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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

0870 Numbers

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the occasions in the last five years on which 0870 telephone numbers have been used by his Department as contact numbers for members of the public; and how much revenue was received from the use of 0870 contact numbers in each of the last five years for which records are available. [24460]

Dr. Howells: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice was available on an 0870 number when it was first introduced in February 2003. The telephone number has been discontinued and was replaced by an 0845 number on 9 September 2005.

The revenue received from this number to date is £76,887.86. This is set against the cost of running the call centre, which is around £120,000 a year.
 
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The revenue is broken down as follows:

	£
2003	4,817.43
2004	22,974.49
2005	49,095.94

Over 203,000 calls were made to the call centre before 2 September 2005.

Algeria

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to help Algeria to tackle terrorism. [25117]

Dr. Howells: Algeria is a priority partner for the Government's counter terrorism effort. The Government are committed to the development of closer co-operation with the Algerian authorities and Algerian officials have recently visited the UK to study UK counter-terrorism structures. Discussions of an agreement on deportation with assurances continue with the Algerian Government.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government are taking to support the development of democracy in Algeria. [25274]

Dr. Howells: The UK is committed to working with the Algerian Government to support their development of democracy. The EuroMed Tenth Anniversary Summit on 27 to 28 November 2005 in Barcelona will be an important opportunity to help the EU's Mediterranean Partners, including Algeria, to address the challenges of the 21st century, including in good governance. At the Summit, we want leaders to endorse an outcome-oriented Five Year Work Plan. This Plan will include the creation of a large EU Facility which will provide a package of assistance for Mediterranean Partners who show a clear commitment to good governance.

Carbon Management Programme

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department will sign up to the Carbon Trust's Carbon Management programme. [23733]

Mr. Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is committed to reducing its carbon impact on the environment. We use an externally-certified Environmental Management System (EMS) to identify environmental issues on our estate in the UK, including carbon impact. We are currently implementing measures projected to reduce CO ₂ emissions from our UK estate by 22.5 per cent. by 2010–11, relative to 1999–2000. We are also introducing this financial year arrangements to offset emissions generated by air travel by Ministers, and officials based in the UK.

We judge that our current system for managing carbon emissions already covers the main elements of the Carbon Trust's Carbon Management Programme, we have not yet signed it but are considering whether to do so carefully.
 
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European Institute of Technology

Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the European Commission on establishing a European Institute of Technology. [26201]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had any discussions with the European Commission on establishing a European Institute of Technology.

The European Commission is currently conducting a wide-ranging consultation on the proposed European Institute of Technology (EIT). The UK response will be submitted shortly and a copy will be placed in the Library of the House. Any proposal must add clear value. Promoting excellence in the European University sector is vital to ensuring Europe's long term competitiveness in the global economy.

Iran

Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to Russia about the sale of nuclear fuel to Iran. [26264]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and his officials have regular discussions on Iran's nuclear programme with international partners, including Russia. In their proposal to Iran of 5 August 2005, the Foreign Secretary and the Foreign Ministers of France and Germany, with the support of the high representative of the EU, stated that they fully support long-term co-operation in the civil nuclear field between Iran and Russia in the context of an overall agreement on long-term arrangements.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether US Federal Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald (a) contacted and (b) sought assistance from his Department concerning the allegations made in British official policy documents that Iraq sought to procure uranium from Niger as part of the recent US Grand Jury inquiry. [24936]

Dr. Howells: No, on both points.

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on negotiations with the Iraqi Government concerning troop withdrawals. [25318]

Dr. Howells: The UK is committed to Iraq until such time as the Iraqis are able to take responsibility for their own security. Withdrawal of our troops from Iraq will not depend on reaching certain dates or timetables, but on achieving certain conditions.

These conditions will be based upon principles outlined by the Iraqi Joint Committee to transfer security responsibility and are based on four broad categories: an assessment of the insurgents' threat level; Iraqi security forces' ability to take on the security task; the capacity of provincial bodies to cope with the changed security environment; and the posture and support available from coalition forces.
 
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We will not make significant changes to the UK's force posture in any province in Iraq until we, coalition partners and, in particular, the Iraqis are confident that the conditions set out by the Joint Committee are met.

We expect the Committee's recommendations to be confirmed soon. Thereafter, assessments will be made to determine which areas of Iraq are ready to transfer to Iraqi control. While we do not want to be in Iraq any longer than is necessary, we will not be deflected from our task. We have made a commitment to the Iraqi people and it is important that we honour that commitment and see our task through.

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Iranian involvement in the insurgency in Iraq. [25325]

Dr. Howells: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has said, the nature of some explosive devices used, including against British troops, leads us either to Iranian elements or to Lebanese Hezbollah, which has very close links with Iran's Revolutionary Guards. We are unable to provide further details as to do so could prejudice the capability, effectiveness, and security of the armed forces.

Literacy and Numeracy

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many employees in his Department requested training to improve their (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills in each year since 2002. [23371]

Mr. Straw: Complete statistics over this time have not been collected. No requests for training in numeracy were received during this time. One or two employees each year request funding for external training to improve their English language skills.

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to promote uptake of the national tests in adult literacy and numeracy among employees of his Department. [23409]

Mr. Straw: The vast majority of Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff have formal qualifications matching or in excess of the national tests by virtue of their meeting the FCO's entry requirements. As part of a revision of training in writing skills taking place in early 2006, staff who may wish to revise fundamental basic skills will be directed to the national tests as well as other training opportunities.

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on in-house training on (a) literacy and (b) numeracy (i) in total and (ii) per head in each year since 2002. [23430]

Mr. Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not provide in-house training in literacy or numeracy because staff are required on entry to demonstrate these abilities. Any shortfall is met through external training.
 
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