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Western Sahara

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) the Government of Morocco, (b) the Polisario Front and (c) UN officials on the future constitutional arrangements for the Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement. [194002]

Mr. Rammell: UK officials have held recent discussions with all the parties to the Western Sahara dispute and UN Officials. Officials have underlined the importance the UK attaches to the UN process delivering a fair and lasting solution to this dispute that provides the people of the Western Sahara with an opportunity to exercise their right to self-determination.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Chechen Separatist Organisations

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Government's policy is on Chechen separatist organisations operating within the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [190240]

Mr. Blunkett: The Police and the Security Service continue to monitor closely the activities of those groups which seek to undermine the interests of the UK, whatever their background. If they find evidence of any terrorist activity they will act immediately.

D Notices

Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many 'D' notices prohibiting the publication of sensitive news stories about the situation in Iraq have been issued in each month since March 2003. [191152]

Mr. Ingram: I have been asked to reply.

'D notices' are not issued to cover specific stories or events, nor can they actually prohibit publication of sensitive news stories. The system is advisory, and there are five standing Defence Advisory Notices. These are the basis on which the Secretary of the independent Defence, Press and Broadcasting Advisory Committee gives advice day-to-day, to the media and to officials, on the publication of information about national security (see www.dnotice.org.uk for full details). The decision whether or not to publish remains with the editor.
 
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In the case of events in Iraq since March 2003 (and in the build-up to the operation), the Secretary has never had to advise that a complete story should not be published. He has however on occasion advised that some detail in an intended story should be omitted, for reasons of personal and operational security. The media have invariably agreed to observe this advice, and on occasion have voluntarily also withdrawn the whole story, as they have sometimes also done when the Secretary has informed them that some crucial details in their outline are known to him to be untrue.

The number of occasions on which advice of this nature has been sought by journalists, invariably by telephone, about endangering detail in an otherwise publishable story, has varied greatly from month to month, according to the pattern of operations. Over the whole period, it has averaged about twice a week.

Departmental Expenses

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what departmental expenditure was on (a) mobile telephones, (b) hospitality and (c) taxis in (i) 1996–97 and (ii) the latest accounting period for which figures are available. [184456]

Fiona Mactaggart [holding answer 16 July 2004]: The information requested is shown in the table.

			£
	1996–97	2003–04
Mobile telephones	438,783.30	1,282,909.33
Taxis	(18)—	435,416.24
Hospitality	(19)—	89,072

⁽¹⁸⁾ Not available. The method for capturing travel and subsistence expenses in 1996–97 did not allow for a reliable separation of taxi costs.
⁽¹⁹⁾ Hospitality figures relate to the cost of providing refreshment for non-civil servants and for limited hospitality provided by civil servants for business purposes. Details of such expenditure have been held only since 1997–98, for which the figure is £37,747.

Due to the nature of the Home Office's work, a large number of employees are involved in dispersed operations, which necessitate the use of mobile phones on a regular basis. Some organisations, like the National Probation Service, have also become part of the Home Office since 1997, and their costs are now included. The Department has contracts with major mobile phone companies to get the best deal for the tax payer.

Temporary Mortuaries

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department makes financial provision for the implications of setting up a temporary mortuary. [184594]

Paul Goggins: Responsibility for the provision of public mortuaries is covered by section 198 of the Public Health Act 1936, which states that local authorities may, or shall if directed to do so by the Minister, provide a public mortuary. This does not explicitly cover temporary mortuaries. The Civil Defence (General Lead Local Authority Functions) Regulations 199 set out a responsibility on local authorities for dealing with fatalities in emergencies. Responsibility for funding is covered by section 27 of the Coroners Act 1988, which
 
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sets out that county councils and lead boroughs in metropolitan areas are responsible for providing support to coroners.

PRIME MINISTER

Casinos

Mr. James Gray: To ask the Prime Minister whether he has visited (a) Las Vegas and (b) Atlantic City in an official capacity. [193897]

The Prime Minister: Since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. Copies of these lists are available in the Library of the House.

Mr. Gray: To ask the Prime Minister (1) how many recent meetings he has had with representatives of (a) Sun International, (b) MGM Mirage, (c) Kerzner International, (d) Caesar's Entertainment and (e) the British Casino Association; when those meetings took place; and if he will list the representatives whom he met from each organisation; [193895]

(2) how many recent meetings his (a) officials and (b) special advisers had with representatives of (a) Sun International, (b) MGM Mirage, (c) Kerzner International, (d) Caesar's Entertainment and (e) the British Casino Association. [193896]

Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what meetings (a) he and (b) his advisers and officials have held with representatives of (i) Sun City International, (ii) MGM Mirage, (iii) Mandalay Resort Group, (iv) Kerzner International, (v) Las Vegas Sands, Inc.,(vi) Harrah's Entertainment, (vii) Caesar's Entertainment and (viii) other foreign casino firms; what the (A) dates and (B) venues of the meetings were; and which individuals were present; [193762]

(2) on what dates (a) he and (b) officials in his Office have held meetings with representatives of the UK gambling industry to discuss proposed changes to legislation on gambling. [194517]

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list each meeting at which (a) he, (b) Ministers, (c) officials and (d) his representatives discussed with outside parties proposed changes to the gambling laws; when each meeting took place; and if he will list the attendees at each meeting. [194321]

The Prime Minister: My officials and I have meetings and discussions 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.

Ministerial Residences

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Prime Minister what the cost to public funds was in (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02, (c) 2002–03 and (d) 2003–04 of the (i) rent, (ii) capital charges and (iii) maintenance of official ministerial residences; and if he will make a statement. [193163]

 
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The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Norman Baker) on 11 October 2004, Official Report, columns 53–54W.

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