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27 Jun 2005 : Column 1280W—continued
Licensed Premises
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will estimate (a) the number of licensed premises and (b) the number of licensed premises serving food in each local authority in England. [7492]
James Purnell: Statistical information on licensed premises is not held by local authority area. It has been collated by Court area, reflecting the previous licensing regime. In collecting this data, the Courts have made no distinction between pubs which serve food, and those which do not. However, based on that information and my Departments own estimates, the national position is as follows:
Sports Clubs (London)
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of (a) football, (b) rugby, (c) tennis, (d) athletics, (e) hockey and (f) swimming clubs in London in each of the last five years. [5303]
Mr. Caborn: My Department does not hold this information.
Village Hall Committees
Mr. Peter Ainsworth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the Answer of
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21 June 2005, Official Report, column 895W, on village hall committees, what reports she has received from police and licensing authorities on whether village hall committees have been, or are, carrying on a business without an appropriate licence. [7580]
James Purnell [pursuant to the reply, 21 June 2005, Official Report, c. 895W]: I can confirm that my Department has received no reports from the police or licensing authorities on whether village hall committees have been, or are, carrying on a business without an appropriate licence.
SCOTLAND
Consultants
Mrs. Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to issue guidance on effective commissioning for those in the public and voluntary sectors who are commissioning work from external consultants. [7026]
David Cairns: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given today by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury.
Honours
Mr. Pope: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many officials currently in the Department received honours in the recent Queen's Birthday Honours List; and at what rank of honour. [5130]
David Cairns: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, on 22 June 2005, Official Report, column 1059W.
Taxis
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years. [6496]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office spent the following on taxis:
| £ | |
|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 7,853 |
| 2001–02 | 8,518 |
| 2002–03 | 10,130 |
| 2003–04 | 8,960 |
| 2004–05 | 8,266 |
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
Afghanistan
Mr. McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [6922]
Dr. Howells:
The security situation in Afghanistan remains stable but fragile. Elements opposed to the democratic process continue to carry out periodic
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attacks against the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and coalition forces, international and Afghan NGO personnel, and the Afghan people. Such attacks are likely to increase in the run-up to parliamentary and provincial elections in September. As with the presidential election in October 2004, ISAF and coalition forces will support the Government of Afghanistan's efforts to provide a secure environment for the elections.
Correspondence
Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to reply to the letters of 16 March and 31 January from the hon. Member for Maldon and East Chelmsford to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State regarding Ms Marisa Namprom. [6651]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 23 June 2005]: UK visas, the Department responsible for entry clearance matters arising overseas, sent a letter on this matter to the hon. Member on 22 June 2005.
Corruption
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2005, Official Report, column 329W, on overseas corruption, from which missions each allegation came; on what date each was received; and to which law enforcement agency each was forwarded. [6425]
Ian Pearson: Under the current arrangements for handling allegations under part 12 of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, all such allegations were passed to the National Criminal Intelligence Service. However, these arrangements are about to be revised to give the Serious Fraud Office the central role on future allegations. The Government refrain from commenting on the specific origin of these allegations to avoid prejudicing continuing law enforcement investigations.
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list seminars and presentations organised by the Government for the UK business community since December 2003 to raise awareness of the UK's obligations under (a) the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Anti-Bribery Convention and (b) Part 12 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. [6468]
Ian Pearson:
The events in question can take many forms, ranging from presentations at large formal events to smaller briefing sessions or discussions. Since December 2003, the Government (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) have spoken at events for the UK business community covering foreign bribery in the following countries: Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Kuwait, Iran and China. The next such event is planned for Moscow at the end of July.
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Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received regarding recent (a) investigations and (b) prosecutions of UK companies in connection with corruption overseas. [7234]
Ian Pearson: I understand that 24 matters referred to UK law enforcement under part 12 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 since February 2002 are under investigation. In those cases under investigation, no charges have yet been brought under these provisions and it would not be appropriate to comment on operations which are currently in progress.
Hong Kong
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Chinese Government on the appointment of the new Chief Executive for Hong Kong, Sir Donald Tsang. [6623]
Ian Pearson: We have not had any discussions with the Chinese Government about Donald Tsang's appointment as Hong Kong's new Chief Executive.
Donald Tsang was the only candidate to gain sufficient Election Committee nominations to stand for Chief Executive. In accordance with the basic law, the State Council of the Chinese Central Government formally appointed Donald Tsang as Hong Kong's new Chief Executive on 21 June 2005.
Donald Tsang has a distinguished record of serving the people of Hong Kong and we are confident that he will continue to do so as Chief Executive. We have excellent relations with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and we are confident that our ties will continue to flourish under the new Chief Executive. As signatories of the joint declaration, we take seriously our commitment to ensure a stable, democratic and prosperous future for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress towards democracy in Hong Kong. [6624]
Ian Pearson: The Government supports democracy throughout the world as the best means of creating stable, accountable and transparent government, of protecting rights and freedoms, and of upholding the rule of law.
The ultimate aim of the basic law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) is a Chief Executive and Legislative Council elected by universal suffrage. We favour early progress to this end. We hope that the Hong Kong SAR Government will take full account of the wishes of the people of Hong Kong.
We noted that the legislative council elections in September 2004 were generally well run. For the first time half of the 60 members of the Legislative Council were elected directly by the people with a record number of the electorate, more than 55 per cent. turning out to vote.
The Hong Kong SAR Government taskforce on constitutional reform was expected to issue its fifth and final report in the spring of this year. The final report
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will contain definitive proposals on the methods by which the Chief Executive and Legislative Council are to be elected in 2007 and 2008. However, following the resignation of the Chief Executive in March, the publication of the report has been delayed until the appointment of the new Chief Executive.
We will continue to watch this issue closely and look forward to seeing the task force's proposals.
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