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13 Dec 2007 : Column 831W—continued
Projecting British Islam
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what work has been undertaken by Projecting British Islam delegations abroad; who the members of each delegation were; what the cost of each delegation was; and how he plans to evaluate their effectiveness. [174087]
Dr. Howells: The 'Projecting British Islam' project is a programme of media intensive visits by British Muslim delegations, supported by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), to countries with significant Muslim populations. The aim is to counter misconceptions and misperceptions, which are exploited by extremists, about the treatment of Muslims and Islam in the UK.
In financial years 2005-06 and 2006-07 the delegations cost £350,000, visiting: Bahrain, Qatar, Sudan, Egypt, Nigeria, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Algeria, Bosnia, Morocco, Tanzania, Kenya, Germany, France, the Netherlands and the USA.
In financial years 2007-08 the FCO has allocated £180,000 to this project, for delegations to a range of countries including Sudan, Indonesia, Libya, Yemen, Afghanistan, Egypt, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
To date more than 60 British Muslims have taken part, reflecting the diversity of British Muslim communities, and with a balance of age and gender. The delegates come from a range of professional backgrounds—doctors, scholars, lawyers, teachers, bankers and community activists.
To evaluate the effectiveness of the project, we monitor media coverage in the countries concerned surrounding the delegation’s visit and receive feedback from the delegates and the opinion-formers they meet. We also encourage follow-up by delegates on their return to the UK, in particular working through the Department for Communities and Local Government’s Preventing Violent Extremism work.
Reconstruction
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the UK’s proposal for an international standby civilian force which could be deployed to rebuild civic societies as referred to in the Prime Minister’s Mansion House speech of 12 November. [166138]
David Miliband: The UK and other leading players in the post-conflict field operate different rosters of reconstruction experts. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister indicated that these separate capacities need to be brought together to ensure the UN and other international agencies can draw on the right expertise to respond quickly and effectively to post-conflict situations. The UK will develop proposals with the UN and international allies first.
Russia: Elections
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) opposition parties and (b) civil organisations in Russia on reports of voting irregularities in the recent election. [172048]
Mr. Jim Murphy: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not held such discussions, but our Embassy in Moscow regularly with Russian political parties, and local civil society organisations such as "Golos", an independent Russian civic organisation founded in 2000 to defend voters' rights which unites over 280 non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Representatives of opposition parties and civil society have raised concerns about a number of aspects of the 2 December parliamentary election campaign, and about conduct on polling day.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office made a statement on 3 December expressing its concern about allegations of electoral malpractice which, if proven correct, would suggest that the Russian parliamentary elections were neither free nor fair.
The EU issued a statement on 5 December in which it regretted the numerous reports and allegations of media restrictions, as well as harassment of opposition parties and NGOs in the run-up to the elections, and on election day, and concluded that procedures during the electoral campaign did not meet international standards and commitments voluntarily assumed by Moscow. The EU hoped that investigations would clarify the accuracy of these allegations. The EU also regretted that there was no long-term observation mission from the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)/Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe Office to follow the election campaign and underlined that the presence of ODIHR would have constituted a reliable basis for a full assessment of the elections.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place between the Government, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the EU on the conduct of the Russian election. [172049]
Mr. Jim Murphy: At the recent meeting of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) Ministerial Council in Madrid on 29 November I said that we
“regret that the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has recently faced a number of unprecedented restrictions and bureaucratic obstacles to observing the Russian Duma elections”.
I also met the Director of ODIHR, Ambassador Strohal, on 22 November, and discussed monitoring of the Russian elections with him. The EU presidency also spoke on behalf of EU member states at the OSCE Permanent Council on 6 December. The presidency welcomed the fact that the elections had taken place in an orderly and organised fashion, but regretted the numerous reports and allegations of media restrictions, as well as harassment of opposition parties and non-governmental organisations in the run-up to the elections and on election day. The statement concluded that procedures during the electoral campaign did not meet the international standards and commitments voluntarily assumed by Moscow and hoped that investigations would clarify the accuracy of these allegations. The EU also regretted that there was no long-term observation mission from ODIHR or OSCE to monitor the election campaign and underlined that the presence of ODIHR would have provided a reliable basis for a full assessment of the elections.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the Russian election result on the wider region. [172050]
Mr. Jim Murphy: It is too early to determine what impact the results of the Russian parliamentary election may have on the politics across the wider region. It is reassuring that Kyrgyzstan and Georgia have extended invitations to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s specialist election monitoring body, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, to monitor their parliamentary elections on 16 December 2007 and 5 January 2008 respectively. A smaller delegation will be observing the Presidential election in Uzbekistan on 23 December 2007.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on UK relations with Russia following the Russian parliamentary elections. [172051]
Mr. Jim Murphy: We continue to engage Russia in pursuit of our international objectives related to energy security, climate change, international peace and security. This approach was commended in the recently published Foreign Affairs Committee report "Global Security: Russia".
However, we share the widespread concern about the conduct of the Russian parliamentary elections. There were numerous allegations of electoral malpractice which, if proven correct, would suggest that the elections were neither free nor fair. Our long-standing policy is to air our concerns openly with the Russian Government, for example on human rights and the shrinking democratic space. We have said that it is vital that the Russian Central Election Committee urgently
investigates all allegations of electoral abuses and that the Russian Government put in place systems to ensure that the Presidential elections in March 2008 will be transparent and democratic.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many election observers were sent from the UK to monitor the recent Russian elections. [172948]
Mr. Jim Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Gordon (Malcolm Bruce) on 5 December 2007, Official Report, column 1303W.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe on the conduct of the recent elections in Russia. [173372]
Mr. Jim Murphy: At the recent meeting of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Ministerial Council in Madrid on 29 November I said that we
“regret that the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has recently faced a number of unprecedented restrictions and bureaucratic obstacles to observing the Russian Duma elections”.
I also met the Director of ODIHR, Ambassador Strohal, on 22 November, and discussed monitoring of the Russian elections with him.
South Africa: Mining
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the Government have had with the South African Government on fatal accidents involving mineworkers. [173423]
Dr. Howells: We have not discussed mine fatalities with the South African Government. There exists already a strong domestic debate in South Africa on this issue. In October President Mbeki ordered a safety audit of South Africa’s mines. In addition, the National Union of Miners and the Congress of South African Trade Unions are actively pressing the Government to take further steps to ensure miner safety, with the former leading a march on December to protest against the level of fatalities in South Africa’s mines. The Chamber of Mines has confirmed it will engage with stakeholders on mine safety.
Sudan: Armed Conflict
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government of Sudan has approved landing and night flying rights to all UNAMID aircraft. [173248]
Mr. Jim Murphy:
UN Under-Secretary-General, Jean-Marie Guehenno, Head of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), told the UN Security Council on 27 November that the Government of Sudan had not approved adequate
night flying rights for aircraft of the UN-African Union hybrid peacekeeping force in Darfur (UNAMID).
However, representatives of the DPKO discussed UNAMID deployment, including landing and night flying, with representatives of the Government of Sudan on 8 December. The press statement released after the meeting noted that both sides agreed on the importance of the full and timely implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1769 and agreed to continue their discussions to resolve issues.
We have pressed the Government of Sudan to co-operate fully with the DPKO over UNAMID deployment and we continue to monitor closely their discussions.
Sudan: Peace Negotiations
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of progress made by the Southern Sudan Peace and Reconciliation Commission in facilitating South-South dialogue. [173247]
Mr. Jim Murphy: We understand the work of the Southern Sudan Peace Commission (SSPC) has stalled since the Sudanese Peoples’ Liberation Movement’s (SPLM) withdrawal from the Government of National Unity.
The UK is urging the SPLM and National Congress Party to resolve their differences about the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). Renewed and accelerated CPA implementation is essential for stability and peace in the whole of Sudan.
We are pressing all sides to speed up the reconciliation process and to resolve all outstanding CPA-related issues. The UK is discussing a support programme for reconciliation and community security in the south, which would include support to the SSPC.
Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the UK has (a) made and (b) received on the adequacy of helicopter numbers for the UNAMID mission to Darfur; and if he will make a statement. [166140]
David Miliband: We have had extensive contacts over several months with senior UN officials about requirements for the UN African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), including helicopters, and have regularly called in the UN Security Council and elsewhere for the force’s full and early deployment. Most recently, I spoke about delays to the deployment with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 7 December.
The UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) has planned for 18 transport helicopters and six tactical utility helicopters for UNAMID, and has identified and approached countries that could potentially supply them. We have worked closely with the DPKO to support its lobbying efforts with those countries. We continue to work closely with them, with allies in the UN Security Council and with other potential contributors to secure the supply of helicopters.
Translation Services
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department’s budget for translating Government publications and online services into other languages (a) was in 2006-07 and (b) is for 2007-08. [173351]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold dedicated budgets for translating Government publications and online services and the information requested by the hon. Member could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Tristan da Cunha: Overseas Aid
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department is providing to the people of Tristan da Cunha; and if he will make a statement. [172942]
Mr. Jim Murphy: Tristan da Cunha is financially self-sufficient and therefore does not receive any direct budgetary assistance from the Government. The Department for International Development (DFID) is providing £60,000 for some off-island training activities and a review of options for Tristan to diversify its economy and increase its revenue. DFID provides a resident doctor, and a visiting dentist and optometrist, under its health programme for St Helena. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and DFID are funding £107,000 this financial year from their Overseas Territories Environment Project budget for a number of small-scale development projects. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is also working closely with DFID and the Tristan Government on the emergency repairs of Calshot Harbour.
A recent viral outbreak on Tristan da Cunha has triggered a rise in the cases of asthma on the island. The island has enough stocks of the necessary drugs for this not to be an emergency situation now. Following close liaison with the Administrator on Tristan, DFID, the Ministry of Defence and others, however, we are making arrangements to provide an additional supply of drugs in advance of the next regular ship’s visit to the island at the end of January 2008. We hope to be able to deliver these supplies to the island on a Royal Navy vessel around 15 December.
Zimbabwe: Human Rights
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have to raise the issue of human rights in Zimbabwe at the EU-African Union Summit in Lisbon; and if he will make a statement. [172381]
David Miliband:
My noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Amos raised Zimbabwe and the appalling human rights situation caused by President Mugabe during her intervention on behalf of the UK at the EU/Africa summit in Lisbon. As high representative for the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana delivered a statement on behalf of the EU underlining member states’ collective concern at the deteriorating human rights situation. Other EU
member states (Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden) also made interventions that specifically criticised the human rights situation in Zimbabwe.
International Development
Afghanistan: Drugs
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when the final report by his Department and the World Bank into possible economic incentives to reduce opium production in Afghanistan will be published; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [174173]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The final report by DFID and the World Bank into possible economic incentives to reduce opium production in Afghanistan will be published at the end of January. A copy will be placed in the Library as part of our broader dissemination strategy.
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