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14 May 2003 : Column 283W—continued
CABINET OFFICE
Internet
John Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how many people in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK (i) do not regularly use the internet and (ii) have never used the internet; [111290]
- (2) what steps he is taking to give the long-term unemployed (a) better knowledge of and (b) better access to the internet; [111288]
(3) what steps he is taking to give those in low income households better access to the internet; [111291]
(4) what steps he is taking to encourage people who do not regularly use the internet to log on more often; [111292]
(5) how he plans to publicise the forthcoming launch of Online Nation; [111293]
(6) what percentage of (a) households and (b) schools in (i) Scotland and (ii) the UK had access to the internet in each year since 1998; [111289]
(7) what estimate he has made of the percentage of voluntary organisations in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK who have had websites in each year since 1998. [111294]
Mr. Alexander: The UK has made considerable progress in recent years in terms of the proportion of the population regularly accessing the internet. The UK online programme drives forward work across Government, helping to meet the Prime Minister's commitment of internet access for all who want it by 2005. In 1998, 10 per cent. of UK households (8 per cent. in Scotland) had internet access, compared to 45 per cent. by April 2003. Virtually all schools across the UK are now connected to the internet. All schools in England will have broadband connections by the end of 2006.
In total, 62 per cent. of the UK adult population—some 28.7 million people—have now used the internet (October 2002 National Statistics Omnibus Survey); 38 per cent. of the UK adult population, 17.6 million people have yet to get online; and 50 per cent. of the adult population, 23.1 million people, log on regularly. The survey currently provides six-monthly breakdowns of results for the devolved administrations, so 2003 results for Scotland are not yet available.
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In November 2002 the Prime Minister announced that we had successfully achieved our target of setting up 6,000 UK online centres in England, enabling thousands of individuals to enjoy the benefits of the internet by providing free or low cost internet access and offering support for first time users. Many of the centres are located in the 2,000 most deprived wards in England. They are located in libraries, community centres, village halls, football clubs, mobile facilities and other community venues. UK online centres have a proven track record of helping to support and engage harder to reach groups, including the long-term unemployed, in the provision of access to ICT learning and skills. So far 16.9 per cent. of users have been unemployed.
The Scottish Executive's Public Internet Access Points initiative aims to create over 1,000 new internet access points in a wide range of venues throughout Scotland where people already go as part of their everyday lives—e.g. shops, post offices, community centres, pubs, sports facilities etc. Over 500 venues are now up and running. In addition over 550 libraries in Scotland now provide free public access to the internet.
To enable people to find their nearest internet access point the UK online helpline, in association with the Scottish Executive, provides contact/location information of public internet access facilities across the UK, including in Scotland.
During the forthcoming 'Get Started' (formerly 'Online Nation') publicity campaign, the UK online helpline will also provide information on events and activities (including taster sessions) in Scotland and Scottish callers will receive the Internet Made Easy CDROM (a joint development with Scottish University for Industry) covering basic skills and outlining the benefits of the web.
The 'Get Started' campaign will seek to explain to those currently not using the internet how the internet can benefit their daily lives, and will encourage them to access the internet at their nearest public internet access point. We are especially keen to encourage elderly people and those in low income households to get online as it is these people who are least likely to be aware of what the internet can do for them. This campaign will run simultaneously with a campaign in the Scottish Executive with similar objectives.
The 6,000 UK online centres will offer a free introductory session to the internet to anyone who wants it. In addition, we have commissioned regional TV programmes and community service announcements to demonstrate how people have benefited from using the internet.
To help get our message across we are working with a number of companies and voluntary organisations to deliver the campaign. These include the BBC, Arriva Group, BT pic, Dixons Stores, the Prince's Trust, the National Library for the Blind, and Citizens Advice. We hope that working with these partners will enable even more people to understand the benefits that the internet can bring.
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| Schools | Households | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (17)Scotland | UK | (18)Scotland | (19)UK | |
| 1998 | 48 | 28 | 8 | 9 |
| 1999 | 66 | 66 | 14 | 20 |
| 2000 | 73 | 88 | 24 | 34 |
| 2001 | 84 | 97 | 36 | 39 |
| 2002 | (20)— | 99 | 40 | 45 |
| 2003 | — | 99 | — | 45 |
(17) Percentage of Scottish publicly-funded schools with access to the Internet—source NGfL Scotland Progress Report and NGfL Scotland Progress Report 2.
(18) Scotland households: Source Family Expenditure Survey (April 1998 to March 2001) and Expenditure and Food Survey (from April 2001), by financial year.
(19) UK households: Source Family Expenditure Survey (April 1998 to March 2001) and Expenditure and Food Survey (from April 2001), October to December quarter.
(20) 2002 School Census will not be published until June 2003
Voluntary organisations are independent organisations and are not required to notify either Government or indeed anyone else when setting up a website. Therefore no figures are held centrally either for Scotland or the UK on the percentage of voluntary organisations with websites.
Public Sector Jobs
Ann Winterton: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what criteria are used for the advertising of Government and public sector jobs; what steps he is taking to ensure the widest display of Government and public sector job advertisements in varied media publications; and if he will make a statement. [112673]
Mr. Alexander: Individual Government Departments and agencies have responsibility for external recruitment, with the exception of the Fast Stream. The recruitment process for jobs in the Civil Service, including advertising, must be consistent with the principle of selection on merit on the basis of fair and open competition, in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment Code. Decisions about advertising have to take into account, subject to the details of the vacancy or vacancies, how best to ensure that information is widely available in the areas where the target candidate market is to be found.
We have set targets to improve the diversity of Government Departments at senior levels, and therefore recruitment advertising at every level includes trying to reach those who might not traditionally consider the civil service as a career. This includes the use of varied publications, and face to face contact.
The Cabinet Office works closely with other public sector employers, both at strategic and operational level, to promote the spread of best practice in recruitment.
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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Iraq
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 1 May 2003, Official Report, column 449W, on Iraq, what factors underlay the decision on whom to invite to the National Dialogue Conference on 15 April. [112348]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Coalition issued invitations to individual Iraqis to attend the Nassiriya Conference on 15 April. Invitations were aimed at attracting a range of Iraqi groups, including opposition and exile groups and those newly liberated.
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were received by his Department from (a) the All Party Parliamentary Archaelogical Group and (b) the British School of Archaeology on the need to protect Iraq's cultural heritage in advance of the start of the invasion of Iraq; what steps were taken in respect of the representations; and what response his Department made to the representations. [111360]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Dr. Crawford, Chairman, British School of Archaeology in Iraq, wrote to Edward Chaplin, FCO Director, on 27 December 2002, to express her concern about the threat to the monuments and heritage of Iraq in the event of millitary action. Mr. Chaplin replied on 4 February stating that the letter had been passed to the relevant Government Departments, as requested, and offered the Middle East Department as a future contact point.
I replied on 16 April to the All Party Parliamentary Archaeological Group's letter of II February to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.
The Government shares the concerns of the group about the importance of protecting and preserving archaeological sites and museums in Iraq. Before the conflict started, the Ministry of Defence consulted widely with the archaeological fraternity, who provided lists of key sites of cultural and historical interest in Iraq. Troops were briefed accordingly and avoided key sites of cultural and historical interest as far as possible during the conflict.
We could not prevent damage inflicted by Iraqi forces. Most of the looting by criminal elements occurred whilst the fighting was continuing. The aim of the Coalition forces at this stage was to suppress Saddam Hussein's forces with minimal loss of Coalition lives and Iraqi civilians.
Troops guarded cultural sites where they could, but this was not always possible due to the security situation. It also now appears that organised groups had access to Baghdad Museum and planned the looting well in advance of military action.
The US has informed us that there are guards at the Baghdad Museum and that the looting of artefacts is now under control.
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of the United States to
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provide for an independent body that can carry out an investigation of allegations of the unlawful use of lethal force by members of the armed forces performing policing and public order duties in Iraq. [111846]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: None. We are not aware of any allegations of unlawful use of lethal force by UK personnel in Iraq. However, were such an allegation to be made, the Special Investigation Branch of the Royal Military Police, a detachment of which is currently deployed in the Gulf, would be responsible for carrying out an investigation into the circumstances.
Any allegations against US personnel would be a matter for the US authorities.
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what involvement the United Nations has in Iraq in respect of (a) delivery of humanitarian aid, (b) policing and other civilian security, (c) re-building works, (d) economic development and (e) establishment of new political institutions. [112283]
Mr. Rammell: We believe that the UN has a vital role to play in Iraq. It is already delivering humanitarian aid under the Oil for Food Programme and co-ordinating the work of humanitarian NGOs.
The UK, together with the US and Spain, has put forward a draft Security Council resolution providing for an influential and wide-ranging UN role. The draft resolution calls for the appointment of a UN Special Co-ordinator whose tasks would be:
- support for and co-ordination of humanitarian and reconstruction assistance by UN agencies and non-governmental organisations;
support for the orderly and voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons;
working with others to restore and establish national and local institutions for representative governance;
facilitating the reconstruction of key infrastructure, in co-operation with other international organisations;
promoting economic reconstruction and the conditions for sustainable development, including through co-ordination with national and regional organisations, as appropriate, civil society, donors and the international financial institutions;
encouraging international efforts to contribute to basic civilian administration functions;
promoting human rights;
encouraging international efforts to rebuild the capacity of the Iraqi civilian police force;
supporting international efforts to promote legal and judicial reform.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government made about the invitations to the National Dialogue Conference in Iraq on 15 April; whom the Government met for discussions, and on which dates; who made the final decisions about the list of invitees; and if he will make a statement. [112316]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The meeting in Nassiriya took place on 15 April, while the military campaign was still under way. The invitation list was primarily a US one, designed quickly to initiate the political process towards establishing an Iraqi Interim Authority. The UK was
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invited to suggest additions to the invitations list. There were a number of close contacts between UK and US officials in the run up to this meeting, but the final decision on invitees rested with the US organisers on the event.
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