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Opinion Polls

Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what contracts his Department has agreed with organisations for opinion polling or related research in the past 24 months; [214342]

(2) what research into public opinion his Department has commissioned over the past 24 months; [214343]

(3) if he will list all organisations or individuals that have provided public opinion research to his Department over the past 24 months; [214344]

(4) if he will list all organisations or individuals with which his Department has agreed contracts for research projects over the past 24 months; [214345]

(5) if he will list all public opinion research projects that his Department has carried out over the past 24 months. [214346]

Mr. Mullin: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has commissioned opinion research projects over the past 24 months to better target both the promotion of Britain overseas and the FCO's overseas public diplomacy campaigns. It has also commissioned research in Britain so as to communicate better with the UK general public about issues to consider when travelling overseas, and to help focus and inform the FCO's outreach activity with civil society and faith communities.

Contracts to deliver this research have been awarded to the following agencies, each of which was selected in accordance with public sector procurement guidelines. These are:

MORI

NOP

Prescient

Synovate

Wardle McLean

Webstar.

A number of our overseas posts, as well as the FCO's non-departmental public bodies, also commission opinion research occasionally. However, a comprehensive list of these projects is not held centrally, and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what public opinion research his Department has undertaken, commissioned or received regarding (a) the EU Constitution and (b) the European Union in the past 24 months. [214347]

Mr. MacShane: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office commissioned ICM to carry out a series of focus groups in June 2004 to test the clarity of its Guide to
 
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the European Union" before publication. In addition, officials collate information on publicly available research into public opinion on EU matters from a range of other sources.

Qualified Majority Voting

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the annex setting out policy areas in the new treaty which have moved to qualified majority voting or co-decision, to which he refers in his statement of 26 January, Official Report, column 17WS, includes all the areas listed in his answer of 5 July 2004 to the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis), Official Report, column 592W. [215353]

Mr. MacShane: As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary said in a Written Ministerial Statement of 26 January, Annex 1 to the Commentary on the Constitutional Treaty (Cm 6459) updates and supplements the answer I gave to the hon. Member for New Forest East (Julian Lewis) on 5 July 2004 Official Report, columns 592–3W. Three Articles mentioned in that answer are not listed in Annex 1. They are: Article HI-266 (formerly III-167) concerning asylum policy, all aspects of which will shortly move to QMV under the current (Nice) Treaties and which was still an open question at the time of my earlier answer; Article HI-311 (formerly HI-212) concerning the European Defence Agency, which has now been established under the current Treaties by a unanimous joint action of the Council in July 2004 (OJ L24517.7.2004 p17); and Article III-196 (formerly 111–90) concerning international aspects of the euro, which would only apply to the UK if it adopts the euro.

Queen's Flight

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions his Department's Ministers used the Queen's Flight in each of the past five years. [213701]

Mr. Straw: In the past five years, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and I have used the aircraft of 32 (The Royal) Squadron as follows:

	Number of occasions
2000	47
2001	39
2002	45
2003	39
2004	34

The VC10s on the Squadron were withdrawn at the end of 2001 and one of the BAE 146s in November 2001.

Severance Grants

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 January, Official Report, column 27W, on severance grants, what monitoring of the internal management of communities institutions his Department undertakes. [215331]

 
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Mr. MacShane: The UK was heavily involved in the Prodi Commission's work to modernise the Institutions of the EU, including the negotiations that culminated in reform of the EC Staff Regulations. The policy reform introduced a new careers structure, rules governing the field of professional and ethical standards, and modernised rules regarding external mobility, middle management conditions and salaries and pensions structures. The UK will continue to participate in Working Groups looking at institutional issues such as these during the Barroso Commission.

South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the decision to suspend the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation summit scheduled to take place in Dhaka on 6 February; what information he has received on the reasons for the suspension; and if he will make a statement. [214727]

Mr. Alexander: The decision to suspend the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) summit due to have been held in Dhaka on 6–7 February was taken by the Bangladesh Government following Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's withdrawal from the conference. Under the SAARC Charter, a summit cannot be held without the participation of all the leaders of the seven member states.

The Indian Government have indicated that their decision was taken due to recent developments in Nepal and concerns about the security situation in Dhaka. We understand that fresh dates for the Summit will now be worked out through consultations among SAARC's member states. The UK supports fully the SAARC member states' aim to increase economic co-operation between the countries of South Asia and we hope that a new meeting will be arranged quickly.

Sudan

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on the recent problems in Port Sudan, Province of Sudan, with particular reference to (a) the actions of the Sudanese Army and (b) the arrest and detention of Beja Congress leaders; [215068]

(2) if he will seek information on the demonstration in Port Sudan on 29 January, with particular reference to violence perpetrated by the police. [215069]

Mr. Mullin: On 28 January, the Beja Congress in Port Sudan held a demonstration in protest against their marginalisation from social and political life. This followed clashes in the East of Sudan between the Beja and the Government, on 25 January. The demonstrations turned violent, and we understand that approximately 20 people were killed when police opened fire. The situation is reportedly now calmer, though tensions remain high. The majority of those arrested in relation to the incident have now been released, but a number of Beja leaders remain in detention.
 
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We are very concerned about increased tensions, and these specific incidents, in eastern Sudan. We have urged the Government of Sudan to show restraint, and made clear that attacks on civilians are totally unacceptable. We have also made clear that both sides should work together to resolve their grievances peacefully, within the framework of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

UN Office on Drugs and Crime

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to achieve their target of eradicating drug misuse by the year 2008; and if he will make a statement. [214494]

Mr. Rammell: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has made important progress on a range of issues regarding drug misuse as detailed in the 2004 World Drug Report. Nevertheless, it is clear that important challenges remain. The Government are committed to continuing to work closely with UNODC to confront these challenges.

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