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1 Nov 2004 : Column 82W—continued
UN Relief and Works Agency
Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the UN on the statement made by the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) that UNRWA employs Hamas members. [194816]
Mr. Rammell: We have not raised this matter formally with the United Nations, but British officials in New York have discussed the issue with other UN Security Council members and the UN Secretary-General. Kofi Annan has stated that although the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) could not question its staff about their political affiliations, the UN is fastidious about their behaviour, insisting that all employees act in accordance with the established principles and practices of the UN.
The UK provides funding to UNRWA and supports its work, which includes delivery of essential relief supplies to civilian communities in Gaza.
Uzbekistan
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cases of torture have been brought to his Department's attention in the last 10 years in (a) Uzbekistan and (b) all countries. [194447]
Mr. Rammell: We receive reports of incidents of torture and human rights abuses from various sources, including individuals and NGOs, from all over the world, including Uzbekistan. The UK has a strong record, in conjunction with international partners, of acting on such reports.
We do not keep lists of all reported incidents of torture we receive. However, the Government have published an Annual Report on Human Rights since 1997. It provides an overview of the main challenges to human rights around the world, including torture, and explains the Government's overall activities and policies to address those challenges, in both bilateral and multilateral contexts. The report incorporates comments and recommendations we receive over the year from the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee and from a number of NGOs.
The report has been critical of Uzbekistan's human rights record and we shall be equally forthright in the 2004 report when it is published in November.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he received on (a) promoting democracy and (b) eradicating human rights abuses in Uzbekistan. [194448]
Mr. Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office monitors and takes action on reports of human rights abuse in Uzbekistan as well as lobbying the Uzbek Government to introduce democratic reform. We benefit from a regular dialogue with NGOs such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, both at Ministerial and at official level, in London.
We also have frequent, informal contact with local NGOs in Uzbekistan. We receive reports from and have regular consultations with organisations such as the Initiative Group of Independent Human Rights
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Defenders of Uzbekistan and Mothers against the Death Penalty and Torture, as well as from families and other human rights defenders. Our Embassy in Tashkent has also received representations from independent political parties regarding registration and the forthcoming parliamentary elections.
We value the NGO expertise we receive concerning Uzbekistan and will continue to be in regular contact with the NGO community on issues of human rights and democracy there in the future. As an example of this, our Embassy in Tashkent is funding an NGO Registration and Capacity Building Project to improve the capacity of local independent human rights NGOs in Uzbekistan.
Water Supply (Iraq/Turkey)
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has initiated between Iraq, Syria and Turkey on water supply issues. [194798]
Mr. MacShane: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not initiated any discussions between Iraq, Syria and Turkey on water supply issues.
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the relevance of international treaties covering water supply issues to the dispute between Iraq and Turkey over water. [194932]
Mr. MacShane: There is a longstanding dispute over the distribution of water resources between Iraq and Turkey. A committee was set up in 1983 between Iraq, Turkey and Syria to agree an equitable water-sharing arrangement but it has not met for a number of years. Modern international law provides few specific guidelines to resolve water-sharing disputes. Turkey is not a signatory of the 1997 UN Watercourses Convention. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not carried out a detailed assessment of the relevance of international treaties covering water supply issues to the dispute between Iraq and Turkey over water.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Alternative Fuels
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much funding the Government have given to investigations into alternative fuels for transport in the last year; and how much they plan to invest in research and development of alternative fuels for transport in each of the next five years. [193285]
Mr. Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
The Government have in place a large number of programmes to help fund the research, development and demonstration of low carbon vehicles and fuels. Details of some of the most significant programmes are set out in the Second Annual Report of the Powering Future Vehicles Strategy, published in October 2004 and available on the Department for Transport's website.
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Over £1 million of spending on programmes in the financial year 2003–04 was specifically for alternative fuels for transport.
Brumark Case
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether she plans to change the statement on behalf of Crown Departments relating to the Brumark case to take account of National Westminster Bank plc. v. Spectrum. [193816]
Mr. Sutcliffe: No. The case of National Westminster Bank plc. v. Spectrum is still finally to be determined and is subject to an appeal to the House of Lords.
Car Repair Industry
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) government and (b) non-government schemes have been introduced to monitor the motor car repair industry in the past 30 years; and if she will make a statement. [194679]
Jacqui Smith: My Department is not aware of any Government introduced schemes to monitor performance in the motor car repair industry in the past 30 years (although there have been some ad hoc research exercises). There have been a number of non-government schemes and codes of practice which have incorporated some elements of performance monitoring. The Office of Fair Trading monitors complaints and enforcement action in relation to specific offences across all consumer activity including the car repair sector.
The Office of Fair Trading has recently approved the code of the Vehicle Builders and Repairers Association. One of the criteria to be met in order to achieve approval is that there should be in place effective means of monitoring performance against code content. The OFT also recently approved a code by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders which in part covers manufacturers' activity in relation to repairs required under new car warranty.
China
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much UK investment there has been in China since 1999. [194127]
Mr. Timms: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Tom Brake, dated 1 November 2004:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question about UK investment in China since 1999. I am replying in his absence. (194127)
The results for the annual surveys into Foreign Direct Investment are published in the Business Monitor MA4 "Foreign Direct Investment", which is available on the National Statistics Website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/MA4_2002.pdf
The latest information is for the year 2002. Figures for China do not include Hong Kong, which is shown separately.
(18) Position at the end of the year, book value
Source:
ONS Business Monitor MA4: Foreign Direct Investment 2002
(19) Position at the end of the year, book value
Source:
ONS Business Monitor MA4: Foreign Direct Investment 2002
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