7 Feb 2000 : Column: 1W
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 7 February 2000
CABINET OFFICE
Heroin Addiction
Jane Griffiths: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what support the Government gives to the work of the East-West Detox organisation in combating heroin addiction; and if she will make a statement. [108586]
Mr. Ian McCartney: The commissioning of services for drug misusers is essentially a matter for local agencies. The East-West Detox organisation receives no financial support from the Berkshire Health Authority. Health authorities and local authorities will receive an extra £70.5 million from 1999 to 2002 to commission and develop drug treatment services. The Government believe that a range of treatments should be available to allow drug misusers to benefit from those most appropriate to their needs and abstinence should be the primary aim of treatment.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
International Criminal Tribunals
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was his Department's financial contribution to (a) the International Criminal Tribunal on Yugoslavia and (b) the International Criminal Tribunal on Rwanda, in each year since these bodies were established. [107424]
Mr. Vaz: The International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda (ICTR) and the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) are funded by a combination of assessed contributions by UN member states and voluntary contributions. UK contributions are as follows:
| Year | |
|---|---|
| UN assessed (US$) | |
| 1995 | 1.1 million |
| 1996 | 855,703 |
| 1997 | 1.2 million |
| 1998 | 2.6 million |
| 1999 | 5.1 million |
| Voluntary contributions (£) | |
| 1995 | 258,400 |
| 1996 | 206,500 |
| 1997 | 500,000 |
| 1998 | 1.44 million |
| 1999(1) | 204,500 |
(1) Not final
7 Feb 2000 : Column: 2W
| Year | |
|---|---|
| UN assessed (US$) | |
| 1995 | 340,000 |
| 1996 | 685,108 |
| 1997 | 637,666 |
| 1998 | 2.8 million |
| 1999 | 3.5 million |
| Voluntary contributions (£) | |
| 1996 | 138,000 |
| 1997 | 56,000 |
| 1998 | 45,500 |
| 1999 | 185,000 |
Japan (Radioactive Materials)
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received concerning the sea shipment of plutonium MOX fuels and radioactive wastes from the United Kingdom to Japan from countries on the shipment route. [108693]
Mr. Hain: To date, we have received representations from the Governments of New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and the Commonwealth Caribbean countries, as well as the Fijian-based Pacific Concerns Resources Centre Inc.
Indonesia
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he held with the President of Indonesia during his visit to London about the loss of Indonesia's forest resource; and if he will make a statement. [108152]
Mr. Battle: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development discussed the question of illegal logging with President Wahid during his recent visit to the UK.
Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings Her Majesty's Government (a) hosted and (b) arranged for Indonesia's Forestry Minister during his recent visit to London. [108153]
Mr. Battle: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development called on President Wahid during his recent visit to the UK. The Indonesian Minister for Forestry and Plantation was present at the call.
PRIME MINISTER
Staff Bonuses
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Prime Minister how much his Office spent in total on extra bonuses above usual payments for staff working over the new year period; what were the (a) maximum and (b) minimum bonuses paid; how many people received the (i) maximum and (ii) minimum payment; and if he will make a statement. [104475]
7 Feb 2000 : Column: 3W
The Prime Minister:
The Cabinet Office, which for the purpose of this answer includes No.10, and the Government Millennium Centre have paid 53 millennium bonuses and will pay 26 special bonuses at a cost of £20,750.
| Millennium bonus | Special bonus | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum | £150 | £750 |
| Received by | 19 staff | 8 staff |
| Minimum | £100 | £250 |
| Received by | 34 staff | 1 staff |
Millennium bonuses were paid to staff working for a minimum of six hours between 9 pm Friday 31 December and 9 am Saturday 1 January 2000.
Special bonuses have been awarded to staff in recognition of the exceptional contribution they made throughout the preceding two years ensuring that any possible detrimental effects of the date change were identified and resolved before 1 January 2000.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the items in the National Assets Register sold by his Office, its agencies and associated public bodies since 22 February 1999, stating in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total amount raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. [104680]
The Prime Minister:
For the purpose of this question, this answer includes my Office and the Cabinet Office and its agencies.
IT equipment, and vehicles in the fleet of the Government Car and Despatch Agency, are routinely replaced at the end of their useful life. The old equipment and vehicles are sold where it is appropriate and economic to do so.
In addition to these replacement programmes, the Cabinet Office has sold a surplus property, Alencon Link in Basingstoke, for £1.3 million. A payment of £1.25 million has also been received, representing deferred sale proceeds following the privatisation of Chessington Computer Centre.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Prime Minister for what reason it is established practice not to disclose the titles of internal histories which are planned or in progress. [106161]
The Prime Minister:
Decisions about the publication of information about internal Departmental histories are a matter for the Department concerned. It is not uncommon for such histories, or for projects in the Official Histories programme, to contain classified information or for their subject-matter to evolve as work proceeds. Publication of the studies and information about them is therefore better decided when studies are completed and can be assessed.
7 Feb 2000 : Column: 4W
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions each Cabinet Committee has met in the past year. [107829]
The Prime Minister:
It is established practice under section 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information not to disclose information relating to proceedings of Cabinet Committees.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 1 February 2000, Official Report, column 545W, what assessment he has made of the compatibility between the United Kingdom's obligations to the Council of Europe and under other international undertakings and the United Kingdom Privy Council presiding over appeals in cases where the death sentence has been imposed following conviction in the High Court of an independent Commonwealth jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement. [108672]
The Prime Minister:
In the cases mentioned by my hon. Friend, the Privy Council is acting as part of the judicial structure of the independent state concerned, and not of the United Kingdom. There is no incompatibility with any of the United Kingdom's international obligations including those under Council of Europe instruments. Nevertheless, as I have made clear, the Government actively oppose the use of the death penalty by all states, including those from whose courts there is a right of appeal to the Privy Council.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 1 February 2000, Official Report, columns 544-45W, on the Privy Council, if the Queen appoints any judges or members of the United Kingdom's Privy Council on the recommendation of her Ministers from countries other than the United Kingdom. [108675]
The Prime Minister:
Yes. It is, of course, not the United Kingdom Privy Council as such. Membership is also accorded to eminent people in some independent countries of the Commonwealth, of which Her Majesty is Queen.
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions he has met Baroness Thatcher for discussions in the course of his official duties since 1 May 1997; and if he will make a statement. [108580]
The Prime Minister:
I have meetings with a wide range of individuals and organisations.
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