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10 July 2008 : Column 1822W—continued
Teachers: Finance
Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what funding his Department has provided to defray the university tuition fees of newly-qualified teachers in each of the last five years; what the planned funding for each of the next five years is; and if he will make a statement. [217268]
Jim Knight: This Department does not provide funding specifically to defray the university tuition fees of people training to be teachers.
Teachers: Pay
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what funding his Department has allocated to the implementation of the new pay arrangements for part-time unqualified and supply teachers before the start of the 2008-09 academic year; and if he will make a statement. [217450]
Jim Knight: The proposed changes to pay arrangements for part-time, unqualified and short notice teachers for the 2008-09 academic year will have a minor administrative cost which can be met from within the existing funding settlement.
Teachers: Vacancies
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many teacher vacancies there were in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in (i) Bexley and (ii) London in the last period for which figures are available. [216883]
Jim Knight: The following table provides the number of vacancies for full-time qualified teachers in local authority maintained nursery/primary and secondary schools in Bexley local authority (LA) the London government office region and England for January 2007 and 2008, the latest information available at the local authority and regional levels respectively.
| Full-time vacancy( 1) numbers in local authority maintained nursery/primary and secondary schools schools( 2) —coverage: Bexley LA, London and England, January 2007 and 2008 | ||||||
| Bexley | London | England | ||||
| Nursery/primary | Secondary | Nursery/primary | Secondary | Nursery/primary | Secondary | |
| n/a = Not available. (1) Advertised vacancies for full-time permanent appointments (or appointments of at least one terms duration), includes vacancies being filled on a temporary basis by a teacher with a contract of less than one term. (2) Excludes city technology colleges and academies. (3) Provisional. Source: Annual survey of teacher numbers and vacancies, 618g | ||||||
The latest information on teacher vacancies was published in April 2008 at the following web link:
Vacancy numbers and rates for 2008 by local authority, including Bexley, are expected to be published in September.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Burma: Arms Trade
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2008, Official Report, column 1850W, on Burma: arms trade, how many times criterion 7 of the Consolidated EU and National Export and Licensing Criteria has been breached in respect of Burma since October 2007; and if he will list the instances. [216714]
Meg Munn: The EU arms embargo on Burma has been in place since 1996. We are not aware of any EU supplied equipment reaching Burma in breach of the embargo either directly or via a third country since October 2007. Were we to have concerns that goods covered by a UK export licence application might be diverted via a third country to Burma in breach of the embargo, and in contravention of criterion 7 of the EU and National Export Licensing Criteria, the application would be refused.
We continue to vigorously enforce the EU Common Position on Burma with the co-operation of our EU partners.
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2008, Official Report, column 1850W, on Burma: arms trade, what further UN action the Government has proposed relating to the regime in Burma in light of the undemocratic nature of the referendum on the constitution in May. [216726]
Meg Munn: On 2 May the UN Security Council (UNSC), under UK chairmanship, issued a presidential statement in advance of the 10 May referendum underlining the need for an inclusive and credible political process, including full participation of all political actors and ethnic groups and respect for fundamental political freedoms. The UNSC also reaffirmed its previous demands, including the release of all political prisoners.
Since 2 May, the humanitarian crisis in Burma caused by cyclone Nargis has been our priority. However, the political situation in the country remains a cause of deep concern and the need for political change is stronger than ever. The referendum was deeply flawed and the results lack all credibility.
We will work to refocus international efforts on the political situation and are exploring options with our international partners for further UN action, including in the UNSC, to encourage political progress. We continue to give our full support to the UN Secretary-General’s Good Offices Mission.
Central Africa: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the participation of Russia has been in the EU military operation in Chad. [216645]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The EU has encouraged third countries to support the UN-mandated EU military operation in Chad. This has led to an offer of assistance from Albania which was approved by the EU Council on 6 June. Russia has also offered assistance in the form of four transport helicopters. Deployment of these helicopters is unlikely to take place before mid-August, subject to the success of current technical negotiations in Brussels. We will keep the relevant parliamentary committees updated as the situation develops.
Democratic Republic of Congo: Armed Forces
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made by the Council Sanctions Committee on individual sanctions under UN Security Council Resolution 1698 against armed groups operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo that recruit child soldiers. [216747]
Meg Munn: The sanctions provisions of UN Security Council resolution (UNSCR) 1698 (2006) have been renewed by UNSCR 1807 (2008) which, inter alia, calls for sanctions to be applied to political and military leaders operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that are recruiting or using children in armed conflicts in violation of applicable international law.
The UN has designated 22 individuals and entities under DRC related sanctions for impeding the political process and/or violating the arms embargo. Although
no individuals have been specifically designated for the use of child soldiers, it is suspected that a number of designated individuals have recruited or used child soldiers in the territory of the DRC.
In February 2008, the UK called for further efforts to be made by the Government of the DRC on the use of child soldiers during an Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict at the UN. In June, the Security Council raised the issue of child soldiers with President Kabila during the Council’s visit to the DRC. The UK stands ready to consider the use of further sanctions against those recruiting or using children in armed conflicts in violation of UNSCR 1807 (2008).
Democratic Republic of Congo: Rape
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government supports the proposal for the International Criminal Court to open an investigation into the use of rape as a war crime in eastern Congo. [216723]
Meg Munn: The UK supports the efforts of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor to combat impunity in the Democratic Republic of Congo by investigating rape and widespread sexual violence within the whole spectrum of criminality that falls under the ICC’s jurisdiction.
Departmental Press Subscriptions
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent by his Department on subscriptions for magazines, newspapers and other publications in each of the last 24 months. [215210]
Meg Munn: The budget from which the monthly figures in the following table are reported includes all publications (newspapers, press cuttings, periodicals and electronic information subscriptions) used by staff in the UK and overseas to support the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s research and decision-making.
Variations in spend, by month, can be attributed to whether renewal of subscriptions are annual, quarterly or monthly.
| £ | ||
| 2007-08 | 2006-07 | |
Departmental Sick Leave
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many days of sick leave were taken by his Department’s employees in each year since 1997. [216699]
Meg Munn: The number of days on which UK civil servants employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office were absent because of illness are set out in the following table:
| Days of recorded absence for sickness | ||
| Total number | Average per employee | |
We do not hold central records for staff sickness absences before 2005.
Diplomatic Service: Essex
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many residences of foreign diplomats there are in (a) Castle Point and (b) Essex. [216497]
Meg Munn: According to our records, there are no foreign diplomats currently living in Castle Point and 21 foreign diplomats currently living in Essex.
Iraq: Asylum
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications have been received from Iraqi nationals for UK assistance under the (a) Gateway and (b) Locally Employed Staff Assistance Scheme; from which countries these applications have been received; and if he will make a statement. [217009]
Meg Munn: The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees is responsible for referring cases to the UK Border Agency (UKBA) for consideration under the Gateway Protection Programme. To date, UKBA has received 422 applications from Iraqi nationals for resettlement under the Gateway Programme.
We have received a total of 1,247 applications under the Locally Employed (LE) Staff Assistance Scheme. 817 of these are from former staff for consideration under the Gateway Programme of which 351 have been assessed as eligible. Of these, 175 have chosen the financial package, 144 have opted for Gateway and 32 have yet to express their preference.
The vast majority of applications for assistance under the LE Scheme have come from Iraq but we have also received some from Jordan, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Canada, Thailand, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, India and the UK.
Members: Correspondence
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department plans to reply to the e-mails of 22 April 2008 and 6 June 2008 from the office of the hon. Member for Eastbourne relating to his constituent Mrs. Dennison and her grandchildren who are unable to leave Iraq. [216732]
Meg Munn: The e-mails of 22 April 2008 and 6 June 2008 have been forwarded to the UK Border Agency who will be replying to the hon. Member.
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