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23 Apr 2007 : Column 920W—continued
Thailand: Politics and Government
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of recent anti-regime protests in Bangkok. [132561]
Mr. McCartney: Various pro-democracy groups have held small demonstrations in Bangkok since the 19 September 2006 coup. All demonstrations have passed off peacefully. More demonstrations are expected to take place over the coming months and we will continue to monitor developments closely.
Uganda
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations her Department has made to the Ugandan Government on the humanitarian and security situation in northern Uganda. [132305]
Mr. McCartney: We regularly discuss the humanitarian and security situation in northern Uganda in our contacts with the Ugandan Government.
Most recently, our high commissioner in Kampala, along with other EU heads of mission, discussed the security situation in northern Uganda with Foreign Minister Kutesa on 11 April. The high commissioner also attended a meeting of the Joint Monitoring Committee on 30 March, where the humanitarian situation in the north was discussed.
We are encouraged that the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement was extended on 14 April and that the peace talks are set to resume on 26 April. We call on all parties to remain focused on finding a peaceful solution to this long running conflict.
Uganda: Armed Conflict
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of reports that the Ugandan Army in Karamoja province have engaged in the extra-judicial killing of children. [132565]
Mr. McCartney: The allegations in the Save the Children report are very serious. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Uganda is also looking into the allegations with the co-operation of the Ugandan Government. Once the OHCHR investigation is completed, we will pursue this issue with the Ugandan Government. Our high commissioner, with other members of the Partners for Democracy and Governance Group in Kampala, is planning to visit the region at the end of April.
We continue, more widely, to raise our concerns with the Ugandan Government about the forced disarmament programme in Karamoja. The high commissioner, with other EU heads of mission, raised this most recently with Foreign Minister Kutesa on 13 April. We continue to press for a peaceful and voluntary disarmament process across the Karamoja region that involves all stakeholders, respects human rights and protects the civilian population.
UN Disarmament Commission
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps her Department has taken to promote the UN Disarmament Commission discussion framework. [132721]
Dr. Howells: The Government are fully committed to the UN Disarmament Commission (UNDC) discussion framework. We worked hard to ensure that in April 2006 the UNDC completed its first substantive session since 2003 and that consensus agreement was achieved on the Final Report. This included “recommendations for achieving the objectives of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons”. Discussions at this year’s session of the UNDC are currently under way in New York. The UK delegation hopes to build on last year’s achievements this year and in 2008, when the UNDC’s current three-year cycle will conclude.
United Nations Human Rights Council
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she expects to report to the House the outcomes of the fourth meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council. [132602]
Mr. McCartney: At its fourth regular session, 12-30 March, the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) received a report on the situation in Darfur; a consensus Council resolution created a mechanism to work to ensure the implementation of existing UN recommendations on human rights in Darfur. The Council discussed the violent repression of peaceful protestors on 11 March in Zimbabwe. It held interactive dialogues with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and a range of Special Rapporteurs, and adopted resolutions on several issues. All adopted resolutions are available on the Council's website at:
I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library of the House. Statements made by the UK delegation to the HRC, including my address to the Council on 13 March, are available on the website of the UK Mission to the UN in Geneva at:
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) also seeks to inform hon. Members of developments at the HRC through a range of means, including its quarterly human rights newsletter, its annual human rights report, dialogue with the Foreign Affairs Committee, and ad hoc meetings such as the joint All-Party Parliamentary Group/Amnesty/FCO panel discussion of the HRC in Parliament on 21 February this year.
Zambia: Economic Situation
Mrs. James: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the economy of Zambia; what the unemployment rate is in that country; and who its major (a) African and (b) international trading partners are. [132216]
Mr. McCartney:
The International Monetary Fund Article IV report of December 2005 recognised that the Zambian economy had achieved sustained robust growth since 2000 after decades of stagnation. Zambia's gross domestic product has increased from 5.2 per cent. in 2005 to an estimated 5.8 per cent. in 2006. The fastest growing sectors are mining, energy,
particularly hydro-electricity generation, construction and tourism. Inflation fell to 8.2 per cent. at the end of 2006, the first time in 30 years that it has been in single figures. Interest rates have consequently fallen.
According to the latest living conditions monitoring survey undertaken by Zambia's Central Statistical Office in 2004, 9 per cent. of those aged 12 and over who are classified as economically active were unemployed. However, this conceals the fact that many of those who are 'employed' are engaged in casual agricultural work, self-employed or unpaid family work.
Within Africa Zambia's major trading partners are South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Internationally Zambia's main trading partners are in Asia (led by Japan and China), followed by Europe (Netherlands and UK) and the USA.
Communities and Local Government
Departments: Official Hospitality
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what measures are in place to limit the amount of money spent on alcohol for hospitality purposes by her Department. [132208]
Angela E. Smith: Within the Department, the staff handbook gives guidance to staff on when it might be appropriate to offer hospitality and the financial limits that apply. The purchase of alcohol for hospitality reasons is expected to be rare and limited to small amounts.
Expenditure within the Department is conducted in accordance with the principles of Government Accounting and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.
Fire Services: Retirement
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average retirement age was of fire fighters in each of the last 15 years. [133388]
Angela E. Smith: Firefighters are employed by Fire and Rescue authorities who are responsible for Human Resource management. Information about retirement ages is not among the data collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Government Office for London
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2007, Official Report, columns 1144-5W, on the Government Office for London, if she will provide a breakdown of the staffing figures by (a) department or function and (b) Civil Service pay grade. [132501]
Angela E. Smith: The Government Office for London’s staffing levels for March 2007, broken down by directorate and civil service pay grade, is as follows(1):( )
(1) A comparable, detailed directorate breakdown is not available for previous periods. In April 2006 GOL had 303 staff in post.
| Grade | Children and Learners and Worklessness | Regional Director, Secretariat a nd Corporate Services | Crime and Drugs | UKTI | GLA, Business and Europe | Local Government, NR, Communities and Locality | London Resiliance team | Planning, Housing and DCMS | Loan /sec out | Total |
Housing: Carbon Emissions
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps her Department has taken to ensure that the 2016 target for making all new homes carbon neutral will be reached. [132286]
Angela E. Smith: The proposals the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government published on 13 December 2006 set out our draft strategy for moving to zero carbon new homes by 2016. The consultation period on these proposals closed on 8 March 2007 and the final policy statement will be published later this year. My hon. Friend the hon. Member for Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper) has also established a small task force chaired jointly with Stewart Baseley from the Home Builders Federation to examine and address any barriers to implementation of the zero carbon homes standard.
We expect to publish the final proposals later this year.
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