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13 Oct 2008 : Column 958W—continued
| Table 3: Number of persons claiming jobseeker's allowance resident in Leeds and Yorkshire and the Humber | ||
| Leeds | Yorkshire and the Humber | |
| Source: Job Centre Plus Administrative System. | ||
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Ascension Island
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what procedure will operate in relation to the UK’s Atlantic seabed claim around Ascension Island; what the deadline is for objections to be made; who may object; what the deadline is for a decision on the claim; for what reasons the UK has made the claim; and if he will make a statement. [223487]
Gillian Merron: In accordance with article 76 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, on 9 May 2008, the UK submitted to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, information on the limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the coastline of Ascension Island.
Under the Rules of Procedure of the Commission, the executive summary of the submission was made public and circulated to all UN member states (a copy can be found at:
A period of at least three months then had to follow before the submission could be formally heard by the Commission, during which time any and all member states of the United Nations had the right to transmit Notes Verbale making observations on, or objecting to, the submission.
No such observations or objections having been made, the UK formally presented its submission to the Commission in New York on 27 August 2008.
We expect that the Commission will now proceed to establish a sub-commission of seven members to examine the UK submission. The time scale for this will depend on the overall work load of the Commission. There is no deadline for a decision.
Once satisfied, the Commission will make its recommendations to the UK regarding the establishment of the outer limits of the continental shelf around Ascension Island. In line with the provisions of the convention, the limits subsequently established shall be final and binding in international law.
In 2006, the UK made another submission to the Commission—jointly with France, Ireland and Spain—in respect of the sea bed in the bay of Biscay. We await the Commission’s recommendations.
UK officials and scientists are also in the process of examining two further areas of continental shelf where the geological conditions may exist to justify further submissions—in the ‘Hatton Rockall Area’ of the North East Atlantic, and around the Falkland Island islands and South Georgia. In both instances, the UK will take appropriate action before May 2009, as required by the convention.
The UK has confirmed to the Commission that it is not submitting data for the continental shelf around the British Antarctic Territory, but that it reserves the right to do so in future.
The UK—and many other countries—is taking these actions in order to safeguard for the future its sovereign rights over its continental shelf, where the conditions laid down by the convention allow. It is an orderly process, entirely in line with international law, and recognised by the UN General Assembly.
British Overseas Territories: Historic Buildings
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many historic assets there are in each of the British overseas territories; what estimate he has made of the value of such overseas heritage assets; whether there is a registered list of overseas assets; and who has responsibility for managing such overseas assets. [222384]
Gillian Merron: The British overseas territories have listed the following historical assets. As agreed with my hon. Friend, these include historical and heritage sites covering churches, forts, caves, cemeteries, buildings and officially recognised World Heritage sites:
| Overseas territory | Number of heritage/historical sites |
| (1 )The figure for Bermuda includes buildings of architectural interest as well as historical and heritage sites. A separate list of historical and heritage sites does not exist. (2) Figures are currently unavailable. Due to recent hurricane activity in the Turks and Caicos Islands. We will forward details as soon as they are available. | |
An estimate of the value of these assets has not been carried out. Most of the overseas territories maintain a list or register of their historical and heritage sites. These sites are owned by overseas territory Governments, private individuals, who own the majority of the sites, non-governmental organisations and, in very few cases, by the British Government, for example the Governor's former residence in Plymouth, Montserrat and land and properties in the British Indian ocean territories. The responsibility for managing the sites lies with the owner of the individual site in accordance with local legislation and regulations.
Iran: Nuclear Power
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy is expected next to meet Iranian nuclear negotiators to discuss Iran's nuclear programme; and if he will make a statement. [224190]
David Miliband: There are no such meetings scheduled at present. However, the E3+3 engagement offer remains on the table, and Javier Solana will continue to make himself available for a meeting with the Iranians on behalf of the E3+3.
Iran: United Nations
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to meet next his counterparts from the permanent membership of the UN Security Council and Germany to discuss a new UN Security Council Resolution on Iran; and if he will make a statement. [224189]
David Miliband:
The UK, US, France, Germany, Russia and China hold a close dialogue on the Iranian nuclear issue, and met at official and ministerial levels
during the recent UN General Assembly. The result was the unanimous adoption of new Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1835 on 27 September, which calls upon Iran to comply without delay to the requirements of UNSCRs 1969, 1737, 1747 and 1803 and suspend its nuclear programme. Consultations between all six states continue.
Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has received from the Contingency Reserve in respect of the civilian costs of crisis management in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan in each of the last five years; what contingency funding is foreseen; and if he will make a statement. [220642]
David Miliband: All funding received by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) from the Treasury Reserve is reported to Parliament as part of the estimates process. The FCO does not hold disaggregated information relating to the civilian costs of crisis management in Iraq and Afghanistan, and this could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Any future requests for funding will be reported through the estimates process in the usual way.
Somalia: Piracy
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what involvement the UK has in counter-piracy measures in and around Somali waters. [224467]
Gillian Merron: We have been working with EU and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) partners to consider options to counter-piracy in the region, both directly and through development activity to undermine it at its roots. In support of UN Security Council resolution 1816, the EU has set up a cell in Brussels to co-ordinate EU activity in the region, and the EU and NATO are considering options to undertake further naval action. We have also supported the French drafting of a new UN Security Council resolution which aims to strengthen the international community’s response to piracy.
Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether a report has been made available by the UN on the recent conflict in Abyei, Sudan; and what effect on the operation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement the conflict has had. [223577]
Gillian Merron: The fighting in Abyei in mid-May could have posed a serious threat to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. The National Congress party and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement have shown their commitment to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement by agreeing a Roadmap on 8 June to resolve the Abyei dispute which has been an obstacle to implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. We are working with both parties and with international partners to implement fully the Abyei Roadmap and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
We expect the UN to report on the Abyei conflict in the next report of the Secretary-General on the Sudan, which is due in November.
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his (a) EU and (b) UN Security Council member counterparts on the situation in Darfur. [224295]
Gillian Merron: My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN have had regular discussions with EU and UN Security Council partners on the Darfur peace process and the deployment of the UN-Africa Union peacekeeping mission, including most recently at the UN General Assembly in New York on 24-27 September. The Foreign Secretary, on his visit to Khartoum on 9 July, also raised the situation in Darfur with President Bashir of Sudan.
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