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20 Apr 2004 : Column 461W—continued
Finningley Airport
Mr. Bill O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans are being considered for freight to be handled at and transported from Finningley Airport; and if he will make a statement. [165712]
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Mr. McNulty:
The planning permission granted in April 2003 limits the number of air cargo movements per annum to 2,738 from the opening of the airport, rising to a maximum of 4,140 movements per annum after 1 January 2012. I understand that, within these limits, the airport operator hopes to handle around 50,000 tonnes of freight a year by 2014. A small component of this could be in the bellyhold of passenger aircaft.
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CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
Prisoners (Voting Rights)
Mr. Maude: To ask the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans he has to allow serving prisoners to vote in (a) local and (b) general elections; and if he will make a statement. [166795]
Mr. Leslie: At present, convicted and detained prisoners are not able to vote in UK elections. On 30 March 2004, the European Court of Human Rights gave its judgment in the case of Hirst v. The United Kingdom, concerning the disfranchisement of convicted prisoners. The Court found that there had been a breach of the applicant's human rights. We are currently carefully considering the implications of the judgment and what action we might take.
Freedom of Information (Terrorism)
Llew Smith: To ask the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what assessment has been made of the current exemptions to the release of information contained in freedom of information legislation in light of recent terrorist incidents and threats. [166035]
Mr. Lammy: The Freedom of Information Act 2000 balances the right to know with the proper conduct of effective government. Part II of the Act outlines classes of information that are exempt from disclosure for the purpose of safeguarding national security, defence and international relations. Information supplied by, or relating to, bodies dealing with security matters is also exempt.
The Government is satisfied that the provisions in Part II of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 provides a robust framework that gives people greater access to information, while ensuring that information necessary to protect national security is properly safeguarded.
Legal Services Commission
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, (1) how many new solicitors firms have undertaken contracts with the Legal Services Commission since 2000. [165842]
(2) how many solicitors firms in England and Wales have withdrawn from a Legal Services Commission contract in each year since 2000. [165843]
Mr. Lammy: Between January 2000 and 31 March 2004, the Legal Services Commission (LSC) has awarded 755 new civil contracts to solicitors' firms. Since contracting for criminal legal aid began in April 2001, the LSC has awarded 412 new criminal contracts to solicitors' firms.
The LSC does not collect data centrally on the number of solicitors' firms that have withdrawn from legal aid work. The number of contracts that have been terminated by the LSC in each year (which includes cases where solicitors have withdrawn voluntarily) is set out below.
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Civil Contracts
April 2000 to March 2001: 700
April 2001 to March 2002: 539
April 2002 to March 2003: 408
April 2003 to March 2004: 633
Criminal contracts
April 2001 to March 2002: 146
April 2002 to March 2003: 151
April 2003 to March 2004: 317
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Sellafield
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will itemise the contents of the B30 ponds at Sellafield; what the origin was of the contents; what the radioactivity level of the contents is; and what plans she has to respond to criticisms by the EU Commission in respect of the ponds that comprise B30. [165818]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 19 April 2004]: The B30 facility at Sellafield was commissioned in 1959–60 for interim storage of spent Magnox fuel in water-filled concrete ponds and the subsequent removal of cladding from the fuel prior to it being reprocessed. The facility stopped receiving spent fuel during 1992. The B30 pond contains many tonnes of Magnox fuel and sludge from corrosion of the Magnox fuel cladding and the fuel. For security reasons it would not be appropriate to reveal itemised information on the quantities of nuclear material held in specific locations (Exemption 1, code of practice on access to Government information).
The condition of the material in B30 and the need to minimise radiation exposure means that the activities that can be performed at present to verify current quantities of material (including in the course Euratom safeguards inspections) are limited. Appropriate measurement and verification of the material will however take place as material is removed during the decommissioning of B30.
Officials will examine details of the Commission Directive and the basis for it, and work is in hand to enable us to respond to the Commission accordingly.
Iraq
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the financial value of the 10 largest contracts by US dollars for the reconstruction of Iraq already awarded by the Coalition Provisional Authority was; what the nationality of the contractor was; and to what industrial sector each related. [166604]
Ms Hewitt: The largest Coalition Provisional Authority contracts so far have been awarded on its behalf by the Program Management Office. They are given in the table:
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UK companies are already playing a significant role in many of these, through parent companies or as sub-contractors or sub-consultants.
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many contracts have been awarded to British companies for the reconstruction of Iraq; what their total value is; and which companies have been awarded contracts. [166605]
Ms Hewitt: Because of the large number of different organisations involved in awarding reconstruction contracts in Iraq, it has not been possible to maintain an overall picture of the total volume of contracts awarded or the cumulative total. In addition, there is no central organisation that collects, collates and publishes such information. However, a number of British companies have been awarded contracts and sub-contracts for the reconstruction process in Iraq, including the recent awards announced by the Program Management Office (PMO). UK companies (mainly in Joint Venture with US partners) have won PMO contracts in the Electricity, Water and Oil sectors.
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will require British companies working in Iraq to recruit individuals of Iraqi nationality to work in the management of their operations. [166607]
Ms Hewitt: It is vital the UK companies play their part in developing Iraq, through the creation of joint business ventures, transfer of skills and technology and working with Iraqi partners in providing jobs and prosperity for the Iraqi people. In this way, we will maximise the use of local manufacturers and construction skills in order to help build local skills and provide sustainable employment for future generations. I have no plans to require British companies to recruit Iraqi nationals to work in the management of their operations.
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