid travel and subsistence expenses in the past five years for non-executive directors and...

      Sentencing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the conclusions of the Review of Minimum Terms and Life Sentence Cases.

      Smoking

      To ask the Secretary of State forNorthern Ireland what assessment has been made by his Department of the medical effects of smoking by pregnant women on the health of an unborn child.

      Stun Guns

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people he has authorised to have stun guns.

      Translink

      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether Translink takes into account pupils not using bus services as a result of their participation in extra-curricular activities when...

  • Work and Pensions

    • Child Support Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many non-resident parents in Scotland are paying the £5 flat rate of child support per week in the latest period for which...

    • Child Support Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Workand Pensions what the (a) latest accuracy rates and (b) accuracy targets are for (i) new and (ii) old Child Support Agency cases; and if he will make a statement.

      Housing Benefit

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to report on housing benefit reform and the effects of the local housing allowance pilots.

      Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost tobusiness of the decision to allow into the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) the schemes of companies which...

      Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will bring forward further measures to restore pensions lost through scheme wind-ups prior to 5 April.

      Remploy

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Remploy employees in management grades are disabled.

      Retirement Age

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to increase the compulsory minimum retirement age for members of stakeholder pension plans.

  • Health

    • Avian Influenza

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment she has made of which human population cohorts are most at risk from co-infection of the H5N1 and a human host adapted influenza...

    • Bed Occupancy (Dacorum)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average bed occupancy rate was at NHS units in Dacorum in each year since 1997.

      Blood Transfusion Service

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost of the blood transfusion service in England has been in each of the last three years.

      Breast Cancer

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what priority is being given by the Government to (a) the treatment, (b) research into and (c) the financing of measures concerned with inflammatory...

      Breast Cancer

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps she is taking to improve the accuracy of mammography screening; (2) whether she plans to introduce a system which would allow for all...

      Dr. Ann David

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will ask Essex police to reopen its investigation into deaths of patients of Dr. Ann David at Basildon Hospital.

      Dr. Ann David

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will establish an inquiry into patients' deaths at Basildon Hospital, consequent upon the General Medical Council removing the name of Ann David...

      Dentistry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she has taken to encourage patients to keep dental appointments; and what research her Department (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into...

      Dentistry

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) hospital and (b community dentists have been employed in each year since 1997, broken down by strategic health authority area.

      Health Protection Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Department will make a statement on (a) the evidence given by and (b) recommendations made by representatives of the Health Protection Agency (HPA)...

      Health Protection Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the survey that the Health Protection Agency carried out on laboratories, referred to in its oral evidence given to the...

      Community Pharmacies (Uxbridge)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Healthhow many community pharmacies in Uxbridge constituency have (a) opened and (b) closed since 1997.

      Influenza

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the take-up of the pneumococcal vaccine has been in (a) all those aged over 80 years and (b) all those aged over 65 years since 1997–98; and if...

      Influenza

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the stocks of influenza vaccine in the NHS.

      Mixed Sex Wards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Daniel Kawczynski) of 4 July 2005, Official Report, column 224W, on mixed sex wards,...

      Northian and Broad Oak Surgeries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding the development of Northian and Broad Oak surgeries; and if she will make a statement.

      Nutrition and Health Claims Directive

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the process will be for submitting claims to the Community Register under the proposed EU nutrition and health claims made on foods proposal; when...

      Nutrition and Health Claims Directive

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions her Department has had with other EU member states about the process for submitting claims to the Community Register under the proposed...

      Nutrition and Health Claims Directive

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Department has conducted cost impact assessments in relation to the proposed EU directive on nutrition and health claims.

      Obesity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 19 July 2005, Official Report, column 1677W, on obesity, if she will place in the Library her Department's assessment of local...

      Obesity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effect of obesity on the number of visits patients make to general practitioners regarding...

      Obesity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate she has made of the number of deaths where obesity was a contributory factor in each of the last 10 years for which figures are...

      Obesity

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of NHS expenditure on treating conditions for which obesity is a contributory factor in each of the last five years for which...

      Organ Donation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received on moving towards a presumption of consent for organ donation.

      Organ Donation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action is being taken by her Department to improve organ donation rates.

      Patient and Public Involvement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the terms of reference of the Department's strategic review of patient and public involvement in health; and when she expects it to be completed.

      Pesticides

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what division in her Department is responsible for health aspects of pesticide use; what research programmes have been undertaken in the last five years;...

      Premature Babies

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will assess the merits of introducing a preventative treatment programme for premature babies based on the revised recommendations from the Joint...

      Primary Care Trusts

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) deficit for the 2004–05 financial year and (b) projected deficit for the 2005–06 financial year was for (i) South Hams and West...

      Prostate Cancer

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will ensure that revisions to the prostate cancer risk management programme are discussed by the prostate cancer advisory group; (2) when...

      Public Service Agreement

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether 2004 public service agreement target6 refers to problem drug users who have been through treatment programmes in a specific year.

      Respiratory Syncytial Virus

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of babies who will be affected by the revised recommendations from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and...

      Skin Cancer

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to increase public awareness of the danger of skin cancer caused by excess exposure to sunlight.

      Smoking

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of the proportion of the population who want a complete ban on smoking in work places and all enclosed public spaces.

      Smoking

      To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will publish the (a) minutes of the meetings of the (i) Scientific Committee on Tobacco and Health and (ii) its Technical Advisory Group on the...

  • Solicitor-General

    • Serious Fraud Office

      To ask the Solicitor-General pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2005, Official Report, column 1885W, on the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), if he will place in the Library briefing provided to the...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

    • Afghanistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money has been committed to the Afghan drug-control strategy in each of the last five years; and if he will make a...

    • Bribery

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many complaints of bribery have been made against British-based companies since the OECD convention on bribery came into...

      Caribbean Countries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what impact EU external action has had on funding for the Caribbean countries; and what progress has been made on the proposed...

      Chagos Islands

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much in legal fees the Government has incurred in the Chagos Islands case in respect of (a) the judicial review decided on 3...

      China

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government are taking in respect of the persecution of Christians in China.

      China

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to address human rights concerns in China.

      Democratic Republic of the Congo

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's relations with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

      Diego Garcia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what permission is required from (a) his Department and (b) the UK diplomatic representative of the British Indian Ocean...

      Ecuador

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the political situation in Ecuador since April.

      EU Directives

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which EU directives he expects will be converted into regulations in accordance with the policy set out in COM (2005) 535.

      EU Reform

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent progress in the reform of the European Union's institutions.

      European Parliament

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the rules of procedure governing the conference of Presidents of the European Parliament.

      European Union (Opt-outs)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 16 November 2005, Official Report, column1266W, on European Union (opt-outs), in which areas where the...

      India

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on India's compliance with the Nuclear Suppliers Group rules.

      Iran

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Iran regarding (a) the provisions of the 1991 Memorandum of the Supreme...

      Iran

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has raised Iranian help to Iraqi insurgents with the government of Iran.

      Iraq

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the use of private military companies in Iraq.

      Israel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations the Government have made to Israel on withdrawal from the Occupied Territories.

      Latin America (Trade Disputes)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the trade dispute between Venezuela and Mexico.

      Liberia

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the President of Liberia; and what was discussed.

      Nuclear Proliferation

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken by the Government to ensure the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons in the last five years.

      Security Personnel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many security personnel (a) are employed overseas by his Department and (b) were so employed in the 2004–05 financial...

      Sick Leave

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of his Department's employees who are within one year of the official retirement age are on extended sick leave.

      Terrorism (Human Rights)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the UK has taken at EU level to ensure full respect for European human rights law in the event of the detention by a...

      Uzbekistan

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answers of 24 November 2005, Official Report, columns 2247–48W, on Uzbekistan, to the hon. Member for...

      West Papua

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is with regard to West Papua; if he will make representations regarding alleged human rights abuses...

      Zimbabwe

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what issues he has raised with the Zimbabwe High Commission in the last12 months; and what result was achieved in each case.

  • Constitutional Affairs

    • Arrest Warrants (Gravesham)

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many warrants were issued from Dartford magistrates court for the arrest of non-attendees resident in Gravesham in the last...

    • Child Care Lawyers

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make a statement on the duty of care that child care lawyers have to the children of their clients.

      Criminal Offences

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will list criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by the Department since May 1997, broken down by Act.

      Franchise (Mobile Homes)

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what eligibility UK nationals with rights of residency in a mobile home for nine out of 12 months a year and a full-time...

      Vehicle Details

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what guidance her Department has provided to (a) the Department for Transport and (b) the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency...

      Voter Registration

      To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will introduce individual voter registration.

  • Home Department

    • Asylum Seekers

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers were placed in each local authority area in Essex in each year since 1997.

    • Asylum Seekers

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum-seekers deported from the UK in (a) 2000, (b) 2001, (c) 2002, (d) 2003, (e) 2004 and (f) 2005 were due to sit examinations...

      Asylum Seekers

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been returned to EU member states under the provisions of the Dublin II Regulation since it came into force on 1...

      Community Support Officers

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he plans to increase the number of police community support officers working in (a) Battle, (b) Etchingham, (c) Ticehurst and...

      Countryside Alliance Protests

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act during the Countryside Alliance protests in Parliament Square on 15...

      County Councils Legislation

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will introduce legislation to extend the provisions of the Kent County Council Act 2001 and the Medway Council Act 2001 to the...

      Criminal Records Bureau Checks

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Criminal Records Bureau checksin Wales have given incorrect or inappropriate information on criminal records to individuals applying...

      Crime Statistics

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total level of violent crime recorded by the police in North Kent was in each of the last two years for which figures are available.

      Crime Statistics

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average number of crimes per day was in the Essex police force area in each of the last five years.

      Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the work of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority; and if he will make a statement.

      Criminal Justice Act

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made towards implementing conditional cautioning under Part 3 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003; and if he will make a...

      Custodial Sentences (Women)

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what offences custodial sentences were imposed on women in the last 12 months for which information is available.

      DNA Profiles

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people under 18 years have DNA profiles stored in the police national database without having been charged or cautioned for any offence.

      Electronic Monitoring Contract

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of the electronic monitoring contract; and if he will make a statement.

      Holding Cells (Medical Practitioners)

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what monitoring is carried out of the length of time taken by medical practitioners contracted to visit prisoners to arrive at the...

      Horses (Protective Headgear)

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) males and (b) females have been (i) charged with and (ii) convicted of offences under section 1 of the Horses (Protective...

      Hunting with Dogs

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been arrested for breaching the law banning hunting with dogs since it was introduced.

      Imitation Firearms

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents involving imitation firearms occurred in the Essex police force area in each of the last five years.

      Independent Police Complaints Commission

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many complaints have been (a) made and (b) upheld against the Independent Police Complaints Commission since its inception; and if...

      Independent Police Complaints Commission

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the number of non-recorded complaints against the police in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

      National Criminal Justice Board

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the National Criminal Justice Board in providing direction for the criminal justice system.

      National Policing Improvement Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the (a) funding, (b) staffing and (c) work of the National Policing Improvement Agency.

      New Technology (Crime Prevention)

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list police forces which are carrying out pilots on (a) wireless technology to combat crime and (b) hand-held computing devices.

      Non-reported Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of non-reported crimes in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

      O'Connor Report

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the definition is of proactive capability as used in the O'Connor Report published by HM Inspector of Constabulary in the context of...

      Philip Lawrence

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make inquiries into the reasons why the widow of Mr. Philip Lawrence was asked questions by the Probation Service regarding the...

      Police

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on the proposed changes to the structure of North Yorkshire police force.

      Police

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the evidential basis was for the minimum force size of 4,000 officers or 6,000 personnel in the Closing the Gap efficiency criteria for...

      Police

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on the routine arming of police officers; and if he will make a statement.

      Police

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces have diving units; how many divers each force has; when (a) diving suits and (b) equipment was last replaced in each...

      Police

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce the number of fatalities caused by police cars.

      Police

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list police authorities in England and Wales which the North Wales police paid for using their officers in the last three years...

      Police

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the functions of the Police Bureaucracy Adviser are; and if he will make a statement.

      Police

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the extent to which the level of formula grant will need to be adjusted as a result of the proposed police...

      Prisoners

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people leaving prison entered employment, education or training through the Custody to Work initiative in the latest year for which...

      Prisoners

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners have left prison in each of the last eight years; and how many leftprison without accommodation; (2) if he will...

      Prisoners

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners received special family visits in each of the last three years.

      Prisoners

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made towards the introduction of targets for prisons in the area of family ties; and if he will make a statement.

      Prisoners

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the costs per minute to prisoners are of calls from prison to (a) local, (b) national, (c) international and (d) mobile lines.

      Prisoners

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many girls under the age of 18 years in prison in England and Wales are reported (a) to suffer from mental problems and (b) to self-harm.

      Prisons

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisons have a policy on (a) HIV/AIDS and (b) hepatitis C; and what percentage of the total number of prisons this represents.

      Prisons

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the incidence of hepatitis C among (a) male and (b) female prisoners.

      Prisons

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are being taken to encourage prisons without a policy on (a) HIV/AIDS and (b) hepatitis C to adopt one; and what assessment he...

      Schedule 1 Offenders

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Schedule 1 offenders in the community have received or are receiving treatment under sex offender treatment programmes.

      Schedule 1 Offenders

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) average length and (b) variance has been in 2005 of (i) the time between release from prison of Schedule 1 offenders and their...

      Terrorism

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the requests for an extension of the maximum pre-charge detention period for suspected terrorists by the...

      Terrorism

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about allowing the questioning of suspected terrorists after charge.

      Victim Support

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding is to be allocated to Victim Support in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

      Young Offenders

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children were put into bed and breakfast accommodation on release from custody in (a) 2004 and (b) 2005 to date.

      Youth Offending Teams

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the national performance targets are for youth offending teams; and what the performance of Torbay Youth Offending Team has been against...

  • Education and Skills

    • Access to Learning

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people have started work-based learning in each year since 2000, broken down by programme.

    • A-level Grades

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what proportion of candidates attending (a) non-maintained schools, (b) grammar schools, (c) comprehensive schools and (d)...

      Apprenticeships

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Government-funded apprentices there were in (a) Great Yarmouth and (b) Norfolk in each year since 1996–97.

      Basic Skills Agency

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 16 November 2005, Official Report, column 1280W, on the Basic Skills Agency, what steps she is taking to promote...

      Bournemouth Schools

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in Bournemouth local education authority stayed within budget in the 2004–05 financial year.

      Bullying

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent on anti-bullying initiatives in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each year since 1997.

      Child Care

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of people are eligible to use registered childcare paid for by pre-tax salary under the nursery/childcare vouchers scheme.

      Departmental Expenditure

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what financial support her Department provides for (a) the University for Industry, (b) learndirect centres and (c) learndirect hubs; what...

      Education White Paper

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she proposes to create the capital fund referred to in paragraph 2.35 of the Education White Paper, Higher Standards, Better Schools...

      Examination Results

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many 16 to 19-year-lds achieved five A*-C passes or the equivalent in 2004.

      Examination Results

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) which GCSEs count as qualifications in (a) literacy and (b) numeracy; (2) what percentage of (a) 15 and (b) 16 to 19-year-olds...

      Examination Standards

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action she is taking to ensure maintenance of standards in (a) GCSE and (b) A level examinations.

      Failing Schools

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what new powers will be required by local education authorities to enable them to intervene in failing schools in the manner envisaged in...

      Falling School Rolls

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment the Department has made of the effects of falling school rolls in (a) England and (b) Cheltenham constituency; and if she...

      Independent Schools

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of pupils aged under 11 years attended independent schools in England in each of the last five years, broken down by local...

      Independent Schools

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many independent schools taking pupils under the age of 11 years have opened in England in each of the last five years, broken down by...

      Investors in People

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what proportion of (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools are (i) accredited as Investors in People and (ii) have been...

      Key Stage Grades

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what grade was necessary for a pupil to achieve a level 4 at key stage 2 in (a) reading, (b) writing, (c) mathematics and (d) science in...

      Learning and Skills Council

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many staff employed by the Learning and Skills Council have previously worked in administrative posts in the offender learning...

      Learning and Skills Council

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make an assessment of the impact of funding decisions by Learning and Skills Councils on adult education provision in (a)...

      Learning Difficulties (Schools)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools for children with learning difficulties have received a (a) grade 1, (b) grade 2, (c) grade 3, (d) grade 4 and (e) grade 5...

      Local Education Authority Employees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many individuals are employed by local education authorities; and how many of these are (a) on schools' payrolls and (b) not on schools'...

      Local Education Authority Schools (Newcastle)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will estimate the number of secondary school age children resident in Newcastle who were educated at local education authority sector...

      Local Education Partnerships

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether a future (a) foundation school and (b) trust school whose land and buildings are under a local education partnership arrangement...

      Management Allowances

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was spent on management allowances in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

      Management Allowances

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers are in receipt of management allowances.

      Public Service Worker Skills

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what criteria were used in making the decision explicity to include improving the skills of workers delivering public services in the...

      Qualifications (Newcastle)

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of working age people were (a) qualified to (i) graduate level, (ii) level 4, (iii) level 2 and (b) without qualification in...

      Race Equality Impact Assessments

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Race Equality Impact Assessments her Department completed between (a) April 2004 and March 2005 and (b) April 2005 and November...

      School Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of (a) capital and (b) revenue investment in schools which have received private sector investment in the last five years is...

      School Nursing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps her Department is taking to encourage school nurses to develop their work in (a) the classroom and (b) health promotion.

      School Sport

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 2 November 2005, Official Report, column 1197W, on school sport, how many secondary schools have disposed of a...

      Science A-levels

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils gained an A-Level in (a) chemistry, (b) physics and (c) mathematics or further mathematics in each year since 1990.

      Special Educational Needs

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether children with special educational needs have a statutory right to express a preference for a place at an academy over a school...

      Specialist Schools

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if she will list the subjects in which specialist schools may select by aptitude.; (2) how many and what proportion of specialist...

      Specialist Schools

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of specialist schools she estimates will adopt trust status under the proposals in the White Paper, Higher Standards, Better...

      Specialist Schools

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools are specialist schools; and how many she estimates will become specialist by the beginning of the academic year 2006–07.

      Student Numbers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students in year 7 and above attend each middle and secondary schools in Newcastle upon Tyne, including independent schools in each...

      Teachers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average salary of (a) state school and (b) city academy teachers was in 2004–05.

      Teachers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what proportion of black and minority ethnic teachers (a) retired and (b) resigned from each London secondary school in each year...

      Teachers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the number of teachers in receipt of management allowances who will not qualify for a teaching and learning...

      Teachers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what percentage of teachers had remained in the profession after (a) two, (b) five and (c) 10 years in the last period for which...

      Teachers

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) parents and (b) pupils have been prosecuted for attacks on teaching staff in each of the last 10 years; and if she will make a...

      Vocational Training

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the effects on industry of vocational training in (a) Tamworth and (b) Staffordshire.

      Westgate College, Newcastle

      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of students achieved five or more A* to C grade GCSEs at Westgate College, Newcastle in (a) the three years...

  • House of Lords

    • 10 Downing Street: Mr Phil Flynn

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 17 November (WA 155), whether Phil Flynn visited Number 10 Downing Street during the past five years; if so,...

    • Armed Forces: Rules of Engagement

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What provision will be made in the proposed Armed Forces Bill about the legal status of (a) rules of engagement; and (b) any official summary of, or extract from,...

      Asylum Seekers: Bail

      asked Her Majesty's Government: For how many days each of the 21 Iraqi asylum seekers who were in detention awaiting removal on 14 October had been detained on that date; how many of them have...

      Aviation Health: Contaminated Air

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 19 October (WA 126), how many air quality monitoring exercises were carried out during contaminated...

      Aviation Health: Contaminated Air

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What records have been obtained of the contaminated air incident that occurred on the Boeing 757 aircraft, registered G-BPEK, on a flight to Edinburgh on 20...

      Cabinet Office Strategy Unit Report on Alcohol-related Harm

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Why they have not updated the 2002 assessment in the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit's interim analytical report on alcohol-related harm; and whether they will now...

      Education: Under-achievement

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they have estimated the cost of educational under-achievement to (a) the Department for Education and Skills, and (b) the economy as a whole; and, if so,...

      Environment Agency: Freshwater Fisheries

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What expansion of fishing activities by the Environment Agency has taken place in pursuit of its objective to maintain, improve and develop freshwater fisheries.

      European Union: Eco-labelling Scheme

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether the European Union eco-labelling scheme aids implementation of green public procurement; and Whether they will take steps to require all government...

      European Union: Eco-labelling Scheme

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they will take to encourage United Kingdom participation in the European Union eco-labelling scheme; and Given the higher usage of the European Union...

      European Union: Eco-labelling Scheme

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will base solid wood furniture procurement by government departments on the recommendations of the European Union eco-label scheme once the list is...

      European Union: Food Supplements Directive

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will seek to persuade the European Commission to amend the Food Supplements Directive so as to allow the United Kingdom to permit sale of those safe...

      Government Departments: Sustainable Development Strategy

      asked Her Majesty's Government: When the, "clear and tangible commitments from all departments to deliver targets," set out in the 2002 framework for sustainable development will be published;...

      Heavy Goods Vehicle and Public Service Vehicle Operators

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many multi-agency checks on (a) buses and coaches; (b) light goods vehicles; and (c) heavy goods vehicles have taken place in Wales in the past 12 months; and...

      Heavy Goods Vehicle and Public Service Vehicle Operators

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many operators of (a) buses and coaches; (b) light goods vehicles; and (c) heavy goods vehicles have failed the initial test of road worthiness conducted by...

      Heavy Goods Vehicle and Public Service Vehicle Operators

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many disciplinary hearings have been conducted by the Traffic Commissioners affecting operators of (a) buses and coaches; (b) light goods vehicles; and (c)...

      Heavy Goods Vehicles: Hours of Work

      asked Her Majesty's Government: How many of the drivers of heavy goods vehicles who were found to be exceeding the drivers' hours regulations while driving on main roads approaching Pembroke Dock...

      Heavy Goods Vehicles: Hours of Work

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 16 November (WA 145), how many of the 122 vehicles from the Republic of Ireland found to be in breach...

      HM Treasury: Cosmetics

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Further to the Written Answer by the Lord McKenzie of Luton on 18 October (WA 118), how much HM Treasury has spent on (a) make-up artists for media appearances;...

      Iraq: White Phosphorus Munitions

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether British Armed Forces in Iraq have used white phosphorus; if so, on how many occasions; and with what intention.

      Licensing Act 2003

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What is the meaning, purpose and effect of Section 192(1)(b) of the Licensing Act 2003.

      Licensing Reform: Alcohol Consumption

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they predict a decline or an increase in the consumption of alcohol as a result of the extended hours allowed by the Licensing Act 2003.

      Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and Syngenta

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether there is a potential conflict of interests between Professor Sir Alasdair Breckenridge's chairmanship of the agency board of the Medicines and Healthcare...

      Ministerial Code

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What procedures are followed in the case of a Minister of the Crown who has been found guilty of unlawful discrimination through an employment tribunal; and...

      National Film and Television Archive: Review

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will intervene to prevent the loss of potentially rare British film archives threatened by changes made by the British Film Institute at the National...

      Network Rail: Development Rights

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What controls there are on the erection of buildings by train operating companies on lands owned by Network Rail in the absence of any need for planning...

      Northern Ireland: Review of Unsolved Deaths

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What were the reasons for the timing of their announcement that the Royal Military Police will inquire into every terrorist death in which the Army were involved...

      Powers of Entry

      asked Her Majesty's Government: In what circumstances officials of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and of public bodies answerable to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth...

      Powers of Entry

      asked Her Majesty's Government: In what circumstances officials of the Scotland Office and of public bodies answerable to the Secretary of State for Scotland can search and enter the homes or...

      Powers of Entry

      asked Her Majesty's Government: In what circumstances officials of the Wales Office and of public bodies answerable to the Secretary of State for Wales can search and enter the homes or business...

      Powers of Entry

      asked Her Majesty's Government: In what circumstances officials of the Department for Constitutional Affairs and of public bodies answerable to the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs...

      Public Sector Pensions

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Why they propose to allow those recruited to the public sector between 18 October 2005 and June 2006 to retire on a full index-linked pension at the age of 60,...

      Royal Navy: Aircraft Carriers

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What is their fall back position in the event that the project to build two new aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy has to be cancelled.

      Toxicogenomics

      asked Her Majesty's Government: What action they are taking to take advantage of modern technologies such as genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics and metabolomics as advocated by the Royal...

      Uganda

      asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will make representations to the government of Uganda for a fair, prompt and public trial, and release on bail pending trial, in the case of retired...

Beth yw hwn?

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.

Rhagfyr 2005
Llun Maw Mer Iau Gwe Sad Sul
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