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23 Oct 2006 : Column 1614W—continued
Prime Minister
Muslims
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Prime Minister what arrangements his Office has in place for offering him advice on Islam and matters relating to Muslims; and who his advisers are on Islam and Muslim affairs. [94331]
The Prime Minister:
Where appropriate, I am advised by my officials on matters relating to Muslim
communities. In addition, I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals on a wide range of subjects, and I have met representatives of UK Muslim communities and Muslim youth groups on a number of occasions.
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the lead Department on domestic matters relating to Muslim communities and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is the lead department on international matters. Where appropriate officials seek advice from these departments.
Policy Review Committees
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister what the (a) purpose and (b) remit is of his four policy review committees announced by his official spokesman on 20 September 2006; and if he will make a statement on the progress with the work of the committees. [94529]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the press briefing given by my official spokesman on 19 October. A transcript of this is available on the No. 10 website and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Arms Exports
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what monitoring is carried out by the Government on the end-use of arms exports from the UK (a) by (i) criminal gangs, (ii) pariah states, (iii) terrorists, (iv) paramilitaries and (v) rebel forces and (b) for the purposes of human rights abuses. [95531]
Dr. Howells: All applications are assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Export Licensing Criteria and other prevailing circumstances at the time of application. If there is any risk that the equipment will be diverted from its stated end use, a licence will not be issued. If information comes to light about possible diversion of equipment after export, this will be taken into account when assessing future applications.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of the export by the UK of military parts and equipment to states identified in her Department’s Annual Human Rights Report as major countries of concern on the human rights situations in those countries. [95533]
Dr. Howells: All export licenses are assessed on a case by case basis against the EU and National Consolidated Export Licensing Criteria. This includes in Criterion 2 the
‘respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country of final destination’.
If an export is considered inconsistent with the criteria, a licence will not be issued. Should it come to light that an export has breached the criteria it was assessed against, this will be taken into account when considering future applications or may result in the licence being revoked.
Given the thorough and strict pre-licensing assessments, we are confident that our exports do not have adverse effects on the human rights situations in the countries of final destination.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with her Cabinet colleagues about UK exports of military equipment and parts to (a) Burma, (b) China, (c) North Korea, (d) Iran, (e) Russia, (f) Saudi Arabia and (g) Zimbabwe; and what assessment she has made of the impact of those exports upon the human rights situation in those countries. [95535]
Dr. Howells: Regular contacts between Cabinet colleagues take place on UK exports of military equipment and parts and will include, when necessary, arms sales to destinations which may be a cause for concern.
All export licences are assessed on a case by case basis against the EU and National Consolidated Export Licensing Criteria. This includes in criterion 2 the ‘respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country of final destination’. If an export is considered inconsistent with the criteria, a licence will not be issued. Given the thorough and strict pre-licensing assessments, we are confident that our exports do not have adverse effects on the human rights situations in the countries of final destination.
British Embassy (Dili)
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate she has made of how much will be saved by the closure of the British embassy in Dili; how much will be raised by the sale of embassy (a) property and (b) chattels in Dili; what the cost will be of the relocation of services to Jakarta; and whether training will be required for new staff in Jakarta dealing with East Timorese cases and issues. [95140]
Mr. McCartney: An annual saving of £341,353 will be made by the closure of our embassy in Dili.
We did not own any of the buildings that we occupied in Dili. Some chattels have been recycled or returned to the UK (communications, IT equipment). Two vehicles have been sold, £2,677 raised, and a third awaits sale.
An uplift of £5,900 has been made to the local budget of our embassy in Jakarta. This is to cover the additional travel requirements of Jakarta-based staff arising from the transfer of responsibility as well as the running costs of our newly-appointed Honorary Consul in Dili. There was also a one-off uplift of £1,000 to cover the start-up costs for the Honorary Consul. Jakarta-based staff will not require any additional training for their East Timor-related duties.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) Britons and (b) locally engaged people were employed at the British embassy in Dili in each year since 2002; and how many members of staff in the Indonesian embassy in Jakarta will work on East Timorese cases and issues when the embassy in Dili closes. [95141]
Mr. McCartney: The numbers of UK and locally engaged (LE) staff who worked in our embassy in Dili from 2002 to 2006 are as follows:
| UK-based staff | Locally engaged staff | |
Six members of UK-based staff at our embassy in Jakarta now include East Timor issues in their work. This is in addition to the duties they already hold.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 12 October 2006, Official Report, column 34WS, on the British embassy (Dili), how many British citizens have sought help from the British embassy for each year since the establishment of an independent East Timor Government in 2002; how many East Timorese citizens have sought help from the British embassy in Dili since 20 May 2002; and what assessment she has made of the effect of the closure on British citizens in East Timor. [95296]
Mr. McCartney: The numbers of British citizens who have sought help from our embassy in Dili between 2002 and 2006 are as follows:
| Number of British citizens | |
As Dili was not a visa-issuing post, no East Timorese citizens sought the help of our embassy there.
Our embassy in Jakarta has now assumed responsibility for consular matters in East Timor. An honorary consul in Dili has also been appointed.
Burma
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sanctions the Government are operating in respect of Burma. [95568]
Mr. McCartney: All EU member states are bound by the EU Common Position on Burma, which includes the following sanctions on the Burmese government: an arms embargo; a ban on defence links; a ban on the supply of equipment that may be used for internal repression; an asset freeze and travel ban on members
of the regime, their families and those who benefit from their policies. There is also a ban on most non-humanitarian aid and development programmes. The Common Position also prohibits listed state-owned companies from receiving loans or credit and investment from EU member states and EU-registered companies and organisations.
The Common Position, last updated on 27 April 2006, can be found on the EU website at: http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2006/l_l16/l_l1620060429en00770097.pdf
A copy of the Common Position has been placed in the Library of the House.
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what the policy of (a) the Government and (b) the EU is on a UN Security Council resolution on Burma; [96271]
(2) what steps she is taking to build support for a UN Security Council resolution on Burma amongst EU member states. [96272]
Mr. McCartney: The UK fully supports the US proposal to secure a UN Security Council resolution on Burma. We worked very closely with the US and other members of the Council to secure the votes needed to add Burma to the UN Security Council agenda on 15 September.
All five EU member states who are currently on the UN Security Council have indicated their support for a UN Security Council resolution on Burma.
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to reduce imports to the UK from Burma. [96273]
Mr. McCartney: The Government have not imposed restrictions on imports from Burma. The EU has removed, however, trade preferences for products imported from Burma. The value of imports from Burma fell by more than 50 per cent. between 2004 and 2005. The goods imported consist mainly of textiles and fisheries products, industries which provide employment to ordinary people in Burma.
Child Welfare
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response she has made to the report of the independent expert for the United Nations’ study on violence against children; what plans she has to implement the relevant recommendations of that report; what advice and assistance her Department gave to the committee which produced the report; and what representations she has received on that report. [95297]
Mr. McCartney: We welcome Professor Pinheiro’s report on violence against children, providing an in depth global picture of the serious issue of abuses of children’s rights. We believe that implementation by states of the recommendations set out in the report would undoubtedly provide a better protective environment for children throughout the world.
The recommendations set out in the report mirror much of the work already being carried out in the UK to protect children from all forms of abuse. We will continue to work with our international partners to take forward these recommendations in other countries, working to ensure children throughout the world can enjoy their human rights and be protected from all forms of violence.
The UK (Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development) contributed 17 per cent. of the total cost of the study, equating to £450,000.
We have received requests from the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and from non-governmental organisations in the field asking the UK to endorse the report and lend support to its recommendations. To that end, we have discussed and continue to discuss with EU and UN partners how best to promote the recommendations, including at the UN General Assembly Third Committee this year.
China
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Chinese Government about trade with (a) Zimbabwe and (b) Africa. [93640]
Mr. McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had any such recent discussions with the Chinese Government on this issue. The UK and China are committed to increasing their dialogue on Africa. These contacts will reinforce the structured dialogue on Africa agreed by the EU and China at their summit on 9 September and provide opportunities to discuss with China a range of issues relating to Africa, including the importance of trade and investment.
Increased trade is essential to Africa’s development and China’s rapidly growing trade with Africa is already contributing to higher growth rates in Africa. It is important that all Africa’s trading partners, including China, act in ways that support the principles for sustainable development outlined in Africa’s own New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NePAD agenda, including good governance and sound economic management—features currently so sadly lacking in Zimbabwe.
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether (a) human rights, (b) the death penalty, (c) media freedom and (d) Tibet were raised during the Chinese Prime Minister's recent visit to the UK. [94926]
Mr. McCartney: Both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary discussed human rights issues during Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to the UK in September. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised with Premier Wen restrictions on foreign media organisations operating in China and concerns about Tibet. The Foreign Secretary, in a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, urged China to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which includes provisions on
the death penalty, at the earliest possible date. A list of individual cases of concern was handed over during the same visit.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people the UK plans to send to act as election monitors for the second round of the Democratic Republic of Congo presidential elections. [95347]
Mr. McCartney: The UK intends to send observers for the second round of elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as it did for the first round. The UK observation team will comprise about sixteen British civil servants, together with three or four hon. Members.
The UK observers will contribute to the wider EU Election Observation Mission in the DRC. In addition to the UK observation team, independent British observers will be participating in the EU mission.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice she has offered the Democratic Republic of Congo on election procedures and monitoring. [95348]
Mr. McCartney: The UK is the biggest bilateral donor to the election process in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), contributing £30 million. The international community has provided logistical support and advice to the DRC Independent Electoral Commission (CEI). The UK has also participated in the elections steering committee, in which international electoral experts have discussed voting procedures, transparency and logistics with the CEI to enable them to hold free and fair elections in the DRC.
We have encouraged the CEI to make the process as transparent as possible. There are an estimated 50,000 national and 1,000 international observers registered for the second round of elections.
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