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13 Feb 2006 : Column 1513W—continued
Parliamentary Questions
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many parliamentary questions tabled in the last 12 months for answer by him on a named day (a) were transferred and (b) received a substantive answer (i) on the day named and (ii) after the day named. [49873]
Mr. Straw: The figure for named day parliamentary questions formally transferred into the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) from 1 February to 16 May 2005 cannot be produced using our current parliamentary questions management system. From 17 May 2005 to 31 January 2006, 20 named day questions were transferred out of the FCO for answer.
From 1 February 2005 to 31 January 2006, 389 named day questions received a substantive answer on the day named and 181 received a substantive answer after the day named.
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many ordinary written parliamentary questions tabled for answer by him in the last 12 months have been answered (a) within 14 days, (b) between 14 and 28 days, (c) between 28 days and two months and (d) in excess of two months after the date of tabling; and if he will make a statement. [49902]
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Mr. Straw: In the period 1 February 2005 to 31 January 2006, 2,373 ordinary written parliamentary questions (95 per cent.) were answered within 14 days and 107 in excess of 14 days. Our current parliamentary questions management system does not hold information that would allow us to break the latter figure down further.
Pensions Contributions
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost was of pension contributions incurred by (a) his Department and (b) each (i) non-departmental public body, (ii) executive agency and (iii) other public body for which he is responsible in (A) Scotland, (B) Wales, (C) each of the English regions and (D) Northern Ireland in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2005–06. [39981]
Mr. Straw: The Foreign and Commonwealth (FCO) paid the following amounts in Accruing Superannuation Liability Charges (ASLC) in the years in question:
| Amount (£) | |
|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 24,301,473 |
| 2003–04 | 26,253,831 |
| 2004–05 | 27,034,675 |
We estimate that our ASLC payment for 2005–06 will be about £37.5 million.
Payments made by the non departmental public bodies for which the FCO is responsible were as follows:
(6) Estimated cost.
Diplomatic Service Appeals Board
Holders of these positions receive a daily fee. No deduction is made for pension purposes and no pension contribution costs have therefore been incurred.
Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission, Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine and Wilton Park Academic Council
Holders of these positions are unpaid, and no pension contribution costs have therefore been incurred.
Foreign Compensation Committee
No expenditure has been incurred in each of the last financial three years and none is planned for 2005–06.
Costs for the FCO's Executive Agency, Wilton Park, are included within the overall figures for the FCO.
The FCO does not identify its administrative costs by area.
South Georgia Council
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) when the South Georgia Council last met; and who attended; [49115]
(2) who sits on the South Georgia Council; how often it meets; and where it holds its meetings. [49116]
Mr. Douglas Alexander:
South Georgia has no permanent population and therefore no Council. The Territory is governed by the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, as established under the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Order 1985. The head of Government is a Commissioner based in Stanley, Falkland Islands. The Governor of the Falkland Islands is the current Commissioner.
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Sudan
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Sudan's Darfur region; and if he will make a statement. [49668]
Ian Pearson: We remain very concerned about the security situation in Darfur. In his latest report the UN Secretary-General notes that December saw a continuation at very high levels of violence and banditry, with both the Government of Sudan and the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) flouting the ceasefire declarations they have signed. Reports indicate that in January high levels of violence continued, but that the SLM/A have been responsible for initiating a greater number of ceasefire violations.
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and my noble Friend, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Africa, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, met the Sudanese Foreign Minister, Dr. Lam Akol, on 3 February where they made clear that this situation is entirely unacceptable and that urgent steps must be taken to improve security. They underlined that the Government expect full compliance by the Government of Sudan and all allied forces with provisions of the N'djamena ceasefire agreement, the Abuja Security and Humanitarian protocols and the UN Security Council Resolutions on Sudan. They also stressed that we expect the Government of Sudan to co-operate actively with the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS). During the meeting, Dr. Akol agreed that the Government of Sudan would exempt AMIS from the night-time curfew in Darfur. We are also making clear that all other armed movements in Darfur, particularly the SLM/A and the Justice and Equality Movement must adhere to these conditions.
Zimbabwe
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) bilateral and (b) multilateral preparations the Government have made to provide assistance to Zimbabwean refugees should they enter Zimbabwe's neighbouring countries in large numbers. [49309]
Ian Pearson: We are deeply concerned about the humanitarian impact of the deteriorating political, economic and social conditions in Zimbabwe. We make repeated representations to the states in the region about the actual and potential impact of the ongoing crisis.
We continue to support the work of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and other international organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in providing adequate assistance to Zimbabwean refugees wherever they may be. The UK's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sir Emyr Jones Parry, has raised our concern about the Zimbabwe crisis at the UN Security Council and made clear the responsibility of governments to provide the World Food Programme, and all humanitarian agencies and NGOs, with full co-operation and access to those in need.
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CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Consultants
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent on external consultants and advisers by her Department in 2004–05, excluding its non-departmental public bodies and Executive agencies; and if she will make a statement. [51206]
Mr. Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mike Penning) on 6 December 2005, Official Report, columns 1094–1096W.
Departmental Catering Budget
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much and what proportion of her Department's catering budget was spent on fair trade produce in the last period for which figures are available. [49918]
Mr. Lammy: The Department does not collect and record data on Fair Trade produce.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her Department's policy is on the procurement of fairtrade produce for consumption on its premises. [49920]
Mr. Lammy: There are no Government wide approach to the procurement of fairtrade products. Each Government Department are responsible for making its own decisions on such products, against the background of the Government's value for money policy, the EC procurement rules and the Department's objectives. We have encouraged our catering contractors to use fairtrade products wherever possible.
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