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10 May 2006 : Column 344W—continued
Children's Services
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many nursery and creche places are provided for people working in his Department; what charges are made for the provision of such services; and what other facilities are provided for the children of employees of his Department. [67367]
David Cairns: The staff in the Scotland Office are on loan from the Scottish Executive or the Department for Constitutional Affairs and have access to the facilities provided by those Departments.
Departmental Staff
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in his Department have been (a) disciplined and (b) dismissed for (i) inappropriate use of the internet while at work and (ii) using work telephones to access premium rate numbers in each of the last five years. [67987]
David Cairns: Regarding inappropriate use of the internet, I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink) on 15 February 2006, Official Report, column 2091W. The telephone system for the Scotland Office bars telephone calls to premium rate numbers.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the staff in his Department are (a) male, (b) female and (c) disabled, broken down by grade. [69108]
David Cairns: This information was published in the Office's annual report for 2005 and will be updated in the 2006 report which will be published shortly.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what opportunities exist for people to work beyond retirement age in his Department. [69106]
David Cairns: The staff in the Scotland Office are on loan from the Scottish Executive or the Department for Constitutional Affairs and are able to apply for the opportunities of those Departments.
Departmental Websites
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list (a) the websites operated by his Department and (b) the reports placed on the internet in March 2006, indicating in each case whether paper copies were also made available. [65201]
David Cairns: The Scotland Office operates one website, www.scotlandoffice.gov.uk: no reports were placed on this site during March 2006.
ID Cards (Scotland)
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how the introduction of identity cards in Scotland will differ from the rest of the UK. [68446]
David Cairns: I refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend, the previous Secretary of State for Scotland, gave to him in response to his similar question during Scottish oral questions on 28 March 2006, Official Report, columns 668-69.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Bolivia
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Bolivia about their campaign for the UN to legalise coca. [68170]
Mr. Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the reply the then Minister for Europe my right hon. Friend the Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire, South (Mr. Alexander) gave to him on 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 185W. It is for the Bolivian Government to establish the overall direction of policy on coca cultivation, but the UK expects Bolivia will continue to respect international agreements already committed to. Where possible, we hope to continue to assist the Bolivian Government in their efforts to tackle drug trafficking. Our position on this issue has not changed.
Brazil
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with the Government of Brazil on the use of military-style armoured police vehicles in Rio de Janeiro's favelas and the protection of civilians from indiscriminate enforcement activity. [68409]
Mr. Hoon: The Government have raised human rights issues with the Brazilian Government, including those relating to policing methods. The authorities there recognise the scale of the problem and addressing it is a priority for Brazil's Government.
In April this year my noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth
Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, met with Paulo Vannuchi, Special Secretary for Human Rights. The two agreed that police reform was a key area in which Brazil and the UK could co-operate, complementing existing Government-supported projects with Brazilian partners aimed at combating torture and improving the police and penal systems. We will continue to work with the Brazilian authorities and with Brazilian civil society to help address the root causes of these problems.
Burma
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts about the case for a total investment ban in Burma. [68180]
Mr. McCartney: There is currently no consensus within the EU to introduce an investment ban in Burma. My right. hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had any recent discussions with her EU counterparts on this issue.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts on the UN Security Council about Burma. [68181]
Mr. McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has regular discussions with UN Security Council partners about a number of countries, including Burma.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the reports recently issued by the Free Burma Rangers about Burma Army attacks on civilians. [68182]
Mr. McCartney: We are aware of the reports. We are particularly concerned that offensives continue in Karen State despite the cease-fire discussions between the Karen National Union and the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) which have been held in the past two years. We call for the SPDC to refrain from attacks on civilians, in line with international humanitarian law, and to pursue peaceful political solutions to the ethnic conflicts in Burma.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what recent (a) meetings he has had and (b) representations he has received about (i) human rights in Burma, (ii) the status of Shan refugees living in Thailand and (iii) the use of rape as a weapon of war in Burma; [68183]
(2) what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Burma about (a) human rights, (b) persecution of ethnic nationals, with particular reference to the Shan people, the Karen people and the Karenni, and (c) the use of rape as a weapon of war in Burma. [68185]
Mr. McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no recent discussions with the Burmese Government. The Head of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) South East Asia Group recently raised the human rights situation in Burma with the Burmese
Ambassador in London on 11 April and senior officials from the Burmese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rangoon on 20 April.
There is credible evidence that members of the Burmese armed forces are carrying out rape on a large scale, particularly against women belonging to ethnic groups. Both Professor Sergio Pinheiro, the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, and Nang Charm Tong of the Shan Women's Action Network have produced reports demonstrating the extent of this. We have helped to ensure that resolutions at the UN General Assembly have called for an end to the use of rape and sexual violence by the armed forces in Burma.
My right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary discussed the human rights situation in Burma, including the use of rape as a weapon of war, and the status of Shan refugees living in Thailand with Nang Charm Tong on 26 April. FCO officials regularly discuss human rights issues with representatives from non-governmental organisations and Burmese ethnic groups.
Chad
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with members of the government of Chad on the planned presidential elections on 3 May; what security concerns have been raised by the government of Chad; what help has been (a) offered by the UK Government and (b) accepted by the government of Chad to ensure a safe environment for the election; and if he will make a statement. [66689]
Mr. McCartney: We have had no specific discussions with the Government of Chad about the elections which took place on 3 May 2006, but we have made consistently clear our wish to see credible and peaceful elections in Chad and throughout Africa.
As there is no resident UK mission in N'Djamena, our main engagement in-country is through resident EU Heads of Mission. An EU delegation visited Chad on 27 and 28 April and met with President Deby to discuss the security situation in Chad and the forthcoming elections. We call upon President Deby to open genuine political dialogue with the opposition and civil society to ensure a secure environment.
The EU did not provide any support or observers for the election following a UN Development Programme report which stated that the elections in Chad did not meet the minimum conditions required for them to be described as free and fair.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support the UK Government plan to commit to alleviate the security and political situation in Chad. [66714]
Mr. McCartney: As there is no resident UK mission in N'Djamena, our main engagement in-country is through resident EU Heads of Mission. An EU mission visited Chad on 27 and 28 April to discuss the security situation in Chad and the elections. The EU did not provide any support or observers for the election following a UN Development Programme report which stated that the
elections in Chad did not meet the minimum conditions required for them to be described as free and fair.
The UK provided £5 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the World Food Programme, and to non-governmental organisations delivering life-saving medical assistance and water supplies in Chad in 2005. In 2006, we are providing£4 million to support the humanitarian response in Chad.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Chad; and what assessment he has made of whether the country will be able to proceed with its scheduled elections. [68569]
Mr. McCartney: The situation in Chad remains unstable following army desertions, attempted coups and general unrest throughout much of the country in recent months. A rebel assault on the capital, N'Djamena on 13 April was defeated, but unrest is likely to continue. We remain concerned, particularly, about cross-border attacks involving both Darfur and Chadian rebels.
Presidential elections took place as scheduled on3 May. Reports so far indicate that they have been generally peaceful, but opposition parties boycotted the election and voter turnout was low.
Cote D'Ivoire
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of (a) the current security situation in Cote d’Ivôire, (b) the projected development of the security situation in the run-up to the presidential elections in Cote d’Ivôire, (c) the ability of the current UN peacekeeping deployment to meet the increased security demand and (d) the UN Secretary General's most recent call to the Security Council for additional troops and police; and if he will make a statement. [66641]
Mr. McCartney: The peace process in Cote d’Ivôire is at a critical stage. The security situation will remain fragile and difficult to predict in the lead up to elections. The UN peacekeeping deployment, working closely with French peacekeepers, has played an important role in maintaining peace on the ground under difficult circumstances. Discussions in New York are currently under way on the UN Secretary General's call for additional troops and civilian police. We believe that an increase in troops is justified, but decisions on the precise modalities must be made on a careful assessment of need.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposal in Cote d'Ivoire to run disarmament and voter identification programmes concurrently on the (a) security situation and (b) enfranchisement levels in the run-up to presidential elections; and if she will make a statement. [66690]
Mr. McCartney: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him today (UIN 66641) and on 2 May 2006, Official Report, column 1391W.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by his Department to assist with reform of the security services in Democratic Republic of Congo, with particular reference to steps taken (a) to improve respect for human rights and (b) to reduce sexual violence against women. [68175]
Mr. McCartney: Poorly-disciplined and unpaid members of the Democratic Republic of Congo security services continue to commit frequent human rights abuses, including sexual violence against women. We have pushed the Congolese Government, including the President and senior army officials, for an end to such abuses and for those guilty to be brought to justice.
The UK has provided finance and experts to the EU's Security Sector Reform mission, which is helping create a unified army and reduce the massive corruption stopping ordinary soldiers from being paid. The UK is also contributing £3 million for accommodation and sanitation for soldiers in the integrated brigades. Better pay, conditions and training should mean a reduction in troops harassing civilians for food and money.
Equatorial Guinea
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions and requests for judicial co-operation there have been between the authorities in South Africa and the UK authorities regarding the alleged involvement of Greg Wales, David Tremain and Eli Calil in the attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea. [68318]
Mr. McCartney: It is the Government's practice to treat requests for judicial co-operation or discussions about criminal matters from foreign governments as confidential.
The UK remains committed to assisting its international partners in the fight against crime wherever possible.
Falun Gong
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of China about the Falun Gong. [68176]
Mr. McCartney: We regularly raise human rights abuses against individual Falun Gong practitioners with the Chinese Government, including at the biannual UK and EU-China Human Rights Dialogue. Officials from our Embassy in Beijing raised the recent media allegations of organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners
with the Chinese Government in April. We will continue to raise concerns, where appropriate.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about the treatment of the Falun Gong by China. [68177]
Mr. McCartney: The Government have received representations from hon. Members, non-governmental organisations and members of the public about the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners in China. Although the Government do not take a position on the nature of the Falun Gong organisation, we are concerned about human rights abuses against individual Falun Gong practitioners. We regularly raise individual cases with the Chinese Government, including at the UK and EU-China Human Rights Dialogue. We will continue to raise such cases where appropriate.
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the UK Government are taking to protect the human rights of Falun Gong practitioners in China. [69180]
Mr. McCartney: The Government are concerned about human rights abuses in China, including against Falun Gong practitioners. We regularly raise these concerns with the Chinese Government, through ministerial contacts, our bilateral human rights dialogue and EU mechanisms. We raised concerns of abuse against individual Falun Gong practitioners at the last round of the EU-China human rights dialogue in October 2005.
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