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15 Nov 2005 : Column 1189W—continued
Zanzibar
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of irregularities in the presidential elections in Zanzibar; what representations he has made to (a) the Zanzibar authorities and (b) the Tanzanian Government about such irregularities; and if he will make a statement. [28806]
Mr. Straw: Representatives from the British High Commission followed the electoral process closely. It was the broad assessment of international observer groups that the electoral process was a marked improvement on past polls, and was generally administered in an efficient manner.
Nevertheless, there were instances, particularly on Unguja, where there were irregularities and a lack of transparency. A number of observer groups have called for a thorough investigation of these anomalies. The UK and European Union support this call. We have conveyed these views to the Governments of Zanzibar and the United Republic of Tanzania.
My hon. Friend the former Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Africa (Chris Mullin), went to Zanzibar to observe the election as a Special Envoy of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He met Chama Cha Mapinduzi Presidential
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candidate Kikwete on 1 November and discussed the importance of addressing the deeply polarised nature of Zanzibari politics.
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account was taken of the validity of the election in the decision that the UK's High Commissioner to Zanzibar attend the recent inauguration of the President. [28807]
Mr. Straw: The UK's High Commissioner attended the Zanzibar Presidential inauguration as European Union (EU) Presidency. EU missions followed the electoral process closely. In its statement of 1 November, the EU welcomed this third multi-party election and noted the broad assessment by international observer groups that the process was a marked improvement on past polls, and was generally administered in an efficient manner. The EU statement also made clear that there were instances of irregularities and lack of transparency, and that there should be a thorough investigation of these anomalies.
NORTHERN IRELAND
A and E Departments
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients were treated in the accident and emergency departments of hospitals in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. [28856]
Mr. Woodward: The information requested is shown in the table.
Source:
Departmental Information Return KH09.
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Abortions
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many abortions were carried out in Northern Ireland in the past 12 months. [28558]
Mr. Woodward: There were 64 medical abortions recorded in Northern Ireland hospitals in the year 2004–05, the latest 12 month period for which data are available.
Abuse of the Elderly
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people aged 65 years or over in Northern Ireland reported that they had suffered abuse in the last 12 months. [28164]
Mr. Woodward: The information requested is not available.
Apprenticeships
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many trainees entered electrical installation modern apprenticeships in each year between 2001–02 and 2005–06, broken down by (a) training provider and location and (b) council district in Northern Ireland. [26754]
Angela E. Smith: Since 1998 the Electrical Training Trust (ETT) is the training provider which has been contracted by the Department to manage all entrants to the electrical installation Jobskills Modern Apprenticeship programme. The following table sets out the number of young people who entered a Modern Apprenticeship in electrical engineering from 2001–02 to 2005–06. The Department does not have information by district council area.
| Cohort | Number |
|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 441 |
| 2002–03 | 418 |
| 2003–04 | 433 |
| 2004–05 | 396 |
| 2005–06(23) | 330 |
| Total | 2,018 |
(23) Figures for the 2005–06 cohort are enrolments up to 30 September 2005.
Civil Service (Religious Affiliation)
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the breakdown of religious affiliation of senior management is in each Government Department in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [25018]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested is as follows:
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The table includes all members of the Northern Ireland Senior Civil Service who work in the 11 Northern Ireland Departments, agencies and the Northern Ireland Office. In some cases it has not been possible to show the perceived religious affiliation of staff, due to the small numbers involved, in order to protect the confidentiality of the information held.
It is the stated policy of the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) that all eligible persons shall have equal opportunity for employment and advancement in the NICS on the basis of their ability, qualifications and aptitude for the work.
Where analysis of monitoring information reveals a possible lack of fair participation by one or other community, the NICS takes lawful affirmative action measures by encouraging job applications from the under-represented community when advertising vacancies.
Contraception
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidelines his Department issues to (a) general practitioners and (b) others in Northern Ireland in relation to advising or informing the parents of children and young people for whom contraception is prescribed. [27715]
Mr. Woodward: Separate guidance has not been issued to health and social services personnel on this matter but it is covered by the Reference Guide to Consent for Examination, Treatment and Care issued by my Department in March 2003. This guidance states that where the child is competent to consent and the decision will have ongoing implications such as long-term use of contraception it is good practice to encourage the child to inform his or her parents unless it would clearly not be in the child's best interest to do so.
Criminal Offences
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the criminal offences created in legislation sponsored by his Department between the end of the 2003–04 session and the end of April 2005, broken down by Act. [28472]
Mr. Hanson: No criminal offences were created by Acts in the period in question. For the sake of completeness however two offences were created by Northern Ireland Order in Council.
Public Processions (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 2005
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