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26 July 2007 : Column 1473W—continued
Sudan: Peace Keeping Operations
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Abyei County, Sudan, with particular reference to the implications of the introduction of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in this border area. [152342]
Meg Munn: The 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) established a Commission to demarcate the boundary of the disputed Abyei area. This Commission, to which the UK provided an expert, presented its final report to the presidency of Sudan in July 2005. The Misseriya tribe objected to the findings of the report, causing increased tension between it and Abyei's Dinka Ngok community. They are backed by the National Congress Party and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement respectively. The deadlock on the Commission's recommendations is unresolved but this need not delay the establishment of a civil administration in Abyei. While the parties deliberate, tensions remain and local people's access to basic services is restricted. We continue to urge the joint north/south Government of National Unity to implement the CPA in full.
Sudan: Violence
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the arrest of Mr. Oman Ibrahim, spokesperson of the Committee Against the Kajbar Dam, in northern Sudan on 20 July; and what representations he has made on the detention of lawyers and journalists following the shootings at the dam on 13 June 2007. [152814]
Meg Munn: The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) Human Rights office is following Mr. Ibrahim's case closely. According to information from the Sudan Organisation Against Torture and UNMIS Human Rights, Mr. Ibrahim was arrested without a warrant and then transferred to Khartoum on 21 July. UNMIS Human Rights are expecting clarification of Mr Ibrahim's place of detention and are pressing the authorities to allow them access. UNMIS Human Rights also reported that the UN's Special Rapporteur for Human Rights, Sima Samarm, will visit Sudan soon to take this forward. UNMIS have asked her to raise the Kajbar Dam incident with her Sudanese government interlocutors.
The Greek EU presidency in Sudan plans to lead an EU démarche to the government of Sudan on the Kajbar incident. The UK is pressing the Greek presidency to take this matter forward urgently, as follow up to our earlier representations to the government of Sudan during the meeting of the EU-Sudan Dialogue on Human Rights on 21 June.
Syria
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the activities of the National Salvation Front in Syria; whether his Department has contact with this group; and if he will make a statement. [152789]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The National Salvation Front in Syria (NSF) is a coalition of exiled Syrian opposition groups. It was launched in March 2006. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have had occasional contact outside Syria with members of the NSF and other affiliated groups at a junior level. This is part of our routine contacts with a broad range of political groups concerned with Syria.
Uganda: Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 19 July 2007, Official Report, column 529W, on Uganda: Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference, what advice has been given to British police officers on their actions in the event of anti-government demonstrations; and if he will make a statement. [153451]
Meg Munn: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister for Europe (Mr. Jim Murphy) on 19 July 2007, Official Report, column 529W. No specific advice has been given to British police officers who will be present to provide protection for members of the Royal Family and Government Ministers throughout the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. They will take action necessary to ensure the safety of the VIPs they are protecting, including in the event of anti-government demonstrations.
USA: Terrorism
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the blanket overflight clearance for American military flights for operations against terrorism granted by the UK along with other NATO states on 12 September 2001 still applies; and if he will make a statement. [152308]
Mr. Jim Murphy: On 12 September 2001, the North Atlantic Council invoked article 5 of the Washington treaty. Following that decision NATO allies agreed to grant blanket overflight clearance to US and other allies' military flights subject to national procedures. This remains the case. Decisions of this type remain in force unless revoked by the North Atlantic Council.
Under UK procedures all flights through UK airspace must comply with UK law. We have also made clear that we expect to be consulted on any request to render a detainee through UK territory or airspace.
Justice
Departments: Air Conditioning
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was spent by his Department and its predecessors and its agencies on the hire of mobile air conditioning units in each of the last five years. [151982]
Maria Eagle:
The Ministry of Justice uses mobile air conditioning units only as a last resort, for example, when plant failure or exceptionally hot weather otherwise threatens continuity of service or the health
and safety of employees. The costs are met from local budgets and cannot be separated from other local expenditure except at disproportionate cost.
Departments: Consultants
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice how much the Department spent on (a) management consultants and (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period. [146333]
Maria Eagle: Since the Ministry of Justice was only formed on 9 May 2007, my response refers to the former Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) and those bodies which were formerly part of the Home Office which are now part of the new Department.
(a) Expenditure with consultants since 2000 was as follows:
| £ million | |
Since 2000, DCA has spent in excess of £10 million with PA Consulting on a number of consultancy contracts over a number of years.
(b) Other than consultancy, DCA bought a range of other professional services including HR and legal services. Some of those contracts included the provision of advice, however, figures for the cost of obtaining this advice is not held separately from other expenditure and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Office for Criminal Justice Reform ( O CJR)
(a) Expenditure records are not available prior to 2003. Since 2003, expenditure with consultants was as follows:
| £ | |
Since 2003, no supplier of consultancy services received payments in excess of £10 million.
(b) Other than consultancy, OCJR bought a range of other professional services including HR and legal services. Some of those contracts included the provision of advice, however, figures for the cost of obtaining this advice is not held separately from other expenditure and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
National Offender Management Service (NOMS)
(a) Expenditure records are not available prior to 2005. Since 2005, expenditure with consultants was as follows:
| £ million | |
Since 2005, no supplier of consultancy services has received payments in excess of £10 million.
(b) Information relating to other expenditure with external consultants and advisers since 2005 is as follows:
| £ | |
(a) Expenditure records are not available prior to 2001. Since 2001, expenditure with consultants was as follows:
| £ million | |
Since 2001, no supplier of consultancy services has received payments in excess of £10 million.
(b) Other than consultancy, HM Prison Service bought a range of other professional services including HR and legal services. Some of those contracts included the provision of advice, however, figures for the cost of obtaining this advice is not held separately from other expenditure and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departments: Employment Agencies
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much the Department paid in fees to recruitment agencies for (a) temporary and (b) permanent staff in each year since 1997. [151676]
Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice does not hold this information centrally and it is, therefore, not possible to collate this without incurring disproportionate costs.
The Ministry of Justice ensures that job vacancies are advertised in a wide range of publications, including those targeted at minority communities where it is appropriate. Details of vacancies are placed on the Civil Service Recruitment Website as the site of first choice for central government recruitment. There is no advertising cost associated with this facility.
As a part of the Civil Service reform agenda, at senior levels, applications from outside the Civil Service and from all sections of the community are encouraged. External recruitment support may be used to facilitate this.
Departments: Flint Bishop Solicitors
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether (a) his Department and its predecessor and (b) its agencies have made payments to Flint Bishop Solicitors since 1997. [151394]
Maria Eagle: Details of payments made by the Ministry of Justice's predecessor the Department for Constitutional Affairs (which includes Her Majesty's Court Service, Tribunals Service and Public Guardianship Office) prior to the Ministry's formation on 9 May 2007 to Flint Bishop and Barnett Solicitors in each financial year since 1997 are as follows:
| £ | |
Since the formation of the Ministry of Justice on 9 May 2007, no payments have been made to Flint Bishop and Barnett Solicitors.
Departments: Legislation
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which Bills introduced by his Department and its predecessors in areas within his Department's responsibility in the last five years did not contain sunset clauses; and if he will make a statement. [152481]
Maria Eagle: The appropriateness of a sunset clause for the whole or part of any Bill proposed by the Ministry of Justice is considered on a case by case basis. It is an issue that would be considered during the preparation of the regulatory impact assessment, which should accompany any Bill.
During the last five years, none of the Bills introduced on topics that now come under the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice have included full sunset clauses.
The Gender Recognition Act 2004 contained a partial sunset clause in relation to “fast track” applications, which were permitted only in the first two years of operation of the Act. The European Parliamentary and Local Elections (Pilots) Act 2004 permitted the piloting of provisions relating to the conduct of elections on a specific occasion in 2004.
The list of the Bills introduced in the last five years coming under the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice and which did not contain sunset clauses is as follows:
Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill 2007
Legal Services Bill 2007
Offender Management Bill 2007
Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill 2007
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