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12 May 2009 : Column 685W—continued
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Afghanistan
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding his Department has allocated for operations in Afghanistan in each year since 2001; and what estimate he has made of his Department's expenditure on such operations in the next three years. [269921]
Bill Rammell: The information on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) funding for operations in Afghanistan, prior to 2006, is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However, we can provide the following data of FCO spend in Afghanistan for financial years 2006 to 2009 to show our major areas of spending up to the end of the current Comprehensive Spending Review period:
| £ million | ||||
| 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10( 1) | |
| (1) Estimated allocation. (2) Estimate. (3) Not yet finalised. (4 )Not applicable. | ||||
British Overseas Territories
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many officials in his Department are engaged in work relating to overseas territories. [273194]
Gillian Merron [holding answer 7 May 2009]: There are 89 Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials employed directly on UK Overseas Territories' issues. In addition, other staff with wider FCO responsibilities are called upon as necessary when specific issues arise in the Territories requiring specialist knowledge and expertise.
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of his Department’s staff work on issues related to the UK Overseas Territories; and if he will make a statement. [273267]
Gillian Merron: There are 89 Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff employed directly on UK Overseas Territories’ issues. In addition, other staff with wider FCO responsibilities are called upon as necessary when specific issues arise in the territories requiring specialist knowledge and expertise.
Departmental Rail Travel
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidelines his Department has in place on train travel by its officials (a) in the UK, (b) between the UK and other countries and (c) overseas. [273679]
Gillian Merron: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) guidelines for staff travelling by train are as follows:
Within the UK, all staff are entitled to First class rail travel where the one way rail journey time by the quickest and shortest route is two hours or longer according to the published
arrival and departure times in the timetable. Standard class rail travel is used by all staff where the one way rail journey time is less than two hours unless there are exceptional circumstances (eg illness, disability) subject to approval by a manager.
Between the UK and other countries, and overseas, officers in band b (executive officer) and above may travel first class. All other staff travel second or standard class.
EU Institutions: Manpower
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what percentage of the staff of (a) European Union agencies, (b) the Council of the European Union, (c) the European Parliament and (d) the European Commission were UK nationals in each year since 1997; [270837]
(2) what percentage of new recruits to the staff of (a) European Union agencies, (b) the Council of the European Union, (c) the European Parliament and (d) the European Commission were UK nationals in each year since 1997; [270838]
(3) what percentage of the staff of (a) the European Parliament, (b) the Council of the European Union, (c) European Union agencies and (d) the European Commission (i) in total and (ii) above grade 14 are UK nationals. [270839]
David Miliband: The information required to respond to the first three parts of these parliamentary questions is owned by each EU institution, and it is more appropriate for the institution in question to be approached with any questions on the make-up of their own staff. The European Commission publish their staffing figures annually on the Europa Website:
The Government are clear that it is in the EU and UK’s interests to have successful UK candidates working at the heart of the EU’s institutions.
European Union
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates he had (a) discussions and (b) meetings with the European Union Special Representative for Central Asia on the situation in the region in the last 12 months. [274805]
Caroline Flint: There has been no ministerial contact with the EU Special Representative (EUSR) for Central Asia in the last 12 months. However, senior officials have continued to meet the EUSR on a regular basis.
Hamas
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department had with the House of Commons authorities on the meeting held on the Parliamentary estate on 22 April 2009 involving a video link with a senior leader of Hamas; and if he will make a statement. [274027]
Bill Rammell:
This Department made no representations to the House of Commons authorities regarding a video link meeting with a senior leader of Hamas on 22 April 2009. We are not aware of any representations received from right hon. Members, hon. Members or
members of the public regarding this meeting. However, we have consistently called for Hamas to renounce violence, recognise Israel, and adhere to previous Palestinian agreements.
Hostages: British Nationality
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens his Department has been informed are being held hostage abroad; in which countries they are being held; and for how long they have been held in each case. [273320]
Gillian Merron: As of 5 May 2009 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is providing consular assistance to the families of eight British citizens being held hostage abroad. Five British citizens have been held in Iraq since May 2007, one in Somalia since April 2008, one in Nigeria since September 2008 and one in Mali since January 2009.
India: Religious Freedom
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will encourage the Indian government to implement the recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief arising from the report of her 2008 mission to India. [273273]
Bill Rammell: The UK continues to work through the European Union on a number of human rights issues as part of a continuing EU-India Human Rights Dialogue. The recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief were identified by EU colleagues as a subject for discussion at the EU-India Human Rights Dialogue meeting in February 2009. It was agreed by both sides that there would be continued exchanges about discrimination, including on religious grounds. The recommendations will be a useful point of reference for future engagement with India on human rights issues.
Iran: Baha'i Faith
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of attacks on Baha’is in the Iranian town of Semnan on 25 February 2009; and if he will make a statement. [272573]
Bill Rammell: We have received a series of worrying reports regarding anti-Baha’i activities in Semnan, including looting, arbitrary arrests and the desecration of a Baha’i cemetery. In December 2008 agents of the Ministry of Intelligence raided 20 Baha’i homes in the town, and on 25 February 2009 at least two of these homes were subsequently attacked with petrol bombs.
We have expressed our concerns to the Iranian Government and called on Iran to put an end to the persecution of religious minorities and to respect and protect the right to freedom of religion and belief, as described in Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a State Party.
Iran: Nuclear Power
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for East Londonderry of 23 March 2009, Official Report, column 29W, on Iran, what his policy is on revisions to June 2008 E3+3 offer to Iran; and what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on this matter. [272914]
David Miliband: The E3+3 offer of June 2008 remains on the table and would provide Iran with everything it needs for a modern civil nuclear power programme as well as a range of economic and political benefits.
The fundamental approach of the E3+3 has not changed. The E3+3 made clear on 8 April 2009 that it is fully committed to the dual-track strategy of pressure and engagement. Our objective remains the suspension of the Iranian nuclear programme as a prerequisite before full negotiations can take place.
The decision of the US Administration to play a full part in future E3+3 negotiations with Iran presents Iran with a window of opportunity. If Iran suspends its nuclear enrichment programme and enters into talks, we can discuss the details of the offer in more detail. Iran has not yet taken any such steps. Iran should not expect the offer to be open-ended.
I have met Secretary of State Clinton on a number of occasions to discuss the US review of its Iran policy. Our most recent meeting was on 2 April 2009. Our officials are also in regular contact.
Iran: Sanctions
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions since 27 December 2006 the UN Sanctions Committee established pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1737 has exercised its mandate to designate additional (a) individuals, (b) equipment, (c) goods and (d) technology in relation to Iran's nuclear or ballistic missile programme; and if he will make a statement. [270975]
David Miliband: The UN Sanctions Committee established pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1737 has not added new designations under the original Resolution. However, the measures imposed by UN Security Council Resolution 1737 have since been strengthened by UN Security Council Resolutions 1747 (2007) and 1803 (2008), which expanded the lists of individuals, equipment, goods and technology subject to sanctions.
Pakistan: Politics and Government
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to his Pakistani counterpart on the political situation in Swat; and if he will make a statement. [271525]
Bill Rammell:
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary last discussed the situation in North West Frontier Province with Foreign Minister Qureshi on
25 April 2009. Officials based at our high commission in Islamabad also continue to hold frequent discussions about the political situation in Pakistan with a wide range of Pakistani Ministers, politicians and officials. The situation in Swat has been a regular theme of discussions. We have concerns about the recent peace agreement—an effective and sustainable peace deal is one which can end violence, not create space for further violence.
Turks and Caicos Islands
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) officials and (b) experts have been sent to the Turks and Caicos Islands as part of his Department’s Emergency State Building Team; what the duration of their stay is; and what remit the team has. [273270]
Gillian Merron: Two officials have been sent in succession, on a short-term basis, to the Turks and Caicos Islands to work at the Governor’s Office.
Two technical experts have been sent to the Turks and Caicos Islands for a period of 12 months. One is to oversee the disbursement of funds from the UK’s £5 million contribution to the Turks and Caicos Islands’ Disaster Recovery Plan. The other is to work with the Ministry of Finance in support of the Turks and Caicos Islands’ Fiscal Stabilisation Plan.
In light of the Commission of Inquiry’s Final Report, which is due by 31 May 2009, the Government will need to give consideration to the provision of further experts.
Duchy of Lancaster
Charities: Insolvency
Jenny Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many registered charities declared themselves insolvent in each of (a) the last five years and (b) the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [272401]
Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Charity Commission. I have asked the Commission to reply.
Letter from Andrew Hind, dated May 2009:
As the Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, I have been asked to respond to your written parliamentary question on how many registered charities declared themselves insolvent in each of (a) the last five years and (b) the last 12 months.
With regard to how many registered charities declared themselves insolvent in each of the last five years, the Charity Commission do not currently record this information centrally. However, the following tables which set out the number of charities who were removed from the register, in each year, since 2005 and each month since April 2008 and the reasons recorded for their removal. Our data on reasons for removal from the Register only goes back, in a comparable form, to 2005-06.
The following tables refer to those charities which are required to register with the Commission by law. Smaller charities are not required to register with us; the threshold for registration was an annual income of £1,000 until April 2007 when this threshold was increased to £5,000.
Charities removed from the Register due to insolvency are likely to have fallen under the category ‘Ceased to exist or operate for other reasons’. However, it is unlikely that insolvency accounts for more than a small minority.
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