| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
22 Oct 2007 : Column 52W—continued
Israel: Syria
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he was informed of the recent Israeli attack on the alleged Syrian military installation; and what representations he has made to the Israeli Government on the attack. [159427]
Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary was informed by officials about the Israeli air strike on Syria on the afternoon of 6 September. The Israeli authorities confirmed on 2 October that Israeli aircraft had attacked a military target inside Syrian territory on 6 September. Our embassy in Tel Aviv has been in touch with the Israeli Government about the incident.
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications of the Israeli attack on Syria on or about 6 September. [159428]
Dr. Howells: The Israeli authorities confirmed on 2 October that Israeli aircraft attacked a military target inside Syrian territory on 6 September. The implications of the incident will depend on how both sides choose to respond. We welcome the restraint they have shown.
Middle East: Peace Negotiations
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Mr. Blair as Middle East Envoy on (a) Libya’s approach to the Arab League’s initiative on peace in the Middle East and (b) Mr. Blair’s last visit to Libya in 2007. [159432]
Dr. Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had discussions with the right hon. Tony Blair about the Middle East Peace Process, including the Arab Peace Initiative. However, the meeting did not touch on Libya’s approach to the Arab Peace Initiative or the right hon. Tony Blair’s visit to Libya in May 2007.
Occupied Territories: Peace Negotiations
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken to include the issue of the occupation of the Golan Heights in the proposed November peace conference. [159426]
Dr. Howells: The agenda of the November meeting has not been finalised. As set out by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the House on 8 October, Official Report, column 24 we hope that the November meeting will result in an agreement that puts the Israelis and Palestinians on a path to real negotiations in 2008 leading to a final settlement of two states living side by side in peace and security. We have made clear our hope that the meeting advances comprehensive peace in the region. Syria has yet to confirm its attendance. We continue to support a comprehensive peace, including between Israel and Syria, as called for in the Roadmap.
Republic of Ireland: Honours
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether titles awarded to citizens of the Irish Republic are deemed to be honorary in circumstances where the recipient was born after (a) 29 December 1937, (b) 21 December 1948 and (c) 18 April 1949. [157156]
Mr. Jim Murphy: A non-British citizen can inherit a British “title” which would not be honorary, but he/she may lose some of the rights that go with it. The country of his citizenship may also lay down conditions.
In the British honours system, substantive awards are given to British nationals and nationals of realm countries where Her Majesty the Queen is Head of State. The nationality at the time of the award is relevant, not the person's nationality at the time of his or her birth. A British honorary award can be given to non-British citizens or subjects. In the case of Ireland, a person can only retain British subject status if he/she was born before 1 January 1949. Individuals born after 29 December 1937 and 21 December 1948, but before 1 January 1949 would have retained British subject status if they notified the Secretary of State of their intention to remain a British subject. Someone born in Ireland on or after 18 April 1949 could not be a British subject.
Turks and Caicos Islands: Police
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the police force of the Turks and Caicos Islands was last inspected by HM Inspectorate; and if he will place a copy of the Inspectorate's report in the Library. [157210]
Dr. Howells: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend the then Minister for Europe (Mr. Hoon) gave to him on 1 February, Official Report, column 498W.
Although Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary has in the past conducted inspections of police forces of overseas territories, there is no record of one being carried out in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
However, in November 1988 and August 2000 the Royal Turks and Caicos police force were reviewed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office/Overseas Development Administration (now the Department for
International Development) overseas police advisers, in their capacity as Inspector General of the Overseas Territory Police Forces.
Turks and Caicos Islands: Population
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the change in the level of the resident population of the Turks and Caicos Islands was over the past 20 years, broken down by those who were (a) UK subjects, (b) belongers and (c) foreign nationals. [157211]
Dr. Howells: The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Government has provided the following information on its resident population. No information is available for the number of UK subjects in the TCI.
| Total population | UK subjects( 1) | Belongers | Non-belongers | |
| n/a = not available. (1) This information is not held by the TCI authorities. | ||||
Health
Antibiotics: Animals
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the implications for human health of the prevalence of antibiotic (a) use and (b) resistance in farm animals. [158241]
Jonathan Shaw: I have been asked to reply.
DEFRA’s Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) work very closely with colleagues in Department of Health, the Health Protection Agency and the Food Standards Agency on the implications of the use of antimicrobials in farm animals. There is increasing scientific support for the view that the increase in antimicrobial resistance affecting human health is largely the result of the prescribing of these products by the medical profession and their use in humans. However, it is recognised that the use of antimicrobials in animals has some impact on the occurrence of resistance genes in micro-organisms.
The Government recognise that veterinary medicines, including antimicrobials, are required to ensure healthy food animals in the UK, but believes that their use should not replace good farm management and animal husbandry systems. The Government believe that antimicrobials should be used responsibly in food animal production and has issued guidelines for their responsible use. The VMD produced a document entitled ‘Code of Practice on the Responsible Use of Animal Medicines on the Farm’. The industry’s Responsible Use of Medicines in
Agriculture Alliance (RUMA) has also published responsible use guidelines for antimicrobials that have been adopted by assurance schemes for the five major food-producing species.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the use in livestock production of antibiotics of last resort for humans; and if he will make a statement. [158242]
Jonathan Shaw: I have been asked to reply.
DEFRA’s Veterinary Medicines Directorate works very closely with the Department of Health, the Health Protection Agency and the Food Standards Agency on these issues. Under legislation implementing EU requirements, veterinary medicines, including those containing antimicrobials, require authorisation before they may be marketed or administered to animals. Authorisations are only issued where scientific assessment of data provided by the applicant demonstrates that the product adequately meets statutory criteria of safety, quality and efficacy when used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Safety in this context includes consumers of produce from treated animals as well as the treated animal, other animals with which it may come into contact, people handling the product and the treated animal, and the environment. Antimicrobials authorised for therapeutic use are prescription only medicines and can only be supplied and administered in accordance with a veterinary surgeon’s prescription.
Antimicrobials used as a last resort in humans represent only a small proportion of the total amount of antimicrobials used in livestock production. For example, 1 tonne of fluoroquinolones were sold for livestock production in 2005. This amount represents 0.27 per cent. of the total amount of antimicrobials sold for use in livestock production. Similarly, in 2005, 1.1 tonnes of cephalosporins were sold. This amount represents 0.28 per cent. of the total amount of antimicrobials sold for use in livestock production.
Baby Care Units: Admissions
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many admissions there were to neonatal units in England in each year from 2002 to 2006; and if he will make a statement. [159204]
Ann Keen: The information requested is not collected centrally. However, information is in the following table on the number of finished consultant episodes (FCE) where neonatal care was provided in a specialist unit. This is not equivalent to the number of babies requiring care in a specialist unit. A baby may have had more than one FCE of neonatal care in a specialist unit.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |