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Royal Mail
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions have taken place between Royal Mail and officials from his Department about the percentage of shares to be retained by the Government after the proposed employee share scheme. [86225]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Royal Mail has submitted proposals on an employee share ownership scheme and these proposals are currently under consideration by the Department. Ministers and officials meet Royal Mail representatives on a regular basis and have discussed these proposals with them. No decisions have been made on whether to introduce a share scheme.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions have taken place between his Department and Royal Mail on possible job losses in the Royal Mail group. [86226]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government have given the Royal Mail group greater commercial freedom and has established an arm’s length relationship so that the board can operate the business as it decides best to meet the challenges of market development and changing customer needs.
The Department has held discussions with Royal Mail about its plans to modernise the business through the introduction of new technology and equipment. It is for the Royal Mail management to decide on the appropriate size of the Royal Mail work force as a result of this modernisation.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much Government funding has been provided to the Royal Mail in each of the last five years; and how it has been allocated. [86228]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Government support has been provided by permitting Royal Mail and POL to utilise accumulated profits held in reserves on the Royal Mail balance sheet and direct funding from Government. These amount to £2 billion since 1998. The direct funding related to the urban reinvention programme and Your Guide were provided as follows:
| £000 | ||
| Urban Reinvention | Your Guide | |
In 2003, loan facilities amounting to £1,044,000 were put in place but Royal Mail has not drawn down on these.
Small Arms Trade
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will bring forward legislation to control the overseas brokering of small arms by UK citizens and UK registered companies. [86375]
Malcolm Wicks: Controls on the trafficking and brokering of military goods were introduced in 2004. Trafficking and brokering of small arms done overseas by UK persons already requires a UK trade licence when the goods are being transferred to an embargoed destination (and a licence would normally be refused).
I am planning next year to review the effectiveness of the controls introduced in 2004 and would be happy at that stage to consider the scope of their application.
South East England Development Agency
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the annual expenditure of the South East England Development Agency in each (a) county and (b) unitary authority in the south east of England was in each year since its inception. [86258]
Margaret Hodge: I refer the hon. Member to the question answered on 17 July 2006, Official Report, Columns 43-44W.
Culture, Media and Sport
Slave Trade
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had on establishing a national slavery memorial day. [86345]
Mr. Lammy: There is already a UN International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition on 23 August. Some cities in the UK, such as Liverpool, already mark this with a significant range of events and activities. With the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade approaching in 2007, some members of the Deputy Prime Minister's Advisory Group, and others, have asked for a memorial day specific to Britain. There are differences of opinion about which date is most appropriate, and whether the focus should be on a day or other commemorative activities. Our aim is to ensure that all communities are able to mark this important event in ways that they feel are most appropriate.
Tourism (South West)
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tourists have visited the South West region in each year since 1997. [86096]
Mr. Woodward [holding answer 18 July 2006]: The following tables set out the number of visits to the South West region from (i) overseas and (ii) the UK where this included an overnight stay. Information is provided between 2000 and 2005, equivalent data prior to this period is not available.
| Inbound visits to the South West by year | |
| Visit (all) | |
| (1
)2005 data is provisional. Source: International Passenger
Survey
(ONS). | |
| Domestic overnight trips to the South West by year | |
| Visit (all) | |
| (1
)VisitBritain believes the old UKTS methodology significantly
underreported 2004. (2) In 2005 an improved methodology was
introduced for UKTS so direct comparison with previous years is not
appropriate. Source: UK Tourism Survey (National Tourist
Boards) | |
In addition, the South West region receives a substantial number of day visitors, the last Leisure Day Visitors Survey in 2002-03 recorded a total of 48 million day visitors to the region.
International Development
Burma
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what humanitarian aid his Department is providing to people displaced from Eastern Burma; and if he will make a statement. [86016]
Mr. Thomas: There are three types of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Eastern Burma. These are (with the latest available numbers, from October 2005): (i) people in temporary settlements in ceasefire areas administered by ethnic nationalities (340,000); (ii) villagers who have been evicted by the Burmese Government and moved into designated relocation sites (108,000); and (iii) civilians hiding from the Burmese Army in areas most affected by armed conflict (92,000).
The recent military offensive against the Karen people has swelled the number of civilians hiding in conflict areas by at least 15,000. DFID's approach to providing emergency assistance to these IDPs has been to work through local community groups inside Burma. This is a complementary approach to the use of relief teams operating cross-border from Thailand, and it enables access to IDPs who would not be reached by any other means, and through a mechanism which is much less-well supported by other donors. The development of civil society within the country is also a fundamental step in a successful transition to democracy.
The number of IDPs that we can reach from inside the country is limited. Access is difficult, and the small local groups with whom we are working do not currently have the capacity to deliver greater volumes of emergency relief—although we are working to strengthen their ability to do more. Those delivering assistance to IDPs cross-border from Thailand face similar challenges. Therefore, we recognise the importance of maintaining co-ordination with all donors (both those delivering assistance cross border, and those working inside the country) to ensure that together we manage to reach as many IDPs as possible.
DFID also provides support to IDPs in temporary settlements in ceasefire areas in eastern Burma through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to which we provide £500,000 a year, of which approximately 75 per cent. is attributable to work with displaced people in this area.
In addition, our health, education and rural livelihood projects provide assistance in eastern Burma, and support internally displaced people in temporary settlements and designated relocation sites there, as well as other vulnerable people.
DFID is also providing support
to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working among displaced
Burmese people in the refugee camps on the Thai side of the Thai-Burma
border—as a grant to the Thai Burma Border Consortium
(TBBC) of £1.8 million over three years. In addition,
the UK contributes approximately the same amount again as its share of
the EC's support to the TBBC. The British Embassy in Bangkok advocates
on behalf of Burmese refugees living in Thailand through the United
Nations
High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to improve the situation in the
refugee camps in Thailand and to bring about a relaxation of the
regulations prohibiting freedom of movement and employment outside the
camps.
In parallel, the Government fully supports international efforts, particularly through the UN, to bring about tangible progress in restoring democratic freedoms and full respect for human rights. The UK has co-sponsored successive highly critical UN resolutions on Burma and played a leading role in drafting the resolution most recently adopted at the UN General Assembly in December 2005. This expressed grave concern at the attacks by military forces in violation of cease-fire agreements and called on the regime to end the systematic violations of human rights, including enforced displacement.
UN Security Council members last discussed the situation in Burma on 16 December under 'Any Other Business'. In this discussion, the UK highlighted the on-going human rights abuses, the detention of political prisoners, internal conflicts and the spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Though there was no consensus to issue a presidential statement or other formal report, the discussions reflected the concern felt in many parts of the international community over the regime's failure to make progress towards democracy and to respect international human rights norms. At present there is no agreement within the Security Council, including among the permanent members, to add Burma to the Council's formal agenda, but the UK, through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, will continue to co-ordinate closely with the UN and partners in the Security Council and the region in considering how best to maintain pressure for positive change in Burma.
Child Labour
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the extent of the use of child labour in (a) Tunisia, (b) Cameroon and (c) Tanzania. [86022]
Hilary Benn: DFID has not carried out assessments in these countries but helps to support the work of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the leading international body which sets and monitors labour standards including child labour. In their global report on child labour published in May this year, the ILO reported an 11 per cent. fall in child labour globally since 2000. However, progress has been slowest in sub-Saharan Africa where 26 per cent. of children are economically active.
In its national strategy for growth and poverty reduction, the Government of Tanzania identifies child labour as a key challenge. DFID is providing over £110 million this year to support implementation of the overall national strategy. In addition, DFID is supporting multilateral organisations such as the ILO and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) as well as civil society organisations to reduce and prevent child labour in Tanzania.
DFID does not have a programme in Tunisia and only a limited programme in Cameroon, which is focused on forestry.
Hospices
Mr. Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he has (a) taken and (b) plans to take to help improve access to hospice and palliative care in resource poor countries; and if he will make a statement. [85396]
Mr. Thomas: The UK is committed to the development of health services that respond to the broad health needs of the population, and palliative care clearly has a vital place in this. DFID support is largely directed at countries where the health spend is less than $10 per person per year and often far less, the public spend in the Congo is $2, in Ethiopia $1.50 and in Burundi $0.70. Clearly these countries are not able to deliver the range of services that they would wish and realistically are unlikely to invest significant public budgets in palliative care. We support countries to deliver their health programmes and the priority interventions defined in their national health plan. Increasingly we provide resources through various forms of flexible budget support.
DFID officials have met staff from the hospice community on a number of occasions, most recently during a public consultation on a revised DFID health strategy. Many committed groups lobby DFID to make greater efforts on what they see as neglected areas in the international health response. Recent communications have challenged DFID to do more on palliative care, cancer services, neglected tropical diseases, blindness, disability, malnutrition and non-communicable diseases. DFID accepts that palliative care services need to be better reflected in national health plans and budgets and that realistically support needs to be provided through home based rather than institutional settings.
Iraq
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to provide emergency medical supplies for children in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [86007]
Hilary Benn: The Iraqi health care system faces enormous challenges which long pre-date the 2003 conflict. In the early 1980s, Iraq enjoyed some of the best healthcare in the Middle East. However, by 2000, international health indicators for Iraq were comparable with some of the poorest countries in Africa. Under-five mortality had increased from 50 per 1,000 in 1990 to 133 in 2001. One in four children under five were chronically malnourished. Hospitals, clinics and water and sanitation plants suffered from chronic lack of maintenance.
DFID has given most of its assistance to the Iraqi health sector through financial contributions to international organisations that have particular expertise in health. These contributions include:
£5 million to the
World Health Organisation (WHO), which has helped to fund the delivery
of emergency medical supplies,
supported clinics and hospitals in Baghdad and Basra, and supports the
Iraqi Government's Health Sector Working Group. More information can be
found at
http://www.who.int/en.
£32 million to the International Red Cross for immediate humanitarian assistance
£70 million to the United Nations and World Bank multi-donor trust funds for Iraq. These trust funds finance reconstruction in a number of areas including health. The UN trust fund has approved 10 health and nutrition projects, in total valued at $96 million. The World Bank trust fund also has a $25 million health rehabilitation project which finances priority emergency services, including basic medical equipment and essential drugs. More information on both trust funds can be found at http://www.irffi.org
However, many challenges still remain and DFID and the international community will continue to work with the Iraqi authorities help them to rebuild the health sector.
Important progress has been made: healthcare spending across Iraq is up more than 30 times on pre-war levels; 5 million children have been vaccinated, and diseases such as polio, measles and malaria have declined; and 240 hospitals and 1,200 primary health centres are functioning; 20 hospitals are being rehabilitated and a paediatric hospital is being built in Basra.
Education and Skills
Child Care
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will estimate the total cost of allowing close relatives to become registered under the childcare approval scheme so that working parents would then be entitled to (a) working tax credit and (b) employer assisted childcare; and if he will make a statement. [85796]
Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested is not available without incurring disproportionate cost.
Children with Difficulties
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in (a) West Sussex and (b) Mid Sussex are classified as having emotional, social or behavioural difficulties. [85834]
Mr. Dhanda [holding answer 17 July 2006]: The information is given in the following table.
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