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30 Apr 2009 : Column 1411W—continued
Israel: EU External Trade
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has obtained a legal opinion on the duty of recognition in international law to assist in formulation of policy on the labelling of goods from Israeli settlements. [271617]
Bill Rammell: The Government are currently considering the issue of the labelling of products imported from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including relevant domestic and international law issues.
Middle East: Armed Conflict
Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to investigate and report on the use of UK-supplied weapons during Israel's military operation in Gaza; and if he will make a statement. [250363]
Bill Rammell: I refer the right hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 21 April 2009, Official Report, column 8WS.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers and (c) officials in his Department plan to have with governments of Arab states in respect of the alleged murder of persons in the Gaza Strip by Hamas members since December 2008; and if he will make a statement. [272168]
Bill Rammell: We condemn all attacks targeting innocent civilians. The UK is clear in its calls for Hamas to renounce all violence, and to adhere to international law. Ministers remain in close touch with their counterparts in Israel and around the Arab world.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take at the United Nations in respect of the alleged murder of persons in the Gaza Strip by Hamas members since December 2008; and if he will make a statement. [272178]
Bill Rammell: The Government condemn all attacks targeting innocent civilians. The UK led the way at the UN to achieve Security Council Resolution 1860 which clearly condemns all violence directed against civilians and all acts of terrorism. It also spelt out that a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be achieved by peaceful means.
Pakistan
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Pakistani Government on (a) power-sharing arrangements between the provincial and federal governments in and (b) the distribution of funding to different parts of that country; and if he will make a statement. [270100]
Bill Rammell: These issues are raised as part of our ongoing co-operation with the Government of Pakistan in its efforts to establish strong democratic frameworks at federal and provincial levels.
During a visit to Pakistan in July 2008, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) offered to share UK experience of public administration of central and local government. This was reiterated when the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State visited Pakistan in April 2009.
During discussions involving officials from our High Commission in Islamabad, in preparation for the 17 April 2009 Tokyo Donors' Conference, Pakistan's Secretary for Finance recognised that the Government of Pakistan's budgetary allocation gives insufficient weight to the North West Frontier Province, Baluchistan and the Federally administered tribal areas. Pakistan wants assistance from the World Bank to establish a Trust Fund for the border areas which will also provide for governance reform there. The UK supports this initiative.
The UK also supports the Government of Pakistan in distributing funding throughout Pakistan through the Department for International Development's (DSD) Development Partnership Arrangement. DFTD gives budget support to the Government of Pakistan to help it increase spending on sectors such as health and education, and to reduce poverty. DFTD works to improve the capacity of provincial governments to manage their human and financial resources. DFTD is also planning substantial support for the education sector in the provinces of Punjab, Balochistan and North West Frontier province.
Pakistan: Politics and Government
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Pakistan on the implications of the recent agreement between the Government of Pakistan and militants in the Malakand region of the Swat Valley for (a) the security situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan and (b) human rights in the Malakand region; and if he will make a statement. [271011]
David Miliband: I last discussed the broader political and security situation in North West Frontier Province with Prime Minister Zardari on Friday 24 April 2009, and with Foreign Minister Qureshi on Saturday 25 April. My officials have repeatedly raised the situation in Malakand with the Government of Pakistan, and have expressed our concerns about the recent agreement with militants, which has not led to lasting security in Pakistan, and also has implications for regional security. We are also concerned about reports of human rights abuses by militants in Swat. We welcome the Government of Pakistan's commitment to fight back against violent extremism. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has presented to Parliament the UK policy in Afghanistan and Pakistan (29 April 2009, Official Report, column 869) and made clear that we will intensify our support to Pakistan's efforts to take stronger ownership of the problems of terrorism and violent extremism.
Russia: BBC External Services
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions he has met experts on Russia, international affairs and broadcasting to discuss the BBC Russia Service since 2008; and what the outcome of such discussions has been. [271192]
Caroline Flint:
Since 2008, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not met with any experts to discuss the BBC World Service Russian Language Service.
He has met with experts on Russia to discuss and inform the development of overall policy to Russia, most recently in June 2008.
Sudan: Politics and Government
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect on the political situation in the Chad-Sudan border area of the recent activities of Chadian armed opposition groups in Western Darfur; and what recent discussions the UK Special Representative for Sudan has had with the governments of Chad and Sudan on security in that area. [271728]
Gillian Merron: There are frequent reports of large groups from both the Justice and Equality Movement—a Darfuri rebel group—and the Chadian armed opposition on both sides of the Chad-Sudan border. There have, however, been no recent reports of movement. The UN-African Union hybrid mission in Darfur (UNAMID) continues to monitor the situation. The UK Special Representative for Sudan has had no recent discussions with the governments of Sudan or Chad on this issue.
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effects of the recent conflict between the Lou Nuer and Murle tribes on the security situation in Southern Sudan; and whether there are plans to increase the number of UN peacekeepers in that area. [271730]
Gillian Merron: The UK is very concerned by insecurity in Southern Sudan and most recently by the fighting between Lou Nuer and Murle tribes in Jonglei state. This fighting has had a negative effect on the security situation in the South and increases concern of such incidents sparking more widespread conflict.
The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) are monitoring the situation in Jonglei and have dispatched a team to assess security and humanitarian needs. UNMIS have not yet increased the number of peacekeepers in the affected areas but we understand that plans to do so are currently being discussed.
Yemen: Politics and Government
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions his Department has had with the Yemeni government on the security situation in Yemen. [271387]
Bill Rammell: Our ambassador maintains a regular dialogue with the Government of Yemen about the security situation there. He discussed this issue most recently with the Minister of Interior on 19 April 2009.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the UK contribution towards tackling terrorist activity in Yemen. [271388]
Bill Rammell:
We maintain a wide-ranging dialogue with the Government of Yemen including on issues relating to counter terrorism (CT). We have a programme
of CT capacity-building with the Yemeni authorities which aims to develop a self-sustaining Yemeni capability to tackle the terrorist threat. This includes working with the Yemeni Government to develop an inclusive and effective approach to counter extremism.
Prime Minister
Departmental Internet
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Prime Minister whether the recording of his statement on hon. Members' allowances uploaded to his YouTube channel on 21 April required more than one take. [272003]
The Prime Minister: The recording is available on the Downing street YouTube channel.
Honours
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what the names are of those whose honours have been cancelled by the Forfeiture Committee since 1997; and for what reasons each honour was cancelled; [271526]
(2) how many inquiries the Forfeiture Committee has undertaken following a complaint from (a) a member of the public, (b) a professional body or organisation and (c) an hon. Member since 1990; and how many of these inquiries were instigated at the Committee's own volition. [272087]
The Prime Minister: Notice of forfeiture is published in the London Gazette, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House. The details of why an individual forfeits an honour are confidential.
Treasury
Adjudicator's Office
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints have been made by members of the public about the work of the Adjudicator in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [271784]
Mr. Timms: Complaints about the work of the Adjudicator are made to the parliamentary ombudsman. Information available on complaints made to the ombudsman are available in the ombudsman’s annual report, available at:
http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/improving services/ annual_reports/index.html
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were employed (a) full- time and (b) part-time at the Adjudicator's Office on the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [271785]
Mr. Timms: Information about the number of people who work in the Adjudicator's Office is provided in the annual reports, available at:
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what funding his Department has allocated to the Adjudicator’s Office in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [271786]
Mr. Timms: The information about funding of the Adjudicator’s Office is provided in the annual report, available at:
Banks: Iran
Mr. Hague: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions since November 2008 his Department has exercised its powers under Schedule 7 of the Counter Terrorism Act 2008 in respect of Iran; and if he will make a statement. [270652]
Ian Pearson: In its advisory notice of 11 March 2009 HM Treasury made clear that in the light of the call by the Financial Action Task Force for countermeasures against Iran, the UK is considering what further action is required.
No directions with respect to Iran have been issued under Schedule 7 of the Counter Terrorism Act 2008.
Departmental Correspondence
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters from hon. Members his Department received in (a) January and (b) February 2009; and how many letters received from hon. Members in 2008 were responded to (i) in less than two weeks, (ii) in between two weeks and one month, (iii) in between one and two months and (iv) in over two months. [265940]
Angela Eagle: The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the performance of Departments in replying to Members and Peers correspondence. The report for 2008 will be published shortly.
Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) by what date he expects the Reclaim Fund established under the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008 will have transferred funds to the Big Lottery Fund; [272052]
(2) when the Reclaim Fund will be established under the provisions of the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008. [272053]
Ian Pearson: The Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008 received Royal Assent on 26 November 2008. HM Treasury is consulting on secondary legislation to enable the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to regulate a reclaim fund. The consultation will close on 4 May 2009:
The FSA is separately consulting on a proportionate regulatory regime for a reclaim fund. The consultation will close on 30 April 2009:
The Government intend the scheme to be operational as soon as possible, subject to parliamentary approval.
Excise Duties: Alcoholic Drinks
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations his Department has received from (a) hon. Members and (b) members of the public on charges: the rate of duty on beer in the last 12 months; and how many were (i) in favour and (ii) against increases in duty. [271600]
Angela Eagle: Treasury Ministers and officials receive representations from a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such representations.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will assess the effect of the increase in beer duty announced in the 2009 Budget on (a) trends in the rate of public house closures and (b) local economies. [271606]
Angela Eagle: As with all tax policy decisions, we will be monitoring the impact of alcohol duty increases on a range of factors.
I regularly meet representatives from the trade, including the British Beer and Pub Association, to listen to their views on the impact of alcohol duty policy on the pub industry.
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