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25 Feb 2008 : Column 1135W—continued
Departmental Property
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what property has been lost or stolen from his Department since 1997; and what the cost of replacement was. [187465]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The Wales Office was established in July 1999. Since 1999 our records show that we have lost:
| £ | |
There have been no items reported stolen.
Departmental Sick Pay
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the cost of sickness pay to staff within his Department was in the most recent year for which figures are available. [187507]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The cost of sickness pay is not readily available in the format requested, and obtaining this could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.
However, in 2006-07, which is the latest year for which figures have been published, of all Government Departments the Wales Office had the lowest number of days lost due to sickness per member of staff, at just 1.6 days in the year.
Departmental Travel
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department spent on first class travel in the last 12 months for which figures are available, broken down by staff grade. [187658]
Mr. Paul Murphy: My Department has spent the following amounts on first class travel in 2007:
| £ | |
The breakdown by staff grade can be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.
My Office is split over two sites, namely London and Cardiff, and staff are required to travel frequently between both offices. The Wales Office, however, makes good use of advanced ticket bookings to achieve value for money.
Fair Trade Initiative
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to promote Fair Trade Fortnight 2008 among staff within his Department; and if he will make a statement. [189500]
Mr. Paul Murphy: My Department does not have any in-house catering facilities. Where possible, taking account of value for money, fair trade products are used.
To support Fair Trade Fortnight 2008, an e-mail, alerting all staff to the event, and linking them to the Fair Trade website, has been sent.
Olympics
Humanitarian Assistance Unit
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what the cost of her Department's Humanitarian Assistance Unit was in each of the last three years. [186987]
Tessa Jowell: The total cost of the unit and its work since it was established in 2005 is as follows:
| £ | |
| (1) Not full year (2) To date | |
Olympic Games 2012: Gun Sports
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Minister for the Olympics whether she has plans to move the 2012 Olympics shooting events to sites other than Woolwich. [188744]
Tessa Jowell: There are no plans to move the shooting event to an alternative venue.
The Royal Artillery barracks at Woolwich was selected as the venue for Olympic and Paralympic shooting events in 2012 following feedback from the International Olympic Committee and consultation with the International Shooting Federation and British Shooting (the national governing body). Woolwich has the advantage of being close to the Olympic Park and Village, which will improve the athlete and spectator experience. The decision to stage the event at Woolwich is now part of the Host City Contract with the IOC.
Olympic Games 2012: Wildlife
Tom Brake: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what recent progress has been made on the relocation of (a) wildlife and (b) feral cats from the Olympic site at Stratford; and if she will make a statement. [187076]
Tessa Jowell: In parallel with ongoing site clearance and preparation works, the Olympic Delivery Authority continues its comprehensive ecology programme to ensure the preservation and protection of wildlife in the Olympic Park. Where possible, habitats are being safeguarded and will remain in place but, where wildlife cannot be protected sufficiently on-site, the ODA is working with the nearby Waterworks Nature Reserve and Hackney council to create alternative habitats in the local area. The ODA is also preparing a small nature reserve at East Marsh to become home to a variety of wildlife including birds, frogs, spiders and beetles with planting scheduled to commence in the spring.
To date, thousands of newts and hundreds of toads have been translocated to specially created ponds on the Waterworks Reserve and aquatics experts have moved fish away from the clearance and dredging works on the Pudding Mill river to the nearby river Lea. New nest areas suitable for the breeding and feeding patterns of kingfishers and sand martins have also been created at the Waterworks.
The ODA is also working with the Celia Hammond Animal Trust (CHAT) to ensure the well-being and safe capture of any feral cats remaining on the site. To date, around 170 cats have been safely taken off site for re-homing by the trust. The ODA continues to work closely with the trust to allow access to those areas safe from construction activities.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Embassies: Industrial Disputes
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what undertakings were given to staff at the British embassy in Dublin on local labour relations procedures and the treatment of industrial relations disputes. [187044]
Mr. Jim Murphy: Our embassy in Dublin has regularly informed staff that it is committed to handling labour relations in accordance with good employer practice, local employment law and the (non-binding) procedural agreement signed in 2003 between our embassy and the Unite trade union.
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to promote dialogue between the British embassy in Dublin and the Unite trade union within the framework of the Labour Relations Commission apparatus in Ireland. [187247]
Mr. Jim Murphy: Our embassy in Dublin and Unite, acting on behalf of the embassy's local Staff Association, reached a mutually satisfactory agreement on the consequences for staff of the restructuring of the UK Trade and Investment section on 21 February.
Embassies: Redundancy
Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) voluntary and (b) compulsory redundancies of Irish employees are planned at the British embassy in Dublin; and if he will make a statement. [187249]
Mr. Jim Murphy: Three compulsory redundancies were made recently at our embassy in Dublin, as a result of UK Trade and Investment's (UKTI) wider restructuring of their global network in line with their new strategic priorities.
Our embassy and Unite, acting on behalf of the embassy's local Staff Association, reached a mutually satisfactory agreement on the consequences for staff of the restructuring of the UKTI section.
Equatorial Guinea: Human Rights
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the record of Equatorial Guinea in (a) according fair trials to and (b) observing the human rights of individuals held captive in Black Beach prison. [188534]
Meg Munn [holding answer 22 February 2008]: The Government have serious concerns over Equatorial Guinea’s human rights record.
We are aware of recent reports that express concern over the situation in Equatorial Guinea as regards individuals' right to a fair trial and the country’s observation of human rights. Such reports include the Amnesty International Report 2007 and the report of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, available at:
While such reporting indicates that conditions in Black Beach prison are improving, following the introduction of a new block in 2005, the overall situation remains of concern.
Iraq: Asylum
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Iraqi locally-employed staff were granted asylum in 2007; and how many he expects to be granted asylum in 2008. [185043]
Mr. Byrne [holding answer 5 February 2008]: I have been asked to reply.
The information on how many Iraqi locally employed staff were granted asylum in 2007 is not collated centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
It would not possible to speculate how many Iraqi locally engaged staff may be granted asylum in 2008 as every asylum application is considered on its individual merits in accordance with the criteria defined in the 1951 UN Convention relating to the status of refugees.
Kosovo
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will hold discussions with his counterparts in (a) Spain, (b) Cyprus, (c) Greece, (d) Romania, (e) Bulgaria and (f) Slovakia on the declaration of independence of Kosovo. [187789]
Mr. Jim Murphy: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed Kosovo's declaration of independence with his colleagues from EU countries, including from Spain, Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia at the 18 February General Affairs and External Relations Council.
The Council unanimously agreed conclusions setting out a clear EU response to developments in Kosovo. The EU has agreed a range of political and practical assistance to Kosovo (deploying a police and rule of law mission and special representative; assisting with economic and political development). The conclusions noted that member states could decide on their relations with Kosovo in accordance with national practice.
I also refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on Kosovo on 19 February 2008, Official Report, columns 20-22WS.
Simon Mann
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 18 February 2008, Official Report, column 180W, on Simon Mann, what the reasons are for his view that the (a) threat and (b) use of sanctions against Equatorial Guinea would be incompatible with securing the welfare of Simon Mann. [188532]
Meg Munn [holding answer 22 February 2008]: As stated in my written answer to the hon. Member on 18 February 2008, Official Report, column 180W, the Government’s main concern is for Mr. Mann’s immediate welfare.
Our objective in dealing with the Equatorial Guinean authorities is to maintain open lines of communication, with a view to regular access to Simon Mann and ensuring that he is treated in line with international standards.
We do not believe that sanctions would be conducive to facilitating dialogue with the Equatorial Guinean government.
Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the government of Equatorial Guinea declining to accept the legitimacy of any trial of Simon Mann by that government following his abduction to that country from Zimbabwe. [188531]
Meg Munn [holding answer 22 February 2008]: The issue of the legality of Mr. Mann’s removal from Zimbabwe and its implications for any subsequent trial are a matter for Mr. Mann’s legal representatives to take forward in Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea.
We have expressed our concern to the Zimbabwean authorities following Mr. Mann’s transfer to Equatorial Guinea.
The Equatorial Guinean authorities have assured us that Mr. Mann will receive a fair trial, in accordance with international law, and that he will be free to appoint a lawyer.
We will make representations to the Equatorial Guinea authorities if Mr. Mann’s trial does not follow internationally recognised standards for a fair trial.
Timor Leste: Politics and Government
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the political and security situation in East Timor; and if he will make a statement. [187938]
Meg Munn: We were extremely concerned to learn of the attacks on President Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Gusmao on 11 February and hope that Dr. Ramos-Horta makes a speedy recovery. A Foreign and Commonwealth Office official visited Dili last week and met with a variety of key interlocutors. He assessed the security situation to be calm, although outbreaks of violence could happen without warning.
There can be no justification for these attacks. We hope that law enforcement authorities will be able to bring those responsible for the outrage to justice and that stability will be maintained in East Timor. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has written to Prime Minister Gusmao, condemning the attacks.
We fully support the vital work of the UN Mission to East Timor and the International Stabilisation Force in their efforts to help bring about peace and stability.
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