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University Hospitals of Leicester

Sir Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the potential impact on the professional development of staff at the university hospitals of Leicester of reductions in the training budget. [112130]

Ms Rosie Winterton: Funding for developing the healthcare work force through the Multi Professional Education and Training levy (MPET) was allocated to SHAs in 2006-07 as part of a bundle of central budgets. This was done to allow strategic health authorities (SHAs) greater flexibility to use resources to address local priorities including financial deficits.

For 2007-08 allocations for MPET have again been included in the bundle of central budgets. The MPET share of the bundle has been increased to reflect the costs of increasing numbers of trainees especially medical students and training grade doctors. Although MPET funding will not be ring fenced, there will be a more robust service level agreement which will seek to ensure that SHA decisions on what training to fund and the level of commissions of training places required are made on the basis of long term work force need. SHAs will be held to account on the basis of key outputs and not on the basis of spending a particular amount of money on work force development.

Varicose Vein Operations

Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many varicose vein operations were performed by the NHS in each of the last five years. [117482]

Andy Burnham: The following table gives the number of varicose vein operations performed by the NHS in each of the last five years.

Operation description 2005-06 2004-05 2003-04 2002-03 2001-02

L85

Ligation of varicose vein of leg

30,078

32,296

36,805

36,805

36,212

L86

Injection into varicose vein of leg

2,918

1,822

1,436

1,436

1,625

L87

Other operations on varicose vein of leg

56,981

59,904

67,571

67,571

63,753

Total

89,977

94,022

105,812

105,812

101,590

Notes:
1. Finished consultant episode (FCE)
An FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year.
2. Ungrossed data
Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).
3. All operations count of episodes
These figures represent a count of all FCE's where the procedure was mentioned in any of the 12 (four prior to 2002-03) operation fields in a hospital episode statistics (HES) record. A record is only included once in each count, even if an operation is mentioned in more than one operation field of the record.
Source:
HES, The Information Centre for health and social care

Waiting Times

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to include periods of suspension in compiling hospital waiting list statistics. [112360]

Andy Burnham: It has been the Department policy throughout the period of waiting time collections that a patient’s waiting time for inpatient treatment (ordinary admission or day case) may be suspended for medical or social reasons. Accordingly, these are reflected in the official waiting time statistics. It is good practice that patients are kept informed of any periods of suspension that may apply to them


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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Airports: Sikhs

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions her Department has had with other EU member states on the right of Sikhs to wear a turban when travelling through European airports and passing through security checks. [121962]

Mr. Hoon: The Government respect the right of individuals to wear religious dress according to their own conscience and beliefs without interference from the Government. However, each passenger departing from a UK airport will undergo various security processes irrespective of their age, gender, ethnic background, religious beliefs or attire, to ensure that they are not carrying prohibited articles.

In the UK there is no security requirement for the removal of turbans at security search points. Airport security staff employ various methods of screening which respect the cultural sensitivities of passengers, including private searches.

There is currently no standard practice in terms of security on the removal of turbans among EU member states. Each country has its own regulations and practices. There have been no EU discussions of this issue.

Burma

Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the impacts on (a) Burma and (b) British industry of a ban on British trade with Burma; whether she is reviewing the Government’s policy on banning investment in Burma; and if she will make a statement. [118378]

Margaret Beckett: The Government have a long-standing policy of discouraging British firms from trading with or investing in Burma. We offer no commercial services to companies wishing to trade or invest there. British firms who inquire about trade with Burma are informed of the grave political situation and the regime’s atrocious human rights record.

Very few UK companies choose to invest in Burma for these ethical reasons and because of the regime’s economic mismanagement and corrupt business climate. As such any unilateral trade or investment ban would likely have little effect on the regime. We believe that multilateral sanctions are more effective and for this reason we support the EU Common Position, but continue to keep our policy on Burma under review.

Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the political situation in Karen State, Burma. [118382]

Margaret Beckett: We remain concerned about the situation in Karen State. Attacks carried out by the Burmese army on civilians in northern and western Karen State have been particularly intense over the past year and have resulted in a significant increase in the number of internally displaced people and refugees
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on the Thai/Burmese border. We have repeatedly called for a halt to such offensives and have urged both the military regime and the Karen National Union to intensify their efforts to find a peaceful settlement that will bring about a permanent end to the conflict.

Burma: Politics and Government

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with which organisations she has recently discussed the political situation in Burma. [122372]

Mr. McCartney: We regularly raise the situation in Burma with our international partners, regional and multilateral organisations, non-governmental organisations and advocacy groups as well as the regime itself.

In June 2006, I called in the Burmese ambassador and in July wrote to the Burmese Foreign Minister, setting out our concerns about the political and human rights situation in Burma.

On 18 September 2006, I raised the situation in Burma with Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ambassadors, including the Burmese ambassador, and again on 4 December with the ASEAN Secretary-General. I discussed the human rights abuses taking place in Burma with Juan Mendez, the United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, on 27 June and 14 December 2006 and the UN Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Ibrahim Gambari, on 15 November 2006, following his visit to Burma. I have also raised the situation in Burma with the Governments of China, India, Japan, Thailand and South Korea.

Additionally, on 24 January, I met representatives from Christian Solidarity Worldwide and from the Chin and Kachin ethnic groups to discuss the many difficulties faced by their respective communities.

Most recently, on 15 February, I issued a statement condemning the Burmese Government’s decision to extend the house arrest of U Tin Oo, Vice Chairman of the National League for Democracy and called again for the release of all political prisoners held in Burma.

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what diplomatic representation the UK has in Burma; and if she will make a statement. [122373]

Mr. McCartney: The UK has diplomatic relations with Burma and is represented by our embassy in Rangoon.

This allows us to maintain contact with a wide variety of individuals and groups and to get a clearer picture of what is happening on the ground. It allows us to convey our views directly to the regime, and to run a range of humanitarian and other projects which benefit ordinary Burmese people. The embassy issues visas to enable Burmese people to visit and study in the UK, and offers a full range of consular services to British nationals in Burma.


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Burundi: Human Rights

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the human rights situation in Burundi. [122340]

Mr. McCartney: Burundi’s human rights record remains poor, with reports of torture by intelligence agents, and arbitrary detentions, ill-treatment, and extra-judicial killings by Government forces. Abuses against freedom of expression continued throughout 2006, with the arrests of several journalists and civil society figures. We continue to raise our concerns with the Burundian Government and call on them to promote and protect human rights and put an end to the climate of impunity.

But there are signs of positive change. The remaining rebel group, the Forces Nationales de Libération, responsible for many human rights abuses, finally signed a ceasefire agreement with the Burundian Government in September 2006. Since then, the number of violent attacks against the rural population has decreased. This ceasefire is a significant step towards sustainable peace in Burundi.

We will continue to press for the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Special Chamber, to bring justice to the Burundian people.

Departmental Briefing Papers

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what publications were contained in the pack she received on taking up her post with briefing material on the policy areas of the Department. [107230]

Mr. McCartney: Over the first few weeks in the job, briefings and contributions from across the Department and agencies were provided for my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary. No record of specific documents or publications has been kept.

Eastern Africa

Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens were taken into custody by forces of the Government of Ethiopia during recent military operations in Somalia; what reports she has received on the condition of those held; and if she will make a statement. [112539]

Margaret Beckett: The Ethiopian Government have told us they do not have any British citizens in custody as a result of the recent military operations in Somalia.

Foreign Relations: Video Conferencing

Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government maintains video recordings of video conferences held between (a) the Prime Minister and (b) her and foreign counterparts. [120804]

Margaret Beckett: The Government maintains no such recordings.


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Iran

Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of (a) the recent Iran-Belarus Defence Agreement and (b) whether there are any proliferation implications arising from the agreement. [112536]

Margaret Beckett: According to media reports, the Defence Ministers of Belarus and Iran signed a co-operation agreement on 22 January. The details have not been made public.

Belarus, like other states, is bound by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1737 which inter alia bars the transfer to and import from Iran of items which could contribute to Iran’s proliferation, sensitive nuclear activities or the development of nuclear weapons delivery systems. We expect Belarus to implement the resolution fully. We have lobbied the Belarusians on the Iranian nuclear programme on several occasions, and will continue to express our concerns in the future.

Lebanon: Cluster Munitions

Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent progress she has made in securing assistance from Israel to assist international efforts to clear Lebanon of unexploded cluster munitions; and if she will make a statement. [121139]

Margaret Beckett: We have asked the Government of Israel to hand over to the UN all relevant maps locating unexploded ordnance.

Israel has passed some relevant documentation to the UN. We continue to support the UN’s work.

Israel also launched an investigation into the use of cluster munitions during the conflict between Israel and Hizbollah last year. This inquiry is ongoing and its findings will be made public once the investigation has concluded.

Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she discussed the use of cluster munitions in Lebanon with (a) the Israeli Foreign Secretary and (b) the Israeli Defence Secretary when she met them on 6 February 2007; and if she will make a statement. [121138]

Margaret Beckett: I did not discuss the issue of cluster bombs in my meetings on 6 February. However, we have held several discussions with Israel on the subject of cluster bombs, including calling on them to make a statement about their use of the weapons during the conflict last summer.

Israel issued a statement saying they had used the weapons in accordance with International humanitarian law on 20 November 2006. Israel also launched an investigation into the use of cluster munitions during the conflict between Israel and Hizbollah last year. This is ongoing. Findings will be made public once the investigation has concluded.


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Madagascar

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when her Department last held formal talks with representatives from Madagascar. [122439]

Mr. McCartney: Officials last held discussions with the Malagasy chargé d’affaires in London on 3 January 2007, to pass on my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s congratulatory message following presidential elections in December 2006 and to lobby for the accreditation of our non-resident ambassador.


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