---

22 Jun 2004 : Column 1332W—continued

Reverend Damanik (Indonesia)

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Indonesia on the imprisonment of Reverend Ribnaldy Damanik; and if he will make it his policy to recognise Reverend Damanik as a prisoner of conscience. [179538]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The British embassy in Jakarta followed the trial of Reverend Damanik closely and is in contact with a number of NGOs and community groups connected to his case. We last discussed Reverend Damanik's case with the Indonesian ambassador in November 2003. We will continue to remind the Indonesian Government of their human rights obligations and stress to them the importance of a fair and transparent judicial system.

Sri Lanka

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether the proposed Anti Conversion Bill in Sri Lanka constitutes an infringement of religious liberty; and if he will make a statement. [179345]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: A member of the Sri Lankan Parliament has gazetted a motion expressing his intention to request that Parliament bring in an Anti Conversion Bill. We understand that this is to be an anti-unethical conversion bill. Freedom of religion is enshrined in the Sri Lankan Constitution, which states that every person is entitled to the freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his or her choice. As no bill has yet been drafted, we are unable to assess at this stage whether such a bill would contravene Sri Lanka's international obligations.

We condemn all instances where individuals are persecuted because of their faith or belief, wherever they happen and whatever the religion of the individual or group concerned. We urge all states to pursue laws and practices which foster tolerance and mutual respect and protect religious minorities from discrimination.

Vietnam

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to urge the Government of Vietnam to allow diplomats from (a) the UK and (b) other EU embassies
 
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1333W
 
to visit the Central Highlands in order to investigate the human rights situation with regard to the Degar people. [179532]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We regularly raise our concerns on human rights in Vietnam with the Vietnamese Government, both bilaterally and with our EU partners. Most recently, on 25 May, I raised the situation in the Central Highlands of Vietnam with the Vietnamese President. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary also raised our general concerns over human rights the same day with the Vietnamese Foreign Minister.

We will continue to press the Vietnamese Government to allow unrestricted access at all times to the Central Highlands by diplomats, international press, UN agencies and international NGOs. In May, a group of several diplomatic missions comprising the Swiss, Norwegian, New Zealand and Canadian ambassadors visited the Central Highlands, as did a group of UN agency heads. An EU Troika delegation visited the region for the fourth time since 2001 on 16 to 19 December 2003. Further EU missions are planned in the future. EU ambassadors, including the British ambassador regularly raise the issue of access to the Central Highlands in the context of the EU-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue; the next meeting is on 22 June.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Academic Selection

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the level of support for retaining academic selection in replies to the Household Response Form. [179785]

Mr. Gardiner: The Household Response Form was one element of a multi-stranded consultation on the recommendations of the Burns Report. While a majority of those who responded to the Household Response Form were in favour of retaining academic selection, there was also a majority in favour of removing the Transfer Test, which is the present method of selection. The Government's approach will ensure the continuation of schools with an academic ethos.

Juvenile Justice Centre

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what methods of restraint are used in controlling young offenders at the Juvenile Justice Centre; and what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of these methods of restraint. [179488]

Mr. Spellar: This is an operational responsibility of the Acting Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Agency of Northern Ireland (Artie O'Neill). He has advised me that physical control in care is the method of restraint used within the Juvenile Justice Centre. It has been approved by the Home Office, the Northern Ireland Office and the Social Services Inspectorate as being effective in restraining young people safely.

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many contact hours per week young offenders have with teaching staff in the Juvenile Justice Centre in Bangor, County Down. [179489]

 
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1334W
 

Mr. Spellar: This is an operational responsibility of the Acting Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Agency of Northern Ireland (Artie O'Neill). He has advised me that young people have 20 hours contact time in a classroom setting each week and four hours informal contact in their house units.

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what management staff are on duty during the night at the Juvenile Justice Centre; and what qualifications they have in (a) social work and (b) management. [179490]

Mr. Spellar: This is an operational responsibility of the Acting Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Agency of Northern Ireland (Artie O'Neill). He has advised me that the Director of the Juvenile Justice Centre and the Duty Manager, who are on call at night, are qualified social workers. All managers on duty have the necessary managerial skills, competences and experience to carry out their roles effectively. There is no requirement for them to hold a formal managerial qualification.

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the maximum period of lock-up imposed on young offenders at the Juvenile Justice Centre has been; how often this maximum has been applied; and to what percentage of offenders it has applied since its opening. [179495]

Mr. Spellar: This is an operational responsibility of the Acting Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Agency of Northern Ireland (Artie O'Neill). He has advised me that the Juvenile Justice Centre Rules (Section 30) define the circumstances for temporary confinement. While these do not specify a maximum period (unless the confinement is ordered by the medical officer when a maximum of 24 hours is stipulated), the centre has adopted best practice from other secure centres and has drafted additional guidance for confinement (single separation). This states that confinement should be for the shortest period possible and procedures are in place to prevent excessive use of single separation. As no maximum period is specified, it is not possible to answer the other parts of the question.

Kilmaine Primary School

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reason the Department for Education has yet to reach a decision on whether or not to approve the commencement of building the new Kilmaine Primary School in Bangor, County Down. [179897]

Mr. Gardiner: A new school for Kilmaine Primary was included in my Department's Capital Programme announced by my predecessor in February 2003. Planning for the school was progressed by the South Eastern Education and Library Board. The board and my Department have been working closely on the project and I can confirm that an agreed overall maximum cost should be finalized shortly and this will enable a contractor to be appointed. Once the contractor is in place, this will allow the design to be finalised and it is hoped to commence work on site, subject to Planning Approval, by around the end of summer 2004.
 
22 Jun 2004 : Column 1335W
 

Police Service (Correspondence)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many administrative staff are available within the office of the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland Headquarters specifically to deal with correspondence. [179898]

Mr. Pearson: The details necessary to respond fully to this question have been sought from the Chief Constable. I will reply to the hon. Lady shortly.

---