(4) how many schools closed for at least one day due to snowfall in each of the last 10 years in each (a) region and (b) local education authority.

(4) how many schools closed for at least one day due to snowfall in each of the last 10 years in each (a) region and (b) local education authority.

(3) how many school days were lost due to snowfall in the last year for which data is available;

(3) how many school days were lost due to snowfall in the last year for which data is available;

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what guidance his Department has issued to schools about closures due to inclement weather;

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what guidance his Department has issued to schools about closures due to inclement weather;

(2) how many schools closed for at least one day due to inclement weather in the last year for which data is available;

(2) how many schools closed for at least one day due to inclement weather in the last year for which data is available;

SI 2006/2920. (Negative instrument). Together with an explanatory memorandum from the Department for Constitutional Affairs. Coming into force in accordance with article 1

SI 2006/2920. (Negative instrument). Together with an explanatory memorandum from the Department for Constitutional Affairs. Coming into force in accordance with article 1

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what meetings (a) she, (b) her Ministers and (c) her officials have had with (i) the Chairman of the Labour Party, (ii) Labour Party employees and (iii) Downing Street officials regarding hospital closures in Gloucestershire; and if she will place in the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what meetings (a) she, (b) her Ministers and (c) her officials have had with (i) the Chairman of the Labour Party, (ii) Labour Party employees and (iii) Downing Street officials regarding hospital closures in Gloucestershire; and if she will place in the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings the Labour Party Chairman and Minister without Portfolio has attended in her Department in relation to the closure or reduction of NHS services in the last 12 months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings the Labour Party Chairman and Minister without Portfolio has attended in her Department in relation to the closure or reduction of NHS services in the last 12 months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will place in the Library the heat maps that have been prepared by her Department to analyse the impact of hospital closures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if she will place in the Library the heat maps that have been prepared by her Department to analyse the impact of hospital closures.

Will my hon. Friend give way?

Will my hon. Friend give way?

Those rescue packages are indeed welcome, but hamper firms must have stringent regulations imposed on them, so that this never happens again.

Those rescue packages are indeed welcome, but hamper firms must have stringent regulations imposed on them, so that this never happens again.

Will the hon. Lady pay tribute to the work of the citizens advice bureaux? She will no doubt accept that credit unions are unevenly distributed around the country, and even where there are such unions, people will not be able to avail themselves of their services before Christmas. Even though...

Will the hon. Lady pay tribute to the work of the citizens advice bureaux? She will no doubt accept that credit unions are unevenly distributed around the country, and even where there are such unions, people will not be able to avail themselves of their services before Christmas. Even though...

I agree with the hon. Gentleman on the last point. I congratulate the citizens advice bureaux on the work that they are doing, and I also congratulate the churches in my constituency that have been counselling depressed people. My hon. Friend the Member for Workington has collected £10,000 from the...

I agree with the hon. Gentleman on the last point. I congratulate the citizens advice bureaux on the work that they are doing, and I also congratulate the churches in my constituency that have been counselling depressed people. My hon. Friend the Member for Workington has collected £10,000 from the...

Does the hon. Lady agree that, if such voluntary measures are not effective, the best way to secure compensation will be for the Department of Trade and Industry’s investigation to recommend who should pay compensation, how much and by when?

Does the hon. Lady agree that, if such voluntary measures are not effective, the best way to secure compensation will be for the Department of Trade and Industry’s investigation to recommend who should pay compensation, how much and by when?

I thank my hon. Friend. I suggest a further source of funding: dormant bank accounts. There are billions of pounds in such accounts, and perhaps that should be tapped into to be fair to the people who have suffered under Farepak.

I thank my hon. Friend. I suggest a further source of funding: dormant bank accounts. There are billions of pounds in such accounts, and perhaps that should be tapped into to be fair to the people who have suffered under Farepak.

Yes, on that point, then I must make some progress.

Yes, on that point, then I must make some progress.

Is my hon. Friend aware that there has been a little good news this morning with the announcement by Park Group, an organisation similar to Farepak, that it has offered £1 million in compensation to be put into any rescue package that can be put together?

Is my hon. Friend aware that there has been a little good news this morning with the announcement by Park Group, an organisation similar to Farepak, that it has offered £1 million in compensation to be put into any rescue package that can be put together?

My hon. Friends are coming up with creative ways to find the money, as I would expect. As long as there are organisations willing to act as distributors, we can achieve something. In my constituency, the radio station GWR FM is distributing gifts collected via various avenues. I shall be...

My hon. Friends are coming up with creative ways to find the money, as I would expect. As long as there are organisations willing to act as distributors, we can achieve something. In my constituency, the radio station GWR FM is distributing gifts collected via various avenues. I shall be...

Will my hon. Friend give way on that point?

Will my hon. Friend give way on that point?

That sounds like a very interesting way forward, and I am sure that the Minister will consider it.

That sounds like a very interesting way forward, and I am sure that the Minister will consider it.

There are 47 shopping days until Christmas, and we need to get on with this as quickly as possible. The DTI needs to bring forward a scheme, and I am pressing for that. I hope that the Minister will join me and other hon. Members in calling on the top...

There are 47 shopping days until Christmas, and we need to get on with this as quickly as possible. The DTI needs to bring forward a scheme, and I am pressing for that. I hope that the Minister will join me and other hon. Members in calling on the top...