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Refurbishment

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the refurbishment projects that (a) are in progress and (b) will start within the next six months; and what action is being taken to ensure that these will procure certified timber. [59775]

Mr. Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.

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There are two major refurbishment projects currently under way or to commence during the next six months in the Department of Transport. These are:

Federated House, Dorking (Highways Agency): the use of timber from certified sustainable sources is included in the specification.


Eland House, London (DTLR(C)): the use of timber from certified sustainable sources will be included in the specification.

Departmental Expenditure Limit

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much and what proportion of the departmental expenditure limit for 2002–03 will be accounted for by staff costs; what the figures were for 2001–02; and if he will make a statement. [61017]

Mr. Jamieson: Following the split of the Department between the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department for Transport, the departmental expenditure limit (DEL) for the Department for Transport has yet to be settled.

Promotion Panel

Andrew Bennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many officers promoted from Band 6 to Band 5 at the HSE NW regional office, Manchester from January 1998 to December 2001, were successful at promotion panels in open competition; how many unsuccessful candidates were subsequently promoted; and if such promotions are in line with HSE policy and procedures. [62720]

Mr. Jamieson: The number of Band 6 officers promoted to B5 at the HSE NW regional office between January 1998 and December 2001 was six.

The information regarding the number of unsuccessful candidates who were subsequently promoted is not readily available.

Regional Spending

Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's (a) capital and (b) revenue spending for each English region in each year since 1992 was. [62811]

Mr. Raynsford: I have been asked to reply.

Information on the capital and revenue spending for each English region since 1992 for the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, and its predecessors is not available. Details of identifiable public expenditure outturn by region and function are published in the annual Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (Cms 2821, 3201, 3601, 3901, 4201, 4601, 5101 and 5401).

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

New Partnership for Africa's Development

17. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the development of the New Partnership for Africa's Development. [62121]

Mr. MacShane: The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NePAD) is a long term agenda for Africa,

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designed by African leaders for the attainment of sustainable development. Our work on the G8 Africa Plan shows our strong support for NePAD and we will seek to build stronger partnerships with those countries which put the NePAD principles into practice.

Russia

19. Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on bilateral relations with Russia. [62123]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Bilateral relations are excellent, with an intensive programme of high-level visits. The Prime Minister is in regular contact with President Putin: they will next meet at the G8 summit on 25–26 June. We actively support Putin's programme of reforms, and we have a productive dialogue on the full range of issues.

21. Mr. Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with Russia about combating terrorism. [62125]

28. Valerie Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions are taking place with Russia on combating international terrorism. [62132]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last discussed counter-terrorism with the Russians during the G8 Foreign Ministers' Summit in Canada on 12–13 June.

Middle East

20. Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with Israeli representatives concerning the situation in Israel and Palestine. [62124]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: On 12 June my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister discussed with Prime Minister Sharon how to resolve the conflict in the Middle East, and generate confidence in a genuine political process. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres on 28 April. I had a discussion with the Israeli Ambassador on 18 June, at which I expressed concern about the situation in the region, and explored ways to restart a political process.

34. Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has held with European Union Foreign Ministers to co-ordinate their response to the situation in the middle east. [62139]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is in almost constant contact with his European Union colleagues. Most recently, he attended the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 17 June, during which European Union Foreign Ministers discussed the situation in the middle east.

Pakistan

22. Mr. Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent security developments in Pakistan. [62126]

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Mr. Mike O'Brien: We remain seriously concerned about the security situation in Pakistan and are appalled by the many incidents of terrorist violence against Pakistani and foreign nationals. The vicious attack on worshippers in an Islamabad church in March and the two recent bombings in Karachi were particularly horrifying. As soon as the news of the latest bombing reached us, I immediately issued a statement expressing our sympathies to the friends and relatives of those killed.

We will continue to urge the Pakistani authorities to sustain their efforts to root out the terrorists and bring them to justice. The threat of war between India and Pakistan has further undermined the security environment in the region. We are encouraged by the recent steps taken by the Pakistani and Indian Governments to defuse tensions and will continue to urge them to move away from confrontation and towards dialogue.

World Trade

23. Rosemary McKenna: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the effect of US steel tariffs on world trade. [62127]

Mr. MacShane: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier in the House today to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Ms Munn).

31. Kali Mountford: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on post-Doha world trade liberalisation. [62135]

Mr. MacShane: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier in the House today to my hon. Friend the Member for Corby (Phil Hope).

Zimbabwe

24. Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had concerning Zimbabwe at the recent European Council meeting in Seville. [62128]

Mr. MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary had no formal discussions with EU partners on Zimbabwe at Seville.

30. Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the political situation in Zimbabwe. [62134]

Mr. MacShane: What is happening in Zimbabwe is a man-made tragedy. Zimbabwe's only way back from disaster is through the restoration of the rule of law, an end to political violence, a return to democratic legitimacy, and the adoption of credible economic policies.

Our policy towards Zimbabwe is to sustain an international consensus by working with European, Commonwealth, US, African and other international and democratic friends to help restore democracy, good governance, respect for human rights and the rule of law.

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Zimbabwean Government on the future of land owned by British expatriates; and if he will make a statement. [62110]

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Mr. MacShane: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier in the House today to my hon. Friend the Member for Workington (Tony Cunningham).

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what penalties can be imposed on an EU member state which does not enforce the travel ban imposed on members of the Zimbabwean Government. [62166]

Mr. MacShane [holding answer 17 June 2002]: The travel ban is imposed by a Common Position (2002/145/CFSP of 18 February 2002). Under Article 15 of the Treaty on European Union, all member states are obliged to implement Common Positions. All member states have fully implemented and enforced the travel ban so far and we expect them to continue doing so. There are no penalties under the Treaty applicable in these cases.

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which EU body oversees the implementation by member states of the travel ban restrictions imposed on the various members of the Zimbabwean Government. [62167]

Mr. MacShane [holding answer 17 June 2002]: The European Union travel ban is imposed by a Common Position (2002/145/CFSP of 18 February 2002). Under Article 15 of the Treaty on European Union, all member states are obliged to implement Common Positions. The responsibility for implementing Common Positions lies with member states.

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