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18 Feb 2008 : Column 127W—continued
Members: Correspondence
Peter Luff: To ask the Prime Minister when he expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Mid-Worcestershire of 15 December 2007 on police pay. [186462]
The Prime Minister: I replied to the hon. Member on 11 February.
Members: Surveillance
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Prime Minister with reference to the answer of 12 September 2007, Official Report, column 2103W, on Members: Surveillance, whether the word interception is used in the answer with the same definition as contained in section 2 (i) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. [185728]
The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 12 September 2007, Official Report, column 2103W.
Ministerial Responsibility
Mr. Soames: To ask the Prime Minister what ministerial responsibilities he has assigned to Baroness Vadera at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform; and what responsibilities she has been assigned for liaison with other Departments. [185644]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the List of Ministerial Responsibilities, copies of which are available on the Cabinet Office website.
Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Cameron: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what sanctions he plans to impose on the Government of Sudan in light of the failure to deploy the UNAMID force in full and on time; and if he will make a statement; [186362]
(2) whether he plans to encourage the imposition of a no-fly zone over Darfur in 2008; [186364]
(3) what steps he is taking to encourage the development of a UN arms embargo on Sudan; and if he will make a statement. [186365]
The Prime Minister: I welcome UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's 5 February agreement with President Bashir to accelerate the deployment of UNAMID. UNAMID is already behind schedule and the sooner the United Nations and the African Union secure prompt and effective deployment, the sooner the situation on the ground can stabilise. President Bashir must honour these commitments.
In considering additional measures, beyond UNAMID, we would need to assess the logistical challenges of implementation and their impact on humanitarian efforts. We have not ruled anything out including the imposition of no-fly zones. UNAMID is mandated to monitor military activity, including flights prohibited by UN Security Council resolution 1591.
The prospect of further United Nations sanctions, as advocated by the United Kingdom and the United States, combined with persistent persuasion by the UN Secretary-General among others, helped bring the Government of Sudan to agree to UNAMID in 2007. So I will continue to be clear that we will pursue further targeted sanctions against any party that undermines resolution of the crisis in Darfur, including by impeding UNAMID deployment. This was a key element of my discussion with Premier Wen when I visited China in January, and I will continue to make the case with other members of the Security Council that sanctions must be one of a range of measures to bring resolution of the crisis in Darfur.
I continue to believe that the UN arms embargo on Darfur should be extended to the whole of Sudan. The United Kingdom delegation to the United Nations, most recently in the UN Sanctions Committee meeting of 6 November 2007, is pursuing this initiative. We have the support of our United States and European allies, but we do not have the consent of all members of the Security Council. That is why we continue to make the case, especially to permanent members of the Security Council, that extending the arms embargo should be part of a range of measures to bring resolution of the crisis in Darfur.
Northern Ireland
Community Relations
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent progress has been made on reconciliation in Northern Ireland. [185682]
Mr. Woodward: A Consultative Group on the Past, chaired by Lord Eames and Denis Bradley, was set up by the then Secretary of State, the right hon. Member for Neath (Mr. Hain), in June 2007 to seek consensus across the community in Northern Ireland on the best way to deal with the legacy of the past 40 years, and to make recommendations, as appropriate, on any steps that might be taken by Northern Ireland society in building a shared future that is not overshadowed by the events of the past.
The group completed its public consultation on 25 January 2008, and is currently reflecting on the responses received. I look forward to receiving its report this summer.
Consultative Group on the Past
Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many written responses have been received by the independent Consultative Group on the past in Northern Ireland. [186326]
Mr. Woodward: I am informed that in response to its public consultation, which ended on 25 January 2008, the Consultative Group on the Past received 245 written submissions. In addition to these, the group received 2,061 similarly worded letters which it believes to have been part of a co-ordinated campaign.
Crime: Victims
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to ensure that the families of victims of serious crimes are informed that those convicted of these crimes are being transferred between prisons in Northern Ireland and others (a) within the UK and (b) in the Republic of Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [186441]
Paul Goggins: I have instructed that the prisoner release victim information scheme includes an undertaking that the Northern Ireland Prison Service will inform registered victims if the perpetrator of the crime is transferred to a prison in another jurisdiction. This arrangement will also provide victims with a contact in that jurisdiction for further information.
Crimes of Violence: Offensive Weapons
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the merits of bringing forward proposals to create specific offences of (a) carrying and using a knife in a violent attack and (b) carrying a knife in a violent attack in Northern Ireland. [184727]
Paul Goggins: These situations would be covered by existing legislation on possession of a bladed or offensive weapon. However, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has recently emphasised the seriousness with which the Government regard knife crime. I shall shortly lay before Parliament proposals to increase the penalties for the carrying, manufacturing and selling of knives in Northern Ireland to a maximum of four years in prison. I have also increased the age at which knives can be purchased from 16 to 18.
Departmental Databases
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what databases are (a) owned and (b) maintained by his Department. [185410]
Mr. Woodward: The Department has approximately 300 databases ranging in size from the most sophisticated (SAP and Oracle) to the simplest (MS Access). The Department is currently in the process of rationalising these databases and it is therefore likely that many will be retired within the next 12 to 18 months. It is not possible to distinguish between those owned and maintained by the Department without incurring disproportionate cost.
Departmental ICT
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) mobile telephones, (b) personal digital assistants and (c) laptop computers issued to departmental staff were reported (i) lost, (ii) missing and (iii) stolen in each year since 2001. [184323]
Mr. Woodward: The information is shown in the following tables.
| Mobile telephones | |||
| Year to 31 December | Lost | Missing | Stolen |
| Personal digital assistants | |||
| Year to 31 December | Lost | Missing | Stolen |
| Laptops | |||
| Year to 31 December | Lost | Missing | Stolen |
Departmental Internet
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Wikipedia entries have been (a) created and (b) amended (i) by (A) special advisers, (B) Ministers and (C) communications officials and (ii) from IP addresses of (1) special advisers, (2) Ministers and (3) communications officials in (x) his Department and (y) its agencies since August 2005. [185525]
Mr. Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office does not maintain records of this type and is not aware of any entries submitted by Ministers, special advisers or officials.
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the special advisers employed in his Department since 6 May 1997; and what the (a) start and (b) end date of employment was in each case. [184373]
Mr. Woodward: Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and numbers of special advisers in each pay band. For the most recent information I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 22 November 2007, Official Report, columns 147-150WS. Since publication of that statement, Oonagh Blackman has also been appointed as a special adviser in the Northern Ireland Office.
Information on the employment of special advisers prior to 2003 was provided at regular intervals and is available in the Library of the House.
Departmental Vehicles
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many vehicles were (a) owned and (b) purchased by his Department in each of the last 10 years. [183296]
Mr. Woodward: The available details of vehicles owned and purchased by the Northern Ireland Office are set out in the following table. The numbers are made up of cars, delivery vans and tractors.
| Owned | Purchased | |
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