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23 Mar 2009 : Column 38W—continued
UN World Conference against Racism
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to withdraw from the UN Durban 2 anti-racism conference; what recent discussions he has had with (a) EU member states, (b) the US administration and (c) the government of Israel on this issue; what recent representations he has received (i) supporting and (ii) opposing a withdrawal from the conference; and if he will make a statement. [263262]
Bill Rammell:
The UK is still engaged in the Durban Review process and we will keep our position under review. We hope that there is still time to return the focus of preparations to reviewing work undertaken to combat racism and implement the 2001 Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, thus enhancing the prospect
of a consensus outcome. But a change in this direction will be required for any outcome document to gain our support.
We have, on several occasions, expressed our view on the Durban Review Conference: we want the conference to forge a collective will to fight against racism in all its forms, in all countries in the world. The Government remain deeply concerned about the draft outcome document.
Ministers and officials have had regular discussions with EU partners and the US administration on the Durban Review Conference. I discussed it with the Israeli ambassador when he called on me on 11 March 2009.
We have received numerous representations both urging us to remain engaged in the process to strengthen the concluding document, and also expressing concern about the direction it has taken.
Uzbekistan: Sanctions
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the efficacy of EU sanctions on Uzbekistan. [265368]
Caroline Flint: The UK has consistently argued that sanctions have been an important factor in bringing about positive, albeit limited, progress in the human rights situation in Uzbekistan.
While serious concerns persist about the overall human rights situation, recent developments include:
the release of five human rights defenders, including Mutabar Tojibayeva, the most egregious of the Uzbek human rights cases of concern to the EU;
the resumption of prison visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross;
the entry into force of the abolition of the death penalty, and the introduction of a limited form of habeas corpus.
Uzbekistan: Visas
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Uzbekistan (a) officials and (b) politicians are subject to the EU visa ban. [265370]
Caroline Flint: None. The EU visa ban was lifted at the October 2008 General Affairs and External Relations Council.
Zimbabwe: Politics and Government
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with governments in the region on the political situation in Zimbabwe. [264124]
Gillian Merron [holding answer 19 March 2009]: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed Zimbabwe with Dlamini-Zuma, his South African counterpart, in a telephonic conversation on 9 and 16 February 2009, and at a meeting on 6 March 2009. My noble Friend, Lord Malloch-Brown, the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, regularly speaks with representatives of southern African governments about Zimbabwe, a number of whom he met on 16 March 2009.
Northern Ireland
Departmental Bank Services
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with which banks his Department has or has had contracts for the provision of financial advice, for the financial year 2008-09. [262753]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office (excluding its agencies and Executive NDPBs) does not have contracts with any banks for the provision of financial advice.
The main banking services which the Department use are part of a Northern Ireland civil service wide contract which is managed by the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland.
Departmental Catering
Mr. Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which (a) food and (b) drinks companies have supplied his Department in each of the last three years; and how much was paid to each of those suppliers in each of those years. [248794]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) records expenditure for food and drink under the description of either hospitality or catering. These expenditure types are also used to record spending on related services and equipment and as a consequence, some of the suppliers used may not be termed as food or drink companies. Due to the high volume of transactions within these expenditure areas, it would only be possible to extract the food and drink companies at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Plants
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department has spent on (a) pot plants and (b) cut flowers in each of the last three years. [256119]
Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) does not record expenditure under these headings. However, the following table shows the total costs paid to florists and nurseries in the last three financial years (excluding agencies and Executive NDPBs):
| Financial Year | Expenditure (£) |
Flowers and pot plants are generally purchased as decoration when the NIO hosts official events such as receptions, for example for military personnel returning and ceremonies such as Royal garden parties honouring community and civic leaders. Where possible, the Department will make use of these items at more than one event.
These figures also include flowers purchased for events which are held in Hillsborough castle on behalf of other parties. Although the NIO does not charge these external customers directly for the cost of flowers, an administration charge is levied to cover sundry costs.
Drugs: Crime
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland were convicted of offences relating to the possession of drugs in (a) 1998 and (b) 2008. [265607]
Paul Goggins: Conviction data for 2008 are not available; 2006 is the latest available year. With regards to offences relating to the possession of drugs, there were 411 persons convicted in 1998 and 572 persons convicted in 2006.
Data are collated on the principal offence rule; only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.
Northern Ireland Compensation Agency
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many compensation applications were (a) rejected and (b) accepted by the Northern Ireland Compensation Agency in each of the last five years. [264746]
Paul Goggins: The following table shows the claims rejected and accepted in each of the last five years.
| 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | Total | |
| Notes: 1. 2008-09 figures are up to end of February 2009. 2. The figures for accepted and rejected claims each year includes claims in the system carried forward from previous years. | ||||||
Northern Ireland Prison Service: Manpower
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were employed in each job category by the Northern Ireland Prison Service in each of the last five years. [264743]
Paul Goggins: The number of people employed in each job category by the Northern Ireland Prison Service in each of the last five years, filling the post at each rank or grade substantively, is as shown in the following table.
| Year ending 31 March | |||||
| Job category | 2004-05( 1) | 2005-06( 1) | 2006-07( 1) | 2007-08 | As at 18 March 2009 |
| (1) These figures reflect the full-time equivalent staff. Actual staff in post figures are only available from 2007 onwards. | |||||
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