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25 Apr 2007 : Column 1175W—continued
Sudan: Peace Keeping Operations
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Darfur Peace Agreement; and if she will make a statement. [132299]
Mr. McCartney: The Darfur Peace Agreement marked an important milestone in the development of the political process for Darfur. It provided for a comprehensive and fully monitored ceasefire, reinforced by detailed measures on Security Sector Reform and Disengagement, Demobilisation and Reintegration, and on humanitarian protection. It provided for fair political representation for Darfur as part of Sudan. It also provided mechanisms for compensation and for fair and transparent redistribution of Sudanese national wealth to Darfur as part of the overall redistribution set out under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. However, there was insufficient support among the parties to the conflict in Darfur to support the agreement. This is the main reason there has not been further progress in implementing it. We are pressing for a renewed political process under the auspices of the UN and African Union. I made clear our concerns over Darfur to the Sudanese Minister for Justice at a meeting held during the Human Rights Council on 13 March.
Thailand: Elections
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she (a) has made and (b) intends to make to her opposite number in Thailand on the conduct of elections scheduled for December in Thailand; and what international observers she expects to be present for the election campaign. [132704]
Mr. McCartney: We have consistently expressed to the Thai Government our wish to see democratic government re-established as swiftly as possible. I reiterated this when I met the Thai Foreign Minister at the EU-Association of South East Asian Nations Foreign Ministers Meeting in Nuremberg on 14-15 March. We will closely monitor the election process due to take place in December, though it is as yet unclear whether international monitors will be invited to observe the election.
Thailand: Politics and Government
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she expects a referendum on a new constitution to be held in Thailand. [132562]
Mr. McCartney: As discussed during my meeting with the Thai Foreign Minister during the EU/Association of South East Asian Nations Foreign Ministers Meeting in Nuremberg on 14-15 March, we understand that a referendum is due to be held in autumn 2007.
United Nations Security Council
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the UK priorities and objectives are for its presidency of the United Nations Security Council. [132709]
Margaret Beckett: The principal priorities for the UK Presidency of the Security Council during April are:
to hold a thematic debate in the Security Council on Energy, Security and Climate to raise international consciousness of the implications of climate change for international security. I chaired the debate on 17 April and an unprecedented number of states took part;
to achieve agreement on increasing the pressure on Sudan to accept a UN/African Union hybrid force in Darfur. I chaired an informal Security Council discussion on Sudan on 16 April; and
for the Security Council to consider positively Mr. Ahtisaari’s proposals for Kosovo. A sustainable settlement for Kosovo is urgent.
My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Kim Howells, will chair a UN Security Council debate on the Middle East today.
Vietnam: Religious Freedom
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the extent of freedom of religion in Vietnam; what representations the United Kingdom is making to encourage religious pluralism in Vietnam; and if she will make a statement. [132563]
Mr. McCartney: We are concerned about the issue of religious freedom in Vietnam, but note that the situation has improved in recent years. In November 2004, the Vietnamese passed legislation which set out the terms under which religious groups may gain official recognition. However, implementation of the new rules has been variable between regions. Additionally, the Vietnamese Prime Minister discussed restrictions on religious freedom when he met His Holiness the Pope at the Vatican on 25 January.
With our EU partners, we regularly discuss human rights issues with the Vietnamese Government. The biannual EU-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue, which was established in 2003, is the main forum for raising our concerns. The most recent dialogue was held on 20 December 2006. Freedom of religion, restrictions on religious organisations and the situation of ethnic minority Protestant groups were among the issues raised by the EU.
We are aware of reports of the continued harassment of some religious groups in some areas. We have urged the Vietnamese authorities to increase awareness and capacity among local authorities and to guarantee the right of all religious groups to practise their faith freely in the community through full implementation of the
appropriate legislation and to adhere to its international human rights obligations.
We raised this issue at the recent bilateral with Vietnamese Vice-Minister Le Cung Phung during the EU/Association of South East Asian Nations Foreign Ministers Meeting in Nuremberg on 14-15 March.
Duchy of Lancaster
Government Services
Margaret Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment she has made of the use of Government services by each socio-economic group. [131977]
Hilary Armstrong: Each Government Department is responsible for regularly assessing the use of its own services by socio-economic group. However, on occasions where related to its cross-cutting role, the Cabinet Office carries out such assessments in particular policy areas. For example, recent work by the Strategy Unit with DFES looking at raising participation rates in higher education concluded that all social classes, including those from less well-off backgrounds, were more likely to participate when students obtained a level 3 qualification.
Education and Skills
Children in Custody
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in custody were looked after by the state (a) under a court order and (b) under a voluntary care order (i) prior to and (ii) after conviction in each of the last five years. [111274]
Mr. Dhanda: We do not collect centrally information on the number of children in custody who were looked after by the state nor information on convictions. However we collect information on the number of children looked after by local authorities placed in young offender institutions or prison.
The following table provides the number of children looked after by local authorities placed in youth offender institution or prison (a) under care order legal statuses and youth justice legal statutes and (b) under a voluntary care order.
Departments: EC Action
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which bilateral agreements have been signed between the European Union and non-EU countries establishing co-operative projects in the areas of competence covered by his Department. [133077]
Bill Rammell: The following bilateral agreements have been signed between the European Union and non-EU countries establishing co-operative projects in the field of education and skills:
Agreements with the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan
Departments: Official Hospitality
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures are in place to limit the amount of money spent on alcohol for hospitality purposes by his Department. [132203]
Mr. Dhanda: The following guidance is issued by the Department to staff on the provision of alcohol.
There is a general principle that alcohol should not be provided at public expense and never when only civil servants are present.
Moderate amounts of alcohol can be provided at public expense when entertaining non-civil servants if not providing alcohol might be regarded as unusual or cause embarrassment. Examples of such events are hospitality from Ministers, at publicity events such as launches or the rare occasions when senior staff judge that official business can best be transacted by hosting a meeting over lunch or dinner.
Departments: Oral Questions
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many questions tabled by hon. and right hon. Members to his Department for oral answer have been transferred to other Departments since May 2005. [133802]
Mr. Dhanda: Since May 2005 the Department has transferred two oral questions to other Departments.
Departments: Public Appointments
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the former hon. Members who left Parliament in 2005 who have since been appointed to public bodies by his Department, broken down by party; and who was responsible for making each appointment. [130142]
Mr. Dhanda: Information about the political activity of appointees is recorded and publicised in accordance with the independent Commissioner for Public Appointments' code of practice. This shows that no former hon. Members who left Parliament in 2005 have since been appointed to public bodies sponsored by the Department.
Education: EC Action
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) which (a) conferences, (b) seminars and (c) other events have been funded under bilateral EU-Australia funding for joint activities in higher education, training and youth; [133081]
(2) which (a) conferences, (b) seminars and (c) other events have been funded under bilateral EU-New Zealand funding for joint activities in higher education, training and youth. [133088]
Bill Rammell: This Department does not hold information on activities carried out under the EU's bilateral co-operation programmes which are funded and administered centrally by the European Commission.
Education: EC Grants and Loans
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which UK educational establishments for which he is responsible are in receipt of EU funds. [133094]
Bill Rammell: There are well over 1,500 schools, Further Education colleges and Higher Education institutions in receipt of EU funds through programmes such as Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci. Information on individual establishments in receipt of these funds is not held centrally and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what EU grants were made to UK educational establishments for which he is responsible in each of the last two years for which figures are available; and what the purpose was of each award. [133098]
Bill Rammell: Some UK educational establishments receive grants directly from the EU. This information is not maintained centrally by my Department. The following table shows the EU grants made to UK educational establishments for 2005 and 2006 from the former Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci programmes. The awards were made to fund eligible activities, as shown, within these programmes.
| € 000 | ||
| Purpose | 2005 | 2006 |
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