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China

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives the UK Government will be taking during the course of its presidency of the European Union (a) to promote negotiations between China and representatives of the Dalai Lama over the future of Tibet, and (b) to address concerns about human rights abuses in Tibet and China. [13164]

Ian Pearson: We will continue to monitor developments in Tibet closely and will continue to regularly raise Tibet issues with the Chinese Government. This year my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Lord Triesman of Tottenham) and I have all raised Tibetan issues with Chinese interlocutors. We have made clear to the Chinese authorities that a long-term, legitimate and peaceful solution to the Tibet issue can be found only through dialogue and we will continue to urge them to engage productively with the Dalai Lama and his representatives. The EU has, under the UK presidency, issued a statement on 6 July welcoming the fourth round of dialogue.
 
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Embassies

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which embassies (a) have been closed over the past five years and (b) are planned to be closed over the next two years; and what the valueof ground sales of embassies over the last five years was. [13339]

Mr. Straw: The British embassies in Bamako, Managua, San Salvador, Tegucigalpa and Asuncion have been closed in the last five years. It is intended to close the embassies in Antananarivo and Dili in the next two years.

The embassy offices in Bamako, Managua and Tegucigalpa were leased. The gross proceeds from the sale of the El Salvador office were £940,000. The sale of the Asuncion Office is not due to be completed until autumn 2005.

Equatorial Guinea

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list the major UK commercial interests in Equatorial Guinea; [12168]

(2) what assessment he has made of the levels sectors of UK investment in Equatorial Guinea; and in which sectors such investment has been made. [12172]

Ian Pearson: The UK has limited commercial interests in Equatorial Guinea. Most UK companies working there are sub-contractors operating in the oil and gas sector. UK Trade and Investment has not made any detailed assessment of the levels of UK investment.

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) embassy and (b) consulate arrangements are in place to represent UK interests in Equatorial Guinea. [12972]

Ian Pearson [holding answer 18 July 2005]: The UK does not have representation in Equatorial Guinea. We are officially represented by the non-resident Ambassador based in Yaounde, Cameroon.

We are in the process of recruiting a new Honorary Consul in Malabo. Consular duties are currently being covered by our High Commission in Yaounde.

A United Kingdom Trade and Investment consultant, on a short term contract, represents British commercial interests in Equatorial Guinea.

Eritrea

Mr. McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Eritrea regarding the cases of trade unionists Tewelde Ghebremedhin, Minase Andezion and Habtom Weldemicael. [13506]

Ian Pearson: Our ambassador in Asmara has discussed this case with EU partners. The previous local EU presidency in turn raised it with a senior official of theGovernment. We understand that Tewelde Ghebremedhin, Minase Andezion and Habtom Weldemicael may face criminal charges. However, we and our EU partners continue to monitor this case closely and will raise it again with the Government if necessary.
 
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EU Committee of the Regions

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the UK contributed (a) directly and (b) indirectly to the costs of the EU's Committee of the Regions in the last period for which figures are available. [11959]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: The UK makes its contributions to the EC Budget as a whole, and not to individual parts of it. This year's member state financing of the 2005 Adopted EC budget amounts to €105 billion, of which the UK share, after taking account of the abatement, will be 13.05 per cent. The EC's estimate for Committee of the Regions expenditure in 2005 is €60,277,251.

Guantanamo Bay

Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date he responded to the letter from Clive Stafford Smith dated 28 June, regarding British residents in Guantanamo; and if he will place a copy of his response in the Library. [11271]

Ian Pearson: My hon. Friend the Minister of State (Dr. Howells) replied to Mr. Stafford Smith's letter of 28 June on 7 July. A copy of this response has been placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date he responded to the letter from Clive Stafford Smith dated 15 February, regarding Omar Deghayes; and if he will place a copy of his response in the Library. [11272]

Ian Pearson: My right hon. and noble Friend the former Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister of State (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean) replied to Mr. Stafford Smith's letter of 15 February on 28 February. A copy of the reply has been placed in the Library of the House.

High Commissions

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which high commissions (a) have been (i) closed and (ii) merged over the past five years and (b) are planned to be closed over the next two years; and what the value of ground sales of high commissions over the last five years was. [13338]

Mr. Straw: The British High Commission in Nassau is the only High Commission to have been closed in the last five years. It is planned to close the High Commissions in Port Vila, Nuku'Alofa, Tarawa, Mbabane and Maseru in the next two years.

The High Commission in Nassau was leased.

Management Consultants

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the total expenditure saved in each of the last three years as a result of implementing recommendations by management consultancies within his Department. [13623]

 
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Mr. Straw: No central record is kept of the benefits that have arisen from implementing the recommendations of management consultancies. The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Nigeria

Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in reducing external support for militants in Nigeria. [12915]

Ian Pearson: We are concerned at the level of criminal activity and instability in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, in particular the supply of small arms to the area, and the ethno-religious instability in the Middle Belt. My hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Mullin), raised the issue of the high levels of criminality in the Niger Delta with the Rivers State Governor during his visit in February 2005. We are also looking at ways we can assist the Nigerian Government on small arms control.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Antisocial Behaviour

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the role of sport and recreational activities in tackling antisocial behaviour; and if she will make a statement. [12550]

Mr. Caborn: Research commissioned by the Home Office and undertaken by MORI of the national Positive Futures programme, which aims to tackle antisocial behaviour through sport, found that 72 per cent. of respondents surveyed in 2004 felt that the programme had made a positive difference to the local community in crime, drug use and antisocial behaviour. The figure increased to 76 per cent. in 2005.

Furthermore, since 2004, approximately 136,500 young people most at risk of social exclusion or antisocial behaviour have taken part in the Positive Activities for Young People (PAYP) programme which also uses sport as a diversionary activity.

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