---

13 Dec 2005 : Column 1952W—continued

Haiti

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent elections in Haiti. [35575]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: The elections in Haiti have been postponed due to security fears and technical difficulties. The first round of presidential and legislative elections is now scheduled for 8 January 2006, with a second round planned for 15 February. The European Union has agreed to send an election observation mission.

Indonesia

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has had made of reports that Indonesian authorities have used British-made arms against civilians. [35764]

Ian Pearson: We have sought information from the Indonesian authorities concerning reports that Tactica water cannon vehicles have been used in Papua. We understand at this stage that the water cannon were used in Jayapura to break up a violent demonstration aimed at an office of the Indonesian Electoral Commission. Two local non-governmental organisations have indicated to British embassy Jakarta staff that they considered this a reasonable level of force for the police to use, and a more appropriate response to public disorder than some of the methods employed by the police in the past.
 
13 Dec 2005 : Column 1953W
 

We consider that the use by a Government within their 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.

Iraq

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Prime Minister's Evidence to the Liaison Committee on 22 November, what steps have been taken by the Government to find out how many Iraqi civilians have been killed as a result of action by coalition forces since the invasion in March 2003. [35783]

Dr. Howells: As the Government have said previously, no definitive measure of civilian casualties exists. There are several estimates available, produced by non-governmental organisations, such as the Iraq Body Count report. However, we believe the Iraqi Government are best placed to monitor the number of civilian casualties and continue to do so through the Iraqi Ministry of Health. It is important to note that acts of terrorism are by far the largest cause of civilian deaths in Iraq.

Peter Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made since June 2004 to the Iraqi Government on investigating allegations that detainees have been tortured by official agencies or agents of the Iraqi Government. [35785]

Dr. Howells: When we have had reason to suspect that detainees have been ill-treated by the Iraqi authorities we have raised our concerns immediately with the Iraqi Government at senior levels. The Iraqis have told us they do not condone abuse and have taken action to investigate.

Most recently my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, issued a statement on 15 November condemning what appears to have been illegal detention and abuse at a building used by the Ministry of Interior. He welcomed the immediate announcement by the Iraqi Prime Minister of an investigation into this incident and more widely to ensure that abuse was not occurring elsewhere.

Ministerial Travel

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions since 7 July he has used the London underground in connection with his official duties. [35029]

Mr. Straw: Once.

Nigeria

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in the Bayelsa state of Nigeria. [35574]

Ian Pearson: The British High Commission in Abuja is in close touch with the Nigerian Federal authorities, following the return of the State Governor to the state capital, Yenagoa, on 21 November, after skipping bail
 
13 Dec 2005 : Column 1954W
 
in the UK where he has been charged with money laundering offences. The local security situation remains tense. There have been pro and anti Governor protests but no serious disorder. The Nigerian police and army are strengthening their presence as a precaution. We have amended our travel advice to recommend against all but essential travel to Bayelsa state until tensions dissipate.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [34682]

Dr. Howells: None of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's three advisory non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) has a statutory base.

The Wilton Park Academic Council publishes minutes of its meetings on the Wilton Park Website at:

http://www.wiltonpark.org/wpac/index.aspx. The Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the purchase of wine has a publication scheme under the Freedom of Information legislation, which acts as guidance for information that is made available. The Diplomatic Service Appeals Board does not publish its advice to Government.

The Wilton Park Academic Council and the Diplomatic Service Appeals Board do not publish annual reports. The Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine does publish an annual report.

None of the NDPBs lay an annual report before Parliament.

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of its members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [34683]

Ian Pearson: None of our advisory non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) hold public meetings or conduct public consultation exercises.

Neither the Wilton Park Academic Council nor the Diplomatic Service Advisory Board conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests. The Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the purchase of wine does not conduct formal consultations exercises with outside commercial interests but, as it exists to advise on the purchasing of wine, it has no option but to consult with commercial companies.
 
13 Dec 2005 : Column 1955W
 

We do not publish a register of hon. Members' interests or agendas for meetings.

Whilst there is no statutory requirement for them to do so, Wilton Park Academic Council publishes minutes of meetings. These are available at:

http://www.wiltonpark.org/wpac/index.aspx. The Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the purchase of wine publishes a summary of minutes of meetings on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office web site at:

http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket%2FXcelerate%2FShowPage&c=Page&cid=l007029390518&action=search&sf=mini&referrer=FCO+Main&stq=0&pubId=1006886514545&q=Government+Hospitality. The Diplomatic Service Appeals Board does not publish the minutes of meetings.

Public Relations

Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the value was of (a) public opinion research and (b) public relations contracts awarded by his Department in (i) each (A) nation and (B) region of the UK and (ii) London in 2004–05. [35936]

Ian Pearson: In the financial year 2004–05, the value of UK public opinion research conducted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) including informal qualitative consultations as well as survey research, was £123,350 + VAT. The total mostly comprises studies covering the whole UK, centrally commissioned from London. Within the total, £22,850 was spent on England-only studies (£5,713 in the north east, £5,713 in the north west and £11,424 in London).

The total value of public relations contracts commissioned by the FCO during this period was £534,000 + VAT. These were centrally-commissioned contracts covering the whole UK. A regional breakdown is not therefore available.

---