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8 Nov 2004 : Column 515W—continued
Sport (Suffolk Schools)
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans her Department has to promote sport in Suffolk schools. [196504]
Mr. Caborn: The Government are investing over £1 billion to transform school sport throughout England. This is delivering an ambitious Public Service Agreement target to increase the percentage of 5 to 16-year-olds who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport to 75 per cent. by 2006 and to 85 per cent. by 2008.
As part of this investment the Government are establishing a network of School Sport Partnerships to increase and enhance school sports opportunities for all children in their areas. All maintained primary, special and secondary schools will be in a School Sport Partnership from September 2006. Currently 54 per cent. of schools are in a School Sport Partnership. Suffolk Local Education Authority has four School Sport Partnerships, comprising 23 secondary schools and 76 primary schools.
CABINET OFFICE
Civil Service Pensions
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the latest figure is for the average length of payment of civil service direct benefit pension. [195720]
Ruth Kelly: Based on the most recent assessment of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme carried out by the Scheme Actuary as at 31 March 2003, the average life expectancy for someone retiring at age 60 was 23.2 years (men) and 26.2 years (women).
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
African Union
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the African Union about monitoring of (a) ceasefire violations and (b) breaches of international (i) human rights and (ii) humanitarian law. [196083]
Mr. Mullin:
We are in daily contact with the African Union (AU) about their Monitoring mission in Darfur. In recent months my right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for International Development, have both spoken to the Chair of the AU Commission, Alpha Oumar Konare, and the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, Said Djinnet. I met with both Mr. Konare and Mr. Djinnet during my visit to Addis Ababa on 26 October.
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British Overseas Territories
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list for each British overseas territory, the responsibilities which in England would be those of a central Government Department but which in that territory are exercised by (a) him and (b) the Crown's representative. [195430]
Mr. Rammell: Most of the Overseas Territories enjoy a large degree of internal self-government and control over their own domestic affairs. However, certain reserved powers are retained by the Governor or equivalent (HM the Queen's representative in each Overseas Territory), in order to protect the UK Government's overall responsibility for the good governance of the Overseas Territories and for their defence and external affairs. In general, defence, internal security, external affairs, nationality and administration of the public service and police remain the responsibility of the Governor or equivalent. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary does not exercise direct responsibilities in the territories, but may instruct Governors or their equivalents as to the exercise of many of their functions.
The main responsibilities of the Governor in each territory are as follows:
External affairs; defence; internal security (including the police); offshore finance; the public service.
External affairs; defence (including armed forces); internal security and the police; certain senior appointments.
External affairs; defence; internal security (including the police); the public service.
External affairs; internal security (including the police); defence; the public service.
External affairs; the public service; (with the Commander British Forces) defence and internal security.
All matters not specifically allocated to local Ministers; in particular for defence, external affairs and internal security.
External affairs; defence; internal security (including the police); offshore finance; public service.
External affairs; defence of the Islands; some other broad policy issues (Pitcairn islanders manage their day-to-day internal affairs through the Island Council and the Island Internal Committee).
External affairs; defence; internal security; the police; finance; shipping; the public service.
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Defence; external affairs; offshore finance; internal security (including the police); management of the public service.
Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus
The Sovereign Base Areas (SBA) are military bases. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has overall responsibility for the Sovereign Base Areas, but day-to-day responsibility for the bases rests with the SBA Administration.
British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory and South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
In these Territories, most governmental functions are exercisable by the Commissioner or by officers subordinate to the Commissioner. There are no settled populations and, accordingly, there are no local representative institutions.
Commonwealth Countries
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of which countries the Queen is the head of state. (186895)
Mr. Rammell [pursuant to the reply, 7 September 2004, Official Report, c. 1060–61W]: There were a number of errors in my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Mr Mullin's answer of 7 September to the hon. Member, for which I apologise. The correct answer should read as follows:
Her Majesty The Queen is the Sovereign and Head of State of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Her Majesty's Realms, Her Majesty's Overseas Territories, and Her Majesty's Crown Dependencies.
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