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Sudan

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) personnel resources and (b) financial resources his Department intends to allocate to tackling the outbreak of the ebola virus in southern Sudan. [176370]

Hilary Benn: DFID understands that the World Health Organisation (WHO) plans to issue an appeal in the next few days to respond to the Ebola outbreak in Southern Sudan.

Although DFID have no plans to make additional personnel resources available to tackle the Ebola outbreak, we will consider making a contribution to the WHO appeal if needed.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions his Department has had with (a) the Sudanese Government and (b) the World Health Organisation regarding attempts to contain the recent outbreak of the Ebola virus in southern Sudan; and if he will make a statement. [176371]

 
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Hilary Benn: DFID has not had any direct contact with the Sudanese Government about the outbreak of the Ebola virus in southern Sudan.

However, DFID has been in touch with the World Health Organisation (WHO) about the outbreak. WHO have confirmed the outbreak in Yambio County, Southern Sudan. To date there have been 20 reported cases of whom 10 have been confirmed, with five deaths. Five survivors are in an isolation ward, which has been set up in Yambio hospital by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) France and WHO. 120 contacts are being traced, of whom 7–10 per cent. are expected to be infected.

DFID will continue to closely monitor the situation.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department intends to make an assessment of the potential impact of the Ebola virus outbreak in southern Sudan on neighbouring countries. [176380]

Hilary Benn: DFID does not propose to send our own assessment team. However, the World Health Organisation (WHO), who are the experts in this field, have sent a six man emergency response team, which includes two of their best Ebola/communicable disease specialists, to investigate and respond to the situation in southern Sudan. This team is producing regular situation reports on their activities, the current situation, and plans for bringing in further personnel.

WHO have indicated that if the outbreak is not contained the outbreak could spread to northern Uganda and the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo. WHO is therefore on standby in both countries.

CABINET OFFICE

Emergency Planning

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to increase local authority funding for emergency planning. [174688]

Mr. Alexander: The Government are in discussions with the Local Government Association on the issue of local authority funding for emergency planning.

Any additional pressures would be considered as part of established public expenditure processes.

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans the Government have to establish a professional communications team in the event of a serious emergency. [174677]

Mr. Alexander: In the event of a crisis, emergency or major incident, there are well established, tested procedures in place to activate the Cabinet Office's News Co-ordination Centre (NCC). The NCC supports the Lead Government Department and co-ordinates communications across Government. Regular exercises on the operation of the NCC, which is staffed by communications specialists from across Government, take place.
 
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PRIME MINISTER

Afghanistan

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister when he next plans to visit Afghanistan. [176789]

The Prime Minister: I have no current plans to do so.

East Timor

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Prime Minister if he will urge the Prime Minister of Australia (a) to review his Government's policies on the Timor gap and (b) to negotiate a deal with East Timor that is both fair and in accordance with international maritime law. [177422]

The Prime Minister: I regularly have discussions on a wide range of issues with Prime Minister Howard. We welcome the on-going negotiations between Australia and East Timor on this issue and hope that a mutually acceptable solution can be agreed by both parties.

Engagements

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his diary engagements for Wednesday 26 May to Wednesday 2 June inclusive. [177229]

The Prime Minister: In addition to my duties in the House, I met ministerial colleagues and others.

I also made several visits. These were to the University College London hospital, the Wythenshawe hospital in Manchester, the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester to attend an event with Normandy veterans, Whitefield Police Station in Bury and Ecclesfield Police Station in Sheffield.

EU Directives

Mr. Alan Duncan: To ask the Prime Minister whether any EU Directives incorporated into UK law since May 1997 have been (a) amended and (b) repealed. [176549]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. MacShane) gave to him on 20 May 2004, Official Report, columns 1144–45W.

Govan Shipyard

Mr. Blunt: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his answers of 25 May 2004, Official Report, columns 1521–22W, on Govan Shipyard, whether the Openness Team were consulted on the application of exemptions 2 and 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information; and on what basis the exemptions were applied. [177429]

The Prime Minister: The exemptions were applied on the basis set out in the answers I gave to the hon. Member on 25 May.

Hunting

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions since 26 November 2003 he has met organisations concerned with the issue of hunting with dogs. [177141]

 
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The Prime Minister: I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings under Exemptions 2 and 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister whether any part of the dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, published on 24 September 2002, used information solely provided by the Iraq National Congress. [176788]

The Prime Minister: No part of the dossier on Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction published on 24 September 2002 relied upon information known to have originated from the Iraqi National Congress.

Israel/Palestine

Tom Cox: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what discussions he has had with the President of the United States of America on the recent Israeli military involvement in the Rafah refugee camp; and if he will make a statement; [177252]

(2) what discussions he has had with the Israeli Government, and with whom, as to the military involvement by the Israeli army in the Rafah refugee camp; and if he will make a statement. [177253]

The Prime Minister: I regularly have discussions with President Bush on a wide range of international issues, including the Middle East. The UK raised its deep concern about Israeli operations in Rafah with the Israeli Government, making clear that such actions were unacceptable and contrary to Israel's commitments under the Roadmap.

We also supported United Nations Security Council Resolution 1544 adopted on 19 May, which condemns all acts of violence, terror and destruction and calls for a cessation of all violence. It also calls for Israel to address its security concerns within the parameters of international law and for both sides to implement their roadmap obligations.

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