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18 Jun 2007 : Column 1478W—continued
India: Burma
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has held with representatives of the Indian Government on the situation in Burma. [143232]
Mr. McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no recent discussions with the Indian Government about Burma.
We raise Burma at official level with the Government of India as part of our regular dialogue with the Indians on regional security. We encourage India to use their contacts with the regime to make strong messages on the need to restore democracy and respect human rights.
Most recently, I raised Burma with the Indian Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi on 27 November 2006.
Saudi Arabia: Detainees
Mr. Laws:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK citizens
were held at the Mabatha Interrogation Centre in Saudi Arabia in each year since 1990; and if she will make a statement. [143053]
Dr. Howells: Our embassy in Riyadh is unaware of a specific place called the Mabatha Interrogation Centre, but is aware that UK citizens have been detained by the Mubahith, the General Investigations Department of the Ministry of Interior, which has offices across Saudi Arabia. Although consular records are only retained for three years, we are aware of at least nine cases since 2001.
Saudi Arabia: Diplomatic Relations
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions since 1995 the Saudi Government has refused to grant UK consular access to UK citizens held in custody in Saudi Arabia; and if she will make a statement. [143054]
Dr. Howells: Consular records are only held for a period of three years. Although we are aware of delays in getting consular access to detained British nationals during this period, to our knowledge the Saudi Arabian Government has never refused access.
Saudi Arabia: Human Rights
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions since 1 May 1997 the UK Government has made representations to the Government of Saudi Arabia about human rights abuses; and if she will make a statement. [143045]
Dr. Howells: We regularly discuss our concerns about human rights 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.
Saudi Arabia: Terrorism
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received on the funding which has been accrued by the Al Qaeda terrorist network from charitable bodies in Saudi Arabia; and if she will make a statement. [143046]
Dr. Howells: Preventing the misuse of charitable organisations for the financing of terrorist groups, including Al-Qaeda, is an important part of the international counter-terrorism effort.
Our international counter-terrorism partners, including Saudi Arabia, are concerned that terrorists are able to send and receive funds, often through abuses of the charitable sector, from sources in many countries. A number of Saudi Arabian based charities are currently designated on the UN Consolidated List established and maintained by the 1267 Committee with respect to Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, the Taliban and other individuals, groups, and entities associated with them.
The Saudi Arabian authorities are committed to tackling the threat from terrorism and we work closely with them on all aspects of the counter-terrorism agenda.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is currently funding a £1.2 million International Programme run by the UK Charity Commission that works to reduce the risk of misuse of the charitable sector for terrorist financing. They provide technical assistance and capacity building for the regulatory systems in a number of countries, including Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether investigations by the UK Government and their agencies have shown that any terrorist activities since 11 September 2001 have been funded by groups based in Saudi Arabia; and if she will make a statement. [143269]
Dr. Howells: The Government are concerned that terrorists are able to send and receive funds from sources in many countries. As a matter of course, we do not comment in detail on ongoing counter-terrorism investigations.
The authorities in Saudi Arabia have introduced and are developing a programme to take action to tackle terrorist financing. They have introduced tighter banking regulations and are seeking to ensure that donations from charitable organisations in the Kingdom are directed in accordance with international requirements. Saudi Arabia is one of the UK's key partners in counter- terrorism and we enjoy a high level of co-operation across the spectrum, including countering terrorist financing.
Sri Lanka: Human Rights
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the human rights situation in Sri Lanka; and if she will make a statement. [142949]
Dr. Howells: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Edmonton (Mr. Love) on 5 June, Official Report, column 460W.
The disgraceful abduction and murder of two Red Cross volunteers, whose bodies were discovered on 2 June, and the constant reports of disappearances in Colombo and Jaffna suggest a continuing deterioration in the situation. There is no justification for terrorism or the abuse of human rights no matter which side is responsible for them.
Thailand: Politics and Government
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received on the (a) likely date for a general election in Thailand and (b) dissolution of Thai Rak Thai political party. [143237]
Mr. McCartney: A referendum on the new constitution is due to be held on 19 August. The general election is due to take place on 23 December.
On 30 May the Constitutional Tribunal ruled that the Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party was guilty of violating
the Political Party Act. As a consequence, the tribunal dissolved the TRT and revoked the political rights of all their executive members at the time of the 2 April 2006 general election for five years. The only right they retained is the right to be an ordinary member of a political party.
Uganda: Corruption
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received on the theft in Uganda of $1.6 million from Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation. [142889]
Mr. McCartney: On 22 May, arrest warrants were issued for three former Health Ministers (Jim Muhwesi, Mike Mukula and Alex Kamugisha) and a former State House official (Alice Kaboyo) for the misappropriation of Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation funds. This followed an investigation carried out by the Ugandan Inspector General of Government. The accused have been charged with various offences including abuse of office, theft, and forgery, and their trial is due to commence on 16 July. I cannot comment further as the matter is sub judice.
Corruption remains a serious problem in Uganda and we welcome all steps taken by the Ugandan authorities to investigate thoroughly corruption allegations and to seek prosecutions where the evidence allows. Our High Commissioner in Kampala most recently discussed the need for action against corruption with President Museveni on 10 May.
Vietnam: Human Rights
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make representations to the Government of Vietnam for assurances that it will not enforce the instructions to local authorities to compel Protestants in the northern highlands to recant their religious beliefs. [143238]
Mr. McCartney: We, with our EU partners, regularly discuss human rights issues, including religious freedom, 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. The next EU-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue is scheduled to take place on 28 June.
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. Regulations in force since 2004 establish criteria for the recognition of hitherto non-sanctioned religious groups. We remain concerned that progress in registering congregations in the northern uplands in particular remains slow.
On 18 May, senior officials from our Embassy in Hanoi, and several other EU missions, raised our specific concerns with the Vietnamese Government authority responsible for registering religious organisations. Additionally, I raised human rights issues at a recent bilateral with Vietnamese Vice Minister Le Cung Phung during the EU/Association of South East Asian Nations Foreign Ministers Meeting on 14 and 15 March.
Western European Union
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans she has to ensure that UK contributions to the Western European Union Parliamentary Assembly are paid when due. [143767]
Mr. Hoon: UK contributions to the Western European Union (WEU) are paid twice yearly on request from the WEU. Our latest payment was delayed because there is no record of the original WEU request being received. To help avoid delayed payments in the future, we have asked the WEU to establish a system for monitoring the delivery of payment requests.
International Development
Burma: Consultants
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what expenses are paid to consultants working for his Department in Burma in addition to their basic pay. [142604]
Mr. Thomas: Expenses paid to consultants are to reimburse reasonable expenditure necessary for undertaking the assignment—for example, travel and subsistence costs. These are specified in the contract agreed in advance with each consultant.
Burma: Corruption
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what monitoring and auditing of UN Development Programme projects in Burma funded by his Department takes place to counter corruption and to ensure that funds do not end up in the hands of the regime. [142605]
Mr. Thomas: All UN Development Programme (UNDP) work in Burma is carried out in compliance with guidelines established by its Executive Board. These stipulate that all UNDP assistance to Burma should be clearly targeted towards programmes having grass-roots-level impact in a sustainable manner, particularly in the areas of primary health care, the environment, HIV/AIDS, training and education and food security.
In order to deliver this mandate, UNDP has established the Human Development Initiative (HDI), funded by DFID and other donors, with the objective of meeting basic needs and alleviating poverty in some of the poorest areas of Burma. In accordance with the Executive Board restrictions, UNDP does not transfer funds to the Burmese authorities. However, like other international organisations operating in Burma,
UNDP has been required to purchase items such as fuel and telecommunications services and pay rent for its premises, and the authorities remain the sole provider of such services.
UNDP has a network of approximately 1,500 national staff based in the 57 townships in which the HDI operates in Burma. These staff—at the state/division level, township level and community level—undertake extensive routine process monitoring for all project activities. They are involved in all aspects of implementation, verification of accounts and expenditures, review of problems, and provision of technical support to ensure effective implementation. Their monitoring is supplemented by national programme managers, which in turn is overseen by UNDP international staff who also regularly visit programme sites. No difficulty has been encountered in such monitoring on account of any Government control or restrictions. National staff can travel freely; they do not have to ask for travel permission and are not accompanied by counterpart or local officials in the performance of their project work. Internationals do have to ask for permission but there has been no case when permission has been denied. Furthermore, the formulation of the Operating Guidelines by the Government (February 2006) has not had any significant impact on UNDP’s ability to engage effectively in the field, or to abide by its Executive Board mandate, adhering to humanitarian principles.
On the basis of their programme monitoring, UNDP provides DFID with periodic written progress reports on HDI activities. This includes substantive information on activities, achievements, challenges/issues and recommendations as required, as well as budgetary information. A detailed financial report accounting for the previous tranche of support from DFID is necessary before the next tranche is provided to UNDP. Donors themselves carry out an annual joint assessment mission to review the HDI programme. Further ad hoc fieldtrips are made by donors to project sites—in DFID’s case, about four times a year.
Finally, in order to ensure compliance with the Executive Board mandate, independent assessments of the HDI are carried out regularly and reported to the Executive Board. The assessment teams include a team of external consultants who undertake 3-4 week field trips to prepare their report. The report for the period May 2006 to April 2007 is now being finalised and will be presented to the Executive Board in September 2007. The initial findings conclude that the HDI programme is in full compliance with the Executive Board mandate and addresses the needs of the poor and vulnerable in rural areas of Burma with humanitarian assistance. The 2006 Assessment—covering the period 2005-06—also echoes the conclusion of previous reports, namely, that the HDI programme effectively provides humanitarian support on a large scale and that
“all projects operate independently of the Government and target the village-level groups and needs described in the [EB] mandate.”
The full report can be found on the Executive Board website at:
Burma: International Assistance
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many grants have been given to the UN Development Programme for projects in Burma in the last four years; for what purposes; and to what value. [142606]
Mr. Thomas: In the last four years, DFID has funded the following projects implemented by the UN Development Programme in Burma:
£10 million over four years (2003 to 2007) support to the Fund for HIV/AIDS in Myanmar—which was managed by UN Development Programme—to enhance capacity for the prevention and care of people living with HIV/AIDS.
£4 million over four years (2005 to 2009) to the UN Development Programme's Human Development Initiative to strengthen the capacity of poor communities to address their basic needs, particularly those of the poor and disadvantaged.
£110,000 (2004) and £67,000 (2006) to part-fund a liaison officer within the UN Development Programme to improve coordination and effectiveness of development agencies providing assistance to Burma.
Burma: Overseas Aid
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he expects to announce the annual budget from his Department for Burma for 2008-09. [142607]
Mr. Thomas: DFID's 2008-09 budget is subject to the conclusions of the Comprehensive Spending Review, which is expected to be announced in October 2007. Subsequent individual country programme budgets are expected to be announced in January 2008.
Colombia: Overseas Aid
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to make aid available to Colombia following recent flooding in Antioquia province. [143236]
Mr. Thomas: We have been monitoring the flooding in Colombia. The Colombian authorities have announced that they are providing relief and have not requested international assistance. There has been no international appeal for help by the international agencies. Should any such request be made we will consider a response.
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