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12 May 2003 : Column 86W—continued
Western Sahara
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Morocco on human rights in the western Sahara, with particular reference to its action against the Forum for Truth and Justice. [111353]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 28 April 2003, Official Report, column 134W.
In April this year FCO officials raised concerns over the trial, sentencing and prison conditions of a Forum for Truth and Justice activist with the Moroccan authorities. We have also raised concerns about travel restrictions on a small number of Saharawi activists, including some associated with the Forum for Truth and Justice. We continue to monitor the situation closely, and will take action with the appropriate authorities where necessary.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he plans to have with the interim President of the African Union on the western Sahara. [111354]
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Moroccan Government on its proposal to increase substantially phosphate production in western Sahara. [111355]
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Algeria on the western Sahara. [111356]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: I met Amine Kherbi, the Algerian Presidential Special Envoy, when he visited London to discuss Western Sahara last year. Foreign Office officials in London, Algiers and New York are in regular contact with their Algerian counterparts.
PRIME MINISTER
Cabinet Office
Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will bring the Cabinet Office under the aegis of a new Prime Minister's Department. [112444]
The Prime Minister: There are no plans to change the status of the Cabinet Office.
Counselling Services
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Prime Minister what arrangements are made in his Office to allow staff to access counselling services. [111952]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office gave him today.
12 May 2003 : Column 87W
E-mail Address
Harry Cohen: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to set up an official e-mail address. [112847]
The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Guildford (Ms Doughty) on 6 November 2002, Official Report, column 399W.
Entertainment Costs
Mr. Gray: To ask the Prime Minister when he has entertained Labour hon. Members at public expense in the last 12 months; and at what cost. [106393]
The Prime Minister: Hon. Members from all parties are invited to nominate and accompany their constituents to attend a children's tea or a tour of the building at 10 Downing street.
For the total cost to my office for all official entertainment at 10 Downing street and Chequers, I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 28 February 2002, Official Report, columns 1444–48W, and the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 27 January 2003, Official Report, column 564W.
As was the practice under previous Administrations, I have hosted a number of political events at Downing street. The costs of these were met by the Labour Party.
House of Lords Appointments Commission
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister what changes he proposes to make to the composition of the House of Lords Appointments Commission. [112313]
Iraq
Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what compensation he plans to provide to all surviving civilians from families whose members were injured or killed by the use of United Kingdom weapons during the invasion of Iraq. [111242]
The Prime Minister: Throughout the military conflict we have always tried to minimise the adverse effects of our actions on Iraqi civilians. We have always been, and will remain, in the forefront of efforts to help the Iraqi people.
As the United Kingdom has acted in accordance with international law no issue of compensation arises.
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Prime Minister how many former members of the Iraqi Ba'athist regime are claiming asylum in the UK. [112211]
Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
The Home Office has no record of an asylum application from anyone with a credible claim to be a senior Ba'ath party member or member of the Iraqi regime. Any evidence to the contrary will be thoroughly investigated.
12 May 2003 : Column 88W
All applicants for asylum are screened in order to establish their identity. Anyone who might be of security interest will be detained and referred to the appropriate agencies.
Official Gifts
Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the official gifts he has received for his 50th birthday. [112725]
The Prime Minister: The Government are committed to publishing an annual list of gifts received by Ministers in an official capacity valued at more than £140. The first ever list was published on 14 March 2003, Official Report, column 482W. Details of gifts received during 2003–04 valued at more than £140 will be published at the end of the current financial year.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Abu Hamza
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the withdrawal of benefits for Abu Hamza because of his alleged terrorist connections. [111721]
Malcolm Wicks: We do not disclose personal information in regard to an individual's benefit. This is in line with paragraph 12, Part 2, of the Code of Practice on access to Government information.
Accountancy Services
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in 2002–03. [109480]
Maria Eagle: The Department is unable to provide the information requested because DWP accounting systems record accountancy spend under the general headings of 'Consultancy and Professional Services'. Our current systems are not able to disaggregate expenditure to reflect the individual spend on accountancy services and a manual sift of the expenditure data could not be undertaken without incurring disproportionate cost.
Age Discrimination
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on his policy on the Central Office of Information's decision to reject a job application from a constituent of the hon. Member for Vauxhall, on the grounds that he is over the age of 60 and this contravenes their pension fund rules. [108679]
Mr. Alexander: I have been asked to reply.
The job application was rejected on the grounds that the applicant is over 60 and this would contravene pension fund rules.
There is no bar in the civil service pension schemes to employment over the age of 60. Indeed there are large numbers of scheme members over that age.
12 May 2003 : Column 89W
It is, in fact, COI's current retirement policy, agreed with its trade unions that it does not employ staff over 60. An apology was sent, explaining the error.
However, it is acceptable under existing COI policy, for people over 60 to be employed on fixed term contracts, rather than on permanent terms.
Correspondence with the applicant subsequent to the apology has indicated, implicitly, that his application would be considered, but this seems to have generated more confusion. COI has, therefore, sent an explicit statement offering, exceptionally, to extend the deadline for this applicant should he wish to apply.
Benefit Fraud
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many persons have been gaoled for benefit fraud since 1997. [101551]
Malcolm Wicks [pursuant to the reply, 31 March 2003, c. 592W]: The information is in the table.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 550 |
| 1998–99 | 640 |
| 1999–2000 | 640 |
| 2000–01 | 660 |
| 2001–02 | 650 |
(8) Imprisonment, Young Offenders Institute or custodial and fine.
Source:
Fraud Information By Sector and data from Counter-Fraud Investigation Division (Operations)
(9)
(10) The fraud database shows completed cases commenced in the relevant period. Due to the elapsed time between commencement of an investigation and completion of a prosecution there are cases that are inserted into previously completed data for earlier periods. All totals are therefore correct at the time when quoted but subject to adjustment at a later date.
In accordance with National Statistics Guidelines all figures in the table are rounded to the nearest 10 with "—" indicating a figure of 5 or fewer. Due to rounding process the total will not necessarily agree.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many persons were (a) convicted and (b) acquitted of benefit fraud offences in each of the last three years, broken down by type of offence; how many of those convicted of each type of offence in each year were sentenced to (i) immediate custody and (ii) other disposals broken down by type of disposal; what the (A) mean average and (B) longest individual custodial sentence imposed in each year was for each type of offence; and if he will make a statement. [88466]
Malcolm Wicks [pursuant to my reply, 28 February 2003, c. 762W]: Information on benefit fraud by type of offence and the length of custodial sentences imposed following conviction are not recorded. The available information is in the table.
12 May 2003 : Column 90W
Further analysis of investigation data has required revisions to previously published figures. The corrected data is shown in the table.
| Convictions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custodial sentences(11) | Community sentences(12) | Other sentences(13) | Acquittals | Total prosecutions | |
| 1997–98 | 550 | 2,550 | 8,280 | 140 | 11,520 |
| 1998–99 | 640 | 2,290 | 7,030 | 160 | 10,130 |
| 1999–2000 | 640 | 2,210 | 6,270 | 140 | 9,270 |
| 2000–01 | 660 | 2,700 | 8,040 | 180 | 11,580 |
| 2001–02 | 650 | 3,070 | 7,470 | 170 | 11,360 |
(11) Imprisonment, Young Offenders Institute, custodial and fine
(12) Community Service
(13) Absolute discharge, conditional discharge, compensation only, admonishment, fine, community rehabilitation, suspended sentence, supervision order, Young Offenders Institute, attendance centre, unknown
(14) The fraud database shows completed cases commenced in the relevant period. Due to the elapsed time between commencement of an investigation and completion of a prosecution there are cases that are inserted into previously completed data for earlier periods. All totals are therefore correct at the time when quoted but subject to adjustment at a later date
Notes:
1. In accordance with National Statistics Guidelines all figures are rounded to the nearest 10 with "—" indicating a figure of 5 or fewer.
2. Due to rounding process the totals will not necessarily agree.
Source:
Fraud Information by Sector system and data from Counter-Fraud Investigation Division Operations
(15)
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