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15 May 2008 : Column 1769W—continued
GCE A-Level
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many students gained (a) an A level and (b) an AS level in (i) accounting, (ii) art and design, (iii) business studies, (iv) communication studies, (v) dance, (vi) design and technology, (vii) drama/theatre studies, (viii) film studies, (ix) health and social care, (x) home economics, (xi) information and communication technology, (xii) leisure studies, (xiii) media studies, (xiv) music technology, (xv) performance studies, (xvi) performing arts, (xvii) photography, (xviii) physical education, (xix) sports studies and (xx) travel and tourism in each of the last five years. [205772]
Jim Knight: I have been asked to reply.
The information has been placed in the House Library.
Office of Fair Trading: Complaints
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many complaints he has received on the Office of Fair Trading in relation to its work on the home maintenance, repairs and improvements sector. [203922]
Mr. Thomas: I have been asked to reply.
In the last year for which figures are available (2007) the Office of Fair Trading (including Consumer Direct) received 73,443 such complaints about home maintenance, repairs and improvements.
Research Councils: Finance
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps his Department has taken to safeguard research council budgets against the effects of international currency fluctuations; and if he will make a statement. [204996]
Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the supplementary evidence provided in Memorandum 38 to the Select Committee on Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills following the oral evidence session on 20 February 2008, and subsequently published by the Committee.
Technology: Training
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent progress has been made in developing vocational training in the fields of emerging technologies. [205325]
Bill Rammell:
The FE reform programme which we have implemented since the FE White Paper ‘Further Education: Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances published in March 2006’ is transforming the Post 16 vocational system to one which is demand led. This will enable new and emerging industries to develop the skilled workforce they will need. We have instituted a process of vocational reform inviting sector skills councils, on behalf of employers, to undertake sector skills reviews to identify key vocational qualifications for the future of their sectors. World-class apprenticeships commit us to boost the range of apprenticeships and we would expect the new National Apprenticeship Service to identify the skills needs of business involved with emerging technologies and to work with sector skills bodies to develop appropriate frameworks. Train to Gain enables employers to support the development of the workforce. Foundation Degrees Forward, an independent body funded by HEFCE, supports the development and validation of high quality Foundation Degrees. They support employer engagement across higher education programmes generally and in relation to Foundation degrees specifically. To support FE reforms the Quality Improvement Agency have recently refocused the National Teaching and Learning Change Programme enabling it to respond to local and regional needs more
flexibly. This will enable teachers and lecturers to identify new teaching subjects and develop the skills learners' needs.
In addition the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Technology Strategy Board has issued a call to fund up to two new Innovation and Knowledge Centres (IKCs), each of up to £9.45 million support over five years. IKCs will promote the early commercialisation of world class research, by combining within a single integrated centre the best research with the best business development, market analysis and commercialisation skills and partnerships to accelerate its exploitation. For each centre provision has been made to support postgraduate training.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Afghanistan
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effects of the outcome of the NATO Bucharest Summit on UK policy on Afghanistan. [205053]
Meg Munn: The Bucharest summit was an important success for Afghanistan. Attendance of all the key players demonstrated a truly international and comprehensive approach in working towards our common goals in Afghanistan. At the summit, the UK, along with our allies and partners, reaffirmed our common determination to help the people and the elected government of Afghanistan.
The key areas of UK policy in Afghanistan, laid out by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in his 12 December 2007 statement to the House, were greater Afghan ownership, localisation and reconstruction. These are fully reflected in the Strategic Vision declaration made by contributing nations to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan at the Bucharest summit, which sets out clearly ISAF's aims and objectives for Afghanistan. We also welcomed the increased troop contributions announced at Bucharest which addressed the issue of improving burden sharing, also a key priority for my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.
Colombia: Human Rights
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what training on (a) human rights and (b) other issues the Government has provided to the High Mountain Battalion in Colombia in the last five years. [205028]
Meg Munn: UK assistance to Colombia focuses on counter-narcotics, human rights and international humanitarian law, and humanitarian de-mining. We do not disclose any aspect of our counter-narcotics assistance, and the parliamentary ombudsman has upheld this decision, as to do so would endanger the lives of those involved in this vital and dangerous work. However all assistance has human rights at its foundation, and is carefully monitored to ensure its integrity.
The Ministry of Defence do not provide training to whole units such as the “High Mountain Battalions”, though some of their officers and soldiers may well have received human rights and de-mining training from either UK staff, or from Colombian staff who have received UK human rights training.
Departmental Data Protection
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many officials in his Department have been disciplined or dismissed for (a) breaches of data protection requirements and (b) inappropriate use of personal and sensitive data in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [205234]
Meg Munn: No officials in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have been disciplined or dismissed for either breaches of data protection requirements or inappropriate use of personal and sensitive data in the last three years.
Departmental Internet
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the (a) responsibilities are and (b) grade is of his Department’s new head of digital engagement. [204821]
David Miliband: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) new head of digital engagement was appointed in March 2008. Their responsibilities are:
to develop and deliver a top-level FCO internet strategy through which the FCO will use its new web platform, and the web more broadly, to deliver foreign policy outcomes; and
to commission and oversee the work of the FCO’s e-media team.
The head of digital engagement is graded FCO D7 (home civil service grade 6).
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the budget for his Department’s new website will be spent on the design of embassy and high commission websites. [204822]
David Miliband: Most of the templates and functionality of the embassy and high commission websites are shared with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) main site to maximise efficiencies across the sites. It is therefore not possible to extract the proportion of resources spent on the embassy and high commission websites—they are all part of the same FCO web platform. My answer to PQ 204823 sets out the total costs.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the budget for his Department’s new departmental website. [204823]
David Miliband: The recent upgrade of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) corporate website is part of a wider project to deliver a new web platform and improved web presence for the FCO over five years.
The work will provide a single technical platform for all the FCO websites (including the main FCO website, Arabic and Urdu versions of the FCO website, UKvisas website, the FCO Freedom of Information website, and 229 embassy, high commission and special mission sites in multiple languages) as well as new designs, content, functionality and a new hub and spoke model for delivering business support.
The project will complete in September 2008, by which time all of the FCO posts websites will have joined the new platform and will operate under the central domain fco.gov.uk
The initial cost of £9.7 million for the web platform was set out in the answer given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield Heeley (Meg Munn) on 30 January 2008, Official Report, column 398W. The project is on target to cost £19.2 million over five years. This includes running costs, for example hosting and support, and some staff salaries. The cost of the project to date is £9.2 million which breaks down as follows:
consultancy (procurement, legal and business change advice): £1.631 million;
project management and support: £1.065 million;
software, development and implementation (including design and roll-out): £6.115 million; and
other (including training costs): £0.389 million.
The web is vital for the delivery of the FCO’s departmental strategic objectives. More people, in the UK and overseas, have contact with the FCO through the web than through any other channel. The FCO is committed to using the web to deliver its policy goals as well as key services such as travel advice and visa information.
The project has followed the Office of Government Commerce Gateway Review process and is delivering on time and to budget.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether a review was undertaken before the decision to approve funding for his Department’s new website. [204899]
David Miliband: A comprehensive review of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) online activity was undertaken during the summer of 2005 by digital agency Rufas Leonard. This produced a web strategy which set the direction for the development of the FCO’s web presence for the next five to seven years. This strategy underpinned the business case for the development of the FCO’s new websites which was approved by the FCO’s Investment Committee in January 2006. The project to redevelop the new websites has also been subject to the Office of Government Commerce Gateway Review Process and was rated green at both Gateway 3 and 4.
Departmental Manpower
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 29 February 2008, Official Report, column 2022W, on departmental manpower, how many of the employees under 18 years of age are receiving at least one day’s training per week. [204935]
Meg Munn: Two of these employees are on three year engineering apprenticeships and have been receiving the equivalent of one day’s training per week. The three year apprenticeship is considered to be all training, whether on-the-job working in various sections or at college. The third employee is on a fixed term contract and not on an apprentice scheme.
Departmental Official Residences
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) under what type of tenure the Government owns 1 Carlton Gardens; [205406]
(2) what plans he has for the use of 1 Carlton Gardens in the next three years. [205408]
Meg Munn: We are currently in negotiation with The Crown Estate about the future of the lease on 1 Carlton Gardens.
Departmental Orders and Regulations
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many statutory instruments have been (a) made and (b) revoked by Ministers in his Department since 1997. [204767]
Meg Munn: 315 Statutory Instruments have been made on the part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office since 1 January 1997 to the present day.
The information on how many statutory instruments have been revoked on the part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office since 1 January 1997 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
EU Presidency
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent (a) representations he has made to and (b) discussions he has had with (i) other EU member states and (ii) EU institutions on potential candidates for the proposed post of President of the European Council; and if he will make a statement. [204841]
Mr. Jim Murphy: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has regular contact with all of our EU partners and with the EU institutions on a variety of issues.
As set out in my letters of 22 April to the Chairs of the Commons European Scrutiny Committee and Lords EU Select Committee, technical level discussions to prepare for implementation have begun. While it is only sensible to ensure that the EU is ready to implement the treaty—if all countries have ratified—we have made it clear to and agreed with our EU partners that no final decisions can be taken until ratification is confirmed.
Discussions on the identity of the new full-time President of the European Council will take place at the appropriate time. This decision and others will, of course, depend on ratification of the treaty by all 27 member states.
France: State Visits
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost to the public purse was of the Prime Minister’s joint press conference with the President of France held at the Emirates stadium on 27 March. [204928]
Mr. Jim Murphy: Costs specifically attributable to holding the joint press conference amounted to £8,561.16. There were additional costs associated with the hosting of the UK-France Summit.
Gaza: Fuels
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers and (c) officials in his Department have had with the President of the Palestinian Authority about the reported blocking of fuel supplies to hospitals and clinics in the Gaza Strip by Hamas; and if he will make a statement. [205060]
Meg Munn: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met Palestinian President Abbas on 18 December 2007. Our Consulate General in Jerusalem also maintains regular dialogue, with him and his office, about the humanitarian situation. My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for International Development met Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad when he visited this month and discussed Gaza among other issues. The UK supports all efforts to resume the normal operation of the Gaza crossing.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers and (c) officials in his Department have had with Arab governments about the reported blocking of fuel supplies to hospitals and clinics in the Gaza Strip by Hamas; and if he will make a statement. [205061]
Meg Munn: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary co-hosted high level meetings, on 2 May in London, which involved discussions with Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia as well as Foreign Ministers from outside the region. During the meetings the humanitarian effect of fuel shortages was discussed. Our embassies around the region also discuss these issues frequently with their host governments. The UK supports efforts to resume the normal operations of the Gaza crossing.
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