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European Union

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the European Union directives and regulations relating to his Department that have been implemented in each of the last two years, specifying (a) the title and purpose of each, (b) the cost to public funds of each and (c) the cost to businesses of each. [200851]

Mr. MacShane: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is responsible for the UK's general policy on the EU, and accordingly has an interest in the implementation of all EU measures in the UK. Indeed the hon. Member will have noted the joint measures announced by my right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the pre-Budget report for ensuring that businesses do not face unnecessary burdens from European law, including though effective transposition. However, there have
 
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been no directives or regulations in the past two years which the FCO has had the responsibility of implementing in the UK.

Hamas

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made in the week prior to 1 December to (a) the EU High Representative, (b) other governments and (c) other parties regarding contacts with Hamas. [202788]

Mr. Rammell [holding answer 6 December 2004]: Following Dr. Solana's interview with the Radio 4 Today programme on 25 November, my officials contacted Dr. Solana's spokeswoman to clarify what contacts, if any, Dr. Solana had had with Hamas. Dr. Solana's spokeswoman gave us the same response as contained in her statement of 25 November which I made reference to in my reply of 1 December 2004, Official Report, column 174W. We have not had any other contacts with other governments or other parties in the last week regarding contacts with Hamas.

Human Rights Act

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cases have been brought against his Department under the Human Rights Act 1998; and what has been the cost in (a) legal fees to defend cases and (b) compensation payments. [200852]

Mr. Straw: Five cases have been brought against me as Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under the Human Rights Act 1998. The cost in legal fees to date has been approximately £175,445 (but some cases are ongoing: more costs may be incurred, and some costs may be recovered). No compensation payments have been ordered or made.

Immigration

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received concerning the entry clearance operation in Dhaka, Bangladesh. [200939]

Mr. Mullin: Since 1 November, there have been 34 letters from hon. Members about entry clearance in Dhaka, seven from members of the public and two from solicitors.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many entry clearance officers there are in Dhaka, Bangladesh. [200940]

Mr. Mullin: Currently, there are 14 entry clearance officers (ECOs) in Dhaka. An additional four ECO positions have been recently approved. The visa section in Dhaka is headed up by three entry clearance managers, a head of Visa Services and a director of Visa Services.

Dhaka is also provided with seasonal relief staff. During 2004, 16 additional ECOs were posted to Dhaka working there for anything between one and six months.
 
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India

Mr. Plaskitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Indian Government about investigations into the attacks on Sikhs in Delhi in 1984. [200042]

Mr. Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not discussed the 1984 attack on Sikhs in Delhi with the new Indian Government. This Government consider the attacks on the Sikhs in Delhi in 1984 as a matter of regret, and condemn the persecution of individuals or groups because of their religion or beliefs.

Invoice Payments

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it. [200620]

Mr. Rammell: The last figures available are for the financial year 2003–04. 98 per cent. of all invoices were paid within the 30-day period, 0.17 per cent. remained unpaid over 90 days.

Information concerning average payment times is not held electronically and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary re-signed to the Better Payment Practice Code in July 2003. We remain committed to the aim of paying all undisputed invoices within 30 days of receipt of invoice or goods or services, whichever is the later. We continue to monitor our performance and will, as in previous years, submit our annual return to the Small Business Service for inclusion in the League Table.

Iran

Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Iran about the death of the Bahá'i Mr. Mir Naqi Kamali. [200928]

Mr. Rammell: We have received reports from Baha'i representatives in the UK about the circumstances of Mr. Kamali's death and other examples of discrimination against Baha'is in Iran. We have not raised the specific case of Mr. Kamali with the Iranian authorities, but have on many occasions raised our serious concerns about the situation of the Baha'i community in Iran. With our strong support, the EU presidency called on the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 24 November to express the EU's concern at demolition of Baha'i holy sites and discrimination against Baha'is for instance in access to education. The rights of Iran's religious minorities including the Baha'is has been an important theme of the EU/Iran Human Rights Dialogue, including the most recent round in June.
 
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Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the treatment by the Iranian courts of offences committed against Bahá'ís. [200929]

Mr. Rammell: We have serious concerns about the situation of the Bahá'í community in Iran. We have received reports that Bahá'í in Iran have suffered intimidation and harassment and face difficulties in securing full and free access to the courts. We have raised our concerns with the Iranian authorities on many occasions, including through the EU/Iran human rights dialogue.

Iraq

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans coalition forces have to help those who have fled Fallujah in recent days to return home after the fighting is over; and whether the Iraqi Interim Government has requested assistance from coalition forces to do so. [199874]

Mr. Rammell: The Iraqi Interim Government are leading the humanitarian and reconstruction effort in Fallujah and the surrounding areas and are developing plans for the return of Internally Displaced Persons from Fallujah.

The Multi-National Force has established a Civil Military Operations Centre in Fallujah to facilitate the humanitarian and reconstruction effort, and the return of the Internally Displaced Persons, and has provided logistics and planning support. The Multi-National Force stands ready to provide further assistance as requested.

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of the (a) coalition forces, (b) Multi-National Force and (c) Iraqi security forces have been (i) killed and (ii) injured by (A) terrorists and (B) insurgents since 1 June 2003; how many Iraqi citizens have been (1) killed and (2) injured by (x) terrorists and (y) insurgents since 1 June 2003; and if he will make a statement. [200496]

Mr. Rammell: We understand from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) that the number of Multi-National or coalition forces killed since 1 June 2003 is 1,172, of which 937 were killed in action. 22 UK service personnel have been killed in action since 1 June 2004. A further 15 have been killed in accidents and other incidents. Before August 2004, the MOD did not hold centrally figures for the total number of injuries sustained by UK Service personnel, or the causes of those injuries. Minor injuries or illnesses suffered by personnel who were treated in theatre and then returned to duty were not recorded other than on individual Service records. Since August 2004, 65 injuries have been sustained as a result of hostile action. Statistics are not collected for injuries sustained for other reasons.

We understand that since 15 June 2003, 907 Iraqi Security Forces have been killed and 2,374 injured.
 
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We have no way of reliably estimating the total number of Iraqi civilians killed since June 2003 but we understand from the Iraqi Interim Government statistics, compiled from hospital records, that during the period 16 June 2004 to 10 September 2004 516 Iraqi civilians were killed and 2,016 injured directly as a result of attacks by the terrorists and insurgents.

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