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5 Jun 2006 : Column 332W—continued
Libya
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans she has to improve relations with Libya; and if she will consider the merits of a visit to Tripoli. [74763]
Dr. Howells: The Government are committed to improving bilateral relations with Libya. Since my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s visit to Tripoli in 2004, the first by a British Prime Minister since 1943, there has been continued high-level contact. Most recently my right hon. Friend the former Home Secretary, my hon. Friend the Minister for Higher Education and my hon. Friend the former Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs visited this year. Through these visits and contacts between officials we are working to improve relations across a range of areas, including health, education, trade and economy, counter terrorism and prison reform. With our EU partners we are working with Libya on measures to combat illegal migration, and to resolve the situation of the Bulgarian and Palestinian medical staff detained in Libya including providing assistance to those affected by the outbreak of HIV in Benghazi.
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is still assessing her diary commitments. Her travel plans are currently under review and she is unable to commit to a visit at this point.
Maldives
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the trial and sentencing of Mohamed Nasheed, the Chairperson of the Maldivian Democratic Party. [74794]
Dr. Howells: We continue to be seriously concerned about human rights in the Maldives, in particular the use of the justice system in an apparently political manner. My hon. Friend the then Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs spoke with Dr. Shaheed, Foreign Minister of the Maldives on 3 May. He welcomed the movement towards democratic reform in the Maldives but also raised the issue of jailed opposition activists, including their leader Mohamed Nasheed. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have had a number of recent discussions in London and Male with Maldivian Ministers at which they continued to press on the cases of Mohamed Nasheed and others.
The proper implementation of the Roadmap for the Reform Agenda would reflect the Government's stated commitment to democratic values and serve to promote an atmosphere in which all political groups in the Maldives can engage in dialogue on reform. We convey this message regularly to the Government of the Maldives bilaterally, and together with EU and other international partners. We also strongly support the efforts by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Secretary-General's Special Envoy, to help facilitate constitutional change.
Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total cost was of overnight accommodation for Ministers of State in her Department on foreign visits in each of the last three years. [69069]
Mr. Hoon: Under the terms of the Ministerial Code and Travel by Minister's, when travelling on official business Ministers are expected to make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements.
Since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year; this information includes accommodation costs. Copies are available in the Library.
For Ministers below Cabinet rank, collecting the detailed information requested could not be done without incurring disproportionate cost.
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions Ministers of State in her Department stayed overnight in (a) five star, (b) four star and (c) three star hotels on foreign visits in each of the last three years. [69070]
Mr. Hoon: Under the terms of the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, when travelling on official business Ministers are expected to make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements.
Since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year; this information includes accommodation costs. Copies are available in the Library.
For Ministers below Cabinet rank, collecting the detailed information requested could not be done without incurring disproportionate cost.
Nepal
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the decision of the Nepalese Parliament to declare the country a secular state. [75169]
Dr. Howells:
The UK does not take a position, either for or against, the decision of the Nepalese Parliament to declare the country a secular state. It is up to the people of Nepal to determine the nature of the state under which they are governed. The new Parliament
has announced its intention to hold a Constituent Assembly to give the nation the chance to express its will over the future of the Nepalese constitution. The UK supports the efforts of the parties to find a democratic solution to Nepal's problems.
Nigeria
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with the church authorities in Nigeria about the recent demolition of a church in Kazaure, Kano State. [73684]
Mr. McCartney: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 10 May 2006, Official Report, column 330W. The case of the destruction of a church in Kazaure, Kano State has not been brought to our attention, through either our high commission in Abuja, the Nigerian media or human rights organisations based in Nigeria.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of (a) levels of religious tension, (b) the incidence of attacks upon churches and (c) the use of Sharia Law in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. [73685]
Mr. McCartney: Conflict and tensions between religious communities in Nigeria remains a serious issue. We are funding the work of Coventry Cathedral's International Centre for Reconciliation to address religious tensions in Plateau State, which has been successful in reducing the level of violence there.
The decision to adopt Sharia Law is for Nigerians. We have made clear our view that extreme punishments such as stoning and amputation are inconsistent with international human rights standards. We are also funding work to ensure the correct and humane application of Sharia Law in those states that have adopted it.
Nuclear Weapons
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role she will play in discussions in international fora on the future of the United Kingdom’s nuclear deterrent; and if she will make a statement. [71853]
Margaret Beckett [holding answer 18 May 2006]: No decisions have yet been taken, either in principle or in detail, on the future of the UK’s nuclear deterrent. Officials have started work to understand the possible future threats, develop more precise options and assess their costs. However, this work will take some time and Ministers have not yet begun to consider the position in any detail.
Overseas Detainees
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK citizens detained in overseas gaols had a last residential address in (a) the East Midlands and (b) Leicester East. [74800]
Dr. Howells: As British nationals detained overseas are not required to inform local consular officials of their last UK residential address, I cannot provide the information requested by my hon. Friend.
Pakistan
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps she is taking towards ensuring elections in Pakistan next year are free and fair. [74849]
Dr. Howells: The UK, along with our EU partners, has welcomed the recent appointment of a Permanent Election Commissioner. We intend to support this office through the provision of technical assistance and advice, to ensure that he is able to do his job effectively. The UK is actively considering a range of activities to help ensure the election is free and fair, including supporting the Government of Pakistan with training election officials, and voter education campaigns. We are currently in discussions with EU and other partners about the scope for collectively monitoring the elections. As I have stated previously, officials in both London and Pakistan also meet regularly with members of the Pakistani Government, opposition parties and members of civil society to ensure that we remain abreast of developments. This also gives us an opportunity to stress the importance we attach to free and fair elections.
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the efficacy of action taken by the Pakistani Government against Taliban forces within Pakistan. [74850]
Dr. Howells: The Government of Pakistan has made extensive efforts, at considerable loss of life, to improve the rule of law in the border areas. The Pakistanis remain committed to countering the threat posed by the Taliban and we will continue to support them in these efforts.
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 18 May 2006, Official Report, column 1230W, on Pakistan, in what ways the UK is working with the Government of Pakistan to contain the threat posed by the Taliban. [74851]
Dr. Howells: As part of a common effort to counter terrorism, the Government are providing training and capacity building to the Pakistan authorities in their efforts to counter al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Pakistan
Plan-D Events
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps her Department has taken to ensure that the events held under the European Commission Plan D include the whole political spectrum of views as required by the Commission document. [74303]
Mr. Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office keeps in close contact with the European Commission Representation in the UK about their programme of planned activities related to Plan D. The events that they have organised include debates and roadshows, which have been open to the public and designed for anyone to ask any questions or make any points about the EU.
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will list the events which (a) have been held and (b) are scheduled to take place in the UK to promote debate on the future of the EU as set out in the Commission document Plan-D. [74304]
Mr. Hoon: The Commission’s UK representation has organised a range of events across the UK to promote debate on the future of Europe under its Outreach programme. These include: ‘What is next for the East Midlands in Europe?’ held on 27 January 2006; a debate on the future of Europe at King’s College, London on 10 February; and an event on trans-national co-operation in Taunton on 15 March. In the next months ahead, Europe Direct centres, new EU information points, are due to open across the UK. These centres will be used as the focal point for regional activities. Further information on these events and Europe Direct is available from the European Commission’s representation in the UK.
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what proportion of the sum allocated by the EU Commission to fund its Plan-D events and activities in the UK during 2006 has been (a) spent and (b) allocated to specific future events; [74305]
(2) what measures her Department has taken to ensure that the sum allocated by the European Commission to fund Plan-D events in the UK during 2006 is available on a fair basis to each part of the whole political spectrum of views. [74302]
Mr. Hoon: No specific allocation of financial resources was made to each member state under the Commission’s Plan-D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate. Most Plan-D activities fall under the Commission’s “Relations with citizen and the media” programme in the UK. For 2006 a budget of €1.7 million has been made available for the Commission UK representation’s operational activities under this budget heading (the €1.8 million figure that I stated to the European Scrutiny Committee was the amount requested by the representation). So far €1,011,700 has been allocated, of which €354,900 has been spent. The Commission representation are in the process of allocating the rest of the budget with a view to spending all of it by the end of the year.
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) when her Department will present the synthesis of the initial results of the national debate in the UK on the future of the EU required under the Commission's Plan-D document; [74306]
(2) why her Department did not meet the Commission deadline of April 2006 for the submission
of a synthesis of the initial results of the UK national debate on the future of the EU, as set out in the Commission's Plan-D document. [74307]
Mr. Hoon: I should like to clarify that the Commission's Plan-D does not impose any obligations on member states. Following the “Interim Report on the National Debates During the Reflection Period on the Future of Europe” of 14 December 2005 by the UK and Austrian EU presidencies, the Austrian presidency and General Secretariat of the Council requested further written feedback from member states by April in response to a questionnaire. We provided a response to the presidency and General Secretariat of the Council in April.
A copy of the questionnaire and the UK response and the report of the presidency and the General Secretariat of the Council on member states' information and communication activities during the reflection period will be placed in the Library on 15 June. A copy of the “Interim Report on the National Debates During the Reflection Period on the Future of Europe” was placed in the Library on 16 January 2006.
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will list the visits to the UK made by (a) the President of the European Commission and (b) other Commissioners since the publication of the Commission's Plan-D document in October 2005. [74309]
Mr. Hoon: European Commissioners regularly visit member states as part of their work. The Government do not keep a record of Commissioner visits to the UK, but figures from the Commission's Representation in the UK show that there have been 60 Commissioner visits to the UK since October 2005.
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what progress her Department has made in working with the European Commission for the appointment of European goodwill ambassadors on the UN model as proposed in the Commission's Plan-D document; [74310]
(2) if she will list the individuals who have been considered by her Department for appointment as European goodwill ambassadors. [74311]
Mr. Hoon: The European Goodwill Ambassadors initiative as proposed in the European Commission's Plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate, is still at an early stage. Therefore to date, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not considered any individuals for appointment as goodwill ambassadors.
Private Office Staff
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been paid in (a) salary, (b) travelling expenses, (c) subsistence allowance and (d) removal expenses to special advisers in her private office in each of the last five years. [69074]
Mr. Hoon:
Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and overall cost of special advisers and the number in each payband. For information relating to the last financial
year I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on Thursday 21 July 2005, Official Report, columns 158-61WS.
Information on special advisers for this financial year is currently being collected and will be published in the normal way when it is ready.
We are unable to provide details of travelling expenses and subsistence allowances paid to special advisers because the figures are not held centrally. To obtain this information would incur disproportionate cost.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office records do not show any payments being made to special advisers in respect of removal expenses.
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