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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Spring Supplementary Estimates

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr Bill Rammell): Subject to parliamentary approval of any necessary supplementary
 
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Eestimate, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office departmental expenditure limit (DEL) will be increased by £46,199,000 from £1,883,444,000 to £1,929,643,000 and the administration costs limit will be decreased by £21,151,000 from £793,006,000 to £771,885,000. Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the table:
£'000s

		New DEL
	Change	Voted	Non-voted	Total
Resource	35,374	1,607,192	212,118	1,819,310
Capital	10,825	101,533	8,800	110,333
Depreciation*	0	-106,218	-26,800	-133,018
Total	46,199	1,602,507	194,118	1,796,625

* Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from:

RfR1

I.

Reserve claims of £402,000 for the Emergency Disaster Reserve; £9,957,000 for Consular Premium collected in the UK and £7,755,000 for international organisations subscriptions;

II.

PES transfers from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and DEFRA of £160,000 each for the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea;

III.

A PES transfer from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) of £32,000 in respect of the Year of Science in China;

IV.

A PES transfer from the Cabinet Office for £65,000 for the funding of the Parliamentary Counsel Office;

V.

A PES transfer to the Security and Intelligence Agencies (SIA) of £1,400,000 for language training. Income and expenditure has also been increased by £1,400,000 to reflect this;

VI.

A PES transfer to the Security and Intelligence Agencies (SIA) of £562,000 for planned programme activity;

VII.

A PES transfer of to the Home Office of £1,000,000 in respect of European Residence Permits;

VIII.

A reduction of £12,553,000 in respect of Overseas Price Movements;

IX.

Increases in income and expenditure of £50,700,000 relating to increased visa and consular activity;

X.

Increases in income and expenditure of £445,000 relating to increased postage recoveries and other sundry receipts;

XI.

Increases in income and expenditure of £160,000 relating to increased receipts for international organisation subscriptions;

XII.

An increase in income and expenditure of £38,086,000 relating to other government departments' contributions to the UK presence in Iraq. Of this £11,236,000 is vired to capital.

RfR2

XIII.

Take up of £23,347,000 end year flexibility;

XIV.

Draw down of £110,000,000 from the Peacekeeping Main Estimate Provision of which £90,000,000 is transferred to the Ministry of Defence;

XV.

A PES transfer of £12,551,000 from DFID for programme activity;

XVI.

A PES transfer of £49,000 from the Cabinet Office relating to a forecast underspend on the Countries at Risk of Instability Pilot because of a forecast underspend;

XVII.

Draw down of £6,000,000 from the Departmental Unallocated Provision;

XVIII.

PES transfers of £2,237,000 to the Security and Intelligence Agencies, £2,200,000 to the Ministry of Defence and £6,500,000 to DFID for planned programme activity.
 
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The change in the capital element of the DEL arises from:

I.

A reduction of £411,000 due to Overseas price movements;

II.

£11,236,000 vired from administration for other Government Departments' contribution to UK presence in Iraq.

British Detainees (Iraq)

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Jack Straw): During the course of my statement of 11 January to the House, Official Report, columns 173–186, on the release of British detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, I said that there were no other British citizens detained in Guantanamo Bay. I also stated that I knew of no other citizens detained in similar circumstances elsewhere. That statement in the House was clear and remains accurate.

I would however like to bring to the attention of the House the cases of two British nationals being held as security internees by the coalition forces in Iraq; one is a British national being held by US forces at Camp Bucca, the other is a dual British/Iraqi national and is being held at Shaibah by UK forces.

Both men are being held as security internees in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1546 (2004). The International Committee of the Red Cross has access to both detention facilities and family visits are also permitted. Both internees' cases are reviewed regularly by the appropriate authorities.

HEALTH

Doctors and Dentists (Remuneration)

The Secretary of State for Health (Dr. John Reid): I am responding on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the 34th report of the review body on doctors' and dentists' remuneration (DDRB) which is published today. Copies of the report are available in the Vote Office and the Library. I am grateful to the chairman and members of the review body for their hard work.

This year's report deals primarily with general dental practitioners, doctors and dentists in training, non-consultant career grade doctors, and medical and dental consultants who have chosen not to take up new contracts. For consultants taking up new contracts, general medical practitioners and the salaried primary dental care services, 2005–06 will be the third year of three-year pay deals agreed as part of NHS pay reforms.

The review body has recommended with effect from April 2005 general increases in remuneration of 3 per cent. for doctors and dentists in training and consultants who remain on the old contract, 3.225 per cent. for non-consultant career grade doctors and an increase of 3.4 per cent. in gross fees for general dental practitioners.

These recommendations are being accepted in full and without staging.
 
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HOME DEPARTMENT

Spring Supplementary Estimates

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Fiona Mactaggart): Plans to change the Charity Commission's departmental expenditure limit (DEL) for 2004–05.

Subject to parliamentary approval of any necessary supplementary estimate, the Charity Commission DEL will be increased by £440,000 from £30,608,000 to £31,048,000. The Administration Cost Limit will remain unchanged at £29,509,000. Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the table:

£'000s

		New DEL
	Change	Voted	Non-voted	Total
Resource	0	29,509,000	0	29,509,000
Capital	440,000	2,179,000	0	2,179,000
Depreciation*	0	-640,000	0	-640,000
Total	440,000	31,048,000	0	31,048,000

* Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from total DEL since capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.

The change in the capital element of the DEL arises from a known peak in E-Business expenditure, and will be funded by take up of part of the Commission's capital end-year flexibility entitlement.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Parades

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. lan Pearson): I have been considering Sir George Quigley's Review of Parades, the subsequent consultation on his report, the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee (NIAC) report of January this year and the events of last summer. Each of these offers different perspectives on how to go forward and I have come to a balanced decision about how to respond.

I have decided that a case has not been made to make fundamental changes to parading arrangements in Northern Ireland. Parades have been increasingly peaceful over the last few years. The number of contentious parades has fallen. Out of approximately 2,000 parades notified last year, only 200 were regarded as 'contentious' and two resulted in serious public order incidents. I think this shows the success of the arrangements we have here in reducing tension. I want to echo the words of NIAC, which concluded that the Parades Commission remains the best hope for developing the peaceful resolution of disputes. I will therefore not be pressing forward with the changes recommended by Sir George Quigley at this time. I am, however, indebted to Sir George for his insightful and intelligent contribution to the debate around parades in Northern Ireland. Although I am not adopting his recommendations, my thinking has been greatly influenced by his work and I am, indebted to him for his insightful and intelligent contribution to the debate around parades in Northern Ireland.
 
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I shall be laying an Order in Council to amend the law on parades. The Order makes clear that the Parades Commission can make determinations that include supporters and followers. Some doubts have been raised about the Commission's remit. The police and NIAC have asked me to put the matter beyond doubt before the summer.

At the same time, I intend to take on board Quigley and NIAC's recommendation that parades and related protests should be considered by the same body. The Order will bring protestors within the remit of the Parades Commission. I have been persuaded that the time is right for the Parades Commission to take on this function.

I am also launching a wide-ranging consultation exercise on mediation. I think there is a great deal of potential for mediation to help defuse the tensions surrounding parades and I firmly believe that agreed outcomes are the best way to resolve disputes. However, there has not been agreement about how best to deliver mediation. I have today published a consultation paper on these issues. The consultation will close on 23 May 2005.

NIAC's report contained other recommendations about how the Parades Commission could make the way it carries out its work more effective. I am aware that the Commission are examining these and I look forward to hearing their response.

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