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Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government will call for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement on the basis of the International Court of Justice ruling of 9 July. [185779]
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the percentage change in EU trade with the US has been since 1 May. [186648]
Mr. Alexander: The value of trade in goods between the EU25 and the US rose by 10 per cent. between May and July 2004 compared to the same three months in 2003.
Source:
US Bureau of Economic Affairs, balance of payments September news release, exports and imports of goods by selected countries, not seasonally adjusted.
Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Chinese authorities with regard to observance of basic human rights in China. [175151]
Mr. Rammell: I would like to apologise to my hon. Friend for the late reply to his question.
Both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary raised our serious concerns about human rights issues in China during their respective meetings with the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and the Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on 10 May. I also recently raised the issue of human rights with Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui during my visit to China in July.
In addition, I also raised our concerns with Chinese delegates at the biannual UK/China Human Rights Dialogue, the latest round of which took place in London on 13 and 14 May. We raised a range of issues including freedom of expression, minority rights, freedom of religion, as well as concerns about torture and the use of the death penalty.
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many child prisoners are held in Iraqi prisons under the control of Coalition forces. [183957]
Mr. Rammell: The UK is not detaining any security internees under the age of 18.
The US is the Detaining Power for 55 security internees under the age of 18. For updated information on US detainees visit www.iac-baghdad.org.
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the Government have made of the feasibility of opening a consulate in Erbil, Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [189368]
Mr. Straw: Her Majesty's Government are represented in northern Iraq by the office of the British embassy in Kirkuk. This decision was based on a number of factors, including security advice. Although there are no current plans to open a consulate in Erbil the consul general is already travelling extensively around northern Iraq and maintaining the excellent links we have developed in this area.
I visited Kirkuk, Lake Dokan and Erbil on 5 October.
Harry Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the
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coalition was consulted on the recent sale of 75 per cent. of Iraqi Airways to an Iraqi family; and if he will make a statement. [188929]
Mr. Rammell [holding answer 16 September 2004]: This is a matter for the Iraq Interim Government. However the Director of Iraqi Airways has confirmed that Iraqi Airways remains 100 per cent. in the control of the Ministry of Transport.
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list (a) the key countries of origin and (b) the key countries of transit for the illegal trafficking of (i) children under the age of 14 and (ii) women. [183592]
Mr. Rammell: We are committed to doing all we can to combat human trafficking. I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made on 15 September 2004, Official Report, columns 49095WH in an adjournment debate on the international trafficking of women which sets out the actions we are taking.
Human trafficking is a global crime, involving many source and transit countries. Some countries are both source and transit countries. Traffickers are flexible and, as circumstances change, seek new markets and routes. In its "Trafficking of Human Beingsa Europol PerspectiveJanuary 2004", Europol provides an overview of the issue. A copy of this report is available on Europol's website: www.europol.eu.int. Through our network of immigration liaison officers in Europe, we work closely with our European partners to combat human trafficking. The "UK Threat Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime 2003" available on NCIS's website, www.ncis.co.uk, also gives details of the pattern of movement of illegal migrants.
The nature of trafficking means that it is a hidden crime and there are no reliable figures about children under the age of 14 or women being trafficked into or out of Europe.
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty the Queen plans to visit (a) Singapore and (b) New Zealand within the next five years. [186893]
Mr. Mullin: The forward programme of visits by Her Majesty the Queen for the next five years has not been finalised. For security reasons Royal Visits overseas are not generally announced until a few months before a visit takes place.
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to submit a resolution to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to implement a comprehensive arms embargo on Sudan in addition to the measures established in UNSC resolution 1556. [189757]
Mr. Mullin:
The Security Council is currently discussing the Secretary-General's latest report on Darfur, and, as a member of the Security Council, the
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UK will consider in due course what, if any, further measures need to be taken against the Government of Sudan.
The UK has strictly enforced an EU arms embargo on Sudan since it was imposed in 1994.
Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made in (a) breaking the global network of al-Qaeda and (b) the search for Osama Bin Laden. [186774]
Mr. MacShane: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave him on 16 July 2004, Official Report, column 1380W. We continuously assess the threat from al-Qaeda and al-Qaeda related terrorist cells, including their numbers and locations. But for reasons, which the hon. Member will understand, we do not publish these assessments. The Security and Intelligence Agencies are outside the scope of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Paragraph 6, Part I).
The hunt for Osama Bin Laden continues. All coalition forces and indigenous police authorities are actively searching for his whereabouts.
12. Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how he assesses the efficiency of service delivery in local offices. [190402]
Jane Kennedy: The Department's local office network is delivered through Jobcentre Plus. DWP has a Public Service Agreement (PSA) target to improve the delivery of services of each of its businesses, including Jobcentre Plus, by setting published annual targets addressing accuracy, unit costs and customer service. We also set Jobcentre Plus other targets covering key aspects of its businessjob outcomes, reducing losses through fraud and error, delivery of key business processes and employer outcomes. These targets are announced annually in Parliament and in Jobcentre Plus's business plan. Progress is monitored regularly and is published in the Department's Annual Report.
13. Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when ASW workers whose occupational pensions are in administration can expect to receive their first payment from the recently announced Financial Assistance Scheme. [190403]
Malcolm Wicks: By the spring of 2005 we intend to have the legislative framework in place with a view to being able to make the first payments as quickly as possible thereafter.
Meanwhile we are continuing to work on the design of the Scheme in consultation with stakeholders. Until that work has been completed we cannot give any particular scheme's members' assurances that they will be covered.
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Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Works and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 5 July 2004, Official Report, column 546, on pension protection, how much has been paid out under the pension assistance package of 30 June. [190390]
Mr. Swire : To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the Government's Financial Assistance Scheme. [190392]
Mr. Pond: The Financial Assistance Scheme will give support to those who face the most significant losses of their pension when their employer has become insolvent. Details of the Scheme's operation are being worked out as quickly as possible, in consultation with stakeholders. No payments have yet been made from the Scheme.
23. Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the pensions industry regarding the Financial Assistance Scheme. [190413]
Malcolm Wicks: Ministers from the Department for Work and Pensions have held many meetings with representatives from the pensions industry, including those that my right hon. Friend the Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith), the former Secretary of State, had with Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the Institute of Actuaries, the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF), the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Amicus the Union, and Community.
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