Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 11 March 2009
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Afghanistan: Detainees
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the Government’s response to paragraph 121 of the report of the Intelligence and Security Committee on the handling of detainees by UK intelligence personnel in Afghanistan, if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance given to UK intelligence personnel prior to their deployment in respect of (a) the treatment of detainees and (b) reporting procedures in the event of concerns. [260331]
David Miliband: Guidance given to UK intelligence personnel prior to their deployment in respect of (a) the treatment of detainees and (b) reporting procedures in the event of concerns is operational, and for that reason has never been published. The guidance is based on clear principles:
Torture is both abhorrent and illegal, and that the UK should never participate, never encourage and never condone the use of torture.
The UK has obligations under both international and domestic law, including under the Convention Against Torture, and that we should act consistent with those obligations.
The UK makes it clear to our partners that we stand by the above principles.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 2 March 2009, Official Report, column 1242W, on Guantanamo Bay: detainees, if he will place in the Library a copy of the written transfer agreement for the return of Binyam Mohamed concluded on 20 February 2009. [261819]
David Miliband: The written transfer arrangement for Mr. Mohamed’s release and return from Guantanamo Bay, agreed on 20 February 2009, was a private document between the Government and the US Government. It is our long-standing policy not to comment on the detail of operational matters.
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2009, Official Report, column 362W, on Afghanistan: peacekeeping operations, what the objectives of the internal stock-take of Government policy in Afghanistan completed in December 2008 were. [260243]
David Miliband:
The stock-take measured progress in Afghanistan from November 2007 to November 2008. It was intended to inform the Government, as part of
the review announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in the debate on Her Majesty the Queen’s speech in December 2008.
Balkans: EC Enlargement
Mr. Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent progress has been made on implementation of the EU enlargement strategy in respect of (a) Albania, (b) Macedonia, (c) Turkey, (d) Bosnia-Herzegovina, (e) Kosovo, (f) Croatia, (g) Serbia and (h) Montenegro; and which countries included in the enlargement strategy he expects to receive pre-accession funding. [262189]
Gillian Merron [holding answer 10 March 2009]: Full details can be found in the 2008 Progress Reports at
All countries included in the enlargement strategy receive funding through the European Commission's Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA). This is due to amount to €7.58 billion overall for the period 2007-11 to support political and economic reform and preparation for EU membership. A breakdown of IPA funding by country is available at the European Commission's Multi-Annual Indicative Financial Frameworks website
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Office of the High Representative
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 27 February 2009, Official Report, columns 34-36WS, on the General Affairs and External Relations Council, for what reasons the Council was unable to reach a conclusion on the proposed closure of the Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina; and what proposals the UK made on the matter. [261737]
David Miliband: At the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 23-24 February 2009, there was discussion of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s progress towards meeting the conditions for closure of the Office of the High Representative (OHR). There was no consensus that the conditionality set by the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board in February 2008 had been met. The UK reiterated the importance of adhering to this conditionality, making clear our view that it has not yet been met. Any eventual decision on closure of the OHR will need to be taken by the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board.
Colombia: Armed Conflict
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the recent violence in north east Colombia. [262705]
Gillian Merron: The situation in North East Colombia, particularly in those rural areas bordering Venezuela, is complicated and difficult due to the activities of illegal armed groups.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice for Colombia currently advises against all but essential travel to all rural areas bordering Venezuela, which includes North East Colombia.
Colombia: Land Mines
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Colombia on the use of landmines; and if he will make a statement. [262700]
Gillian Merron: The UK has provided training to Colombian officers on humanitarian landmine removal. Officials from our Embassy in Bogota maintain regular contact with the Colombian Ministry of Defence to help Colombia fulfil its Ottawa convention responsibilities, and remove the landmines that illegal armed groups continue to use to kill and maim innocent Colombians.
Colombia: Military Aid
Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence he collects on the effectiveness of the human rights training delivered to the Colombian military by the UK. [262018]
Gillian Merron [holding answer 9 March 2009]: We monitor civil society, media and UN reports on the Colombian military's human rights performance. UK co-operation with the Colombian Ministry of Defence strongly influenced their new Integral Policy on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, and reinforced their work with UN Agencies.
While these new policies are to be welcomed, we are concerned by recent reports of abuses committed or allowed by members of the Colombian army. I issued a statement on the issue on 30 October 2008:
“The Colombian government's decision to dismiss a number of army officers as a result of recent extra-judicial killings and cases of criminal conspiracy is important. It is vital, not least for Colombia's international reputation, that the government and courts continue to show a determination to deal with human rights abuses committed by members of the armed forces, and that those convicted by the civilian justice system are punished appropriately.”
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been spent on military aid to Colombia in each year since 1999. [262581]
Gillian Merron: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 January 2009, Official Report, column 358W.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what requirements are placed on Colombian military personnel to adhere to human rights standards before they receive UK training. [262709]
Gillian Merron:
The UK requires that Colombian armed forces personnel who undertake UK training courses do not have any formal human rights convictions or pending investigations. The current policy of the Colombian armed forces is that personnel with a formal
human rights allegation against their name are suspended and therefore ineligible to receive UK or any other international training.
Cyprus: USA
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on Cyprus. [262337]
Gillian Merron: While our Officials and Ministers maintain regular contact with their US counterparts on Cyprus, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not yet raised Cyprus with his US counterpart.
Democratic Republic of Congo: Politics and Government
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to hold the local and provincial elections that have been delayed since 2006. [258847]
Gillian Merron: The UK is the largest bilateral donor supporting election processes in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We have committed substantial funding in support of preparations for the local elections, and capacity-building for the Independent Electoral Commission. We have encouraged our international partners to do the same. Our ambassador in Kinshasa is a member of the Elections Steering Committee in the DRC, which met on 24 February 2009. There are currently serious funding gaps for local elections, which the Committee has undertaken to examine in March 2009.
Departmental Compensation
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what scheme of compensation exists for his Department's officials injured in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [261846]
Gillian Merron [holding answer 9 March 2009]: The Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme provides benefits to members (UK Civil Servants) who suffer injury, and to the families of those who die while on duty in the UK or overseas. These benefits are provided via two schemes, an injury benefits scheme and a personal injury compensation scheme.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) also makes ex-gratia payments to its staff, both UK Civil Servants and locally engaged staff, who suffer injury or death overseas in terrorist attacks as a result of their Crown service.
In addition the FCO reimburses staff for the cost of additional premiums imposed by life insurers because of service in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr. Hoban:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2009, Official Report, column 1409W, on
departmental ministerial policy advisers. where Ravi Gurumurthy was seconded from; and on what date he became a special adviser. [260715]
Gillian Merron: Mr. Ravi Gurumurthy was seconded from the Department for Communities and Local Government on 28 June 2007, and is a strategic adviser and speech co-ordinator for my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 2 March 2009, Official Report, column 1240W, on departmental public expenditure, what efficiency savings have been (a) made in 2008-09 and (b) identified for financial year 2009-10; and what the estimated saving from each is. [261937]
David Miliband: I refer the right hon. Member to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) 2008 autumn performance report published in December 2008, available online at:
This gives the actual efficiency savings, for each efficiency project, for the first six months of 2008-09 and forecast savings for 2009-10 and 2010-11.
The FCO’s departmental report, to be published in June 2009, will provide actual efficiency savings for the whole of 2008-09 and latest forecast savings for 2009-10 and 2010-11.
Embassies: Foreign Workers
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many locally-engaged staff his Department employs at each of its overseas posts; and if he will detail how many such staff at each post have been made redundant in the last 12 months. [261003]
David Miliband: Exact details on numbers of locally engaged staff at posts and redundancies are not currently held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Overseas Price Mechanism
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which (a) commercial banks and (b) independent financial experts his Department consulted on managing its exposure to foreign currency movements following the Treasury’s withdrawal of support for the overseas price mechanism. [261824]
David Miliband: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office consulted with commercial banks, the Standard Chartered Bank and the Royal Bank of Scotland. We also had discussions with the Bank of England.
We took, and continue to take, advice from independent financial experts HiFX Intelligent Financial Services.
United Nations
Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how he plans to report to hon. Members the outcomes of (a) the 53rd Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women and (b) the 42nd Session of the UN Commission on Population and Development. [260458]
Gillian Merron [holding answer 4 March 2009]: The main outcome document of the UN Commission on the Status of Women is the agreed conclusions on the equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including care giving in the context of HIV/AIDS. This will be disseminated across relevant Government departments. This and all other outcome documents are publicly available on the UN Commission on the Status of Women website at:
The outcome document of the 42nd Session of the UN Commission on Population and Development will be disseminated to relevant Government departments. This document will be publicly available on the UN Commission on Population and Development website at:
I will arrange for copies of the Outcome documents of the 53rd Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women and the 42nd Session of the UN Commission on Population and Development to be placed in the Library of the House.
USA: Foreign Relations
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the objectives were of the recent visit to Washington by his Department’s Senior Legal Adviser; and what meetings were held during the visit. [260256]
David Miliband: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office Legal Adviser visited the US on 9-10 February 2009 to pursue Government objectives related to the legal aspects of a number of foreign policy matters including in relation to the former Guantanamo Bay detainee, Mr. Binyam Mohamed. He met with officials from the Department of Justice, State Department, White House Counsel, Office of General Counsel, Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Counsel and Department of Defence.
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