| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
24 Apr 2006 : Column 866W—continued
Proliferation Security Initiative
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many exercises are planned to support the Proliferation Security Initiative in (a) 2006 and (b) 2007. [65281]
Dr. Howells: Australia and the Netherlands both hosted exercises in April 2006 in support of the Proliferation Security Initiative. Turkey and France plan to host exercises in summer 2006. The United Kingdom is planning a maritime industry workshop for autumn 2006. As yet there are no scheduled exercises for 2007.
Rendition Flights
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times he was notified by the US Administration that flights ordered by the Central Intelligence Agency would be landing in the UK in each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [64777]
Dr. Howells: None. There is no requirement for the Government to be notified of such flights.
Student Visas (Iran)
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visas have been issued to students from Iran in each year since 1997; and which subjects for (a) study and (b) research they indicated a wish to pursue. [64894]
Dr. Howells:
The number of student visas issued in Tehran between 1997 and 2004–05 is provided in the table. UKvisas does not hold records detailing which subjects these students intended to study.
24 Apr 2006 : Column 867W
| Issued | |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 203 |
| 1998 | 0 |
| 1999 | 623 |
| 2000 | 685 |
| 2001–02 | 954 |
| 2002–03 | 900 |
| 2003–04 | 977 |
| 2004–05 | 1,151 |
| Total | 5,493 |
Note:
Prior to 2001–02, entry clearance statistics were published by calendar year.
Sudan
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contingency plans the UK Government have for the absence of a peace agreement for Darfur. [64643]
Ian Pearson: The UK is at the forefront of international efforts to bring peace to Darfur. In the absence of a peace agreement we have been a leading supporter of the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS), contributing over £50 million. The African Union (AU) has done a good job in improving security in the region. But the situation is evolving and a more multi-disciplinary approach is now needed. We therefore support handover to a UN mission when AMIS' current mandate expires on 30 September.
But only a political solution will bring lasting peace and security to Darfur. We fully support the AU-led peace talks in Abuja and are pressing the parties to reach a deal as soon as possible. We welcome the AU's commitment to reach an agreement by the end of April. When my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary addressed the talks on 14 February, he made clear to the parties that if they do not reach an agreement soon, we, with the AU, would need to start looking at the alternatives. If necessary, we will take this discussion forward with the AU and international partners.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the UK Government (a) is taking and (b) is prepared to take to uphold the United Nations mandate in Sudan. [64644]
Ian Pearson: We support fully the existing mandate for the United Nations Mission in Sudan and welcome the African Union's decision to support in principle the African Mission in Sudan's transition to a UN force in Darfur. We are supporting UN planning to deploy a future UN military force to Darfur and will seek to ensure they have the mandate necessary to operate there.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreignand Commonwealth Affairs what support the Government is giving to establish (a) legal systems and (b) an independent judiciary in the Sudan. [64919]
Ian Pearson:
We are providing £7.2 million to support capacity building and reform of legal systems. This includes training, awareness raising, equipment and basic infrastructure for the police, the Ministry of Justice, the judiciary and the prison service. We are also
24 Apr 2006 : Column 868W
providing more substantial and longer-term support to legal systems through the Multi Donor Trust Funds for the north and south.
We are working to achieve independence of the judiciary through the establishment of the National Judicial Service Commission. We are also contributing towards a Judiciary Programme in the north under the Multi Donor Trust Fund, totalling £10 million. This is aimed at helping the judiciary to maintain its independence, build a knowledge base and to effectively and fairly apply the law. A similar programme is envisaged for the south.
Sylvarius Baye
Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to make contact with the entry clearance officers who dealt with the case of Sylvarius Baye (UK Visa Reference GV100/113504/NW/RK); when he first attempted to make contact with those officers; and if he will make a statement. [64804]
Dr. Howells: My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, with responsibility for entry clearance, will write to my hon. Friend about this case as I cannot comment on individual cases.
United Nations (Votes)
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the occasions on which (a) the UK has voted against and the US has voted for and (b) the UK has voted for and the US has voted against the adoption of measures at the United Nations since 1997. [64992]
Dr. Howells: Since 1997 the UK and the US have voted differently in the UN Security Council on 16 occasions.
The US abstained, while the UK voted in favour, on the following six resolutions (resn.) which were passed by the Security Council:
The US voted no, while the UK voted in favour, on the following four draft Security Council resolutions:
draft resn. S/2002/712 (30 June 2002) on extension of the mandate of UNMIBH (UN Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina)
The US voted no, while the UK abstained, on the following six draft Security Council resolutions, which all referred to the situation in the Ots;
Voting information on all Security Council resolutions is available on the United Nations website at www.un.org.
TREASURY
Baby Deaths (Overlaying)
Mary Creagh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many babies died as a result of overlaying while co-sleeping with their parents in each of the past 10 years. [64456]
John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 24 April 2006:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many babies died as a result of overlaying whilst co-sleeping with their parents in each of the past 10 years. I am replying in her absence. (64456)
Statistics are not routinely available on the number of babies dying as a result of overlaying whilst co-sleeping with their parents. Since 2001, deaths have been coded to the tenth revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). This includes a code that combines deaths from 'accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed'. Figures for these deaths, in England and Wales for the years 2001 to 2004, are given in the table attached. Prior to 2001 deaths were coded to the ninth revision of the ICD (ICD-9). Figures based on ICD-9 are not comparable to those using ICD-10.
(5)Figures selected using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10), code W75 'Accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed'.
(6)Source:
Office for National Statistics
Series DH2 Mortality statistics—by cause
Series DH3 Mortality statistics—childhood, infant and perinatal
(7)Deaths at ages up to 27 completed days of life where mention of infant conditions coded to W75 is made on the neonatal death certificate.
(8)Deaths at ages 28 days and over but under one year where underlying cause of death coded to W75 is made on the death certificate.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |