| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
13 Mar 2008 : Column 634W—continued
Secure Training Centres: Restraint Techniques
Ms Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what response has been made to the Rule 43 report made on 20 July 2007 by HM Coroner Judge Pollard following the inquest into the death of 15-year-old Gareth Myatt. [193412]
Mr. Hanson: My right hon. Friend the Minister for Children, Young People and Families (Beverley Hughes) and I intend to announce shortly the action we have taken and are taking in response to the coroner’s recommendations.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Afghanistan: Drugs
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of (a) the volume of (i) cannabis and (ii) opium production and (b) the area of land under cultivation for (A) cannabis and (B) opium production in Afghanistan in each year since 1998; and if he will make a statement. [192851]
Meg Munn: The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducts annual surveys of opium cultivation in Afghanistan. While UNODC does not conduct specific cannabis cultivation surveys in Afghanistan, it provides estimates based upon interviews with village elders while undertaking its opium survey. We remain concerned by the total opium cultivation figures, but welcome the UNODC's findings that it expects cultivation to “decrease slightly in 2008”. Poppy cultivation has increased primarily in the south, where insecurity is greatest. Where security, alternative livelihoods and governance exists, poppy cultivation has fallen: in 2007, the number of poppy free provinces doubled from six to 13. This year we hope to see further progress and support the Government of Afghanistan's target of over half of all provinces going poppy free in 2008. The following data is drawn from the UNODC surveys.
Burma: Ethnic Groups
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on the assassination of the General Secretary of the Karen National Union, Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan; [192880]
(2) what steps he has taken to raise the assassination of the General Secretary of the Karen National Union (a) with the regime in Burma, (b) with the Royal Thai Government and (c) the United Nations. [192881]
Meg Munn: The death of the Secretary-General of the Karen National Union, Pado Mahn Sha, on 14 February, further underlines the need for a comprehensive and equitable settlement of Burma’s ethnic conflicts. The failure of the regime’s roadmap to meet the aspirations of the ethnic groups, including the Karen, for a greater degree of autonomy, is fuelling internal divisions and violence.
We continue to raise a range of issues relating to the ethnic groups with our partners in the region, internationally and with representatives of the ethnic groups themselves, including the exile community. I raised the issue of the death of Pado Mahn Sha with the Thai Minister of Interior during my visit to Thailand on 29 February. Meeting the aspirations of the ethnic groups was a fundamental demand in the UN presidential statement of 11 October 2007.
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the Government has had with the Karen National Union on (a) the security and humanitarian situation in Karen State and (b) the political situation in Burma. [192882]
Meg Munn:
We remain engaged with a wide range of stakeholders and representatives of the ethnic groups in Burma. We are concerned about the situation in Karen State. Attacks carried out by the Burmese army on civilians in northern and western Karen State have been particularly intense over the past two years These have resulted in a significant increase in the number of internally displaced people and refugees on the Thai/Burmese border We have repeatedly called for a halt to such offensives and have urged both the military regime and the Karen National Union to intensify their efforts to find a peaceful settlement that will bring about a permanent end to the conflict. We continue to support Aung San Suu Kyi’s statement of 8 November 2007 calling for a genuine national dialogue between
the government, opposition parties and ethnic groups in Burma. We believe that this statement is all the more relevant in light of the regime’s announcement to hold a referendum on the constitution in May 2008 and elections in 2010. If the process is to lead to national reconciliation and stability, it must allow for the full participation of opposition and ethnic groups.
Burma: Sanctions
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on targeted financial sanctions on those associated with the military regime in Burma. [192890]
Meg Munn: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister for the Middle East (Dr. Howells) gave on 26 February 2008, Official Report, columns 1363-64W to the hon. Member for Mid-Norfolk (Mr. Simpson).
The EU listed companies with links to the Burmese military regime in its new package of measures agreed in October 2007.
EU member states are currently considering further restrictive measures against Burma.
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) of 4 March 2008, Official Report, column 2355W, on Burma: sanctions, by what means options for extending existing measures against members of the military regime in Burma to include targeted banking sanctions are being considered; and by what date he expects such consideration to be complete. [192967]
Meg Munn: The EU common position on Burma includes a ban on investment and the provision of financial services to certain enterprises linked to the military regime. It also includes an asset freeze, which targets the regime leadership, the senior ranks of the military and their family members.
The UK is still exploring with its EU partners how best to target financial transactions owned or controlled by Burmese officials. As discussions are still continuing I am unable to comment on specific nominations under discussion as to do so could risk asset flight.
No date has yet been set to present the conclusions of these discussions.
China: Human Rights
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a Chinese delegation last visited the UK as part of the UK-China human rights dialogue; when he expects such a delegation to next visit the UK; and with what frequency such visits have taken place in the last three years. [193063]
Meg Munn:
A Chinese delegation last visited the UK as part of the 15th round of the UK-China human rights dialogue in February 2007. The dialogue rotates between London and Beijing and we expect to receive the next Chinese delegation as part of the 17th round in the UK later this year. There have been two UK visits as part of the dialogue in the last three years. In
addition, during our presidency of the EU, the UK hosted a third visit in December 2005 as part of the EU-China human rights dialogue. Outside this process, we continue to welcome a range of Chinese delegations with interests in governance and rule of law issues.
Colombia: Radioactive Materials
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of recent claims by the Government of Colombia alleging the intention of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia to produce a radioactive explosive; and if he will make a statement. [192975]
Meg Munn: We are aware of the Colombian Government's statement that they have come into the possession of information suggesting that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has been seeking to obtain uranium. It would be a great concern if the FARC, a terrorist organisation proscribed by the EU, was involved in the procurement of radioactive material. We will monitor this situation closely.
Committee on the Grant of Honours Decorations and Medals
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what rules govern appointments to the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals; [193791]
(2) what criteria he applies in appointing members to the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals. [193793]
Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is not responsible for the committee or for appointments to the committee. Appointments are made on an ex officio basis. The Secretariat for the committee is based in the Cabinet Office.
Members of the committee serve on an ex officio basis, as follows:
Secretary of the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood;
Defence Services Secretary;
Permanent Secretary, Home Office;
Permanent Under-Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office,
Her Majesty The Queen's Private Secretary;
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence; and
Head of the Home Civil Service and Cabinet Secretary is the Chair.
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how often the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals meets; and where the minutes of its meetings are published. [193792]
Meg Munn: The committee normally transacts business by correspondence. It met three times during 2005 and 2006 to consider papers relating to the programme of reform of the honours system. Minutes are not published.
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals uses when making recommendations to Her Majesty on whether foreign campaign medals may be accepted; and whether these criteria have ever been set aside. [193826]
Meg Munn: The criteria are set out in the Government’s rules governing the acceptance and wearing of foreign orders, decorations and dedals by citizens of the UK and her overseas territories. The Pingat Jasa Malaysia required a special exception in 2006. Similar exceptions were made for medals from the Saudi and Kuwaiti Governments after the first gulf war, as well as for the Greek War Medal, in 1992.
I will arrange for copies of the rules governing the acceptance and wearing of foreign orders, decorations and medals by citizens of the UK and her overseas territories to be placed in the Library of the House.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |