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12 May 2004 : Column 381W—continued
Western Sahara
Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Morocco encouraging co-operation with the Sahrawis. [172100]
Mr. Rammell: We regularly discuss the situation in Western Sahara with our contacts at all levels in the Moroccan Government. Most recently, my noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean discussed Western Sahara with the Moroccan Minister of Interior Mr. Sahel when he visited London on 28 April.
Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the UK will press for an increase in the UN presence in the Western Sahara. [172104]
Mr. Rammell: United Nations Security Council Resolution 1541 which was adopted unanimously on 29 April 2004 calls on the Secretary-General to provide an evaluation of the mission size necessary for the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara to carry out its mandated tasks, with a view towards possible reduction, in his next report due before 31 October 2004. Pending these results the Government have no current plans to call for an increase in the UN presence in the Western Sahara.
Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assurances have been given by the Moroccan Government regarding the safety of inhabitants of the Western Sahara. [172105]
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Mr. Rammell: Ministers and Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials regularly raise with all parties to the Western Sahara dispute their responsibilities in the search for a fair and lasting solution to that dispute which allows for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government is taking to encourage Morocco to resolve the territorial dispute in Western Sahara. [172107]
Mr. Rammell: We continue at Ministerial and official level to urge Morocco to engage constructively with the UN Secretary General's personal envoy, James Baker III, concerning the Peace Plan for Western Sahara, to reach a solution that is acceptable to all parties and allows for self-determination for the people of Western Sahara.
CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
Departmental Expenditure (Entertainment)
Mr. Laws: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what his latest estimate is of the amount spent by his Department on official entertainment in each year from 1996–97 to 2004–05. [169000]
Mr. Lammy: Expenditure by both Officials and Ministers on entertainment for the financial year 2003–04 was £79,050 (£64,718—covers costs related to Ministers and the Lord Chancellor, and £14,332—costs related to Officials), in 2002–03 was £43,378, in 2001–02 was £44,730, in 2000–01 was £60,768, in 1999–2000 was £71,166 and in 1998–99 was £45,087.
Information on previous years and the current year is not readily available.
FOI Requests
Tony Wright: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what charges will be made for information requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [172103]
Mr. Lammy: The Freedom of Information Act provides that the Secretary of State may make regulations to determine what fee may be charged. Draft fees regulations were published in 2000. A working group has been considering changes to these regulations and final regulations will be brought forward by the Government in time for being in effect on 1 January 2005.
Mental Incapacity Bill
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications of the judgement given in the European Court of Human Rights on 9 March in the Glass v. the UK case for the draft Mental Incapacity Bill. [172448]
Mr. Lammy:
The Glass v.s. UK case relates to a child, whereas the draft Mental Incapacity Bill does not apply to persons under the age of 16.
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However, the draft Mental Incapacity Bill proposes a statutory framework for decision-making on behalf of adults without capacity. The draft Bill stresses the importance of consultation with those engaged in caring for the person before making a decision. This would ensure that all professionals involved in making such decisions are aware of their roles and responsibilities.
The Bill also proposes to introduce a new specialist and accessible Court of Protection, which would help to resolve such disputes when they arise in relation to adults without capacity.
Ministerial Visits
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will list visits made by each Minister in the Department between December 2003 and April 2004, broken down by (a) date, (b) constituency visited and (c) cost. [171558]
Mr. Lammy: The number of visits undertaken by Ministers in my Department are as follows:
| Constituency | Cost(£) | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 December 2003 | Middlesbrough | 638.60 |
| 2004 | ||
| 9 January | Belfast South | 1,529.70 |
| 29 January | Birmingham, Edgbaston | 483.85 |
| 30 January | Derby North | 483.85 |
| 20 February | Edinburgh Central | 758.76 |
| 2 March | Manchester, Blackley | 1,043.63 |
| 12 March | Harrow East | (12)— |
| 12 March | Oxford West and Abingdon | 584.86 |
| 19 March | Watford | (12)— |
| 26 March | Southwark Crown Court | (12)— |
| 2 April | Button Coldfield | 334.00 |
| 16 April | Worcester | (12)— |
| 19 April | Leicester South | (12)— |
| 30 April | Leeds North East | 763.71 |
| 30 April | Bradford West | 763.71 |
(12) No additional costs incurred aside from the normal cost of running the Ministerial car
| Constituency | Cost (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 December 2003 | Cardiff Central | 792.91 |
| 12 December 2003 | Manchester Central | 514.81 |
| 2004 | ||
| 9 January | Cambridge | (13)— |
| 23 January | Kettering | (13)— |
| 18 February | Belfast South | 696.44 |
| 6 March | Harrogate and Knaresborough | 620.64 |
| 26 March | Harrogate and Knaresborough | 620.64 |
| 2 April | Loughborough | (13)— |
| 22 April | Nottingham South | 504.00 |
(13) No additional costs incurred aside from the normal cost of running the Ministerial car
| Constituency | Cost (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 December 2003 | Shipley | (14)— |
| 2004 | ||
| 5 February | Reading | 78.00 |
| 6 February | Liverpool | 466.92 |
| 6 February | Central Manchester | 96.00 |
| 20 February | Sheffield | 198.63 |
| 22 March | Manchester | 347.15 |
| 22 March | St. Helens | (14)— |
| 22 April | Birmingham | 354.00 |
(14) No additional costs incurred aside from the normal cost of running the Ministerial car
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| Constituency | Cost (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 February 2004 | South Dorset | 370.95 |
| 21 April 2004 | Manchester Central | 679.45 |
(15) No additional costs incurred aside from the normal cost of running the Ministerial car
Referendums
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the total cost has been of holding referendums in the UK since 1997. [172045]
Mr. Leslie: The total estimated cost of holding referendums in the UK since 1997, excluding Mayoral Referendums, is £9,600,000. The breakdown of costs is:
1997 Welsh Assembly Referendum £2,300,000.
1997 Scottish Parliament Referendum £4,350,000.
1998 Northern Ireland Good Friday Agreement Referendum
£1,450,000.
1998 Greater London Authority Referendum £1,500,000.
30 Mayoral Referendums have also been held under the Local Government Act 2000. The figures for the cost of these referendums are not held centrally and have therefore not been included in the total.
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