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Human Rights, Democracy and Good Governance Programme
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria are used to assess the effectiveness of projects supported by the Human Rights, Democracy and Good Governance Programme. [35617]
Ian Pearson: The effectiveness of projects sponsored by the FCO under the Human Rights, Democracy and Good Governance Programme has been measured using the following indicators of success for the various thematic priorities:
A net increase of one a year in the number of countries adopting a moratorium or which abolish the death penalty due, at least in part, to UK intervention.
An increase in the number of countries developing domestic mechanisms for inspecting detention centres;
An increase in signatures and ratification of Convention Against Torture (CAT) and its Optional Protocols.
An increase in number of countries with responsibility for the penitentiary transferred to the Ministry of Justice;
An increase in number of countries with functioning, independent, professional judiciaries and legal professions.
An increase in the number of ratifications of ILO Convention 182 on the worst forms of child labour.
Indonesia
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on the beheading of Christian teenagers in Indonesia; if he will make representations to the Indonesian authorities to take action to prevent such religiously-motivated killings; and if he will make a statement. [37165]
Ian Pearson: Immediately after the incident, 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. On 14 November three men were arrested in connection with the crime.
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.
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We will continue to co-operate with the Indonesian Government on this important objective.
Iraq
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in the investigation into the deaths of the six Royal Military Police who were killed at Al Majarr Al Kabir in Iraq on 24 June 2003. [30735]
Mr. Ingram: I have been asked to reply.
The Central Criminal Court of Iraq will conduct the investigation into the deaths of the six Royal Military Police in Iraq on 24 June 2003. The Central Criminal Court of Iraq follows the 'investigative model' whereby an investigative judge directs and oversees the investigation before deciding whether to refer the case to the trial court. The case papers, which take account of the Royal Military Police investigation into the incident, have been lodged with the court, to enable the investigative stage to begin. It will be for the investigative judge to decide whether to refer the case to the trial court once this stage has concluded.
Media Monitoring
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on media monitoring activities in each of the last eight financial years. [35632]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Foreign and Commonwealth Office spending on media monitoring in the financial year 2004–05 was £436,591 and to date in the financial year 2005–06 is £326,241. Figures for previous years are not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Ministerial Meetings
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions since his appointment the Minister for Europe has met (a) Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat and (b) representatives of the UK's Greek Cypriot community. [34449]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Since my appointment, I have not met Turkish Cypriot Leader, Mehmet Ali Talat. I have not, so far, met representatives of the UK's Greek Cypriot community.
Rare Birds (Breeding)
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to ensure carnivorous rodents and other invasive species are controlled on (a) Gough Island and (b) other breeding areas for rare birds. [36088]
Mr. Douglas Alexander:
The Government are contributing £62,000 this year through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Overseas Territories Environment Programme (OTEP) to a Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) project to control rodents on Gough Island. We are working closely with Tristan da
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Cunha, which includes Gough Island, to extend ratification of the agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels to them.
The amount of OTEP funding committed for bird conservation and control of invasive species across the Overseas Territories is presently £1,342,824.
The FCO last year provided £500,000 towards a highly successful project to restore seabird populations on Ascension Island.
Russia
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of (a) the decision of the Russian Parliament on the regulation of non-governmental organisations and (b) the impact this will have on (i) the ability of international human rights organisations to operate within Russia and (ii) the protection of human rights in that country. [35743]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Bill is described as a measure against extremism, terrorism and crime and would give Russian authorities greater control over non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Our concern is that the draft law as it stands may lead to further restrictions on civil society in Russia and could open the way to excessive official obstruction of the work of NGOs, including international organisations, damaging their ability to work for human rights within Russia.
At this early stage, it is not possible to judge with any certainty what the ultimate effect of the law will be. The draft legislation will have to pass a further two readings in the Duma before it is presented to the Federation Council from where it will then be passed to President Putin to sign into law. At each stage there is the possibility that the legislation will be amended.
We have been proactive in our response to reports about the draft law: on 22 November our ambassador in Moscow wrote to Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov expressing concerns about the draft law and requesting more information about its implications. On 2 December our ambassador also delivered an EU demarche to Deputy Foreign Minister Grushko outlining the EU's concerns.
We welcome reports that on 5 December, President Putin asked the Government to prepare amendments to the draft law as soon as possible to take into account concerns expressed by the European Union and the Russian Public Chamber.
Taxis
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been spent by his Department on taxi travel in the 2005–06 financial year; and what proportion of such travel was undertaken in each nation and region of the UK, including London. [37488]
Mr. Douglas Alexander:
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not record expenditure on travel by taxi in the United Kingdom separately from travel on other forms of surface transport. In addition, the FCO does not identify its expenditure on travel in the United Kingdom by nation or region.
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