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22 Nov 2007 : Column 1034W—continued
Olympic Games 2012: Mayor of London
Mr. Boris Johnson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics whether the Revised Memorandum of Understanding between the Government and the Mayor of London replaces the original memorandum. [165484]
Tessa Jowell: The revised Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government and the Mayor, that was published in June 2007, replaces the original 2003 MOU. This is stated in paragraph five of the June 2007 MOU.
Olympic Games 2012: Training
Ms Abbott: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what steps she has taken to promote training and development opportunities in boroughs where the London Olympics is likely to create jobs; and if she will make a statement. [164418]
Tessa Jowell: An increase in skills and employment in the five Olympic boroughs is a vital part of the Game's legacy.
The Local Employment and Training Framework (LETF), for the five host boroughs, has committed £1.8 million this year to training, including construction, providing over 1,500 training places. The LETF also includes a local labour and business scheme, and through a second phase, education projects and skills development in wider sectors. The 2012 Local Employment and
Skills Taskforce Action Plan, is helping train Londoners across many sectors including construction and hospitality.
The Personal Best Programme (the renamed Pre Volunteer Programme) will encourage workless and socially excluded people to gain new skills and increase job prospects through volunteering, benefiting 20,000 Londoners. Over 370 people have already gone through the pilot programme and 15 per cent. have already secured employment opportunities. Hackney is one of the pilot boroughs.
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) recently announced an additional £5 million funding for London this year, expanding training in key areas for 2012: sport, customer service, media and construction. This will focus on work-based learning and apprenticeships, and ensuring thousands of Londoners have practical skills for work.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Africa: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether the condition set out in UN Resolution 1769 that the UN-AU hybrid peacekeeping force will be predominantly African will be met. [165954]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The UN Department for Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) is generating the African Union (AU)/UN hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID) force, in consultation with the AU, and has received pledges from a number of African countries. The DPKO is now conducting pre-deployment assessments. Until these assessments are completed, the DPKO cannot confirm UNAMID's composition. We continue to press the DPKO, the AU and the Government of Sudan for the prompt deployment of an effective UNAMID force.
Burma: Politics and Government
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress in promoting democracy in Burma. [165414]
Mr. Jim Murphy [holding answer 19 November 2007]: Following the Burmese regime's brutal crackdown on peaceful demonstrators in September, the international community has made clear that there can be no return to the previous situation. The UN, EU and Association of South East Asian Nations have been pushing for fundamental political and economic transformation, leading to national reconciliation, respect for human rights and the establishment of accountable civilian government in Burma.
The UN has led international efforts to bring about substantive political change. The UN Secretary-General's envoy to Burma, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, visited the country in October and November, and reported to the Security Council after each visit. The Government of Burma has so far taken only limited steps to address the international community's key concerns. They have releases only a limited number of political prisoners
and have not lifted the restrictions on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to allow her to participate fully in the process of national reconciliation. However, we welcome her constructive and forward-looking statement calling on the regime to enter into a 'meaningful and time bound dialogue'.
We will continue to work with our partners in the UN, the EU and across the region to press the Government of Burma to establish a genuine dialogue between the regime, opposition parties and ethnic groups as a first step towards the re-establishment of democracy, stability and freedom in Burma.
Democratic Republic of Congo: Politics and Government
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and if he will make a statement. [166026]
Mr. Jim Murphy: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed events in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) at a meeting with the European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid on 20 September, and at a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the permanent members of the UN Security Council on 28 September, as well as with President Kagame of Rwanda on 3 October. The DRC was also considered at the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council in July and October.
During the UN General Assembly’s Ministers’ Week, my noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, the right hon. Lord Malloch-Brown, met President Kabila and representatives of the P3+2 group on 26 September. He discussed the DRC at meetings with President Kagame on 3 October and the Belgian Foreign Minister on 14 November as well as with the Rt. Rev. Lord Bishop of Winchester on 9 October and the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Great Lakes Region of Africa on 6 November.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials attended meetings of the International Contact Group on the Great Lakes in Brussels on 21 September and in Washington on 16 November.
Departmental Pay
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people in his Department were paid over £100,000 in each year since 1997. [167192]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office publishes a breakdown of the salaries of senior staff in its annual departmental report. In 2007, 0.69 per cent. of the Department’s UK-based staff earned salaries of more than £100,000. The numbers of staff who have earned salaries of more than £100,000 each year since 1997 are:
| Number | |
Entry Clearances: Applications
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what proportion of applications for visas for relatives and dependants made by applicants were (a) not granted and (b) granted within (i) 13 weeks, (ii) six months, (iii) a year, (iv) 18 months, (v) two years, (vi) two and a half years, (vii) three years and (viii) longer in each year since 2001. [164675]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 15 November 2007]: It is not possible to provide the extremely detailed breakdown that the hon. Member requests. I am however able to provide a breakdown of the total numbers of applications received and refused, with percentages and by category for the years 2001 to 2007. As this information is lengthy I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Paul Goodman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and
what proportion of applications for visit visas made by applicants were (a) not granted and (b) granted within (i) 13 weeks, (ii) six months, (iii) a year, (iv) 18 months, (v) two years, (vi) two and a half years, (vii) three years and (viii) longer in each year since 2001. [164679]
Dr. Howells [holding answer 15 November 2007]: It is not possible to provide the extremely detailed breakdown that the hon. Member requests. I am however able to provide a breakdown of the total numbers of applications received and refused, with percentages, and by category for the years 2001 to 2007. As this information is lengthy I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.
Entry Clearances: Married People
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what proportion of applications for visas for spouses made by applicants were (a) not granted and (b) granted within (i) 13 weeks, (ii) six months, (iii) a year, (iv) 18 months, (v) two years, (vi) two and a half years, (vii) three years and (viii) longer in each year since 2001. [164585]
Dr. Howells: It is not possible to provide the extremely detailed breakdown that the hon. Member requests. I am however able to provide a breakdown of the total numbers of applications received and refused, with percentages, for the years 2001 to 2007.
| Total received | Total refused | Percentage refused | Total issued | Percentage issued | |
| Issued within | ||||||||
| 13 weeks | 13 week percentage | 6 months | 6 month percentage | 12 months | 12 month percentage | 18 months | 18 month percentage | |
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