(1) Whether (a) his department or (b) any entity reporting to him, placed any advertisements in The New Age since the inception of the newspaper up until the most recent date for which information is available; if not, in each case, what is the position in this regard; if so, (i) which entity placed the advertisements, (ii) on what date was each advertisement placed, (iii) what was the nature of each advertisement and (iv) what amount was spent on each advertisement; (2) whether any of these advertisements were placed through the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS); if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details of the advertisements placed through the GCIS; (3) whether an independent analysis was conducted by his department prior to placing advertisements to ascertain whether The New Age is read by the intended target market; if not, why not; if so, (a) who conducted the analysis and (b) what were the main (i) findings and (ii) recommendations of said analysis; (4) whether any independent studies of said advertisements were conducted to ascertain whether they were effective within the relevant target market; if not, why not; if so, (a) who conducted the analysis and (b) what were the main (i) findings and (ii) recommendations of said analysis?

Whether the policy of black economic empowerment is a permanent feature of the constitutional democracy; if not, what will the relevant details of the eventual abolition of black economic empowerment by way of (a) a sunset clause or (b) any other mechanism be; if so, what are the (i) moral and (ii) philosophical grounds for this approach?

(1) Whether his department has received proposals from Business Against Crime with regard to (a) improved monitoring of, and reporting on, exported goods, (b) amending the International Trade Administration Act, Act 71 of 2002, to effect these more stringent controls; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details in each case; (2) whether his department supports these proposals; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

(1) Whether the Government has taken a policy position requiring Israeli goods from Jewish settlements in the West Bank to be labelled as originating from the occupied Palestinian territory; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether there have been any bilateral engagements between South Africa and Israel since this position was undertaken; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) what monitoring mechanisms are in place to (a) enforce and (b) monitor the implementation of South Africa’s position in this regard?

(1) Whether (a) his Ministry, (b) his department and (c) any entity reporting to him plan to host end-of-year parties; if not, in each case, what is the position in this regard; if so, in each case, (i) for how many persons and (ii) at what cost; (2) whether the cost of the specified end-of-year parties has been budgeted for in the current financial year; if not, from where will the funding be sourced; if so, (a) what amount has been budgeted and (b) from which part of the budget will it be incurred?

Whether his department has conducted any research to determine how many days it takes to (a) register a business and (b) comply with all regulations pertaining to starting a business; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details in each case?

What measures has he put in place to (a) improve the trade deficit in respect of China and (b) ensure that local companies are more competitive so that jobs will be created?

(1) How many (a) small businesses are currently registered with his department and (b) of these businesses are not operational; (2) whether his department has investigated the challenges preventing small businesses from being fully operational; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details in each case?

<b>(Interdepartmental transfer – 07/09) </b>(1) What procedures were followed by the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) when importing 500 000 tons of cement from Pakistan; (2) whether the imported cement had the necessary required Letter of Authority; if not, why not; if so, (a) what was the date of issue and (b) what are the further relevant details?

(1) Whether he has made any progress through the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in developing and approving infrastructure that would develop small business entrepreneurs to boost regional growth; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether member countries have committed to (a) the easing of trade barriers and (b) establishing a master plan for small business development and survival; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?