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ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE
Voting Age
20. Bob Spink: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how the outcome of the review on lowering the age of voting will be communicated to the House. [151912]
Mr. Viggers: On the day of publication of its report on the age of voting and of candidacy, the Electoral Commission will send a copy to each Member of Parliament and will place copies in the Library.
Local Government Finance
26. Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what assessment is made of the effect on grant allocations and inward investment consequent on levels of deprivation in local authority wards when boundary reviews are being carried out; and if he will make a statement. [151918]
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Mr. Viggers: None. While a number of agencies use local authority ward boundaries as a convenient basis for the allocation of grant aid and regeneration funding, such considerations do not fall within the scope of the matters which are taken into account in carrying out boundary reviews.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Burundi
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that the Government of Burundi does not offer an amnesty for crimes against humanity committed against British and other nationals during the civil war; and if he will make a statement. [151767]
Mr. Mullin: The violation of human rights and international humanitarian law in Burundi continues to be of serious concern. While we cannot dictate the terms of any eventual ceasefire between the parties to the conflict in Burundi, we are working closely with the international community on the issue of post-conflict justice in Burundi and how best to bring an end to impunity.
In this respect, we support the proposal of the United Nations to send an assessment mission to Burundi, which is to consider the advisability and feasibility of establishing an international commission of judicial inquiry for Burundi.
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In respect of crimes committed against British nationals, we continue to raise individual cases with the Burundi authorities.
Correspondence
Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter to him dated 17 December 2003 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs. Ahmed. [151226]
Mr. Mullin: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary replied on 20 January.
Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter to him dated 15 December 2003 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to S. Rahman. [151228]
Mr. Mullin: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary replied on 12 January.
Council of Europe
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution was made by the United Kingdom to the Council of Europe in 2003–04. [151795]
Mr. MacShane: In 2003, the UK's contributions to the Council of Europe totalled Euro 27,023,466. This breaks down into 10 strands:
| Budget | Government Department | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary budget | Foreign and Commonwealth Office | 21,918.076 |
| Pensions | Foreign and Commonwealth Office | 2,197,145 |
| Extraordinary budget (buildings) | Foreign and Commonwealth Office | 501,787 |
| European Youth Foundation | Foreign and Commonwealth Office | 311,238 |
| Venice Commission | Foreign and Commonwealth Office | 405,318 |
| Partial Agreement in the Social and Public Health Field | Department of Health | 287,889 |
| European Pharmacopoeia | Department of Health | 691,424 |
| Co-operation Group to Combat Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Drugs (Pompidou Group) | Home Office | 241,215 |
| Enlarged Partial Agreement on the Group of States against Corruption | Home Office | 235,775 |
| Graz Centre | Department for Education and Skills | 233,600 |
In 2004 the UK's contributions to the Council of Europe will total Euro 28,356,459. This breaks down into 10 strands:
| Budget | Government Department | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary budget | Foreign and Commonwealth Office | 22,376,585 |
| Pensions | Foreign and Commonwealth Office | 3,060,401 |
| Extraordinary budget (buildings) | Foreign and Commonwealth Office | 497.665 |
| European Youth Foundation | Foreign and Commonwealth Office | 337,136 |
| Venice Commission | Foreign and Commonwealth Office | 375,414 |
| Partial Agreement in the Social and Public Health Field | Department of Health | 259,132 |
| European Pharmacopoeia | Department of Health | 681,760 |
| Co-operation Group to Combat Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Drugs (Pompidou Group) | Home Office | 249,773 |
| Enlarged Partial Agreement on the Group of States against Corruption | Home Office | 287,213 |
| Graz Centre | Department for Education and Skills | 231,381 |
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Benefit Fraud
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended, (c) dismissed, (d) prosecuted and (e) convicted for involvement in benefit fraud in each of the last six years; and what the amounts involved were in each of the categories listed. [151460]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: As far as the Department is aware no staff in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have been investigated, suspended or dismissed for benefit fraud in the last six years. Under Diplomatic and Home Service Regulations, all staff are obliged to tell the Department if they are charged with any criminal offence. According to departmental records, none have been prosecuted or convicted for benefit fraud in the last six years.
Mr. Craig Alden
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the detention of Mr. Craig Alden in Brazil. [151724]
Mr. Mullin: Staff at our Embassy in Brasilia closely monitor developments in Mr. Alden's case and provide him with all the consular assistance they properly can. We have raised our interest in his case with the Brazilian authorities on a number of occasions, including when my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met the Brazilian Foreign Minister in July 2003. Consular staff at our Embassy also raise any welfare aspects of the case with the local authorities, most recently with the new Federal Director of Prisons in November 2003.
Under international law we cannot interfere in the judicial processes of another country. Mr Alden's lawyers continue to pursue his case through legal channels and keep our consular staff updated of developments. We understand his lawyers have decided to submit a second habeas corpus application. As the legal case proceeds we will continue to offer the appropriate consular assistance to Craig and his family.
Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government have taken to promote use of the World Service in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. [151884]
Mr. Rammell: The Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) jams radio broadcasts from outside the country. Short wave would be the main frequency for BBC World Service, but short wave radios are illegal in DPRK. We urge DPRK to remove the restrictions on access to information and freedom of expression by its people.
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking in bilateral talks with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to further the protection of human rights there. [151885]
Mr. Rammell: We are concerned about reports of serious human rights violations in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The lack of access
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for independent monitors makes it difficult to verify these reports. We raise human rights issues regularly with the DPRK authorities via our embassy in Pyongyang and the DPRK embassy in London. We also encourage DPRK to comply with the recommendations set out in the resolution adopted at last year's UN Commission on Human Rights. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) sponsored two DPRK officials to attend a human rights training course at Essex University in 2002, and proposed a visit by the Head of the FCO's Human Rights Policy Department in 2003. The latter has yet to be granted.
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking within the (a) EU and (b) UN to further the protection of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. [151886]
Mr. Rammell: The EU has been closely monitoring the human rights situation in North Korea, and having seen little evidence of improvement in recent years, tabled a resolution at the UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) in 2003. The resolution expressed concern at reports of serious and continued human rights violations in North Korea, and called on DPRK to co-operate with the UN human rights machinery. The resolution was adopted by the largest majority of any country-specific resolution.
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