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8 Dec 2005 : Column 1561W—continued
Uganda
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of whether the Lord's Resistance Army is willing to engage in peace talks with the Government of Uganda. [35210]
Ian Pearson
[holding answer 7 December 2005]: The Ugandan Interior Minister has welcomed the recent comments made by Vincent Otti, the Lord's Resistance Army's (LRA) deputy commander, to the BBC that the LRA is ready to talk. Former Ugandan Minister, Betty Bigombe, who has been trying for years to encourage peace talks, has suggested that if it is genuine in its latest offer, the LRA should call a ceasefire in northern Uganda. For any peace talks to succeed the LRA needs to demonstrate that they are seriously pursuing a sustainable peace that ensures those indicted by the International Criminal Court face justice in The Hague.
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United States (Deportation)
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreignand Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 18 October 2005, Official Report, column909W, to the right hon. and learned Member for North-East Fife (Sir Menzies Campbell), on the United States (deportation), whether the answer applies to UK Overseas Territories. [34421]
Dr. Howells: I can confirm that that answer is true of the UK Overseas Territories.
War Crimes Trial (Guantanamo)
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the US Administration on behalf of (a) the UK Government and (b) the European Union regarding theUS Department of Defence's decision to conduct the first war crimes trial at Guantanamo with the power to impose the death penalty; and if he will make a statement. [33709]
Ian Pearson: The Government's view on the Military Commissions are well known to the United States (US) Government. The Government have expressed their reservations about them from July 2003 when two British nationals were designated for possible trial. The Government subsequently concluded that the Commissions did not meet the standards required for our nationals. The UK has not made representations on this matter on behalf of EU member states.
The Military Commissions have been suspended, pending consideration of the Hamdan case by the US Supreme Court. This is not expected before early next year. The US Government have confirmed that it will not seek the death penalty for any of the nine terrorist suspects it has formally charged at Guantanamo Bay.
West Papua
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visits have been made by embassy staff to West Papua in the past year; and if he will place copies of the reports of the visits in the Library. [35050]
Ian Pearson: Members of the British embassy, Jakarta, have visited Papua on three occasions in the past year.
It would not be appropriate to place copies of the reports of the visits in the Library of the House.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2005, Official Report, column1902W, on West Papua, what reports he has received that Tactica water cannon vehicles are present in West Papua and have been used to control peaceful protests; what representations he has since made to the Indonesian authorities; and if he will make a statement. [35126]
Ian Pearson:
In the period since 22 November, we have received reports indicating that Tactica water cannon vehicles were deployed to the city of Jayapura, Papua in August of this year. The reports indicate that the vehicles may have been used by police to disperse a
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violent incident during which demonstrators were allegedly seeking to cause criminal damage to a public facility. We are currently seeking confirmation of these reports from the Indonesian authorities.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2005, Official Report, column 1902W, on West Papua, what guidelines have been issued to his Department's embassy staff in Indonesia concerning the end-use monitoring of UK-supplied military equipment; and if he will place copies of those guidelines in the Library. [35128]
Ian Pearson: No guidelines have been issued to embassy staff in Jakarta concerning the end-use monitoring of UK supplied military equipment. The core standing tasks of the British embassy Jakarta include investigating any credible reports that British supplied equipment has been used by the armed forces or law enforcement agencies to perpetrate abuses of human rights.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2005, Official Report, column 1902W, on West Papua, what assessment he has made of whether the use of Tactica vehicles to control peaceful protests is a breach of previous assurances that UK-supplied equipment will not be used to violate human rights. [35134]
Ian Pearson: We consider that the use by a Government within its own borders of proportionate force to maintain law and order, subject to appropriate controls, is legitimate and does not constitute internal repression or a human rights abuse.
We have received reports that Tactica water cannon vehicles may have been used by police to disperse a violent incident in Jayapura, Papua, during which demonstrators were allegedly seeking to cause criminal damage to a public facility. We are currently seeking confirmation of these reports from the Indonesian authorities.
HEALTH
Acute Hospitals
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many acute hospitals have provided type 1 accident and emergency facilities in each year since 1990. [25281]
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Mr. Byrne: Data on the number of type 1 accident and emergency (A and E) departments are only available in this format from 2000–01 and are shown in the following table. Prior to 2000–01, statistics provided a count of the number of trusts providing a type 1 A and E service, rather than the number of type 1 A and E services. The pre-2000–01 trust data are available on the Department's website at:www.performance.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 201 |
| 2001–02 | 196 |
| 2002–03 | 209 |
| 2003–04 | 211 |
| 2004–05 | 208 |
Note:
As at end March of relevant year.
Source:
KH03 for 2000–01 to 2001–02. QMAE for subsequent years.
Alcohol
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 22 March 2005, Official Report, column 738W, on alcohol, if she will break down the figures provided by (a) primary care trust, (b) London borough and (c) individual London hospital. [16899]
Jane Kennedy: Information showing the number of admission episodes for alcohol-related diseases in children aged 11–15 by primary care trust, London local authority and London hospital provider, has been placed in the Library.
Allergy Specialists
Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many allergy specialists are working in the NHS in London, broken down by (a) primary care trust and (b) London borough. [31436]
Jane Kennedy: London primary care trusts do not employ staff with an allergy speciality and numbers of allergy specialists are not collected by London borough.
However, the information in the table shows the latest figures available for hospital medical staff with a specialty in allergy, within London Government Office Region, by strategic health authority, national health service trust and grade.
Source:
NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre medical and dental work force census.
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