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Kabula (Prison Riot)

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent riot in Kabula's main prison. [57703]

Dr. Howells: On 25 February, about 1,300 prisoners in Policharki prison broke out of their cells and took control of block 2. They were reportedly protesting against new uniform regulations and alleged mistreatment and set fire to the facility. About 70 women prisoners and 70 children were trapped in an adjoining block. The prison authorities called in police and army reinforcements, sealed off the compound and fired at the prison perimeter wall to prevent escape. Prisoners from block 1 also joined the protest.

Soldiers from NATO's International Security Assistance Force, a training team from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, including four British Prison Service officers, and representatives from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), monitored developments at the scene and provided advice on peaceful resolution of the disturbance.

Deputy Minister of Justice Hashimzai led negotiations and on 28 February the women and children's block was evacuated. All were unharmed. On 1 March, protestors from block 2 surrendered and were temporarily accommodated within Policharki. The prisoners in block 1 returned to their cells. ICRC reported six dead and 31 wounded as a result of the shooting and violence.

Lisbon Agenda

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what policies his Department has adopted to assist the United Kingdom's fulfilment of the Lisbon Agenda criteria. [55679]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Government strongly supports the renewed Lisbon focus on jobs and growth" as the best way to meet the challenges of globalisation and boost prosperity and living standards for all. The UK National Reform Programme (a copy of which is available in the Library of the House) details our policy response to these challenges. We expect the Spring Council in March to emphasise the importance of implementation of national commitments to reform.

Madagascar

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what research was
 
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commissioned in advance of the decision to close the British embassy in Madagascar to examine the likely effects on UK (a) trade and (b) investment. [56760]

Ian Pearson: The commercial and investment promotion roles of the British embassy in Madagascar were among the factors taken into account, in the context of wider UK foreign policy priorities, in the decision to close the embassy taken in December 2004.

Michael Shields

Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Bulgarian authorities in relation to Michael Shields, imprisoned in Bulgaria; and if he will make a statement. [57398]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary first raised Michael Shields'; case with the Bulgarian Foreign Minister, Ivailo Kalfin, on 21 September 2005 and has since registered his continued interest on 18 October and 8 December. He also raised Michael Shields' case with the Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev, Foreign Minister and Europe Minister, Meglena Kuneva, on 16 December 2005. I also raised the case with Prime Minister Stanishev during my visit to Sofia on 6 February.

Middle East

Ms Barlow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he recognises the right of return to their homes and land of Palestinian refugees. [56904]

Dr. Howells: The return of refugees is a final status issue. It must therefore form part of a negotiated settlement between the two parties. We continue to urge both the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority to implement their commitments under the Roadmap as the best way to get to a negotiated settlement, and to the discussion of such issues.

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 16 February 2006, Official Report, column 2285W, on Israel and Palestine, what border the UK Government recognises as the international border between the State of Israel and the West Bank pending mutual determination between the parties of the future borders in accordance with Phase III of the Road Map. [58148]

Dr. Howells: The territory beyond the Green Line which Israel occupied in June 1967 is occupied territory. UN Security Council Resolution 242 (1967) which the UK supported calls for the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict and the termination of all claims of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgement of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every state in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognised boundaries free from threats or acts of force.

Non-proliferation Treaty

Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has
 
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made of the impact on the nuclear non-proliferation treaty of the agreement between the US and India on nuclear arrangements. [57800]

Dr. Howells: We believe the agreement between the US and India on nuclear arrangements will have a positive impact on the broader nuclear non-proliferation framework, of which the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) is the cornerstone. We do not believe the agreement will have a direct impact upon the NPT. We remain committed to the objective of universal NPT adherence.

India has committed to place more reactors under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards, including all future civilian reactors, to sign an Additional Protocol with the IAEA, to adhere to the Guidelines of the Missile Technology Control Regime and the Nuclear Suppliers Group, to continue its unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing, and to work with the US for a multilateral fissile material cut-off treaty. Implementation of these commitments will bring India further into and thereby strengthen the broader nuclear non-proliferation framework, which is underpinned by the NPT.

Palestine

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he has received on the destination of the EU funding for the Palestinian Authority announced on 27 February 2006 from (a) the United States, (b) France, (c) Israel and (d) the Office of the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority; [55878]

(2) what assessment his Department has made of whether EU funds transferred to the Palestinian Authority will be paid to (a) members of Hamas and (b) people affiliated to the Change and Reform list. [55879]

Dr. Howells: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development told the House on 1 March, the international community is united in its support for the Quartet statement of 30 January. Hamas needs to give up violence, recognise Israel and sign up to previous obligations on the peace process. Aid to the future government will be reviewed against those principles. While the current caretaker Government is in place, the international community is examining closely what steps could help to stabilise the financial situation, as recommended by the Quartet. On 27 February, the UK made £5 million available to the World Bank to transfer to Abu Mazen's interim Government.

No UK aid money will be used to support Hamas, or the Change and Reform Party. The international community is clear that Hamas needs to take the steps set out in the Quartet statement. At the same time, everybody recognises that it is in nobody's interest that services to Palestinians, particularly poor Palestinians, who have suffered so much should be removed because of the election process.

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, British Ambassadors and the Consul General in Jerusalem have discussed the issues with interested parties including the US, France, Israel and the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority.
 
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Prism

Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of (a) the cost-effectiveness of Prism and (b) its impact on (i) the workload of overseas missions and (ii) the number of staff employed; and if he will make a statement. [56601]

Mr. Straw: The Business Case for Prism predicted £10 million per annum savings by the end of the programme (January 2010). The Programme is aiming to ensure the full benefits of Prism are realised and has scheduled a 'Gateway 5 Review' by the Office of Government Commerce for the end of 2006. This will provide an independent assessment of the cost effectiveness of Prism.

Prism brings major changes, it is not merely a new IT system. It establishes new processes and reinforces adherence to existing processes. This is a significant challenge, particularly for staff using Prism each day, including management officers, accountants and buyers. Their workload certainly increases during the first months of using the system. For many, this has been exacerbated by Prism's poor performance, particularly its speed. A concerted effort to improve this is beginning to pay dividends for a significant number of Posts. But many using satellite links continue to face slow performance. Despite this, our experience is that, once Posts get to grips with Prism, workloads start to return to normal. Posts with most Prism experience are beginning to see tangible benefits from the changes.

The Prism Business Plan identified the potential to move staff from 'back office' to 'front line' functions throughout the network. 'Hub and spoke' pilots will take place in several countries during financial year 2006–07 to investigate providing 'shared services' from 'hub' Posts. Proceeding with 'hub and spoke' will need to be justified by a rigorous business/benefits case, validated through the pilots. It is too early to identify how this will affect staff numbers. Prism has not impacted staff numbers overseas to date.

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