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Palestine
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) when she expects the Quartet aid mechanism to the Palestinians to take effect; and if she will make a statement; [78828]
(2) what representations she has made to her US counterparts regarding the form and implementation of the Quartet aid mechanism to the Palestinians; and if she will make a statement. [78829]
Margaret
Beckett: We welcome the agreement on the Temporary
International Mechanism reached at the15 June European
Council, and the 17 June Quartet
(EU, US, UN and Russia) statement endorsing it. The full text of the
statement can be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website
at:
http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?Pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelertae/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1150454868713.
The UK has played an important role in establishing the mechanism, holding regular discussions with our EU and Quartet partners, including the US. There are still some technical details to work out, but the European Commission and World Bank are now working to set this up as quickly as possible.
We hope parts of the mechanism will begin to deliver support in July.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in establishing new mechanisms for funding the Palestinian people. [80278]
Mr. McCartney: We welcome the agreement onthe Temporary International Mechanism reached at15 June European Council, and the 17 June Quartet (EU, US, UN and Russia) statement endorsing it. The UK has played an important role in establishing the mechanism, holding regular discussions with our EU and Quartet partners, including the US. There are still some technical details to work out but the European Commission and World Bank are now working to set this up as quickly as possible.
We hope parts of the mechanism will begin to deliver support in July.
A copy of the 17 June Quartet statement can be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at:
http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1150454868713.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of law and order in the West Bank and Gaza. [80279]
Mr. McCartney: We remain concerned by the continuing violence in the West Bank and Gaza. All violence in Israel and the Occupied Territories acts as an obstacle to peace. We call for an end to rocket fire from the Gaza Strip on Israeli civilian targets. We also condemn the incursion into Israel by Palestinian militants on 25 June 2006 in which two Israeli soldiers were killed. We support President Abbas’ efforts to restore order, using legally constituted security forces. And we call on the Israeli Government to ensure that any military actions are proportional and ensure that civilians, particularly children, are not harmed.
Project Coast
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information was (a) shared between (b) supplied to and (c) given by those attending the ad hoc meeting held on13 January 2006 to discuss the Basson/Project Coast handling strategy; what other (i) documents and(ii) knowledge are held by the UK Government about Project Coast; and if she will make a statement. [79315]
Mr. McCartney [holding answer of 27 June 2006]: Participants at the meeting shared draft answers to the parliamentary questions under consideration and discussed these to ensure that they represented consistent, full and accurate answers. The Government holds information from a variety of sources on its files, including from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa on the files from that period. To identify every document would incur disproportionate costs.
Royal Visit (USA)
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 24 November 2005, Official Report, column 2246W, on the Royal visit (USA), what contact representatives of the Prince of Wales's United States Foundation had with her Department's staff during their Highnesses' official visit to the US; which official events organised by the Government they attended; whether they accompanied their Royal Highnesses on the journey between Washington DC and New York; and if she will make a statement. [79235]
Margaret Beckett: Before the visit by their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall to the USA, representatives of the Prince of Wales's US Foundation held discussions with a number of Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff as part of the programme preparations to ensure events ran smoothly. US Foundation representatives attended the reception in Washington hosted by our ambassador, and the New York reception hosted by the consul-general, both held in honour of the Royal Highnesses. None accompanied the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall on the journey between New York and Washington DC.
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 24 November 2005, Official Report, columns 2246-7W, on the Royal visit (USA), what each gift which was not a signed photograph was; to whom each gift was presented; and what total costs were reimbursed by her Department for such gifts. [79236]
Margaret Beckett: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 22 June 2006, Official Report, Column 2152W. The total costs of gifts reimbursed was £3,438.38.
The list of gifts, other than signed photographs, which were presented during the visit to the United States is as follows.
Book of the collected essays of Sir Winston Churchill
Paper Knife
Pen Knife (3)
Purse (1)
Hotel Staff
Wallet (2)
Purse (2)
FCO Personnel
Silver Benny Box
Large 2005 Year Box (3)
Pen knife
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 November 2005, Official Report, column 1488W, on the United States (Prince of Wales's visit), whether anyone from the Prince of Wales's United States Foundation accompanied the Prince on his official visit to the US in 2005 at public cost. [79238]
Margaret Beckett: No-one from The Prince of Wales's United States Foundation accompanied His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales on his official visit to the US at public expense.
Somalia
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications of the recent talks between the Somali Government and the Islamic Courts Union militia; and if she will make a statement. [79925]
Mr. McCartney: We welcome any talks destined to resolve Somalia's problems peacefully. We have urged both sides to engage in dialogue and resolve Somalia's conflict through the framework of the transitional charter and the transitional federal institutions.
Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the security situation in Somalia. [80320]
Mr. McCartney: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Clwyd South (Mr. Jones) today (UIN 79925).
South Korea
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she had with the South Korean Foreign Minister concerning South Korea's support for the St. Kitts and Nevis Declaration at the recent International Whaling Commission meeting; and if she will make a statement. [80711]
Mr. McCartney: The Declaration was presented to the meeting on 17 June. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not discussed it with her South Korean counterpart.
UK views on whaling are well known.
Special Advisers
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role is played by special advisers in answering parliamentary questions asked of her Department. [80649]
Margaret Beckett: Special advisers in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have no formal role in answering parliamentary questions, which are drafted by officials and signed by Ministers. I take advice from my special advisers on a range of issues, which includes the answers to parliamentary questions.
Sudan
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the recent peace treaty in the east of Sudan. [80271]
Mr. McCartney: Preliminary talks between the Government of Sudan and the Eastern Front began in Asmara on 13 June, under Eritrean mediation. A UK representative was present. A Declaration of Principles and an agreement to cease violence was issued on19 June. Formal talks are scheduled to start in mid-July. We support the parties in this effort and press them to negotiate in good faith in order to reach a mutually acceptable agreement.
The Sudan People’s Liberation Army has successfully and peacefully completed its withdrawal from Hamishkoreib. This is a positive and important step. We continue to urge all sides to exercise restraint and not to take action that may inflame the situation.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of reports that South Sudan’s Vice President (a) recently met the Lord’s Resistance Army Chief Joseph Kony, (b) gave Mr. Kony $20,000 and (c) delivered a message from Mr. Kony to Mr. Museveni; and if she will make a statement. [80285]
Mr. McCartney: We have seen the media reporting of the meeting between Joseph Kony and the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) and are aware of the associated reports that they have provided financial assistance. We have also seen reports that the GoSS delivered a message from Kony to President Museveni, but the contents of the message have not been shared with us.
We continue to urge the Government of Sudan to fulfil their commitment to co-operate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) and to help implement the warrants for the arrest of the five senior Lord’s Resistance Army commanders, including Kony, as soon as possible. Our ambassador in Khartoum pressed Salva Kiir, President of the Governmentof Southern Sudan, on the Government’s ICCobligations on 10 May 2006. The UK-led UN Security Council delegation, which visited southern Sudan on8 June 2006, also raised the issue with President Kiir.
Uganda
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the invasion of the Ugandan High Court by armed commandos on 16 November 2005; and if she will make a statement. [79946]
Mr.
McCartney: Following the presence of armed commandos in
the grounds of the High Court on16 November 2005, we urged the
Ugandan Government to do all they could to restore public confidence in
the security services. As EU presidency at the time, the UK issued a
statement on 18 November 2005 calling for this and also calling for the
Ugandan
Government to ‘ensure that the security force’s responses
are strictly proportionate to the threats they face in any given
situation’. The full text of the statement can be found at the
following website:
http://www.eu2005.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1107293561746&a=KArticle&aid=1131976425734&date=2005-11-18.
On 31 January 2006, the Constitutional Court declared that the deployment of armed commandos had been a deliberate attempt to intimidate and influence the judiciary.
Constitutional Affairs
Departmental Finance Directors
Chris Huhne: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the (a) name, (b) professional and academic qualifications and (c) relevant experience are of the finance director of her Department. [80092]
Vera Baird: The information is as follows:
(a) The Director General of Finance at the Department for Constitutional Affairs is Ms. Barbara Moorhouse.
(b) Ms. Moorhouse holds an MA in politics, philosophy and economics from Oxford university and is a chartered management accountant. She is an associate member of the Association of Corporate Treasurers and of the Financial Reporting and Review Panel. From 1996-2002 she was a member of CIMA Council.
(c) Ms. Moorhouse was appointed in March 2005. She has previously held a number of senior financial, strategic and commercial roles in multinational companies.
Post Office Network Services
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what services (a) her Department and (b) its associated public bodies (i) make available and (ii) have made available in the last five years through the post office network; through how many outlets the service is or was made available; and how many relevant transactions were undertaken in each case in the most recent year for which figures are available. [79203]
Bridget Prentice: Neither DCA nor any of its associated public bodies use, or have used, the services of post office network in the course of their business over the last five years.
Northern Ireland
Ulster Volunteer Force
6. Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has received on the Ulster Volunteer Force's intention to enter a ceasefire. [79740]
Paul Goggins: In their latest report the IMC stated that the UVF remains an active, violent and ruthless organisation. The UVF's recent statement that they will make no announcement about future intentions until after 24 November is completely unacceptable.
Housing
8. Mr. Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on housing policy in Northern Ireland. [79742]
Mr. Hanson: The Government's objective is to ensure that everyone has access to a decent home in the tenure of their choice at an affordable cost. The policy is progressed within the Government's Regional Development Strategy and other important initiatives such as Neighbourhood Renewal and the Fuel Poverty Strategy.
Northern Ireland Assembly
9. Mr. Mackay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on recent progress towards devolved Government in the Province. [79744]
Mr. Hain: The preparation for Government Committee at the Assembly is continuing to work to identify the issues that need to be addressed in preparation for devolved Government. The Government remains committed to doing all it can to support the process.
10. Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made towards the permanent re-establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly. [79745]
Mr. Hanson: The Preparation for Government Committee at the Assembly is continuing to work to identify the issues that need to be addressedin preparation for devolved Government. The Government remains committed to doing all it can to support the process.
EU Funding
11. Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary ofState for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in increasing EU regional funding for Northern Ireland. [79746]
Mr. Hanson: Recent improved economic performance means that for 2007-13 Northern Ireland will benefit from an allocation of the EU structural funds available to the UK under the EU's competitiveness and employment objective. Northern Ireland will also benefit from special PEACE funding and Territorial Co-operation funding.
The allocations of competitiveness and employment funding to UK regions are still under discussion following a recent UK-wide consultation process that ended on 22 May 2006. We will ensure that Northern Ireland gets a fair share of the resources available to the UK.
Post-primary Education
12. Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the future of post-primary education in Northern Ireland. [79747]
Mr. Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave some moments ago to the hon. Member for Blaydon.
Secondary School System
13. David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the future of selection in Northern Ireland’s secondary school system. [79748]
Mr. Hain: The Draft Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, to be debated later today, contains a provision banning academic selection in Northern Ireland after the 2008 Transfer Tests. This will be effective from 25 November if the Northern Ireland Assembly is not restored before that date. If it is restored by 24 November a vote will be required in the Assembly to ban academic selection.
Community Festivals
14. Mr. Devine: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what Government support is available for new and emerging community festivals in Northern Ireland. [79749]
Mr. Hain: A new Community Festivals’ Fund came into operation on 1 April 2006. The Northern Ireland Events Company administers the fund on the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure’s behalf. Approximately £450,000 is available to new or existing festivals that meet the core criteria.
Its main purpose is to improve the capacity of existing, new and emerging community festivals and to make them more sustainable.
Child Sex Abuse
David
Simpson: To ask the Secretary of
Statefor Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of23
May 2006, Official Report, column 1598W, on
child sex abuse, how offender clusters have been monitored in Northern
Ireland over the past 10 years; and how offender clusters will be
scanned for in the future.
[77207]
Paul Goggins: Further to my answer to the hon. Gentleman of 23 May 2006, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, in line with the National Intelligence Model (NIM), use the Integrated Crime Information System (ICIS) to monitor offender clusters. NIM became available in 2001, prior to this the PSNI identified clusters through local intelligence
Civil Partnerships
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many same-sex couples in Northern Ireland have applied to legalise their relationship, broken down by council area. [78551]
Mr. Hanson: Civil partnership was introduced in Northern Ireland from 5 December 2005 and after that date couples could give notice of civil partnership registration. Up to 15 June 2006 notice has been given for 110 civil partnerships in Northern Ireland of which 70 are in the Belfast registration district, nine in Derry and six in each of Newry and Mourne and North Down districts. None of the remaining registration districts has received five or more notices.
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