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28 Apr 2009 : Column 1200W—continued
Police: Staffordshire
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police civilian support staff there were in (a) Tamworth constituency and (b) Staffordshire (i) in 1997 and (ii) at the latest date for which figures are available; how many police community support officers there are in each area; and what the policing budget was in each such area in (1) 1997 and (2) 2007 in real terms. [270183]
Mr. Coaker: There were 763 police staff in Staffordshire in 1997 and 1,309 such staff in 2008. Police staff figures exclude traffic wardens, designated officers and PCSOs. PCSOs were first introduced in statute in 2002. In 2008, there were 209 PCSOs in Staffordshire. All figures are based on full-time equivalent strength and are correct as at 31 March in the given years. Police personnel statistics are not collected by parliamentary constituency.
The Government allocate funding to police authorities. The allocation of resources to Tamworth is a matter for the chief constable and Staffordshire police authority. We do not hold centrally information on resources allocated to the Tamworth parliamentary constituency.
Staffordshire police authority has increased its budget from £113 million in 1997-98, a real terms increase of 0.6 per cent. over 1996-97, to £170.9 million in 2007-08, a real terms increase of 1.4 per cent. over 2006-07.
Police: Standards
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of standards of policing in the West Midlands. [270382]
Mr. Coaker: Following the publication of the Policing Green Paper (From the Neighbourhood to the National: Policing our Communities Together) in July 2008, the Home Office will no longer make graded assessments of policing performance. Instead, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) will take the lead in making any qualitative assessment of forces’ performance.
The Home Office last published graded performance assessments of all police forces in 2006-07. For 2007-08, we only published performance data without any graded assessment. The performance data for the West Midlands in 2007-08 can be found at:
http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/performanceand measurement/performanceassessment/assessments-2007-2008/west-midlands
In addition, West Midlands police provide local crime information and crime maps for the public, available at:
Salvia Divinorum
Mr. David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will review the legal status of salvia divinorum. [271514]
Mr. Alan Campbell: At the Home Secretary’s request, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is reviewing the availability and harms of psychoactive legal alternatives to illegal drugs, so called ‘legal highs’, with a particular focus on protecting young people. I fully anticipate that this work will include salvia divinorum.
The Government’s position on their control will be informed by Advisory Council’s advice.
Surveillance: Local Government
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether local authorities will be included in the list of public authorities which will have access to retained communications data under the provisions of EU Directive 2006/24/EC. [271229]
Mr. Coaker: The Government launched a three month public consultation inviting views on this and other matters on 17 April. Copies of the consultation paper “Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000: Consolidating Orders and Codes of Practice” have been placed in the House Library.
Terrorism: Crime Prevention
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contribution (a) the Department for Energy and Climate Change and (b) the Office for Civil Nuclear Security made to her Department’s report, The United Kingdom’s Strategy for Countering International Terrorism; and to which overseas offices and institutions representing British interests the report has been distributed. [267594]
Mr. Coaker: While there was no specific input made by the Department for Energy and Climate Change or the Office for Civil Nuclear Security into the United Kingdom’s Strategy for Countering International Terrorism (Contest), they have both been fully engaged in discussions in support of civil nuclear security in the UK.
Overseas, all our representative posts and institutions have access to Contest, as it is a published document and is freely available on the internet. Over 130 posts and institutions were specifically informed of the launch of the Contest strategy and were invited to brief their hosts and report back on their reactions.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
British Council: Contracts
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2009, Official Report, column 778W, on British Council: finance, whether any of the projects funded under the Reconnect programme are being delivered by subcontractors. [270676]
Caroline Flint: None of the projects under the British Council Reconnect programme (funded under the additional £6 million total over the triennium 2008-09 to 2010-11) has been delivered by subcontractors in 2008-09. The British Council did use some external facilitation and research support for its Active Citizens programme in 2008-09 but does not have any present plans to engage subcontractors this year (2009-10).
China: Human Rights
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what matters were raised at the recent meeting which took place in the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue process; and what the position was of the Chinese delegation on each of those matters. [252126]
Bill Rammell: The seventeenth round of the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue was held in London on 12-13 January 2009. This comprised one day of talks and visits to a psychiatric detention facility and disability centre run by the Leonard Cheshire Foundation. The delegation also met a group of MPs from the China All-Party Parliamentary Group.
The formal talks were held with representatives of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, United Front Works Department, Supreme People's Court, Ministry of Public Security, State Council Information Office, and the China Disabled Persons' Federation. We discussed recent human rights developments in China, the drafting of the first Chinese human rights action plan, the ratification of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, Tibet, co-operation with international human rights mechanisms, including the Universal Periodic Review, UN Special Rapporteurs, the Universal Convention Against Torture Committee and the UN Human Rights Council, the use of the death penalty, Rule of Law issues including administrative detention, Xinjiang, Democratic People's Republic of Korea border-crossers, and the freedoms of religion, expression and association. Detailed discussions were held on the role of the prosecutor, and a separate workshop, which included representatives of British non-governmental organisations, covered disability rights and mental health issues. We also raised more than 50 individual cases of concern. The following day the Chinese delegation visited a secure mental health unit and disability centre in London.
Given the nature of the discussions, it would not be appropriate to comment in detail on the Chinese position on each issue. We maintain close official-level contact with parliamentarians and key non-governmental associations involved in human rights in China and discuss our dialogue with them.
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many special advisers were employed in his Department at each pay band on 30 November 2008; and what his Department's total expenditure on special advisers was in 2007-08. [243573]
Gillian Merron: The Government are committed to publishing an annual list detailing the number and costs of special advisers. Information for 2007-08 was published by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 22 July 2008, Official Report, columns 99-102WS.
European Union: Civil Servants
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK-based staff of the EU offices of the devolved Administrations are registered with a Belgian mutual health insurance provider. [242448]
Gillian Merron: All 18 UK-based officers, accredited to the devolved Administrations as diplomats, are registered to the Belgian Partena Mutuelle.
Mrs. Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which UK-based staff of the EU offices of the devolved Administrations are responsible to the UK Permanent Representative to the EU for their personal conduct, listed by (a) grade and (b) Administration represented. [242449]
Gillian Merron: The number of UK-based staff, of the EU offices of the devolved Administrations, responsible to the UK Permanent Representative to the EU for their personal conduct, by grade and Administration, are:
| Scottish Executive Office | |
| Staff | |
| Northern Ireland Executive Office | |
| Staff | |
| Welsh Assembly Government Office | |
| Staff | |
| Note: Grades are listed against their Cabinet Office equivalent. | |
Flags
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on (a) Union flags and (b) flags of other nations in each of the last five years. [269209]
Gillian Merron: The total identifiable expenditure by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in each of the last five years is as follows:
Flags purchased for internal use at conferences, official events, etc.
| £ | |
A breakdown of this expenditure between Union flags and flags of other nations is not held centrally and providing this information would incur disproportionate cost.
In addition to this, in 2008 £1,694.54 was spent on Union flags and £995 was spent on other nations’ flags for external use at FCO buildings. Before 2008 a contractor was used to provide a flag raising service. This included supplying flags as required.
Gaza: Smuggling
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on steps taken by the Government of Egypt to reduce trafficking of weapons and people into Gaza; and if he will make a statement. [244832]
Bill Rammell: We are extremely concerned with the smuggling of arms and people into Gaza. We are currently working with the Government of Egypt and our international partners on ways to help prevent smuggling.
Government Departments: Wines
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the estimated value of alcoholic beverages in the Government wine cellar is; and how many bottles of (a) wine, (b) beer, (c) spirits and (d) other alcoholic beverages are held in the Government Wine Cellar. [270343]
Gillian Merron: The most recent available valuation of the Government hospitality wine cellar places the current value of the stock at approximately £792,000.
The cellar contains approximately 39,500 bottles, of which fewer than 500 are spirits or liqueurs. Small quantities of beer are bought on an ad hoc basis; it does not form part of the cellar stock.
Immigration Officers
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many migration officers his Department has in place; in which countries they are posted; and what the estimated (a) numbers and (b) locations of such officers for 2009-10 have. [243030]
Bill Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not employ any migration officers. Such officers are employed by the UK Borders Agency, which is the responsibility of the Home Office.
India: Foreign Relations
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to foster Indo-British relations. [244668]
Bill Rammell: The UK already enjoys a close and constructive relationship with India. We have extensive contacts with the Indian Government and civil society on a wide range of diplomatic, political, security, economic, trade, development, scientific and cultural issues. We have an extensive network of posts in India staffed from several departments across Whitehall who work to promote UK interests in India. Government Ministers also have regular discussions with their Indian counterparts about current bilateral, regional and global issues. The UK is committed to improving relations with India even further in 2009 and beyond.
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