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7 Feb 2008 : Column 1401W—continued
EU Reform: Treaties
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations on the Treaty of Lisbon he has received from (a) Action Aid, (b) the NSPCC, (c) One World Action and (d) Oxfam. [185099]
Mr. Jim Murphy [holding answer 7 February 2008]: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) routinely engages with a range of external groups across the wide spectrum of EU issues. Among others, these groups include non-governmental organisations such as Action Aid, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, One World Action and Oxfam. All of these groups, either directly or through their umbrella organisations, have had contact with the FCO about the Treaty of Lisbon.
Gough Island: Biodiversity
John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have to support biodiversity conservation on Gough Island over the next five years. [185404]
Meg Munn: The Government do not have specific plans to support biodiversity conservation on Gough Island over the next five years. The Overseas Territories Environment Programme, a joint Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development funded programme, has funded biodiversity projects on Gough Island in the past. These included a feasibility study into mice eradication and the eradication of Procumbent Pearlwort, an invasive plant. We will continue to consider future biodiversity project proposals on a case by case basis.
Kenya: Politics and Government
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made representations to the Kenyan Government on the situation of the Kikuyu population of the Kalenjin region. [184702]
Meg Munn: The Government condemns unreservedly all acts of violence in Kenya. We have repeatedly called for calm and for any grievances to be dealt with through the appropriate legal channels. It is important that all Kenya’s leaders live up to their responsibilities and do all they can to end the violence immediately. We also call on them to come together in a process of dialogue to agree a way forward that respects the democratic will of the Kenyan people and puts Kenya back on the path to peace, stability and prosperity.
Serbia: Diplomatic Relations
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to meet the newly elected President of Serbia. [184538]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The final round of the Serbian presidential elections was held on 3 February 2008. Preliminary results indicate that Boris Tadic has been re-elected as President. We welcome this result. President Tadic has signalled his clear commitment to Serbia’s European future and we look forward to working with him to realise this ambition as quickly as possible.
Simon Mann
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will hold discussions with the Government of Equatorial Guinea on improving prison conditions for Simon Mann. [185515]
Meg Munn: In line with consular policy we are seeking urgent consular access to visit Mr. Mann in prison. We will consider what further action may be appropriate once we have spoken to Mr. Mann.
In seeking permission for a consular visit to Mr. Mann, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has underlined, to the Government of Equatorial Guinea, their obligations as a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Article 10 of the Covenant states that all persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for inherent dignity of the human person.
Mr. Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he proposes to take to ensure that Simon Mann does not face the death penalty in Equatorial Guinea; and if he will make a statement. [185520]
Meg Munn: We understand that the Government of Equatorial Guinea provided assurances to the Government of Zimbabwe that the death penalty would not be implemented should Simon Mann be extradited to Equatorial Guinea. The Attorney-General of Equatorial Guinea, Jose Ole Obono, publicly stated on 10 May 2007 that, 'the death penalty will not apply in this case'.
We are currently seeking urgent consular access to visit Mr. Mann in prison and have underlined to the Government of Equatorial Guinea their obligations to respect Mr. Mann's human rights during his detention.
The UK is opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances and works closely with the EU to promote abolition of the death penalty around the world.
Sudan: Chad
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the outcome of the mini-summit in Libya on 27 January 2008 on relations between Sudan and Chad. [184137]
Meg Munn: We understand the purpose of the mini summit of seven African Heads of State hosted by the Libyan Leader Colonel Qadhafi in Tripoli on 27 January was to prepare for the African Union summit in Addis Ababa and consider the situation in Darfur and Chad.
We are monitoring the deterioration of security in the border region of Sudan and Chad, including the recent attacks by rebel groups from Darfur into Eastern Chad and the incursions of Chadian armed forces into Sudan.
In bilateral contacts with the Sudanese and Chadian governments, including during my noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, the right hon. Lord Malloch-Brown’s visit to Sudan from 28 to 30 January and to the African Union Summit of 31 January to 1 February, we have supported calls by the UN and African Union for both governments to stop supporting each other’s rebels, fulfil their obligations under the 2006 Tripoli agreement and abide by the cease-fire agreed in Libya in October 2007.
Sudan: Peace Negotiations
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek the agreement of the Government’s international partners to convene an international conference on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Sudan. [184783]
Meg Munn: Implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) remains one of our highest priorities in Sudan. We continue to explore options with our international partners for convening a high-level international conference on CPA implementation, but have not yet agreed when and where such a conference should take place to best advance CPA implementation.
Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations his Department has made to the Government of Sudan on the implementation of its commitments under the Abyei Protocol. [184289]
Meg Munn: My right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary, the Secretary of State for International Development and my noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, the right hon. Lord Malloch-Brown, have all pushed in their contacts with the Government of Sudan for progress on resolution of the dispute over Abyei in the broader context of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement implementation. Our embassy in Khartoum has raised Abyei regularly in its contacts with the Government of Sudan.
Most recently, my noble Friend the right hon. Lord Malloch-Brown discussed Abyei with President Bashir, and Senior Sudanese Presidential advisers, Nafie Ali Nafie and Ghazi Salahuddin, during his visit to Sudan and Ethiopia from 28 January to 1 February.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the appropriateness of the ratio of men to women within the police component of UNAMID for the tasks to be performed in Darfur; and if he will make a statement. [184787]
Meg Munn: We have not yet assessed the ratio of men and women within the police component of the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) because the police component of UNAMID is not up to full strength, nor have all the contributing countries been identified.
There are currently 1,400 civilian police in UNAMID who transferred from the police component of the African Union Mission in Sudan. Once fully deployed, the police component of UNAMID will total just under 6,500 officers.
Sudan: Politics and Government
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the government of Sudan against the formal appointment of Musa Hilal as an adviser to their Ministry of Federal Affairs. [184785]
Meg Munn: My noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, the right hon. Lord Malloch-Brown, raised UK concerns over the appointment of Musa Hilal in meetings with representatives of the Government of Sudan during his visit to Sudan on 28-31 January. He made clear that the appointment was inappropriate as Musa Hilal is subject to UN sanctions. We also raised the issue of Musa Hilal’s appointment at the UN Sanctions Committee on 1 February.
Darfur: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of UNMIS in co-ordinating civilian protection in Darfur; and if he will make a statement. [184251]
Meg Munn: We have not yet assessed the effectiveness of the co-ordination of civilian protection in Darfur following the assumption of peacekeeping authority by the African Union-UN hybrid mission (UNAMID) on 31 December, as many of the relevant structures and personnel are not yet in place. UNAMID is mandated by UN Security Council Resolution 1769 to protect civilians, which it will carry out in co-ordination with other UN agencies and non-governmental humanitarian organisations.
Prior to 31 December 2007, UNMIS (the UN Mission in Sudan set up to support implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement between North and South Sudan) contributed towards civilian protection in Darfur through information-gathering and sharing with the African Union peacekeeping mission in Sudan and humanitarian agencies. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organisation for Migration also delivered civilian protection in Darfur.
Former UNMIS staff now work for UNAMID, which will include a civilian element of approximately 5,000 staff when fully established. UNAMID has appointed Humanitarian Affairs Officers to co-ordinate with the UN agencies and non-governmental humanitarian organisations. We are monitoring this transition.
Transport
Air Routes: Felixstowe
Mr. Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will bring forward proposals to reduce the number of planes flying over Felixstowe. [185035]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Airspace planning and regulation is the responsibility of the independent Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Under the CAA’s airspace change process, it is for airspace change sponsors to develop and consult upon proposals. It is then for the CAA to assess proposals against regulatory requirements and either approve or reject the proposal.
Mr. Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what maximum number of planes per day is permitted to use the flight corridors over the Felixstowe, Walton, Trimley, Kirton area and the Suffolk coast; [185033]
(2) how many commercial aeroplanes flew over Suffolk (a) in the last 12 months and (b) on each day of the last 12 months for which figures are available. [185041]
Jim Fitzpatrick: This is an operational matter for NATS, the air navigation services provider. This information is not held centrally.
Air Routes: Urban Areas
Mr. Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what account is taken of the effect on communities living under flight paths when taking decisions on the number of planes flying on those routes. [185034]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport has issued guidance to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on the conduct of its environmental objectives in the performance of its air navigation duties. This guidance is reflected fully in the CAA’ airspace change process which is published in CAP 724 and CAP 725. Under this process, proposers of airspace changes are required to consider the impact of changes to airspace arrangements on the areas which are over flown and to consult widely on the proposed changes. Detailed guidance is given on what impacts are to be taken into account, how they should be measured and on who should be consulted.
Mr. Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport under the flight path arrangements for which her Department is responsible, what the estimated maximum number of aeroplanes is that may fly safely over Suffolk each day. [185451]
Jim Fitzpatrick: This is an operational matter for NATS, the air navigation services provider. This information is not held centrally.
Airedale and Wharfedale Lines
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 23 October 2007, Official Report, column 151-2, on Airedale and Wharfedale lines, when she expects Network Rail to set out its plans for additional capacity on the Airedale and Wharfedale lines. [185541]
Mr. Tom Harris: On 30 January 2008, The Secretary of State for Transport published a rolling stock plan, as set out in the White Paper ‘Delivering a Sustainable Railway’. This plan sets out in more detail how the additional capacity committed in the period 2009-14 will be delivered. In relation to rail services into Leeds, it identifies the increase in demand that needs to be catered for and an indicative number of vehicles that will be provided within the northern franchise, to serve Leeds as well as other cities in the north of England.
The plan sets out the process that is being followed to determine the procurement of the additional vehicles but does not set out route specific details of numbers of rolling stock vehicles to be provided. This level of detail continues to be discussed with the rail industry and will take some time to finalise.
Alongside the rolling stock plan, the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) continues to assess Network Rail's strategic business plan, which sets out the industry's view of how best to introduce the additional capacity required to be delivered. The ORR set out its initial assessment of the strategic business plan on 20 December 2007 and expects to provide greater detail on its analysis of the plan in February 2008.
Airports: Baggage
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if she will publish the guidance issued to airports on the collection and disposal of goods taken from the hand luggage of passengers by airport security officials; and on what date such guidance was issued; [184534]
(2) what her Department’s policy is on the disposal of goods taken from the hand luggage of passengers by airport security officials; and when this policy was put in place; [184535]
(3) what estimate has been made of the volume of (a) liquid, (b) glass and (c) plastic that has been taken from the hand luggage of passengers by airport security officials since August 2006; [184536]
(4) what estimate has been made of the cost of collection and disposal of goods taken from the hand luggage of passengers by airport security officials since August 2006; [184537]
(5) what estimate has been made of the volume of materials taken from the hand luggage of passengers by airport security officials since August 2006 that have been (a) recycled, (b) disposed of in landfill sites and (c) given to charity shops. [184568]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The National Aviation Security Programme places a requirement on airport operators to ensure that passengers are prevented from taking prohibited articles on to aircraft departing UK airports. The Government’s role is to ensure compliance with this approach. The Government do not record any information on the disposal of items which are confiscated under this policy.
Aviation: Mental Health
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what mental health checks are required for commercial airline pilots of airlines based in the UK. [184583]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Commercial airline pilots flying for airlines based in the United Kingdom are required to hold a Joint Aviation Authority (JAA) Class 1 Medical Certificate which is assessed in accordance with Joint Aviation Requirements—Flight Crew Licensing (JAR-FCL) Part 3 Medical. Certificates are issued to pilots following satisfactory medical examinations, performed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approved Aeromedical Examiners, and have varying validity dates according to the pilot's age. The maximum period of validity is one year.
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