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18 Jul 2005 : Column 1367W—continued

Olympics 2012

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State forCulture, Media and Sport what steps she plans to take to minimise the carbon footprint of the 2012 Olympics. [12553]

Tessa Jowell: Achieving a sustainable games was a strong element of London's bid for the 2012 Olympics. A key part of London 2012's plans, as set out in Theme 5 of their Candidate File, was for a low carbon" games.

Venues will be designed to optimise energy efficiency and to make use of low carbon and renewable energy sources. All spectators will travel to the games by public transport, or by cycling or walking. The vehicles for the Olympic family will comply with strict low-emission standards.

There will also be a comprehensive carbon-offset programme to neutralise" all the unavoidable carbon emissions caused by overseas participants travelling to the games in 2012, as well as the organisation's own staff travel during the preparation phase, by supporting the installation of renewable energy projects in developing countries.

Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether security costs were included in the estimates made for the London Olympic bid; and if she will make a statement. [12557]

Tessa Jowell: Security costs were included in the financial estimates made as part of the bidding process. £23 million has been allocated to the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) budget—as laid out in table 6.6.1 of London 2012's candidate file. This amount includes funding for the equipment, planning, co-ordination and training and law enforcement resources.

A further allowance of £190 million has been made from the stakeholders funding package of £2.375 billion for the wider security costs required to address security needs when we stage the games in 2012.

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will publish a full economic cost benefit analysis for the UK of the successful London Olympic bid. [11894]

Tessa Jowell [holding answer 13 July 2005]: We have commissioned such an analysis and shall publish it in due course.

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to seek changes in the law to permit the ownership and use of certain types
 
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of handgun to permit the full range of competition at the London Olympics 2012; and if she will make a statement. [11945]

Tessa Jowell: The Home Office do not propose to repeal the ban on the private possession of handguns. Special arrangements will be put in place to allow pistol shooting events at the 2012 Olympics as happened at the 2002 Commonwealth games. These arrangements will include a warm up event if this is deemed necessary.

Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of skilled construction workers required to work on preparations for London 2012. [12017]

Tessa Jowell: The outline planning application for the Olympic park estimates that 7,000 construction workers will be needed to help deliver the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We expect the major construction work in the East End of London in the run up to 2012 to provide the stimulus for a long-term positive impact on the construction industry in the UK.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Afghanistan

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the programme to build capacity in the justice sector in Afghanistan; and what impact this is having on United Kingdom efforts to counter narcotics and related crop growing. [13131]

Dr. Howells: The creation and consolidation of a national Afghan government and institutions, including those for justice, will be the key to establishing long-term stability and security. After nearly three decades of war, these institutions needed to be created from scratch.

The UK is the G8 lead nation on counter narcotics and is working in support of the Afghan Government's eight pillar 2005 implementation plan, of which criminal justice is a key pillar.

Sustainable drug elimination strategies take time—particularly when the challenges are as severe as those in Afghanistan.

Departmental Bills

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what Bills were sponsored by his Department in each Session since 1979. [10564]

Mr. Straw: Providing information for the entire period requested would incur disproportionate costs.

Since 1997, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been responsible for the following legislation (Bills that have been enacted are described as Acts):

2005


 
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2003

2002

2001

1998

Burma

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of whether Burma possesses (a) uranium and (b) antimony deposits; and whether processing of Burmese (i) uranium and (ii) antimony takes place in (A) Burma, (B) China, (C) North Korea, (D) Russia and (E) elsewhere. [12409]

Dr. Howells: According to reputable public sources, there are both uranium and antimony deposits in Burma.

Uranium is processed in China, North Korea and Russia, as well as in a number of other countries, but not in Burma.

Antimony has a range of commercial applications, and its processing and use is not under any form of international control. As far as we are aware, antimony is mined but not further processed in Burma, and is processed in China, North Korea and Russia, as well as in a number of other countries.

Correspondence

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Carmarthen, East and Dinefwr of 15 June on ministerial circulation of legal advisers' briefings. [12827]

Dr. Howells: As the hon. Member requested, we are considering the question under the Freedom of Information Act. A letter has been sent to the hon. Member confirming that we will reply to his question by 29 July. This is an extension of 10 working days beyond our original target date for replying to him. This extra time is needed in order to make a determination as to the public interest in releasing the information requested.

Departmental Advertising

David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the Department spent on advertising in each of the last five years. [10252]

Mr. Straw: Our records show that advertising costs in the last five financial years are as follows.
 
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£

Recruitment advertisingDiversity advertisingOtherTotal
2001–02803,745.38203,05013,794.521,020,589.90
2002–03587,936.18183,10939,786810,831.18
2003–04391,674.91156,84462,460.37610,979.28
2004–05226,458.35227,09524,331.63477,884.98
2005–06 (to date)112,10691,915Nil204,021

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's overseas posts and its non-departmental public bodies (NDPB) also incur costs. Collating this information would involve contacting each individual overseas posts and individual sponsoring departments of NDPBs. Sponsoring departments would then have to contact each NDPB for details. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.


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