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School Dinners

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions she has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Health and (b) others about the effects of partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) in school dinners; and if she will make a statement. [210429]

Derek Twigg: The Secretary of State for Education and Skills has had no recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Health, or any others, on this issue.

However, this Department works closely with the Food Standards Agency (FSA), who provide information to the public and Government on food safety, nutrition and diet. We have a formal agreement
 
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with FSA which requires them to inform us, without delay, of any information on food safety, nutrition and diet that requires us to take action.

This Department together with the Department of Health, Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs and the FSA, have jointly provided £1.1 million that will be used over the next three years to improve school meals. We will be revising both primary and secondary school meal standards, to reduce the consumption of fat, as well as salt and sugar and increasing the consumption of fruit and vegetables.

In our guidance, 'Healthy School Lunches', we advisethat monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats should be used wherever possible. www.dfes.gov.uk/schoollunches.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Zimbabwe

16. Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to discuss with his EU colleagues the range of sanctions in place against Zimbabwe. [210398]

Mr. Mullin: The EU's targeted measures against Zimbabwe run until 18 February 2005. We see no evidence that Zimbabwe has addressed the EU's concerns on human rights and democracy. We therefore believe that sanctions should remain in place, and are discussing this with EU partners now.

Iraq

18. Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the level of violence in Iraq has risen since Christmas. [210400]

Mr. Alexander: Since Christmas we have seen a number of attacks designed to disrupt election operations. Both the Iraqi Independent Electoral Commission and the Iraqi Government have made clear their determination that the elections go ahead on time. The UK, with its allies in the Multi-National Force will continue to support the Iraqi authorities to that end.

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the openness of the Iraqi electoral process will be assured; who has overall responsibility for the process of the 30 January elections; who appointed them; what their qualifications are for the role; whether the names of would-be candidates who have not been allowed to stand will be disclosed; whether reasons will be given for their ineligibility; who will monitor the polls and undertake the count; who the returning officers will be; whether there will be independent monitoring of the elections; and if he will make a statement. [207220]

Mr. Rammell: The Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) is responsible for planning, organising and supervising the electoral process. The IECI is headed by nine Commissioners. The Commissioners were nominated by the UN following a rigorous selection procedure and approved by Prime Minister Allawi. None of the commissioners had any direct experience of managing an electoral process with the exception of a non-voting
 
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commissioner. Carlos Valenzuela of the UN. Valenzuela has extensive experience of conducting elections in post-conflict environments.

No prospective candidates were rejected by the IECI. The elections will be observed by national election monitors that have been trained by international organisations. In addition, an international mission to assess the elections is being organised by the Canadian Electoral Commission. The IECI is responsible for co-ordinating the return of ballot papers, the counting process and tabulation of results. The official result will be announced around 20 days after the election but a probable share of seats for the Transitional National Assembly will be announced within a week of the election.

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements are in place to ensure that no non-Iraqis cast votes, or arrange for votes to be included in the poll count, in the Iraqi elections on 30 January; and if he will make a statement. [207249]

Mr. Rammell: Only Iraqi citizens that appear on the electoral roll are eligible to vote. The electoral roll was compiled from the Public Distribution System used to allocate food rations. On polling day, voters will be checked against the voter register before being allowed to enter the polling station to cast their vote. Election monitors working for the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) will supervise polling stations.

Iraqis living outside Iraq will also be able to cast their votes. The IECI asked the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to put in place arrangements for voting in 14 countries (including the UK). In order to register to vote, Iraqis will be required to provide evidence of their eligibility. Voters must have been born in Iraq or have a father who was born there. Arrangements for monitoring out of country voting are currently being developed by the IECI.

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the merits of an independent inquiry into the number of (a) Iraqi military personnel and (b) Iraqi civilians killed or injured by the activities of coalition forces in Iraq since 19 March 2003; and if he will make a statement. [209234]

Mr. Rammell: As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary explained in his written statement to Parliament on 17 November 2004, Official Report, columns 92–95WS, we believe that the Iraqi authorities remain in the best position to record casualties in their country.

An independent inquiry is highly unlikely to be able to gain better access and provide more accurate information on casualties than the Iraqi Government.

Mr. Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which period is covered by the Iraqi Ministry of Health data for casualties which the Government are using as their estimate of casualties. [209380]

 
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Mr. Rammell: The Iraqi Minister of Health released a statement on 29 October 2004 in which he quoted statistics covering the period of 5 April 2004 to 5 October 2004. These statistics, which are compiled by some 180 hospitals, show that 3,853 Iraqis were killed and 15,517 were injured during this period. We continue to believe that this is the most reliable data available.

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the price in dollars of 20 litres of (a) kerosene and (b) petrol was in Baghdad in January (i) 2000 and (ii) 2005. [210253]

Mr. Rammell [holding answer of 24 January 2005]: Official prices for kerosene and benzene (petrol) have not changed since 1999. Using an exchange rate of 1Iraqi Dinar (ID)=0.0008$ on 01 January 2000 and 1ID=0.00068$ on 01 January 2005, 20 litres of kerosene cost 16 cents in January 2000 and 14 cents in January 2005. 20 litres of benzene cost 32 cents in 2000 and 27 cents in 2005.

Electoral Information (British Citizens Abroad)

19. Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Electoral Commission relating to the dissemination of information to British citizens living abroad who are entitled to vote in UK elections. [210401]

Mr. Mullin: Officials from my department have been in regular communication with the Electoral Commission in support of their efforts to publicise information to British citizens living abroad who are entitled to vote in UK elections.

Middle East Peace Process

20. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policies are for taking forward the peace process in Israel and the Palestinian territories. [210402]

Mr. Rammell: Our policy, as made clear during my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's visit to Washington on 11–12 November, has been to support Palestinian presidential elections, the improvement of Palestinian infrastructure, and Prime Minister Sharon's disengagement plan. We remain committed to the road map. We are working to ensure that the London meeting on 1 March, which aims to support Palestinian institution building, contributes to progress on the road map.

21. Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his French counterpart on the middle east peace process. [210403]

Mr. Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to French Foreign Minister Barnier on 15 January regarding the middle east peace process, specifically to discuss the London meeting on 1 March on strengthening the Palestinian Authority. The Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister Barnier agreed that the London conference should contribute to progress on the road map.
 
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