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Written Ministerial Statements
Monday 12 December 2005
CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
Dedicated Drug Court Pilot
The Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Ms Harriet Harman): My right hon. and noble Friend, the Secretary of State and Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, has made the following written ministerial statement in the other place today, 12 December 2005:
"I am pleased to announce the launch of the dedicated drug court pilot. Under this model the same magistrate or district judge who gave a drug treatment order will be responsible for management of the offender during their reviews and to the point of completion. In the event of a breach of the order the same sentencing panel will consider the options available for re-sentence for the original offence committed.
By increasing continuity in the process, from the court and also from local partner agencies, offenders will be encouraged to complete the orders and become rehabilitated members of society.
The project will run for 18 months and will collect data from West London and Leeds Magistrates' Courts. It is hoped that by the end of the trial period there will be sufficient evidence that proves that this model is effective in reducing re-offending. If this model is successful my Department will recommend rollout to appropriate areas."
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Diplomatic Missions
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Jack Straw): From a community of around 23,000 in the United Kingdom entitled to diplomatic immunity, 11 serious offences, allegedly committed by such persons were drawn to the attention of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2004. "Serious Offences" are defined in accordance with the 1985 White Paper on Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges—that is as offences that would, in certain circumstances, carry a penalty of 12 months or more imprisonment.
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Jack Straw):
There were 4,821 outstanding parking and other minor traffic violation fines incurred by Diplomatic Missions and International Organisations in the United Kingdom recorded during the year 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004. These totalled £425,480.00. In July this year the Foreign and Commonwealth Office wrote to all Diplomatic Missions and International Organisations concerned giving them the opportunity to pay their outstanding fines, or appeal against them if they considered that the fines had been issued incorrectly. As a result payments totalling £63,650.00 were received, leaving a total of 4,135 (£361,830.00) unpaid fines for 2004. The
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table below details those Diplomatic Missions and International Organisations which have 11 or more undisputed fines unpaid.
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The number of outstanding fines incurred by Diplomatic Missions in the United Kingdom for non-payment of the London Congestion Charge since its introduction in February 2003 until 10 November 2005 was 32,761. The table below shows the 10 Diplomatic Missions with the highest number of outstanding fines.
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Jack Straw): The majority of diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom pay the National Non-Domestic Rates requested from them. They are obliged to pay only 6 per cent. of the total National Non-Domestic Rates value which represents payment for specific services such as street cleaning, lighting, maintenance and fire services. The total amount outstanding from all diplomatic missions is approximately £880,000.00. However, as at 1 July 2005 missions listed below owed over £10,000 in respect of NNDR. Ten additional diplomatic missions, who owe £10,000 or more in respect of National Non-Domestic Rates, have made arrangements with the Valuation Office Agency to clear their outstanding debts and have not been included in this list.
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General Affairs and External Relations Council
The Minister for Europe (Mr. Douglas Alexander): The General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) will be held on 12 December in Brussels. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I will represent the UK.
The agenda items are as follows:
Annual Operating Programme 2006
The incoming Austrian presidency and future Finnish presidency will present their 2006 Operating Programme.
Financial Perspectives 2007–13
We expect the Council to focus on the outstanding areas where further progress is needed following the 7 December Conclave, with the aim of providing a useful basis for working towards a deal at the European Council on 15–16 December.
Preparation for the December European Council
The presidency will update the Council on preparation for the December European Council and discuss the outstanding issues in relation to the European Council Conclusions. The Council will also discuss the Commission and Council Papers setting out priority actions for improving migration management with a focus on Africa, which were mandated by the Hampton Court Summit.
We expect the Commission to update the Council on the latest state of play in the WTO negotiations.
The Council is expected to have a further discussion on the EU's role in Kosovo, confirm EU agreement on a candidate to succeed Lord Ashdown as EU Special Representative in Bosnia, and discuss the Commission's opinion on Macedonia's EU membership application.
The Council is expected to note the Commission's latest enlargement package, including the overarching strategy paper and country reports on all the enlargement and Western Balkan countries (including Bulgaria and Romania). The Council will also look to agree new Accession Partnerships for Turkey and Croatia and new European Partnerships for the other Western Balkan countries.
European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP)
External Relations Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner will update the Council on achievements during the first year of implementation of European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) Action Plans and highlight the critical priorities for implementation in 2006, both for the EU and the EU's partners.
We expect the Council to discuss and agree the EU-Africa Strategy, which will then be adopted at the December European Council. This will be the first substantive discussion of the Strategy by Foreign Ministers. Development Ministers have already discussed the Commission's Africa Communication.
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Following a request from Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot, the Council will discuss the situation on the Ethiopian/Eritrean border, particularly how the EU might work with the UN to help resolve the dispute.
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