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20 May 2004 : Column 1161W—continued

Youth Education

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 13 May 2004, ref 171718, if he will make it his policy to publish data for 16 to 18-year-olds participating in education, training and employment by ethnic group. [174336]

 
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Mr. Ivan Lewis: Annual population estimates are not available by ethnic group and hence the published participation rates for 16 to 18-year-olds in education, training and employment cannot be broken down by ethnic group, as they use population estimates as the denominator to calculate the percentages.

However, each of the separate sources used to produce the numbers of 16 to 18-year-olds in education and LSC funded work based learning (WBL) do publish information by ethnic group, though not specifically for the 16–18 ages. These are available on the departmental website for those in schools; in HE institutions; and in LSC funded further education and work based learning.

Information on the labour market status of young people comes from the Labour Force Survey (LFS), which also supplies the numbers in non-college based employer funded training (EFT) and other education and training (OET). Due to sample sizes, LFS numbers cannot be broken down by ethnic group for single years of age.

Some information is also available on the Departmental website from the Youth Cohort Study, for single years of age. This is a sample survey of school pupils monitoring their transition from school to further (then higher) education or to the labour market and is not directly comparable with the participation rates.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Bribery

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 3 February 2004, Official Report, column 837W, on bribery, how many reports of concerns of bribery registered by UK companies about foreign competitors have been made by his Department to foreign governments since February 2002. [174267]

Mr. MacShane: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has no record of having received any approaches since February 2002 as a result of concerns registered by UK companies about foreign competitors; and has not therefore had any reports to pass to foreign governments.

British Prisoners Overseas

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on behalf of how many British citizens in prison outside the United Kingdom he has discussed their cases since 1 January; and if he will make a statement. [174121]

Mr. Rammell: Ministers frequently raise cases of British nationals detained overseas, with foreign governments, where it is appropriate to do so. However, such statistics are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 22 March 2004, Official Report, column 541W, on the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty,
 
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what representations he has received from Russia about the Adaptated Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty; for what reasons the enlargement of NATO went ahead without an agreement for the continuance of a CFE Treaty; whether the new NATO states were required to give a commitment to join a CFE Treaty; whether they have given such a commitment; what commitments on (a) restraint on troop numbers and (b) build-ups NATO has given in the absence of an agreed CFE Treaty; and if he will make a statement. [173386]

Mr. MacShane: My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Bill Rammell) discussed CFE issues with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Chizov during their meeting in Moscow on 6 April 2004.

The Adapted CFE Treaty (ACFE) cannot come into force until it has been ratified by all States Party. To date only three States have done so: Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. Ratification by NATO Allies is delayed by continued Russian failure to meet the political commitments entered into at the 1999 OSCE Istanbul Summit, in relation to their presence in Georgia and Moldova. Until the ACFE is ratified, the 1990 CFE Treaty remains in force.

There is no link between NATO Enlargement and accession to the CFE Regime. However we welcome the stated intention of all the new Allies involved to seek accession to the ACFE once the Treaty has entered into force.

Investigations in Foreign Jurisdictions

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates in the last two years (a) his Department and (b) UK diplomatic posts abroad have given advice to law enforcement agencies about pursuing investigations in foreign jurisdictions; and which jurisdictions that advice concerned. [174006]

Mr. Rammell: Staff in many departments within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have frequent contact with UK law enforcement agencies on a range of issues and covering different foreign jurisdictions. In addition there are over 140 Law Enforcement Liaison Officers based in UK diplomatic missions overseas. These officers are in daily contact with UK law enforcement agencies in the course of their work which includes giving advice about investigations. To list all such contacts for the last two years would incur disproportionate costs.

Iran

Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Iranian authorities concerning human rights, with particular reference to religious liberty. [173759]

Mr. Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary frequently raises our grave concerns about Iran's human rights record, including restrictions on religious freedom, with the Iranian authorities,
 
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including the Iranian Foreign Minister. The EU as a whole has raised cases of religious persecution in Iran through an EU Human Rights dialogue with Iran.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what status of forces agreement is proposed for Iraq following the proposed transfer of sovereignty; whether it will be different from that currently pertaining; whether the private security forces and other quasi-military personnel contracted to Coalition forces operating in Iraq will (a) be covered by it and (b) be subject to any form of control by the proposed new Iraqi administration; what plans he has for a new United Nations resolution which would cover the status of forces including private and quasi-military contractors; and if he will make a statement. [172281]

Mr. Rammell: The precise new arrangements for the Multinational Force and private security companies operating in Iraq after the transfer of sovereignty are being discussed. We expect a new United Nations Security Council Resolution to endorse the future role of the Multinational Force.·

Middle East Peace Plan

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the international community will ensure that the future Palestinian Government installs democratic institutions as part of the Middle East Peace Plan. [173243]

Mr. Rammell: The UK has long supported the development of more effective and accountable Palestinian institutions in preparation for Palestinian statehood. The Palestinian Authority has made progress on developing better accountability and a transparent legal environment. The international community is supporting the Palestinian Authority in their efforts. Encouraging free and fair elections, at all levels, is one part of the process. We hope that the Palestinian Authority will hold elections as soon as possible as called for in the roadmap.

As a priority, the Palestinians need to take the necessary steps to finalise their election laws, and to complete the work, funded by the EU, on voter registration. We also recognise that free and fair elections cannot take place while Israeli restrictions on the freedom of movement remain in place.

Overseas Posts (Costs)

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the running costs were for the UK high commissions in (a) Australia, (b) Canada, (c) India and (d) Pakistan, and how many staff were employed in each of these embassies, in the last year for which figures are available. [173647]

 
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Mr. Rammell: The information is as follows.

Total operating costs for financial year 2002–03 are:

	£ million
Canberra	1.3
Ottawa	3.32
New Delhi	14.34
Islamabad	11.46

These costs include an element in respect of support incurred in the UK.

Staff numbers for financial year 2003–04 are:

Post	FCO UK	OGD (12) UK	FCO LE (13)
Canberra	18	6	80
Ottawa	19	10	75
New Delhi	61	42	490
Islamabad	79	15	333

⁽¹²⁾ Other Government Department
⁽¹³⁾ Locally employed

The figures reflect the total number of full-time equivalents.

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the running cost was of the UK embassy in (a) Japan and (b) China in 2003–04; and how many staff were employed in each of these embassies. [173886]

Mr. Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office account for 2003–04 has not yet been finalised.

However, total operating costs for financial year 2002–03 were:

	£ million
Tokyo	19.45
Beijing	11.92

These costs include an element in respect of support incurred in the UK.

Staff numbers for financial year 2003–04 are:

	Post
	Tokyo	Beijing
FCO UK	40	68
OGD(14) UK	20	10
FCO LE(15)	135	166

⁽¹⁴⁾ Other Government Department
⁽¹⁵⁾ Locally employed

The figures reflect the total number of full-time equivalents.

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