| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
21 Oct 2003 : Column 532W—continued
Brewster Sessions
Mr. Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many licences will be considered by Brewster Sessions in 2004, broken down by percentage represented by (a) hotels, (b) restaurants, (c) pubs and (d) others; what proportion of applications were refused by the Brewster Sessions in each of the last five years; and what the cost to industry of applications to the Brewster Sessions was in the last year for which figures are available. [133149]
21 Oct 2003 : Column 533W
Mr. Caborn: We estimate that the costs to applicants for renewal of their licences at the last triennial Brewster Sessions was about £11 million, including fees and legal support costs, of which £4.65 million was paid in fees.
The Brewster Sessions at which justices' licences are renewed is a triennial event which last took place in 2001. There have therefore been only two such sessions in the last five years. At these sessions, licensing committees consider objections made by the police, local authorities and local residents to the continuation of licences for a further three years.
The percentage of on-licensed premises which are residential or residential/restaurant licences (hotels) is 7.5 per cent. of restaurants, 18.5 per cent. of public houses, 71 per cent. and of other licences, 3.5 per cent. The total number of on-licensed premises was 110,000 at the end of June 2001, these being the last available figures. In addition, there are some 45,000 off-licensed premises.
There are no figures collected centrally of the proportion of applications for renewal refused by the licensing justices sitting at the Brewster Sessions.
Images of England Project
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people are being included in the Images of England project at the National Monuments Record of English Heritage. [132276]
Mr. Caborn: The Images of England project is creating a 'point in time' photographic record of England's 370,000 listed buildings. A wide range of buildings and other structures, from houses and barns to telephone boxes, churches, gravestones and cinemas, are included in the statutory lists of buildings of special architectural or historic interest.
The project is not seeking to photograph people associated with the listed buildings and English Heritage does not generally hold (or seek) information about how many individuals inhabit those that are private dwellings.
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people have applied requesting exemption from the Images of England project at the National Monuments Record of English Heritage. [132277]
Mr. Caborn: As of the end of September 2003, English Heritage has received 4,508 applications for exemption relating to less than 1.5 per cent. of the 370,000 listed buildings.
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the annual cost is of the Images of England project at the National Monuments Record of English Heritage. [132278]
Mr. Caborn: The average annual cost of the Images of England project (taken until the end of the 2002–03 financial year and excluding the pilot project) is £897,000, 75 per cent. of which is provided through a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The average annual cost to English Heritage over the same period is therefore £224,000.
21 Oct 2003 : Column 534W
Maritime Archaeology
Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on developments in maritime archaeology since responsibility was transferred from her Department to English Heritage; and what further developments are planned. [132599]
Mr. Caborn: Since being given responsibilities for maritime archaeology, English Heritage now provides the Secretariat to the Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites, and has re-tendered the contract for archaeological diving services.
English Heritage is also currently reviewing the priorities for its wider responsibilities for maritime archaeology in England, and advances have been made in understanding the issues relating to the protection, enhancement and preservation of two of those wrecks in England designated under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973, in the form of Desk Based Assessments. Further such assessments are planned in the future.
In addition, English Heritage has been able, in partnership with other Government Departments and agencies, to raise the awareness of industry and regulators about the need to take the submerged historic environment into account when planning developments.
Tourism (North-East)
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures the Department is taking to encourage tourism in the north-east. [133217]
Mr. Caborn: This Department has allocated £50 million to VisitBritain in 2003–04 for the promotion of Britain overseas and to promote England to the domestic market. Although the north-east benefits from this activity, funding for VisitBritain is not allocated for individual regions, but promotes the country as a whole in a way which maximises the impact of its campaigns in individual markets.
Additionally, DCMS is providing funding to One North East of £330,000 for 2003–04 for tourism development in line with its regional tourism strategy and within the national framework.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Child Soldiers
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures are in place (a) to stop the exploitation of children as soldiers and (b) to bring those responsible to justice. [133559]
Mr. Rammell: We are working with other UK Government Departments, other governments, the non-governmental community and the multi-lateral system (including UN and regional mechanisms) to prevent, reduce and resolve armed conflicts. We consider this to be the most effective way of stopping the exploitation of children as soldiers.
21 Oct 2003 : Column 535W
Work is on-going to integrate child-specific issues into post-conflict truth and justice mechanisms to that end, examples being in Sierra Leone and Rwanda. Furthermore, the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court recognises the enlistment or use of children under the age of 15 years to be a war crime, and the ICC provides a means by which to prosecute such offences.
In June 2003, the UK ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict. The Protocol, ratified by 64 countries worldwide, increases the protection afforded to children by prohibiting their participation in armed conflict.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures are in place to end human rights violations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [133558]
Mr. Mullin: The UK strongly condemns all abuses of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the climate of impunity which exists there. We have worked hard, with international partners, for an end to the regional conflicts which perpetuated the appalling human rights situation. Instruments available to tackle human rights abuses include:
- continued diplomatic dialogue with the DRC authorities;
the presence of the United Nations Organisation Mission in Congo (MONUC—who have specialist human rights staff);
the democracy support institutions set up alongside the Transitional National Government in Kinshasa (including the National Human Rights Observatory and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission). The UK is actively considering ways in which it can support the work of these institutions;
the valuable work of the many human rights NGOs operating in the DRC.
Uganda
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the effect on (a) security and (b) the humanitarian situation in Uganda of the fighting between government forces and the Lord's Resistance Army. [133564]
Mr. Mullin: We are deeply concerned that the security and humanitarian situation in the North and North-Eastern regions of Uganda continues to deteriorate as a result of the recent escalation of violence by the Lord's Resistance Army.
We understand the Ugandan Government's need to take military action to restore security but have repeatedly urged the Ugandan Government to ensure the humanitarian implications of their military campaign are given the highest priority. We continue to encourage the government to explore complementary methods of bringing the conflict to an end. The United
21 Oct 2003 : Column 536W
Kingdom gave £2.5 million last financial year for humanitarian assistance to Uganda and is currently allocating a further £3 million.
Zimbabwe
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what discussions the Government have held with the England and Wales Cricket Board regarding the planned tour of Zimbabwe by England in 2004; [132569]
- (2) what representations the Government has made to the International Cricket Council (ICC) concerning future tours to Zimbabwe by the England cricket team; what advice was received from the ICC; and when; [132570]
(3) which of his Ministers have held discussions with the England and Welsh Cricket Board concerning the planned tour by the England cricket team to Zimbabwe in 2004; and when the meetings were held; [132571]
(4) what the Government's policy is on the decision by the English Cricket Board to tour Zimbabwe in 2004; and what advice his Department is planning to give English supporters about travelling to Zimbabwe; [132575]
(5) what advice the England and Wales Cricket Board sought from his Department regarding the planned tour of Zimbabwe by England in 2004; and what advice he has given them. [132576]
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made concerning next year's proposed England cricket tour to Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement. [132582]
Mr. Straw: The England cricket team's tour of Zimbabwe scheduled for late 2004 is a matter for the UK cricket authorities.
FCO Ministers have had no contact with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) or International Cricket Council (ICC) about next year's tour.
FCO officials have spoken with ECB officials and stand ready to further brief the ECB, as and when required, on the political situation inside Zimbabwe and on safety and security issues.
English supporters, like all travellers to Zimbabwe, are advised to refer to our regularly up-dated travel advice.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the level of employment of child soldiers in Zimbabwe. [133562]
Mr. Mullin: The official minimum age for entry into the Zimbabwean armed forces is 18 years. We are not aware of the Zimbabwean armed forces systematically recruiting below this age.
The Zimbabwean "National Youth Service" was established in 2000. Nominally a voluntary training scheme for vocational skills, disaster management, patriotism and moral education, it is widely understood to operate as a youth militia for the ruling party. By the end of 2002 an estimated 9,000 young people had
21 Oct 2003 : Column 537W
undergone formal training in this scheme in five main camps and up to 20,000 were trained less formally elsewhere. This allegedly included weapons training. In July 2003, the Zimbabwe Defence Minister announced plans to formally integrate weapons training in the scheme's programme. The stated catchment age for the National Youth Service is 12–30 years.
The "National Youth Service" is now one of the most commonly reported violators of human rights in Zimbabwe. There are also numerous credible reports of young people in training camps being abused.
We deplore the political violence which is prevalent in Zimbabwe and will continue to work with our international partners to bring about a return to good governance and a respect for human rights, including the rights of the child, there.
Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the current economic and political situation in Zimbabwe. [132245]
Mr. Mullin: The situation in Zimbabwe continues to deteriorate. Last month saw the closure of the only independent daily newspaper, and last week saw the arrest of up to 200 trade unionists for peacefully demonstrating. As this year's meagre crop runs out, half the population will depend on food aid. The Zimbabwean people continue to struggle with hyper-inflation, mass unemployment, and shortages of cash, food and fuel. The source of the problem is clear: bad governance and bad policies. We will continue to support all those working for peaceful change in Zimbabwe and a return to democracy, accountable government and respect for human rights.
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that journalists from the United Kingdom have access to Zimbabwe. [132785]
Mr. Mullin: We deplore Zimbabwe's draconian media legislation. We have made it clear that the expulsion of foreign journalists only serves to further damage Zimbabwe's reputation. We have also underlined that free speech and a free press are among the essential prerequisites for the restoration of Zimbabwe's relations with the international community.
Mr. Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure an end to the harassment of the political opposition within Zimbabwe. [132786]
Mr. Mullin: We have consistently condemned the Mugabe government's harassment of the opposition, independent media and civil society. With our strong support, the EU has imposed sanctions on the ZANU (PF) leadership. The Commonwealth has suspended Zimbabwe from its Councils. We have encouraged Zimbabwe's neighbours to press ZANU (PF) to stop its violence towards the opposition. We will continue to support all those working peacefully for a return to a democratically elected government which respects human fights and the rule of law.
21 Oct 2003 : Column 538W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |