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Pension Rights

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how the Government calculated the funding required to compensate those workers who have lost occupational pension rights; and if he will make a statement. [11916]

Mr. Timms: The Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) will give assistance not compensation to people whose defined benefit occupational pension schemes started to wind up underfunded, with insolvent employers, before the start of the Pension Protection Fund. The aim is not to replace all members' losses, but to give significant help to those most seriously affected, and the Government believe that its commitment of £400 million of public funds over 20 years is an appropriate provision for that. The £400 million figure reflects information available, at the time of the original announcement on FAS in May 2004, about the extent of relevant pension scheme failures. It also reflects a judgment on what it was reasonable to provide from public funds.
 
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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Democratic Republic of Congo

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an assessment of the flow of arms into the Democratic Republic of Congo, including those that may have been trafficked (a) through the UK and (b) via UK brokers. [11431]

Ian Pearson: A UN arms embargo in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been in place since July 2003, and was strengthened in April 2005 by UN Security Council Resolution 1596. Despite efforts to enforce the embargo, it has been reported that rebel groups operating in eastern DRC are receiving limited supplies of new arms and ammunition. Any information received that alleges that arms may have been trafficked through the UK, or that UK companies or individuals are violating the embargo, is passed on to the relevant UK investigatory authorities for action. To date, there have been no prosecutions in the UK.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the status of the UN arms embargo relating to the Democratic Republic of Congo. [11432]

Ian Pearson: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been subject to an arms embargo since July 2003. On 18 April 2005, the UN Security Council decided in its resolution 1596 (2005) to broaden the scope and geographical range of the arms embargo. The embargo prohibits the transfer of arms to any part of DRC, subject to certain exemptions for humanitarian activities and for official DRC and UN troops. It also provides for a travel ban and assets freeze on individuals who violate the embargo.

EU Human Rights Obligations

Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether there is a common definition of torture for the purpose of compliance with the human rights obligations of EU member states. [10917]

Ian Pearson: All EU member states are parties to the UN Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Article 1 of the convention sets out an internationally agreed definition of acts that constitute torture, stating that:

Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what obligations EU member states are under to investigate allegations of torture. [10918]


 
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Ian Pearson: All EU member states are parties to the UN Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Article 12 of the convention states that:

EU member states also have similar obligations by reason of their being parties to the European Convention on Human Rights.

EU Presidency

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the (a) total cost of and (b) selection procedure for the UK's EU presidency logo. [11752]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: The cost of producing the logo for the UK's six month Presidency of the European Union is £10,000. The total cost associated with this project is £35,000 and includes costs such as design integrity guidelines and trade marking. Following a competitive tender, the design was chosen by a panel which included representatives from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for Culture Media and Sport and the Cabinet Office and chaired by the Design Council Chief Executive. Approval of the final design was given by Ministers.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking during the UK's EU presidency (a) to inform the UK public about the workings of the EU and (b) to involve the public in such workings. [11820]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Government's communication priority during the UK's EU presidency is to ensure EU citizens are informed on the work of the presidency, including the EU's role in addressing the presidency policy priorities. Over the six months of the presidency, we will be informing and engaging people through the official presidency website, publications and the media. In addition, a number of meetings of the European Parliament and Council will be open to the public, as well as televised and broadcast.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department contributed to (a) the drafting of the new Iraqi constitution and (b) the draft petroleum law; and if he will make a statement. [11410]

Dr. Howells: The UK has no direct input into the drafting of the Iraqi Constitution. It is up to the Iraqis themselves to decide what goes into it. The Iraqi Constitutional Committee is drafting the text, which will be submitted to a referendum in October.

The Petroleum Law is also a matter for the Iraqis to decide. The UK Government has not contributed to any part of the drafting process.

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many advisers were seconded from the private sector in the UK to (a) the Iraq Coalition Provisional Authority and
 
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(b) other relevant Iraqi administrative bodies to work on oil industry issues; from which organisations each was seconded; how they were funded; what the costs were; and if he will make a statement. [11518]

Dr. Howells: The UK seconded two advisers, one an independent consultant (formerly BP and Shell) and one from BP, to the Coalition Provisional Authority to work on oil industry issues. Total costs for the advisers, met by the UK Government, were £147,700.

Social Models

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the timetable is for the European Commission research and report into sustainable social models. [11751]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said on 1 July, the Commission will produce a paper on the challenges for the European social model in the 21st century in advance of the informal summit to be held in the autumn. This builds on the mandate given to the Commission by the European Council in March 2005, to produce a report on the sustainability of the social model in Europe.

Statutory Instrument Sponsorship

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what statutory instruments have been sponsored by his Department since 1997. [10565]

Mr. Straw: As the information the hon. Member has requested is lengthy, it has been placed in the Library of the House.


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