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12 Jan 2009 : Column 380W—continued
We have not yet made a final decision as to whether or not to make further donations to meet the Committee's budgetary requirements.
Western Sahara
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer of 25 November 2008, Official Report, column 1214W, on Western Sahara: politics and government, whether he has discussed with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights the Government's position on human rights monitoring in the Western Sahara. [244262]
Bill Rammell: I have had no recent discussions on human rights monitoring in Western Sahara with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The UK strongly supports UNHCR's activities in Western Sahara as elsewhere. The UK continues to believe that the resolution of humanitarian questions should not await the conclusion of a political settlement. The UK, along with EU partners, has called on Morocco and the Polisario to deal with outstanding human rights issues and implement measures that will increase people's confidence.
I understand the High Commissioner will visit the region early next year and I wish her a successful visit.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations on Morocco's continued occupation of Western Sahara to the Moroccan ambassador to the UK. [244263]
Gillian Merron: The UK supports the negotiation process initiated in Manhasset in 2007 to achieve a political outcome to the Western Sahara question. We hope a further round of talks will take place soon. UNSCR 1813 adopted on 30 April 2008 called on the parties to continue to show political will and to work in an atmosphere propitious for dialogue in order to enter into a more intensive and substantive phase of negotiation. The UK has reiterated the words of the UNSG, calling on the parties to work with a spirit of realism and compromise towards a mutually acceptable political solution that will provide for self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
My officials regularly discuss the issue of Western Sahara with their Moroccan counterparts including the Moroccan ambassador to the UK. I discussed Western Sahara with the Moroccan Foreign Minister at the Euromed Conference in Marseille on 3 November.
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has discussed with his Moroccan counterpart the movement of Moroccan settlers to occupied Western Sahara and the application of the Geneva Convention to such settlements; and if he will make a statement. [244367]
Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary did discuss Western Sahara, and specifically human rights, with the Moroccan Foreign Minister Fassi Fihri in November, at the Union for the Mediterranean Ministerial meeting in Marseille. Neither my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary nor I have discussed the issue of migration between Morocco and Western Sahara with our Moroccan counterparts.
The UK continues to believe that progress towards a negotiated solution to the dispute in Western Sahara providing for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, is best achieved under the auspices of the United Nations. To this end and in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution (1813) of 30 April, the UK fully supports the efforts of the UN in this respect and looks forward to the appointment of a new UN Secretary General Personal Envoy to the Western Sahara, and the resumption of the Manhasset negotiations.
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the killing of two Saharawi students on 1 December 2008; and what action the ambassador in Rabat has taken. [244369]
Bill Rammell: Two Saharawi students were crushed by a bus on 1 December 2008 in the coach station of Agadir. The coach station was busier than normal with a high number of passengers seeking to travel to their home cities to celebrate the festival of Eid Al Adha with their families. Local media reports claim that a coach company declined to accept students in possession of vouchers for free transport and some of those students attempted to prevent the coach from leaving the station. Unfortunately two students were fatally injured during the ensuing commotion.
The Attorney-General in Morocco directed the police to conduct a probe into the incident and the coach driver has been placed in police custody. Following the
incident there were demonstrations at university campuses at which some students were arrested but subsequently released.
The British embassy in Morocco has been monitoring the situation in region.
Western Sahara: Fisheries
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to press for the exclusion of Western Saharan waters from any new agreement to replace the current EU-Morocco Fisheries Agreement on its expiry. [244921]
Bill Rammell: As with previous fisheries agreements, the EU-Morocco Fisheries Agreement applies to
“the Moroccan fisheries zone under the sovereignty or jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Morocco”.
The fisheries agreement does not in any way prejudice the issue of the status of Western Sahara. The UK continues to believe that progress towards a negotiated solution to the dispute in Western Sahara providing for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, is best achieved under the auspices of the United Nations. To this end and in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution (1813) of 30 April, the UK fully supports the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his staff, and the negotiation process currently underway.
Western Sahara: Politics and Government
Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer of 6 October 2008, Official Report, column 240, on Western Sahara: politics and government, what progress has been made by the UN in its negotiations with the Moroccan government on compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1813. [243806]
Bill Rammell: The UN Security Council adopted UN Security Council Resolution 1813 on 30 April. It called on the parties to show greater political will and to enter into more intensive and substantive negotiations towards a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. Since then the contract appointing Peter Van Walsum as the United Nations Personal Envoy to Western Sahara has expired. The UK hopes that the UN Secretary General will appoint a new personal envoy shortly and that a further round of negotiations under the Manhasset process will take place soon. The UK fully supports the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his staff, and the negotiation process currently underway and has called on the parties to maintain their commitment to the process.
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last (a) assessed the political situation in the Western Sahara and (b) considered the different options in the UN Security Council. [245757]
Bill Rammell:
UK officials at our embassies in Rabat and in Algiers continue to assess the situation in Western Sahara and in the Tindouf camps closely. Officials
based at the British embassy in Rabat visited Western Sahara in October 2008, calling on government officials, local NGOs and the UN peacekeeping mission, MINURSO. I anticipate further such visits in the future, as well as visits by UK officials to the camps in Tindouf.
We and other members of the UN Security Council considered the situation and the options available to the Council prior to the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 1813, on 30 April 2008. In line with UNSC resolution 1813, we continue to support the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his staff to assist the parties in achieving a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
Zimbabwe: Cholera
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe since October 2008; what discussions he has had with governments in the region on the matter; what assistance his Department has given to people affected by the outbreak; and if he will make a statement. [245081]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: I have been asked to reply.
The United Nations (UN) in Zimbabwe issues daily and weekly updates on the cholera outbreak, which we are following closely. We are also monitoring the regional impact of the outbreak and the Department for International Development (DFID) offices in the region are in regular touch with Ministries of Health in the affected countries.
DFID is funding a £10 million package to help fight the cholera outbreak and support life-saving health services. DFID’s support includes vital medicines, clean water supplies, purification tablets and rehydration fluids to treat those affected.
Zimbabwe: Politics and Government
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Zimbabwe. [243680]
Gillian Merron: The appalling humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe is a symptom of the wider political failure. Robert Mugabe’s regime is unwilling to respond to the needs of Zimbabwe’s people, who voted overwhelmingly for change last March. We continue to press for action to resolve the crisis via the EU and UN Security Council and with countries in the region and across Africa.
Transport
A303
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the Highways Agency's plans to close the A303 in Somerset and Wiltshire for 14 weeks from February 2009; and if he will make a statement. [246132]
Paul Clark: Following the Highways Agency's Public Information Days and Stakeholder Consultation, the agency has decided that a 14-week closure of the A303 is not the best way to effect the essential maintenance works required on the A303 Willoughby Hedge to Mere. The agency is currently undertaking a full review of the scheme, which will include the construction programme, the extent and type of works, and the need to reduce the impact and inconvenience of this work to road users and the general public.
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons the proposed works to the A303 are not to be carried out in a manner that leaves one direction open to traffic; and if he will review the proposed working arrangements. [246152]
Paul Clark: Maintenance work on the single carriageway section of the A303 between Willoughby Hedge and Mere is essential because of the increasing number of road defects requiring immediate attention, together with the poor condition of existing drainage systems.
Single-lane working was considered by the Highways Agency but was not pursued because of concerns about road worker safety, duration of the works and likely traffic delays.
Following the agency’s public information days and stakeholder consultation, the agency has decided that a 14 week closure of the A303 is not the best way to effect the essential maintenance works required on the A303 Willoughby Hedge to Mere. The agency is currently undertaking a full review of the scheme, which will include the construction programme, the extent and type of works and the need to reduce the impact and inconvenience of this work to road users and the general public.
Advertising: Complaints
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints about advertisements sponsored or funded by his Department were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in each year from 1997 to 2008; and how many of these were upheld by the ASA in each year. [246655]
Mr. Hoon: Since the Department for Transport formed in 2002, 264 complaints had been made about 142 Department and executive agency advertisements or marketing initiatives. No complaints to date have been upheld by the ASA.
To break down the number of complaints by fiscal year would incur disproportionate costs.
Airwave Service: British Transport Police
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Airwave handsets issued to the British Transport Police (BTP) have been lost in each year since their introduction; and how many handsets issued to the BTP have been disabled by the service provider through (a) loss, (b) breakage and (c) other reasons in each such year. [246185]
Paul Clark: The information is not held in the form requested. However, the British Transport Police inform me that the force introduced Airwave progressively over a five-year period starting in late 2002. Since 2002, 34 sets have been lost and another 94 have been withdrawn from service having been damaged beyond economic repair.
Airwave Service: Highways Agency
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Airwave handsets issued to the Highways Agency have been lost in each year since their introduction; and how many handsets issued to the Agency have been disabled by the service provider through (a) loss, (b) breakage and (c) other reasons in each such year. [246187]
Paul Clark: The number of radio handsets lost is as follows:
| Pieces | |
| (1) Stolen from vehicle. Note: The Traffic Officer Service was not fully operational this year. | |
All of the aforementioned radio handsets were disabled by the service provider. The standard procedure in the event of loss is to contact the service provider (Airwave Solutions Ltd) and either ‘stun’ or ‘kill’ the radio, according to the circumstances of the loss.
No radio handsets have been disabled by the service provider because they were “broken”. Such a radio would have the hardware replaced by the manufacturer, and re-registered with its new identity by the service provider. The ‘International Short Subscriber Identity’ (ISSI) remains unchanged.
No radio handsets have been disabled by the service provider “for other reasons”.
Aviation: Exhaust Emissions
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the answer of 19 November 2008, Official Report, columns 480-81W, on aviation: exhaust emissions, (1) whether his forecast was based on an assumption that the growth of aviation after 2030 will be limited by capacity constraints; [246322]
(2) what capacity constraints are likely to limit the growth of aviation in the UK after 2030; [246324]
(3) what the figures would be if it were assumed that between 2030 and 2050 aviation were to continue to grow at the same rate as forecast up to 2030. [246323]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport’s “UK Air Passenger Demand and CO2 Forecasts 2007” report explains that forecast growth in air passenger demand will be limited by UK airport capacity constraints (page 11), and by the maturing of the air travel market (page 19).
The same report, on page 36, shows the terminal and capacity assumptions used in the forecasts. By 2050, it is forecast that all modelled airports in the South East and some others elsewhere in the UK will become capacity constrained.
The 2003 Air Transport White Paper supported the building of two new runways in the South East. On this basis, assuming that the pre-2030 growth rate continued to 2050 would not present a feasible view of the world post-2030, and therefore the Department for Transport does not have a CO2 emissions forecast based on these assumptions.
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