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21 Nov 2006 : Column 51W—continued
Library Services (Visually Impaired People)
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with local authority library services on the migration of
provision for the blind and partially sighted from a tape-based system to cd-rom or a use of computers for the delivery of talking book services. [101407]
Mr. Lammy: Responsibility for service provision policy for public libraries rests at a local level, where local management are in the best position to judge the particular needs of the communities they serve.
This includes decisions on provision for visually impaired library users. Each local authority works to reflect the needs of its community based on an informed understanding of local requirements. This often means providing content in a variety of media to reflect the differing needs of visually impaired people in the area.
Olympic Stadium
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whom the Minister of Sport met on legacy use of the Olympic Stadium; when each meeting took place; if the potential value of the stadium was discussed; if (a) the Olympic Board, (b) the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and (c) the Olympic Delivery Authority were informed of these discussions by her Department before they took place; if the results were reported to these bodies; and what account was taken in discussions of the commitment to convert the stadium into an athletics facility. [101620]
Tessa Jowell: My right hon. Friend the Minister for Sport discussed the legacy use of the Olympic stadium with representatives from West Ham United on 8 March 2006 and 3 July 2006, with representatives from Tottenham Hotspur on 7 March 2006 and 5 June 2006 and with representatives from Charlton Athletic on 23 March 2006. These discussions covered the Olympic stakeholders' commitment to the International Olympic Committee of a legacy with athletics at its core, as well as the potential value of the stadium.
Throughout this period, the Minister held a number of meetings with officials from the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, the Olympic Delivery Authority and the Greater London Authority, at which the Olympic stadium was discussed, including the discussions with football clubs. The Minister was also present at the Olympic Board meeting on 25 July 2006 when the legacy use of the Olympic stadium was considered.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether her Department uses an internal traffic light or colour coded system for parliamentary questions for written answer. [102035]
Shrewsbury
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff in her Department are employed in Shrewsbury. [101698]
Mr. Lammy: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has no staff employed in Shrewsbury.
Swimming Teachers Association
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to secure a resolution of the dispute involving the Swimming Teachers Association; and if she will make a statement. [101619]
Mr. Caborn: The Swimming Teachers’ Association (STA) has written to me about its dispute with the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA). I replied on 9 August and 20 September, clarifying the position on the UK Coaching Certificate and encouraging the STA to meet the ASA to discuss its concerns about the ASA's licensing scheme.
Tennis
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Lawn Tennis Association on the potential impact of the proposed sale of Queen's Club on the development of British tennis talent over the next 10 years. [101604]
Mr. Caborn: Neither my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State nor I have had any recent discussions with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) on the potential impact of the proposed sale of Queen's Club on the development of British tennis talent over the next 10 years.
However, I understand the entire proceeds from the sale, around £45 million, will be reinvested in the sport with the vast majority going to community tennis as set out in the LTA's Whole Sport Plan. This includes the new National Tennis Centre in Roehampton which will aim to develop the sport throughout the country at all levels; from the grass roots of the game to success on the international stage.
Home Department
Anti-terrorism Legislation
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those released after being detained without charges under the most recent anti-terrorist legislation were later charged with terrorist offences. [100526]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 20 November 2006]: The police do not routinely collate this information and to answer the question could be done only at disproportionate cost.
Asylum Seekers
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from Pakistan sought asylum in the UK on the grounds that they were persecuted because of their Christianity in each year since 2000; and how many were successful. [100640]
Mr. Byrne: The requested information is unavailable and could be obtained only by examination of individual case records and therefore at disproportionate cost.
Correspondence
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter of 6 October from the hon. Member for the Forest of Dean regarding Ms Tina Marfell. [101065]
Mr. Byrne: I wrote to the hon. Member on 7 November 2006.
Free Passports
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pensioners have taken up their entitlement to free passports, broken down by (a) county and (b) constituency, grouped according to region. [100716]
Joan Ryan: The Identity and Passport Service does not ask passport holders to keep their address up to date on our database. Therefore, the Identity and Passport Service cannot identify the number of current residents by geographical area who have taken advantage of the scheme to issue free passports to applicants born on or before 2 September 1929.
However for residents of the United Kingdom, 376,668 people born on or before 2 September 1929 have had their entitlement to free passports fulfilled by the Identity and Passports Service up until 30 September 2006.
Immigration and Nationality Directorate
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Immigration and Nationality Directorate will respond to the letter of 15 August from the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green regarding Mr Rachid Sahraoui (Home Office reference LR1420012703/1). [101186]
Mr. Byrne [holding answer 20 November 2006]: The Director General of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate replied to the hon. Member's letter on 16 November 2006.
Reciprocal Extradition Arrangements
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on the US administration's approach to reciprocal extradition arrangements. [101243]
Joan Ryan: There have been no recent discussions with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on this issue. However, in March 2006 the previous Home Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, South (Mr. Clarke), briefed the Northern Ireland Secretary on this issue prior to his visit to the United States.
Defence
Bevin Boys
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will implement the recognition scheme for the Bevin Boys. [100996]
Derek Twigg: I have been giving detailed consideration to the case for some further measure to recognise the contribution of conscripted Bevin Boys in World War II. I hope to reach a decision on this in due course.
Check-in Times
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average check-in times were for (a) UK forces returning to the UK from deployments abroad and (b) UK forces deployed from the UK in each of the last 12 months. [100756]
Mr. Ingram: Statistics for average check-in times are not held. There are set check-in times for UK forces deploying overseas and returning to the UK and these vary according to the operational theatre and location.
China-made Uniforms
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of uniforms issued to service personnel in the (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) Royal Air Force were made in China. [100521]
Derek Twigg: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Combat Limb Losses
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military personnel have lost limbs in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan in each of the last three years. [100929]
Derek Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 7 November 2006, Official Report, column 1445W, to the hon. Member for North Wiltshire (Mr. Gray).
Mental Health
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether cognitive behavioural therapy is provided in his Department’s departments of community mental health. [101015]
Nuclear Deterrent
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what preliminary estimates his Department has made of the cost of a new generation of nuclear deterrent based on the Trident system. [100935]
Des Browne: We have indicated that a White Paper will be published once decisions have been taken later this year on the future of the nuclear deterrent. This White Paper will set out the results of the preparatory work which has been under way on risks, threats, options and costs.
Sierra Leone
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British troops are stationed in Sierra Leone. [100768]
Mr. Ingram: The numbers of personnel posted to each location abroad are shown in Tri-Service Publication 6, Global Location of UK Regular Forces (TSP 6). Copies of TSP 6 are available in the Library of the House of Commons and are also at www.dasa.mod.uk
Troop Transportation
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Chief of the Air Staff about the performance of the Movements organisation in each of the last five years. [100957]
Mr. Ingram: The Secretary of State has regular discussions with each of the Chiefs of Staff on a range of issues.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
African Union (Peacekeeping Forces)
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will (a) make representations and (b) provide assistance to the African Union (AU) to ensure that per diem payments similar to those paid to United Nations Peacekeeping forces are made to countries supplying AU peacekeeping forces. [100829]
Mr. McCartney: The African Union provides its peacekeeping forces with a Mission Subsistence Allowance (MSA), similar to the “per diems” paid by the United Nations. These are paid directly to the troops concerned rather than to troop-contributing countries.
However, the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) has been experiencing financial difficulties for some time which are impacting on its ability to meet some of its running costs, including MSA payments. These are due to a combination of problems with AMIS’s financial management which have led to stalled funding from the European Commission, and promises of funds from the Arab League and others that have not yet been honoured. We have regularly called on donors to fulfil their pledges.
We are also providing AMIS with £13.5 million in direct funding to help it meet its current running costs. This will include payment of salaries and MSA for the AMIS peacekeeping force, as well as measures to ensure the effective financial management of these payments.
Arms Exports
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what post-sale monitoring of UK international defence sales is undertaken by the Government; how many staff are employed in this monitoring; and if she will make a statement. [101056]
Mr. McCartney: The Government believe strongly that the best approach to ensuring strategic exports are not diverted or misused is case by case assessment, against the Consolidated EU and National Export Licensing Criteria, of any proposed export at the time of application, i.e. before the export goes ahead. If, after careful assessment at the licensing stage, it is assessed there is a risk that the equipment will be diverted from its stated end use, a licence will not be issued.
The possibility of diversion of exported goods to an undesirable end use is part of the strict risk assessment undertaken by dedicated personnel in four Government Departments (the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Defence and the Department for International Development) involved in the export licensing process at the time of application. This takes into account relevant information the Government may hold, including from those in the Government’s overseas posts who monitor local developments closely and note any information that comes to light that equipment supplied by the UK has been used in a manner inconsistent with the consolidated criteria. Should information come to light that goods have been diverted, the Government will take this into consideration when assessing any future applications. The Government may also revoke the relevant licence(s) and ask the authorities in the country concerned to investigate.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will list the 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 concerns were raised about human rights in those countries during each discussion. [101739]
Dr. Howells: Regular contacts between Cabinet colleagues take place on UK exports of military equipment and parts and will include when necessary discussion of arms sales to destinations which may be a cause for concern, including any concerns on the human rights situations in those countries.
All export licences are assessed on a case by case basis against the EU and national 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.
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