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27 Mar 2009 : Column 810W—continued
Sudan: Foreign Relations
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he proposes to take with his EU colleagues to impose sanctions on the government of Sudan. [265476]
Gillian Merron: While we will keep this continuously under review we are currently not proposing to take steps with our EU colleagues to impose additional sanctions on the government of Sudan.
The EU already maintains an arms embargo covering all of Sudan, which has been in place since 2004. The EU also imposes financial and travel restrictions against four individuals who have been designated by the UN Sanctions Committee on Sudan.
Sudan: Press Freedom
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Sudanese government about its use of the Press Act 2004 to censor newspapers and limit freedom of expression. [265364]
Gillian Merron: Working through the EU, we regularly raise the need to fulfil obligations on human rights with the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan. Freedom of expression and press freedom were raised with the Government of Sudan on 3 December 2008 and the Government of South Sudan on 18 November 2008.
Sudan: War Crimes
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) the EU and (b) the UN Security Council on the prospects of bringing President Bashir to trial before the International Criminal Court following the issue of an arrest warrant for him. [265477]
Gillian Merron: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had extensive discussion on the International Criminal Court (ICC) indictment of President Bashir with his EU and UN Security Council counterparts, including at the 16 March 2009, EU General Affairs and External Relations Council and during his 18 March 2009 visit to Washington.
We continue to underline in all contacts the need for Sudan to co-operate with the ICC, as well as to take concrete action for peace in Darfur. Most recent contacts have focussed on the need for the government of Sudan to reconsider its decision to expel international humanitarian non-governmental organisations.
Terrorism: Finance
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2009, Official Report, column 227W, on terrorism: finance, to which (a) countries and (b) projects the £20 million spent in 2008-09 on tackling radicalisation and promoting understanding overseas was allocated. [267423]
Bill Rammell: In order to protect the safety and security of organisations delivering sensitive projects overseas, we do not plan to publish a breakdown by country or by project of the £20 million allocated in 2008-09 to tackling radicalisation and promoting understanding overseas.
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2009, Official Report, columns 226-7W, on terrorism: finance, if he will publish details of the monitoring process agreed between the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit and the National Audit Office. [267424]
Bill Rammell: We have agreed a system with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit and the National Audit Office under which baselines indicating the level of capability to effectively counter radicalisation in each country have been established. Projects designed to improve each country's capability are evaluated on completion to assess how they contribute to an improvement. External verification is an important part of this, and lessons learned from the evaluation are used to improve the future design of projects.
UN World Conference against Racism
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will withdraw UK (a) representation and (b) support for the United Nations Durban II Conference; and if he will make a statement. [265905]
Gillian Merron: The UK is still engaged in the Durban Review process and we will keep our position under review. A new draft outcome document was tabled on 17 March 2009. The Government are considering their position on this document.
The Government have expressed a consistent 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 parts of the world. It should not be seen as an opportunity to press unrelated political interests and issues.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries (a) have withdrawn from and (b) are not otherwise participating in the United Nations Durban II Conference; and if he will make a statement. [265906]
Gillian Merron: Canada and Israel have formally withdrawn from the Durban Review Conference.
The US and Italy announced that they would not take part in negotiations on the draft document that was under negotiation, and set conditions for their re-engagement.
This document has now been superseded by an updated version, which issued on 17 March 2009.
The Government have expressed a consistent 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 parts of the world. It should not be seen as an opportunity to press unrelated political interests and issues.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy not to attend the forthcoming Durban II Conference in Geneva; and if he will make a statement. [266165]
Gillian Merron [holding answer of 24 March 2009]: The UK is still engaged in the Durban Review process and we will keep our position under review. A new draft outcome document was tabled on 17 March 2009. The Government are considering its position on this document.
The Government have expressed a consistent 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 parts of the world. It should not be seen as an opportunity to press unrelated political interests and issues.
Uzbekistan: Political Prisoners
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of the number of political prisoners in Uzbekistan. [265371]
Caroline Flint: We continue to be concerned by the detention of political prisoners in Uzbekistan. The recent releases from jail of prominent human rights activists Saidjahon Zainabitdinov (February 2008), Mutabar Tojibayeva (June 2008) and Dilmurod Mukhitdinov (October 2008) constitute positive steps by the Uzbek side in response to international concerns. Set against this, however, is the ongoing lack of progress in resolving other prominent cases of persons imprisoned on political grounds—most notably the dissident poet Yusuf Juma and opposition politician Sanjar Umarov, as well as two individuals jailed more recently on politically-motivated grounds: Akzam Turgunov (human rights defender sentenced to ten years imprisonment in October 2008 for “extortion”) and Salijon Abdurahmanov (human rights defender also sentenced to ten years for alleged drugs-related offences).
Our embassy in Tashkent is following these cases closely. We have raised our concerns with the Uzbek Government and maintain a regular dialogue on these issues with human rights activists and non-governmental organisations. EU Heads of Mission in Tashkent maintain a list of individual cases of particular concern. These cases are among the issues covered which in the annual EU-Uzbekistan human rights dialogue.
In December 2008 Human Rights Watch issued a non-exhaustive “List of Imprisoned Uzbek Defenders and Activists”, whose cases they follow closely. This report is available for viewing online at:
Written Questions: Government Responses
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to answer question 259021 on China, tabled on 25 February 2009; what the reason is for the time taken to answer; and if he will make a statement. [266988]
Gillian Merron: This question was answered on 23 March 2009, Official Report, column 23W. The delay in replying was due to administrative error.
Zimbabwe: Politics and Government
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise the matter of the political situation in Zimbabwe at the United Nations Security Council. [265479]
Gillian Merron: The UN Security Council remains seized of the situation in Zimbabwe, and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary was present when it was discussed on 15 December 2008. We shall continue to work for an effective and coherent response to the situation in Zimbabwe in a range of international fora, including, where appropriate, the UN Security Council.
Zimbabwe: Sanctions
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what EU sanctions are in place in respect of Zimbabwe. [265455]
Gillian Merron: The EU has maintained an embargo on arms and related material entering Zimbabwe since 2002. The EU has also prohibited the provision of any technical assistance relating to military activities and has imposed a ban on the supply of any equipment that might be used for internal repression.
The EU has further imposed targeted financial and travel restrictions on 203 individuals and 40 entities who supported the government of Zimbabwe or were associated with its violence and human rights abuses prior to Morgan Tsvangirai's inauguration as the Zimbabwean Prime Minister. There are no comprehensive trade sanctions in place.
Zimbabwe: Sequestration of Assets
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Zimbabwean (a) politicians, (b) civil servants, (c) judges and (d) members of the armed forces have assets frozen in UK banks or other financial institutions. [265478]
Gillian Merron: 54 accounts belonging to individuals subject to targeted financial and travel restrictions on Zimbabwe have been frozen in the UK. The list of those subject to these EU sanctions include members and former members of the government of Zimbabwe, business people and others associated with the violence and human rights abuses of the regime as constituted prior to the inauguration of Morgan Tsvangirai as the Zimbabwean Prime Minister.
Energy and Climate Change
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has adopted the Carbon Trust's Carbon Management Programme. [266737]
Joan Ruddock: Yes. The Department of Energy and Climate Change recently signed a contract with the Carbon Trust to embark on a Carbon Management Plan.
Departmental Written Questions
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average time taken by his Department to answer parliamentary questions for (a) ordinary and (b) named day written answer was in the latest period for which information is available. [255148]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Until 26 January 2009 this task was shared by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Parliamentary Units who monitored all parliamentary questions. This responsibility transferred to the Department of Energy and Climate Change's Parliamentary Unit on its creation on 26 January 2009.
A DECC for December have been answered and the Department currently has nine outstanding questions that were tabled for answer in January 2009.
Parliamentary Unit does record average times taken to reply to questions. Processes are now in place that provides the following information:
| Written parliamentary questions: As at 25 March 2009 | |
| February (Number) | |
| Named day PQs | |
| February (Number) | |
Forestry
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when the findings of the study commissioned by his Department and the Department for International Development on options for financing mechanisms for sustainable forest management will be published. [266800]
Joan Ruddock [holding answer 26 March 2009]: We expect the findings of the study to be published by June this year.
Forests: Environment Protection
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) how much was spent on (a) forest protection and (b) reducing levels of deforestation in each of the last three years; and under which budget headings such expenditure was allocated; [264691]
(2) how much he has allocated for (a) forest protection and (b) reducing levels of deforestation in each of the next three years; and under which budget headings such expenditure is to be allocated. [264692]
Mr. Thomas: I have been asked to reply.
The Department for International Development (DFID) does not record expenditure on forest protection or on reducing deforestation. It uses the two categories of expenditure required by the Development Aid Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD): Forestry Policy and Administrative Management; and Forestry Development. Total bilateral expenditure incurred on forests in the last three financial years was: £15.5 million in 2005-06: £15.6 million in 2006-07: and £74 million in 2007-08.
Some of the money which DFID provides to international organisations is also spent on forests but these contributions are not recorded separately. The international organisations which DFID supports and which work on forests include the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Asian Development Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN.
The following bilateral expenditure on forests was committed in the last three financial years:
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