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9 Jun 2004 : Column 444W—continued

Iraq

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he was informed of President Bush's plan to demolish Abu Ghraib prison. [177207]

Mr. Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary was informed on Tuesday 24 May 2004. President Bush announced the US offer, subject to the approval of the Iraqi Government, to fund the construction of a modern maximum security prison in Iraq to replace Abu Ghraib prison, which could then be demolished, or turned into a memorial. The demolition of the prison had been proposed by members of the Iraqi Governing Council earlier in the month. The Foreign Secretary was made aware of this proposal on 13 May when it was reported by our post in Baghdad.

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether British companies have bid for contracts to build prisons in Iraq. [177209]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: British companies are not required to report details to the Government of their bids for contracts for the reconstruction process in Iraq. Nor is there a central organisation that collects and publishes such information.

However, we are aware that Parsons Delaware Inc. US, the winner of the $900 million Program Management Office Design-Build prime contract for work associated with Security and Justice projects, has awarded sub-contracts to Pell Frischmann, a UK consulting engineering company, and TPS Consult, a
 
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UK design engineering company. Some of the work under this prime contract will include the design and construction of prisons.

I am also aware that AMEC, in joint venture with their US partner FLUOR, tendered unsuccessfully for this prime contract.

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the appointees to the Interim Iraqi Government, with their (a) designations and (b) gender. [177729]

Mr. Rammell: The following is a list of the Iraqi Interim Government—those marked with an asterisk denote female Ministers, who number six in total, including the new post of Minister of State for Women.

NHS

Mr. Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether under the proposed EU constitution the NHS would be subject to competition directives. [176701]


 
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Mr. MacShane: The draft EU Constitutional Treaty will not change the way in which competition rules apply to NHS bodies. Under existing Treaty provisions, competition articles apply only to "undertakings"—persons or bodies engaged in economic activity. This means that whilst the social provision of healthcare is not an economic activity as such, competition rules can apply to NHS bodies when they are involved in "economic activity", for example, when they are contracting out healthcare provision.

Pakistan

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the treatment of Christians in Pakistan; and what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Pakistan on the protection of Christians from attack by the Muslim extremists, with particular reference to the case of Javaid Anjum. [177442]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Cases of religious persecution against the Christian population in Pakistan are viewed seriously by the British Government and we make our views on the treatment of religious minorities known to the Government of Pakistan on all possible occasions. On 31 May the EU submitted a demarche to the Pakistani government. This raised specific human rights concerns in Pakistan including the case of Javaid Anjum.

Sudan

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance is being provided to the Nuba people from the Africa Conflict Prevention Pool. [173654]

Mr. Mullin: To date, more than £2.8 million has been allocated from the Africa Conflict Prevention Pool towards the security of the Nuba people, through support to the Joint Military Commission International Monitoring Unit responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Nuba Mountains Ceasefire Agreement. The Department for International Development also funds local peace building initiatives and support to basic education in the Nuba Mountains.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Gunpowder Plot

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what plans he has made for the House to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot. [176637]

Sir Archy Kirkwood: Officials of both Houses are planning an exhibition to mark the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot; their proposals were considered and approved by the House of Commons Commission in March this year. The exhibition will be held in Westminster Hall between July and December 2005 and will provide a serious, dispassionate and sensitive introduction to the plot, close to where the events took place. It will seek to raise public interest in parliamentary history, and to increase
 
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engagement with the work of Parliament. It is likely to be one of a number of related activities organised by other institutions in London.

House Staff (Mental Health)

Mr. Goodman: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission how many people have left employment in the House of Commons Service because of (a) stress, (b) anxiety, (c) depression and (d) other mental health reasons in each year since 1997. [176217]

Sir Archy Kirkwood: Information on reasons for leaving the House of Commons Service is not collated centrally, and is not available in the form requested. However, some limited information is available for the period 1 June 2002 to 26 May 2004. During this period, out of 549 leavers overall, three members of staff were medically retired on grounds of stress or depression. These cases were not related to the work that was carried out by the employees: two of them were directly linked to an underlying medical condition.

The House operates a full occupational health service, and individuals who may be suffering from stress are referred to them as soon as possible. The details of each case are subject to normal medical confidentiality. The House's welfare officers are also available to help staff who feel under stress.

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