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14 Nov 2005 : Column 958W—continued
Universities (Bureaucracy)
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pages of (a) guidance and (b) other paperwork universities received from (i) her Department and (ii) non-departmental public bodies in the sector on each day in 2004. [25093]
Bill Rammell: It is not possible to provide information for each day in 2004, so I am providing the information on an annual basis.
The Government conducts their relationship with the university sector in England through three non-departmental public bodies: the Student Loans Company (SLC), the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Office for Fair Access (OFFA).
During 2004, the SLC issued 5,000 posters to universities about the move paying loans by direct credit to student bank accounts instead of by payment by cheque, asking that these should be displayed to help students.
HEFCE issued in printed form 11 guidance documents; 26 other publications, concerning different aspects of university core business and policy development; six HEFCE newsletters; four newsletters from the Joint Costing and Pricing Group; three Research Assessment Exercise documents; and 21 Circular letters to Vice-Chancellors and heads of HEIs. This came to a total of 1,573 pages.
OFFA issued one guidance document 2004, totalling 18 pages in length.
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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Abdel Karim Taghouti
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what account his Department has taken of the recommendation of immigration Judge Maurice Cohen given in his determination of 14 September 2005, Appeal No. OA/00652/2005, in respect of the appeal of Abdel Karim Taghouti that entry clearance be granted to the appellant without further delay; and if he will make a statement; [28022]
(2) for what reasons the decision of Asylum and Immigration Tribunal determined on 14 September 2005 in respect of Mr. Abdel Karim Taghouti, Appeal No. OA/00652/2005, has not yet been sent by the Government to the UK embassy in Tunis; when it will be sent; when a spouse's visa will be issued; and if he will make a statement. [28023]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The visa section at our embassy in Tunis received Mr. Taghouti's appeal determination from the Home Office on 31 October 2005. There was a public holiday between 3–7 November 2005, which prevented the embassy from contacting Mr. Taghouti. However, he approached the visa section on 8 November 2005 with his passport and was issued with his spouse visa.
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons the UK embassy entry clearance office in Tunis has disregarded the submission of two faxed copies of the successful appeal of Abdel Karim Taghouti, Appeal No. OA/00652/2005, against their refusal to grant him a spouse's visa submitted to them by Messrs. Marziano Khatry Mak Solicitors; and if he will make a statement. [28024]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The visa section at our embassy in Tunis received faxed copies of Mr. Taghouti's appeal determination from Marziano Khatry Mak Solicitors on 15 September 2005 and 25 October 2005. On receipt of the first fax, the visa section replied by e-mail to explain that an entry clearance officer must receive an appeal determination directly from the Home Office.
The visa section received Mr. Taghouti's appeal determination from the Home Office on 31 October 2005. There was a public holiday between 3–7 November 2005, which prevented the embassy from contacting Mr. Taghouti. However, he approached the visa section on 8 November 2005 with his passport and was issued with his spouse visa.
China
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he plans to have with President Hu of China during his visit to the UK regarding China's use of political psychiatry. [27024]
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Ian Pearson: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised human rights issues with President Hu during his visit. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary did not hold a separate meeting with the President.
Craig Alden
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department has provided to Mr. Craig Alden, a British citizen imprisoned in Brazil; and if he will make a statement. [26087]
Dr. Howells: British embassy officials visit Craig Alden on a regular basis. The British consul last visited him on 3 November 2005. In addition embassy officials regularly speak to Mr. Alden by telephone.
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met Craig Alden's mother in 2004 and my noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), Lord Triesman of Tottenham, met Mrs. Alden in July 2005. Consular officials in London and Brasilia have met Mrs. Alden on a number of occasions.
As a result of concerns about the fairness of the trial proceedings leading to Craig Alden's conviction in 2002, the FCO offered Craig Alden the services of a member of the FCO pro bono lawyers panel, Jeremy Richardson QC.
Jeremy Richardson produced two reports on the Alden case, as a result of which the Foreign Secretary made a decision to support an application to the Brazilian Government, for presidential expulsion. He wrote to the Brazilian Foreign Minister in March 2005 referring to some of the concerns highlighted by Jeremy Richardson. In August 2005, the Brazilian authorities informed British embassy officials of their intention to reject Craig Alden's request for presidential expulsion. The British ambassador in Brasilia continues to press the Brazilian authorities for a full response.
Criminal Offences
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by his Department from May 1997 up to and including April 2005, broken down by Act. [27588]
Mr. Straw [holding answer 11 November 2005]: The following criminal offences have been created in legislation for which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been responsible from May 1997 to April 2005:
International Criminal Court Act 2001: Sections 51, 52, 54, 58, 59 and 61; genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, ancillary offences, offences in relation to the International Criminal Court.
Landmines Act 1998: Sections 2. 12, 14, 17, 18 and 19; offences relating to anti-personnel landmines, offences relating to destruction, fact finding missions, notices, unlawful obstruction and disclosure of information.
Nuclear Explosions (Prohibition and Inspections) Act 1998: Sections 1 and 7; causing a nuclear explosion, offences in connection with on-site inspections.
Indonesia
Mr. David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the UK Government has made to the Indonesian Government over incidents of violence against the Christian community in Central Sulawesi. [27198]
Ian Pearson: Immediately after the recent beheadings in Central Sulawesi, President Yudhoyono condemned what he described as a sadistic crime", and sent extra police to the area to ensure that violence did not flare up. The British ambassador in Jakarta has discussed the issue with senior Indonesian officials and expressed the UK's shock at the incident.
In September this year, President Yudhoyono stressed that the state guaranteed every citizen religious freedom and called on the police and members of the public to act to prevent violence against any faith. We co-sponsored, with the Indonesian Government in Bali in July, an international conference to promote inter-faith understanding and harmony. We will continue to co-operate with them on this important objective.
Iran
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from which organisations the Government have received intelligence reports on the situation in Iran. [28325]
Dr. Howells: It is not the Government's policy to comment on intelligence matters.
Somalia
Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the ambush of Somalian interim Prime Minister Ali Muhammad Gedi in Mogadishu on 7 November. [27224]
Ian Pearson: As EU presidency we issued a statement condemning in the strongest terms the attack, deeply regretting the killing and wounding of several people and conveying condolences to the families of the victims.
We continue to engage with partners in the international community to support the Transitional Federal Institutions and urge the Somalis to resolve their differences peacefully and return to good governance.
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