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Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Parliamentary Questions to his Department in the last year took (a) two to four weeks and (b) over four weeks to answer. [174868]

Mr. McNulty: At 21 May 2004, the Department for Transport had answered 3,052 written questions tabled since 18 May 2003. This comprised 2,567 written ordinary questions (98.2 per cent. of which were answered within 10 sitting days) and 485 named day questions (98.8 per cent. of which were answered within 10 sitting days).

Railways

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the performance of train operating companies to date in complying with their duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 section 21(2)(d) to take reasonable steps to provide disabled persons with a reasonable alternative method of accessing their services where a physical feature makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled persons to make use of those services; [175684]

(2) what assessment he has made of the performance of train operating companies to date on revising and implementing new Disabled People's Protection Policies in line with the Strategic Rail Authority's Code of Practice on Train and Station Services for Disabled Passengers and Guidance on Disabled People's Protection Policies; [175685]

(3) what assessment he has made of the performance of train operating companies to date on conducting access audits and making changes to physical features to prepare for the new duties on physical access coming into force under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 on 1 October. [175686]

Mr. McNulty: It is the responsibility of each train operator to comply with the requirements of Section 21 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. All operators have been required by the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) to review their Disabled People's Protection Policy (DPPP). As part of the review each train operator has undertaken access audits of the facilities it operates. Train operators have a commitment to meet the services, standards and guidance defined in the SRA's Code of Practice when refurbishing rolling stock, providing new or enhanced facilities at stations and for the provision of services at stations and on trains. All train operators either have a revised DPPP approved by the SRA or are seeking such approval. Twenty Train Operating Company Disabled People's Protection Policies have been approved to date. Each revised DPPP places an obligation on the operator to provide a 'reasonable alternative means' of making a journey accessible to disabled passengers where physical barriers preclude them from doing so.

Road Traffic Accidents (A49)

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) deaths and (b) injuries in road traffic accidents there were on the A49 between Shrewsbury and Ludlow in each of the last five years. [174983]

 
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Mr. McNulty: The following information is taken from figures provided by West Mercia Police and incorporates the A49 from Baileys Roundabout to the Herefordshire/Shropshire County boundary.

	Fatal	Serious	Slight	Total
1999	1	8	72	81
2000	3	12	56	71
2001	2	7	59	68
2002	7	16	47	70
2003	1	4	70	75
Total	14	47	304	365

South Hampshire Rapid Transit Project

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 1 April 2004, Official Report, column 1576W, on South Hampshire Rapid Transit Project, if he will ensure that a decision on the future of the project is made before the 23 July deadline for using compulsory purchase powers. [175436]

Mr. McNulty: A decision will be made in due course.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Abu Ghraib

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the United States Administration, and with whom, on the cases of abuse that have taken place against Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [173074]

Mr. Straw: I have regular discussions with senior members of the US Administration on a wide variety of issues concerning Iraq. It is not our practice to make public the detail of those discussions under exemption 1(b) of Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the Commander of the United States forces in Iraq has had with (a) the current British representative or his predecessor to the Coalition Provisional Authority and (b) the Commander of British Forces in Iraq about the allegations made in respect of the abuse of detainees at (i) the Abu Ghraib prison and (ii) other prisons in Iraq; and what the outcome has been of communications on the matter. [173338]

Mr. Straw: By the time UK officials were aware of the specific allegations the US authorities had already begun detailed investigations. We have had a number of discussions with US military and civilian authorities about the need to improve detention procedures. The US authorities have been taking measures to improve those procedures. The US military established a high level military inquiry under General Antonio Taguba in late January.
 
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Afghanistan

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his Belgian counterpart concerning Belgium's decision to double its military commitment to Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [175710]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We warmly welcome the announcement by the Belgian Prime Minister on 20 May that Belgium will double the size of its troop contingent in Afghanistan to around 600. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had the opportunity to discuss this with the Belgian Foreign Minister in the short time since the announcement was made.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the number of EU troops stationed in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [175755]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary attended the Berlin Conference on Afghanistan in March and the meeting of G8 Foreign Ministers in Washington on 14 May. Military support in Afghanistan was discussed at both these meetings, which were attended by a number of EU Foreign Ministers. Most recently, on 20 May the Foreign Secretary discussed the need to support the NATO mission in Afghanistan with the Spanish Foreign Minister. EU member states provide around three-quarters of the troops in the International Security Assistance Force and this is likely to increase later this year. In addition, the UK and Germany lead Provincial Reconstruction Teams in northern Afghanistan, to which EU partners and other nations contribute personnel. EU Member States also contribute forces individually to combat missions in Afghanistan under Operation Enduring Freedom.

Bribery

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent guidance he has produced for diplomatic posts on the issue of overseas bribery; and what plans he has to update that guidance. [171395]

Mr. MacShane: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued its latest guidance to diplomatic posts on bribery overseas on 5 April 2004. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office plans to update this guidance annually. The update may be brought forward should a change in circumstances warrant it. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will place a copy of this guidance in the Library of the House. We will also place a copy of the new UK bribery and corruption law leaflet in the Library, as soon as it is republished.

China

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which individual cases were included in the list provided by the EU to the Chinese Government during the EU and China Human Rights dialogue in Dublin on 26 to 27 February. [165265]

 
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Mr. Rammell: The EU considers the list to be confidential. I cannot, therefore, independently put the list into the public domain. There were, however, 76 names on the list.

The individual cases raised with the Chinese in connection with last year's UK China Human Rights dialogue were: Wang Youcai; Li Wangyang; Jampel Changchub; Phuntsog Nyidron; Qin Yongmin; Zhang Shanguang; Gedhun Choekyi Nyima; Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche; Sonam Dondrub; Zhu Ruixiang; Lu Genjun; Xu Zerong; Jiang Shurang; Bishop James Su Zhimin; Shi Enxiang; Huang Qi; Yang Zili; Xu Wei; Zhang Honghai; Jin Haike; Li Jiaqing; Wang Yulan; Li Haihe; Luo Gang; He Ping; Jiang Weiping; Liu Jingsheng; Shan Chengfeng; Yan Peng; Mu Chuanheng; Zhu Baolian; Qi Yanchen; Yao Fuxin; Xiao Yunliang; Chadrel Rinpoche; Namdrol; Jiang Qisheng; Jelil Turdi; Rebiya Kadeer; Abitjan Obulkasim; Nurhahmat Yusup; Tohti Tunyaz; Jelil Turdi; Tursunjan Emet; Ablat Pasar; Iminjan; Abdushukur Abliz (Abdushukur Haji); Ahmed; Rahmatjan; Karim Sadiq; Yasim Kari; Abla Karim; Liu Weifang; Yeshe Gyatso; Liu Di; Yin Lirong; Ning Shuncheng; Zhou Yudan; Zhou Guicheng; Fan Xiaohong; Tang Ren'er; Choi Yong-hun; Rev. Choi Bong-il; Kim Hee-tae; Nima Choedron; Champa Chung-lags; Li Dexian; Wang Zhiwen; Phuntsok Legmon; Jigme Yangchen.

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