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16 Jul 2004 : Column 1378W—continued

Languages

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which United Kingdom languages he intends to propose as Union languages under the terms of Article 2 of the European Constitution treaty. [184755]

Mr. MacShane: There is no provision to nominate Union languages under Article 2 of the European Constitutional Treaty. Article IV-10 paragraph 2 entitles member states to translate the Treaty into
 
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languages that are officially recognised in all or part of their territory, and place a copy of this translation in the archives of the Council. The Government will consider into which languages it will translate the Treaty nearer the time of the publication of an official version of the Treaty.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible have been (a) established and (b) abolished since 1997. [182949]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: Since 2000, no new non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) have been established or abolished. Full details dating from 1997 could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

We have relinquished responsibility for, but not abolished, the following two NDPBs:

The Commonwealth Institute, which became an independent limited company in December 1999;

Britain Russia Centre, which ceased to be an NDPB and stopped receiving public money in April 2003. The centre still operates under the name Britain-Russia Centre/British East West Centre.

Russia

Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last visited Russia to discuss UK-Russian trade relations. [183339]

Mr. Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary visited Moscow on 7 July. During his visit he discussed a range of bilateral and international issues with the Russian Government, but UK-Russian trade relationships were not on the agenda. However, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Ms Hewitt) discussed the bilateral trade relationship when she visited Moscow from 24–25 June.

Vietnam

Mr. Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action his Department is taking to assist the political and economic development of Vietnam. [183304]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The UK's political and economic relations with Vietnam are strengthening.

I visited Vietnam in March 2004. In May 2004, the President of Vietnam visited the UK. The President and his Ministerial team met Her Majesty the Queen, my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, myself and several other Ministers. We discussed trade, development, human rights, education and other issues.

UK investments in Vietnam have now reached approximately £1.2 billion, making the UK one of the largest EU investors in Vietnam. Bilateral trade is worth over £600 million per year and rising. We are supporting Vietnam's efforts to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
 
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The Department for International Development's (DFID) support to Vietnam is one of the fastest growing UK aid programmes in the world. DFID programme resources are projected to increase from £23 million in 2003–04 to £40 million in 2004–05 and £60 million in 2005–06. This support assists Vietnam's social and economic development including the transition to a market-based economy.

We also engage regularly with the Vietnamese Government on a range of other issues. On human rights, we participate in an EU-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue, most recently in Hanoi on 22 June. We are also working with Vietnam and its neighbours to tackle terrorism, illegal immigration and organised crime in the region.

PRIME MINISTER

Al-Qaeda

Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Prime Minister what recent assessment has been made of the (a) number and (b) location of al-Qaeda and al-Qaeda-related terrorist cells. [184034]

The Prime Minister: We continuously assess the threat from Al-Qaeda and Al-Qaeda-related terrorist cells, including their numbers and locations.

British European Commissioner

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Prime Minister if he will announce the name of the next British European Commissioner before the summer recess. [184762]

The Prime Minister: An announcement will be made shortly.

Israel/Palestine

Clare Short: To ask the Prime Minister what his policy is towards Prime Minister Sharon's plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and incorporate parts of the West Bank into Israel; and if he will make a statement. [184758]

The Prime Minister: I welcome the approval by the Israeli Cabinet on the principle of withdrawal from all settlements in Gaza and some in the West Bank. I hope that preparations for withdrawal will be carried out without delay and that implementation swiftly follows.

As the Quartet indicated in their statement of 4 May, such a withdrawal would be in line with Phase One of the Roadmap and would be a real opportunity for progress. We and the rest of the international community must work to make it so.

As the Quartet also indicated in their statement, we support the proposed withdrawals on the basis that they do not prejudice negotiations on the final status issues between the parries, as laid down in the Roadmap, including the issue of borders.
 
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TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Coal Mine Surface Workers (Compensation)

Mr. Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether compensation policies regarding coal mine surface workers suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are being reviewed. [182798]

Nigel Griffiths: Mr. Justice Turner asked the miners' solicitors for evidence to support claims for compensation for surface workers. I made sure that the solicitors had our full co-operation and access to all the British Coal dust records.

Following the latest court hearing earlier this week, I understand that the solicitors have identified lead cases, which they intend to present to Mr. Justice Turner
 
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in advance of the respiratory disease court hearing on 4 to 5 October. As always, the DTI will meet the full liability to any miner determined by the courts.

Equal Opportunities

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the latest percentage figures are for the number of women in (a) science, engineering and technology industries and (b) other major sectors; and what the figures were in 1996. [180063]

Ms Hewitt: The Labour Force Survey provides estimates of employment levels. Analysis of the Labour Force Survey by occupation indicates that the percentage of women employees within science, engineering and technology was the same at 15 per cent. in 1996 and 2003. In comparison, women accounted for 49 per cent. of all employees in both 1996 and 2003.
1. SET occupations by sex, 1996

Occupation	Male	Percentage	Female	Percentage	Total
Natural scientists	90,000	73	34,000	27	124,000
Engineers and technologists	433,000	93	34,000	7	467,000
Architects, town planners, surveyors	79,000	86	13,000	14	92,000
Scientific technicians	188,000	74	66,000	26	254,000
Draughtspersons, surveyors etc.	87,000	94	6,000	6	92,000
Computer analysts, programmers	146,000	82	32,000	18	178,000
SET total	1,022,000	85	185,000	15	1,207,000
All employees	11,313,000	51	10,710,000	49	22,023,000

Source:
Labour Force Survey, Spring 1996, Office for National Statistics (www.statistics.gov.uk).





2. SET occupations by sex, 2003

Occupation	Male	Percentage	Female	Percentage	Total
Science professionals	57,000	53	51,000	47	108,000
Engineering professionals	350,000	95	19,000	5	369,000
Information and communication technology	305,000	86	50,000	14	355,000
Architects, town planners, surveyors	112,000	88	15,000	12	127,000
Science and engineering technicians	194,000	82	44,000	18	238,000
Draughtspersons and building inspectors	56,000	90	6,000	10	62,000
SET total	1,073,000	85	185,000	15	1,258,000
All employees	12,362,000	51	11,800,000	49	24,162,000

Source:
Labour Force Survey, Spring 2003, Office for National Statistics (www.statistics.gov.uk).

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