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6 Feb 2008 : Column 1160W—continued
Foreigners: Honours
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) substantive and (b) honorary awards of each class of honour have been made to foreign nationals in each of the last five years. [185208]
Meg Munn: The total number of substantive awards to non-British nationals on the diplomatic service and overseas honours list (i.e. citizens of Her Majesty the Queen's realms and overseas territories) is as follows:
Details of those receiving honorary awards from 2000 to 2006 have been placed in the Library of the House. From the beginning of 2007, the list of those receiving honorary awards appears on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website:
http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&;c=Page&cid=l166536150628.
Single European Act
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what passerelle clauses were (a) introduced by and (b) established in legislation made under the Single European Act. [177188]
David Miliband: The Single European Act introduced one amending provision (‘passerelle’). This was article 130S, relating to environment policy. It allowed the Council to define, by unanimity, environment policy issues on which decisions could be taken by qualified majority. The Single European Act was given effect in UK law by the European Communities (Amendment) Act 1986.
United Nations: Sanctions
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2007, Official Report, column 1043W, on United Nations: Sanctions, what representations have been made to his Department on the appropriateness and equity of the targeting of UN sanctions under chapter VII of the UN Charter on persons within the UK; whether there are reasonable opportunities for the subjects of sanctions to appeal; and if he will make a statement. [184944]
Dr. Howells: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has received representations from legal representatives of designated individuals seeking assistance in challenging their listing by the UN Security Council or requesting exemptions to meet basic or extraordinary expenses. Important reforms have been made in recent years to the Security Council’s procedures for considering such requests, including the establishment of a focal point for receiving delisting petitions by UN Security Council resolution 1730 (2006). This has increased the opportunities for designated individuals to make their views known to the Security Council. The Government will continue to give representations on such matters due consideration.
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people within the UK have been the subject of sanctions (a) under chapter VII of the UN Charter imposed by the United Nations Security Council and (b) by European Union institutions and agencies since 1999; how many of these have subsequently been removed from such lists; and what the average duration of such sanctions has been in the last 10 years. [184943]
Dr. Howells: There are currently 16 UK residents subject to sanctions by the UN Security Council and one UK resident subject to sanctions by the European Union. A further UK resident was removed from the UN Security Council list and another from the European Union list in 2005. The Government have not collated information on the average length of time spent by individuals on either list as to collate this information would incur disproportionate cost.
Culture, Media and Sport
Arts Council England
Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been given by the Arts Council England to amateur operatic societies in each of the last five years. [174130]
Margaret Hodge: The Arts Council has provided amateur operatic societies with the following support:
2003-04: £13,088
2004-05: £5,000
2005-06: £8,735
2006-07: £22,414
and 2007-08 (up to November 2007) £20,500
In addition, the following support has been provided to more general activities such as festivals and community centres that include an element of operatic activity:
2003-04: £0
2004-05: £9,936
2005-06: £19,288
2006-07: £7,750
and 2007-08 (up to November 2007) £47,260
I met the hon. Member with a delegation and suggested ways to persue other funding options.
Blue Plaques
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what (a) funding and (b) advice and assistance his Department makes available to encourage and facilitate the installation of blue plaques. [184629]
Margaret Hodge: From its grant in aid, English Heritage has allocated a budget of £248,594 to its Blue Plaques team for 2007-08. English Heritage does not install blue plaques outside London or provide funding for others to do so. It actively offers advice to those who run, or wish to set up, local schemes of this type.
English Heritage inherited the blue plaques scheme in 1986 when the Greater London council was abolished. It opened up the Scheme in April 1999 on a pilot basis to cities and areas around the country. After a period of review, it was decided in early 2007 that this scheme should be re-focused solely on London. This decision was based on a number of factors, including the low number of plaques which English Heritage could realistically expect to install resulting in minimal impact for considerable investment, and feedback from a number of local authorities and other groups who suggested these plaques would not be welcome or appropriate in their areas, partly due to the existence of an increasing number of flourishing local schemes.
Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding his Department provided in 2007 for the installation of blue plaques (a) inside and (b) outside London; and to which organisations. [182707]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 29 January 2008]: From its grant in aid, English Heritage has allocated a budget of £248,594 to its blue plaques team for 2007-08. English Heritage does not install blue plaques outside London or provide funding for others to do so. It actively offers advice to those who run, or wish to set up, local schemes of this type.
English Heritage inherited the Blue Plaques Scheme in 1986 when the Greater London Council was abolished. It opened up the scheme in April 1999 on a pilot basis to cities and areas around the country. After a period of review, it was decided in early 2007 that this scheme should be re-focused solely on London. This decision was based on a number of factors, including the low number of plaques which English Heritage could realistically expect to install resulting in minimal impact for considerable investment, and feedback from a number of local authorities and other groups who suggested these plaques would not be welcome or appropriate in their areas, partly due to the existence of an increasing number of flourishing local schemes.
British Library
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with the British Library on the safeguarding and monitoring of books and other materials in its care. [184136]
Margaret Hodge: Most recently, in the context of the comprehensive spending review, both I and my right hon Friend the Secretary of State had discussions with the British Library about the financial settlement required to ensure that the Library is able to care for their collections.
Their excellent settlement includes significant capital funding to build new, high-specification storage for the national newspaper collection, demonstrating Government’s commitment to safeguarding the British Library’s collections for future generations of researchers.
Capita
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 24 January 2008, to the hon. Member for Southend, West, Official Report, columns 2169-70W, on Capita, what services were received from Capita in each of the last three financial years for the payments listed. [183402]
Mr. Sutcliffe: In my reply to the hon. Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess) on 24 January 2008, Official Report, columns 2169-70W, there was an error in the total amount paid in 2007-08. The correct amount should be £489,295 and not £470,913.
The services received from Capita in each of the last three financial years were as follows:
£84,859 for funds transfer through Capita which is paid to individuals who retire/leave the Department early (i.e. lump sum pension payments). The contract is set up by the Cabinet Office and the amount shown is not actually paid to Capita, they are simply used as a funding vehicle.
£5,833 for the provision of occupational health administration. Contract was set up by the Cabinet Office.
£5,113 for the provision of learning and development course.
£7,050 for the provision of recruitment services exercise.
£383,431 for funds transfer through Capita which is paid to individuals who retire/leave the Department early (i.e. lump sum pension payments). The contract is set up by the Cabinet Office and the amount shown is not actually paid to Capita, they are simply used as a funding vehicle.
£12,078 for the provision of occupational health administration. Contract was set up by the Cabinet Office.
£32,431 for the provision of recruitment services.
£524 for the provision of training and development services
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