| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Social Security Appeals
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many appeals were heard by the social security appeal tribunal covering the Newport, Gwent, area in October; in how many cases the appellant was neither present nor represented; and in how many of these cases the appellant had informed the tribunal of his or her intention not to attend the hearing. [6310]
Mr. Roger Evans [holding answer 27 November 1996]: The information is set out in the table.
| Total | |
|---|---|
| Cases heard | 43 |
| Appellant neither present nor represented | 15 |
| Appellant informed tribunal of intention not to attend the hearing | 1 |
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Publicity
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what promotional and public information campaigns his Department is (a) currently running and (b) planning to run during the next six months; and for each campaign (i) how much it will cost, (1) in total and (2) to his Department, (ii) what agencies or bodies are undertaking the work and (iii) what is its planned duration. [7415]
Mr. Hanley: The diplomatic wing information effort aims to promote the influence and prestige of the UK overseas and seek long-term friends for Britain. This activity is delivered via exhibitions, publications, films/television, sponsored visits, the Internet, etcetera. Expenditure for 1996-97 is estimated to be £13.9 million.
The only public information campaign is that directed at UK nationals travelling abroad, giving them consular advice and information. The estimated cost in 1996-97 is £310,000. On behalf of the consular division, the Passport Agency inserts the checklist for travellers leaflet in every passport issued. The cost is based on 2p per passport plus 6 per cent. administration costs. Actual cost to the consular publicity budget for 1995-96 was £116,000.
The ODA does not run specific campaigns. Its publicity budget covers development education, publications, exhibitions, the British Overseas Development newspaper, the ODA roadshow and the Internet. The budget for the current and the next financial year for this work is £1.5 million.
The work is on-going.
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on promotional or public information campaigns in each of the last five years; and how much he estimates will be spent on these campaigns during the (i) current and (ii) next financial years. [7544]
6 Dec 1996 : Column: 824
Mr. Hanley:
The diplomatic wing information effort aims to promote the influence and prestige of the UK overseas and seek long-term friends for Britain. This activity is delivered via exhibitions, publications, films/television, sponsored visits, the Internet, etcetera.
| Diplomatic wing consider publicity £ | ODA £ | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 Estimate | 345,000 | 1,500,000 |
| 1996-97 Estimate | 310,000 | 1,500,000 |
| 1995-96 Actual | 414,255 | 1,270,000 |
| 1994-95 Actual | 162,700 | 1,355,000 |
| 1993-94 Actual | 295,000 | 1,200,000 |
| 1992-93 Actual | 342,619 | 1,012,000 |
| 1991-92 Actual | Not Known | 961,000 |
Cyprus
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contacts he has had with the Greek Cypriot Government since 1 January. [7656]
Mr. David Davis: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary had talks with President Clerides and Foreign Minister Michaelides of Cyprus on 19 June. My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary had further discussions with them in New York on 27 September.
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the Government have made of the advantages of acceptance of the application by Cyprus for membership of the European Union; and if he will make a statement. [7659]
Mr. Davis: We welcome the European Union's acceptance of Cyprus's application to join the EU and the decision to open accession negotiations six months after the end of the intergovernmental conference. The UK shares the hopes of most EU member states that Cyprus will join the EU as a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation following a comprehensive political settlement. On that basis, it will bring considerable benefits to both communities on the island.
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking in respect of proposals to reunify Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. [7671]
Mr. Davis: We are determined to put our full weight behind UN-led efforts to achieve a just and lasting settlement in Cyprus on the basis of UN Security Council resolutions which call for a bi-zonal, bi-communal
6 Dec 1996 : Column: 825
federation. My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary will visit Cyprus later this month to take forward discussions to this end.
China (Death Penalty)
Mr. Jon Owen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to raise the issue of China's policy of executing Chinese nationals who commit tax fraud with the Chinese Government, before the transfer of Hong Kong's sovereignty. [7665]
Mr. Hanley: We and our EU partners have expressed to the Chinese authorities our concern about the use of the death penalty when this is in disregard of international legal safeguards.
The death penalty was abolished in Hong Kong by the Crimes (Amendment) Ordinance in April 1993. Under the Sino-British joint declaration, the laws previously in force in Hong Kong shall be maintained, save for any that contravene the Basic Law and subject to any amendment by the Hong Kong special autonomous region legislature.
Christmas Expenditure
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department plans to spend on celebrating Christmas and the new year. [7585]
Mr. Hanley: The normal course of official entertainment in pursuit of the Department's objectives includes events during the festive season. Their cost is not recorded separately, but is included in the running cost expenditure which is published in the annual departmental report. To produce the information requested would require consulting all overseas posts and departments in London, and would involve disproportionate cost. The cost of the Department's staff Christmas parties is met by the staff themselves.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department will spend on Christmas trees and decorations this year; how many Christmas trees will be bought for his Department's headquarters; and what are the type and country of origin of the trees. [7570]
Mr. Hanley: This year, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will spend £1,126 on Christmas trees and decorations One tree will be brought for the main FCO building in King Charles street. It is a Norwegian spruce imported by the supplier from Norway and cost £325.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Rural Newsagents
Mr. Dafis: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the contribution of local professional newsagents to rural communities; what assessment his Department has made of the effect of a non-negotiable margin decrease on their businesses; and if he will make a statement. [7952]
6 Dec 1996 : Column: 826
Mr. Page: The Government made clear their commitment to rural communities in "Rural England 1996", Cm 3444. Newspaper retailing is a valued service in all communities. Newsagents margins on the sale of newspapers are a commercial matter for the parties concerned.
Christmas Expenditure
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much his Department plans to spend on celebrating Christmas and the new year. [7575]
Mr. John M. Taylor: Disaggregated information of this nature is not available. The Department's budget for official hospitality this financial year, excluding the net controlled agencies, is £515,000.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much his Department will spend on Christmas trees and decorations this year; how many Christmas trees will be bought for his Department's headquarters; and what are the type and country of origin of the trees. [7563]
Mr. Taylor: As the Department and its agencies occupy some 220 sites, a global figure is not readily available. As to the six headquarters buildings occupied by the DTI in central London, the cost of decorating reception and public areas is estimated at £1,500, including the purchase of five Christmas trees of the Abies Nobilis variety from Scotland.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |