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Written Answers to Questions

Thursday 22 February 2007

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

China: Falun Gong

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations she has made to the Chinese authorities on the persecution of the Falun Gong community; and if she will make a statement. [122495]

Mr. McCartney: The Government regularly raises with the Chinese government reports of the harassment and arbitrary detention of Falun Gong practitioners, and did so at the most recent round of the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue, held in London on 5 February 2007 which I participated in.

South Africa: Nuclear Weapons

Ms Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with representatives of the Republic of South Africa on nuclear weapons proliferation. [122071]

Dr. Howells: Senior officials discuss proliferation issues with representatives of the Republic of South Africa frequently; in Geneva (at the Conference on Disarmament), Vienna (at the International Atomic Energy Agency), New York (at the UN), as well as through our High Commission in Pretoria.

We look forward to working closely with the Republic of South Africa on the UN Security Council.

Tibet: Human Rights

Mr. David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations her Department has made to the Government of the People’s Republic of China on human rights in Tibet. [122032]

Mr. McCartney: We regularly raise our concerns on human rights in Tibet with the Chinese Government. We did this most recently at the 15(th) round of the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue, which took place in London on 5 February 2007 which I participated in.

Treaties: Proliferation

Ms Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her Department’s interpretation is of the phrase “at an early date” in Article 6 of the Treaty on the non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. [122072]

Dr. Howells: Article VI requires Parties to the Treaty to


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While it is not possible to define precisely the timescale implied by the phrase “at an early date”, we would note with regard to the cessation of the nuclear arms race that, since the end of the Cold War, the world’s major nuclear arsenals have been significantly reduced.

The UK maintains only a minimum nuclear deterrent. Following the implementation of our December 2006 White Paper on the Future of the UK Nuclear Deterrent, we will have reduced our nuclear arsenal to 160 operationally available warheads: a reduction of 75 per cent. since the end of the Cold War. The largest nuclear stockpiles, those of the US and Russia, also continue to reduce significantly, for example under the terms of the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty.

We will continue to press for multilateral negotiations toward mutual, balanced and verifiable reductions in nuclear weapons and to work towards total elimination of our own nuclear arsenal and all others.

Treasury

Customs and Revenue: Logos

Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been spent on developing the HM Revenue and Customs brand since 2005. [119415]

Dawn Primarolo: Since 2005, £720,000 has been spent on developing the HM Revenue and Customs brand.

Departmental Expenditure

Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 29 November 2006, Official Report, column 719W, on Departmental Expenditure, what the costs of travel and subsistence were for (a) HM Customs and Revenue, (b) the Royal Mint and (c) the Office for National Statistics in each year between 1997-8 and 2003-04. [109194]

John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Eddisbury (Mr. O’Brien) on 8 January 2007, Official Report, column 414W.

Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on speech-writing consultancy services in each of the last 12 months, broken down by supplier. [110777]

John Healey: Nothing.

Departments: Internet

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times his Department’s website has been redesigned since 1997; and what the cost was of each such redesign. [120371]


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John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given on 19 December 2001, Official Report, column 321W. The amount within that total for redesign could now be provided only at disproportionate cost due to a change of accounting system in 2002-03.

In 2004, the website was redesigned to improve navigation and meet accessibility standards at a cost of £22,000 excluding VAT.

Departments: Mass Media

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library copies of his Department’s evaluations of media coverage since May 2005. [120370]

John Healey: The Treasury has conducted no evaluations of media coverage since May 2005.

Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisors

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance, in addition to the code of conduct, has been issued to special advisers in his Department in relation to party political activities in the last six months. [120373]

John Healey: Special advisers are issued with the special advisers code of conduct and civil service code on appointment, and central guidance is provided in the run up to devolved, local and general elections and in the run up to party conference.

Mr. Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions he has disciplined special advisers in his Department in the last three years. [120700]

John Healey: Personal information relating to staff members is confidential. As such it would be inappropriate to disclose any such information.

Departments: Publications

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's staff handbook. [120372]

John Healey: The Treasury's staff handbook is published on the Department's intranet and is designed as an electronic document to facilitate regular updating. It is not available in hard copy because of the practical difficulties of keeping the information up to date.

Departments: Training

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the titles were of each training course offered to (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants in his Department in the last 12 months. [120369]

John Healey: The Treasury does not provide training courses for Ministers. Treasury staff can attend a range of courses provided within the Department and externally, depending on their training needs.


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Departments: Welfare Review

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions have taken place between his Department and the Department for Work and Pensions regarding the Welfare Review being conducted by David Freud. [122451]

Dawn Primarolo: Treasury Ministers and officials discuss a wide range of issues with their colleagues in other Departments as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions.

Departments:Exhibitions

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the (a) seminars, (b) workshops and (c) exhibitions which were sponsored by his Department and which took place on non-departmental premises in each of the last two years; and what the (i) purpose, (ii) date and (iii) cost was of each. [123019]

John Healey: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total number of electors was in (a) December 2005 and (b) December 2006 in each constituency in the UK, ranked in descending order by region according to the difference between 2005 and 2006. [118521]

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 8 February 2007:

Foreign Investment in UK

Mr. Crabb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of foreign direct investment into the UK in each year since 2000 was as a result of foreign takeovers of UK companies. [121948]

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 22 February 2007:


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Percentage of foreign direct investment into the UK as a result of foreign takeovers of UK companies, 2000-05
£ billion
Total foreign direct investment in the UK Net foreign direct investment in UK equity capital Per cent. of inward direct investment Net inward mergers and acquisitions of UK companies Per cent. of inward direct investment

2000

81

58.2

72

60

74

2001

37

20.2

54

20

53

2002

17

11.1

66

9

53

2003

17

4.1

24

6

34

2004

42

23.8

56

24

58

2005

108

84.0

78

42

39

Source:
ONS

Individual Savings Accounts

Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people took up the maximum £7,000 individual savings account for the three years up to and including 2005-06. [122361]

Ed Balls: This figure for 2005-06 will not be available until next year. The latest data available on the number of individuals subscribing £7,000 to an ISA is shown as follows:

Total (Thousand)

2002-03

713

2003-04

675


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