| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
14 Jun 2007 : Column 1214W—continued
Recycling: Licensing
Mrs. Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many licences have been issued by the Environment Agency for green waste recycling centres in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [141682]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Environment Agency (EA) does not have a specific category for green waste recycling centres. As of 8 June 2007, the EA’s records show a total of 211 licensed composting facilities and 524 licensed civic amenity/household waste sites, which generally accept green waste from the public.
In 1998-99, there were 108 EA licensed composting sites and 458 licensed civic amenity/household waste sites. A breakdown of the number of licences issued per year is not available.
The number of composting facilities processing green waste has steadily increased since 1998, in line with the Government's strategy to promote the reuse, reduction and recycling of waste.
Smoking: Public Places
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate his Department and its agencies have made of the likely effect of the public smoking ban on levels of cigarette litter in public places. [142252]
Mr. Bradshaw: Smoking-related litter is one of the most prevalent types of litter. Each of the last three local environmental quality surveys of England showed that smokers’ materials were present on 79 per cent. of survey sites. Without action, the introduction of smoke free legislation in July this year is likely to increase this problem. However, the Government are taking steps to tackle this form of littering through a combination of regulatory options, partnership work, guidance and awareness-raising.
Smoking-related materials were clarified as litter in the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, in order to encourage greater enforcement against this offence. Street litter control notices may also be issued by local authorities where there is a significant problem with litter on the street. Notices can be used to place requirements on the occupiers (or owners) of premises to take steps to reduce litter outside their premises, such as the installation of litter bins.
Following a consultation that closed on 8 May, DEFRA is also extending these provisions to allow notices to be issued for eating and drinking establishments where food is consumed on the premises. A legislative opportunity will be sought to extend the list of premises further to include office buildings, aimed particularly at helping to deal with smoking litter dropped by customers and employees. This forms part of a package of tools already available to local authorities for tackling litter problems, including the use of on-the-spot fixed penalty notices for individuals caught dropping litter.
In order to raise public awareness, the Keep Britain Tidy Campaign, run by Environmental Campaigns (ENCAMS), launched a poster campaign earlier this month to encourage all smokers and businesses to take responsibility for cigarette ends, with posters appearing
on bus stops, billboards and telephone boxes across England. A number of councils across the country are supporting the campaign.
Waste and Resources Action Programme
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding has been provided by the Waste and Resources Action Programme to each local authority in England since the inception of the programme; and what the purpose was of each item of funding. [142259]
Mr. Bradshaw: The information requested is currently being collated by the Waste and Resources Action Programme. I will write again to the hon. Member when it has been prepared and place a copy in the Library of the House.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Azerbaijan: Ballistic Missile Defence
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is in response to President Putin's suggestion at the G8 summit that a ballistic missile defence system could be based in Azerbaijan. [142801]
Mr. Hoon: President Putin's offer to include the radar at Qabala in Azerbaijan in the US ballistic missile system is a policy issue for the United States government and is subject to the agreement of the government of Azerbaijan. The UK, however, welcomes this constructive Russian approach; and welcomes the US's continuing commitment to discuss with Russia its co-operation in their ballistic missile system.
British Nationality: Armed Forces
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the policy of the Government is towards UK citizens who (a) join the official armed forces of foreign states engaged in military operations abroad and (b) join armed organisations not under the direction of a state which are engaged in military operations abroad. [142695]
Dr. Howells: There are no restrictions on UK citizens joining the armed forces of a foreign state other than those related to the Foreign Enlistment Act of 1870. This Act makes it an offence for a British subject without licence from Her Majesty the Queen to enlist in the armed forces of a foreign state at war with another foreign state, which is at peace with the UK.
There is no general restriction on UK citizens joining armed organisations that are not under the direction of a state. However, in certain circumstances, a UK citizen engaging in military-style operations as part of such an organisation might be in breach of, and hence liable to prosecution under, specific UK legislation. A case in point would be counter terrorist legislation, which enables the prosecution of those who commit terrorist offences overseas.
Departments: Advertising
Mr. Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much revenue her Department received from (a) advertisements in her Department’s public information leaflets and (b) advertisements on her Department’s public websites in each of the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement. [140613]
Mr. Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not receive any revenue from advertisements placed in public information leaflets or on the FCO’s websites in the United Kingdom. Some overseas posts may receive advertising revenue from their own publications or websites, but this information is not held centrally and to obtain the information from each post would incur disproportionate cost.
Departments: Sign Language
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the merits of providing British Sign Language (BSL) videos on her departmental website for the benefit of those whose first language is BSL. [142494]
Mr. Hoon: We have made no formal assessment of the merits of providing British Sign Language (BSL) videos on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office websites. There are, however, plans to translate two pages of our travel advice into BSL for our Deaf Awareness Day this year (18 September) as an initial trial.
Libya: Foreign Relations
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will meet the Cabinet Secretary for Justice in the Scottish Government at an early date to discuss the implications of the recently signed memorandum of understanding between the UK and Libya. [142646]
Dr. Howells: Officials in Government Departments are consulting with their counterparts in the Scottish Executive, according to the principles set out in the memorandum of understanding with the devolved administrations of 2001. It sets out how the Government and the devolved administrations should interact in the conduct of international relations.
Middle East: Peace Negotiations
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her Department's policy is on the Arab League's peace plan for Israel and Palestine of 2002; and if she will make a statement. [142462]
Dr. Howells: The Arab League's re-endorsement of the 2002 Beirut Declaration at the Arab Summit in Riyadh is a welcome step. The Arab League has a key role to play in promoting reconciliation between the Israelis and Palestinians and moving forward the peace process. We support the Arab League's engagement with the parties and welcome the meetings since the re-endorsement of the Arab League Initiative.
The Arab Peace Initiative offers Israel comprehensive peace with all member states of the Arab League. In exchange, it calls on Israel to withdraw fully from all territories occupied since 1967; to agree to "a just resolution" of the refugee problem; and to accept a sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Any final status issues will need to be negotiated directly between the parties. The Arab Peace Initiative offers a framework to move towards these discussions.
Pakistan: Human Rights
Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will raise with the Government of Pakistan the case of Younis Masih, a Christian who has been sentenced to death under section 295C of the Pakistan penal code; and if she will urge the Pakistani authorities to ensure that he is able to access a fair appeals process and proper protection to prevent attacks from extremists while he is appealing the sentence. [142644]
Dr. Howells: We do not usually raise individual cases and have not recently made any representations to the Pakistani authorities concerning Younis Masih. However, we are aware of this case and regularly raise our concerns about the treatment of religious minorities in Pakistan both bilaterally and with our EU partners. We oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle.
Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will raise with the Government of Pakistan the case of four female student nurses, a member of staff and the Principal at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Nursing School who have been suspended on suspicion of desecration of the Koran; and if she will urge the Pakistani authorities immediately to reinstate them and to ensure that there is an independent inquiry into the matter. [142645]
Dr. Howells: Although we do not usually raise individual cases, we regularly raise our concerns over the situation of religious minorities with the Government of Pakistan. Most recently, in May, we again voiced our concerns over the treatment of religious minorities in Pakistan, together with our EU partners.
Pakistan: Politics and Government
Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to urge the Pakistani authorities to address extremism and threats to religious minorities. [142717]
Dr. Howells: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and President Musharraf reiterated in their joint declaration in November 2006, the UK and Pakistan share a common agenda to promote enlightened moderation and to combat the forces of extremism. To this end, the two leaders agreed to support civil society and youth interaction between Pakistan and the UK. We fully appreciate the personal risks taken by President Musharraf when he took his position against extremism.
Bilaterally and together with EU partners, we continue to regularly raise our concerns with the government of Pakistan over the situation of religious minorities. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade (Mr. McCartney) also raised this issue in correspondence with the Pakistani Prime Minister in February.
Pakistan: Religious Freedom
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made to the government of Pakistan on the treatment of Christians in Charsadda and other parts of the North West Frontier Province. [142885]
Dr. Howells: I am aware of the continuing problems faced by minority groups in Pakistan, including the Christian community in the North West Frontier Province. We regularly raise our concerns with the government of Pakistan, bilaterally and together with our EU partners, and will continue to encourage Pakistan to pursue its vision of enlightened moderation for the benefit of all its citizens.
Palestinian Authority: Finance
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the revenue of the Palestinian National Authority for the financial year 2006-07; and if she will make a statement. [141659]
Dr. Howells: The Palestinian Authority is facing a severe fiscal crisis in 2006-07, mainly caused by a collapse in revenues. This fall has largely occurred as Israel has withheld the revenues, such as VAT receipts and customs payments, that it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority. These resources typically made up around a third of the Palestinian Authorities domestic revenues and have been withheld since March 2006. Precise figures for the amounts are not available but the International Monetary Fund recently estimated they may be in the order of US$750 million. Other sources of tax finance have also fallen as a consequence of the broader collapse in economic activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. External funding from donors (including to the Palestinian Authority and the Office of the President) has risen since 2005 but this has been insufficient to offset the reductions elsewhere. Overall revenues for 2006 are estimated at US$1.4 billion, down from almost US$2.2 billion in the previous year. The EU has provided more financial assistance (over €680 million) to the Palestinian people in 2006 than it did in previous years. During financial year 2006-07 the UK gave over £70 million to the Palestinian people, £30 million bilaterally and an additional £40 million through our EU contributions.
Sailesh Vithlani
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions her Department has had with Sailesh Vithlani since 1 January 2007; and if she will make a statement. [141512]
Mr. McCartney: No Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers or officials have had any discussions with Sailesh Vithlani since 1 January 2007.
Saudi Arabia: Human Rights
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia since 1997; what representations her Department has made to Saudi Arabia on human rights issues since 1 May 1997; and if she will make a statement. [143055]
Dr. Howells: We regularly discuss the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia with the Saudi authorities at all levels. Human rights are also raised on our behalf by the European Union, which has decided to keep the details of these discussions confidential.
We are committed to encouraging Saudi Arabia to improve its human rights record and adhere to international human rights standards. The hon. Member may also welcome the recent increase in activities by the National Society on Human Rights (NSHR). In May 2007 the NSHR published its first annual report on the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia, since it was established in 2004. This is a significant step forward.
Sudan: Armed Conflict
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration she has made of the merits of the proposal to impose a no-fly zone in Darfur. [142558]
Mr. McCartney: We are considering a number of measures to improve air monitoring in Darfur, from enhanced monitoring on the ground to a no-fly zone and we rule out nothing. We need to assess the logistical challenges of implementation and impact on the humanitarian effort of any measures. We are working with partners in the UN Security Council to press both the African Union and the Panel of Experts to notify the UN Sanctions Committee of any instances of offensive military flights in Darfur.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the international community’s policies on the imposition of sanctions on the Sudanese Government with regard to the conflict in Darfur; and if she will make a statement. [142560]
Mr. McCartney: We believe sanctions have contributed towards containing the crisis in Darfur, for example in the Government of Sudan’s acceptance of the UN’s Heavy Support Package to the African Union peacekeeping force in Sudan. However, we want a solution to the crisis which may require further sanctions.
We are concerned that sanctions should not impact on those in Sudan who have no responsibility for violence in Darfur, or on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, thus damaging the south. We are therefore pressing for further targeted sanctions on individuals and an extension of the UN arms embargo from
Darfur to all of Sudan, in line with the EU embargo, if the Government of Sudan and the rebel movements fail to honour their commitments.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |