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7 Feb 2005 : Column 1308W—continued
Television Licences
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people over the age of 75 in each of Northern Ireland's constituencies were entitled to free television licences at the latest date for which figures are available. [211875]
Estelle Morris: TV Licensing, who administer free television licences for people aged 75 or over as agents for the BBC, are not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, 2001 Census data indicate that the approximate number of people aged 75 or over living in each constituency in Northern Ireland was as follows:
Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people owning a television licence live in multiple dwelling units in (a) the private sector and (b) social housing. [214142]
Estelle Morris: The information requested is not available. The BBC have indicated that the data held by TV Licensing on licences in force do not distinguish between licensable addresses on the basis of whether or not they form part of a building in multiple occupation, nor—with the exception of applications for the Accommodation for Residential Care concessionary scheme—between private sector and social housing.
Mr. Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many households in Blyth Valley are in receipt of free television licences. [214204]
Estelle Morris:
TV Licensing, who administer free television licences for people aged 75 or over as agents for the BBC, are not able to provide geographical
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breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, the number of households with at least one person aged 75 or over claiming the winter fuel payment in the Blyth Valley constituency in 2003–04 was 4,135, according to Department for Work and Pensions records.
Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many students have been fined for non-possession of a television licence since 2000. [213523]
Estelle Morris [holding answer 4 February 2005]: The information requested is not available as records are not kept of the occupation of those fined for television licence evasion.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Arms Exports (West Africa)
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on arms sales to (a) Burkina Faso, (b) Benin, (c) Ghana, (d) Co(r)te d'Ivoire, (e) Mali, (f) Niger and (g) Nigeria. [211952]
Mr. MacShane: The United Kingdom has one of the strictest and most transparent arms export licensing systems of any country. All export licence applications for all destinations are rigorously assessed on a case by case basis against the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria, taking account of the circumstances prevailing at the time and other announced Government policies. The criteria clearly set out, among other considerations, our commitment to take account of the risk that exports might be diverted within the buyer country, re-exported under undesirable conditions, used for internal repression, external aggression or to abuse human rights and the risk of reverse engineering or unintended technology transfer.
Furthermore, for arms exports to the Co(r)te d'Ivoire, the UK implements fully the arms embargo imposed by UN Security Council resolution 1572 of 15 November 2004, prohibiting the sale or supply of military equipment to Co(r)te d'Ivoire, with certain specific exemptions.
For arms exports to Burkina Faso, Benin, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Nigeria, the Government also take full account of the Economic Community of West African States Moratorium declared on 1 November 1998 on the import, export and manufacture of light weapons.
Burkina Faso
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) the Government of Burkina Faso, (b) European Union counterparts and (c) members of the Economic Community of West African States regarding the forthcoming presidential elections in Burkina Faso. [211953]
Mr. Mullin:
None.
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Carbon Capture
Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what matters in respect of bilateral UK-China co-operation on carbon capture and storage were discussed during his recent visit to China; and what programmes for scientific consideration on carbon sequestration have been established with countries in South and South East Asia. [212130]
Mr. MacShane: During his recent visit to China, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed in general terms G8 priorities, including Climate Change, with Premier Wen and Foreign Minister Li. In addition, discussions are ongoing with China on a possible Memorandum of Understanding for signature by the end of this year that may include scientific cooperation on carbon sequestration
No programmes specifically for scientific consideration on carbon sequestration have been established with countries in South and South East Asia. However, a UK-Philippines Memorandum of Understanding was signed by my right hon. Friend the then Minister for Energy and Construction (Mr. Wilson) and the Philippines Minister of Energy in early 2003 which includes collaboration on cleaner fossil fuel technologies and more efficient energy end-use technologies and techniques and may therefore cover issues related to carbon sequestration.
China
Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the policy of the Chinese Government to repatriate refugees from North Korea; and if he will urge the Chinese Government to end this policy. [213112]
Mr. MacShane: We have concerns about the situation of North Korean asylum seekers in China. We have raised the matter on a number of occasions with the Chinese Government, most recently during the UK/China Human Rights Dialogue in Beijing on 22 November 2004. We continue to urge China to observe its obligations under the 1951 UN Convention on Religion and allow the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees access to the China/North Korea border region.
Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State forForeign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter dated 8 December 2004 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Majid Ali. [212290]
Mr. MacShane: My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Rammell) replied on 27 January.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter dated 15 November 2004 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Samiul Alam. [212291]
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Mr. MacShane: I refer my right hon. Friend to the replies my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Mullin) gave him on 19 January 2005, Official Report, column 1018W and on 27 January 2005, Official Report, column 523W. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary replied on 7 December.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter dated 9 November 2004 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to S.Hameed. [212293]
Mr. MacShane: I refer my right hon. Friend to the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Mullin) gave him on 19 January 2005, Official Report, column 1019W. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary replied on 20 December.
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