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21 May 2009 : Column 1496W—continued
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Afghanistan: Females
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the Government has made of the likely effect of the proposed Afghan Shia family law in Afghanistan on the rights of Afghan women; and if he will make a statement. [276146]
Caroline Flint: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised our concerns with President Karzai. We welcome President Karzai's decision to ask the Minister of Justice to review the legislation in question and his announcement on 27 April 2009 that the ‘Shia Family’ law would be changed to bring it in line with the constitution, which guarantees equal rights for women, and the international treaties to which Afghanistan is a party. We will continue to follow the progress of this issue closely.
As my noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, Lord Malloch-Brown, has said, the Afghans obviously have the right to write their own laws. However, we were dismayed that some reported provisions of the Bill as it was drafted ran counter to Afghanistan's international human rights obligations. This Bill, if it had become law as drafted, would have had a significantly detrimental impact on the rights of women.
Afghanistan: Politics and Government
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government has made to the Afghan Government on the proposed Shia Personal Status Law; and what discussions he has had with his (a) EU and (b) US counterparts on the appropriate international response to this legislation. [271012]
David Miliband: We continue to urge the Afghan Government to uphold the Afghan Constitution, which demands equal treatment of men and women, and to adhere to Afghanistan’s international legal obligations under the human rights conventions it has signed up to, including the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
As my noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, Lord Malloch-Brown, has said, the Afghans obviously have the right to write their own laws. However, we were dismayed that some reported provisions of the Bill as it was drafted ran counter to Afghanistan’s international human rights obligations. This Bill, if it had become law as drafted, would have had a significantly detrimental impact on the rights of women.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised our concerns about the law with President Karzai. We welcome President Karzai’s decision to ask the Minister of Justice to review the legislation in question, and his announcement on 27 April 2009 that the law would be changed to bring it in line with the constitution, and the international treaties to which Afghanistan is a party. We will continue to follow the progress of this issue closely.
European Court of Human Rights
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what costs have been incurred in each case in which the Government was taken to the European Court of Human Rights after the entry into force of the Human Rights Act 1998. [274037]
Caroline Flint: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office do not hold a record of the overall cost of the Government’s defence of each application to the European Court of Human Rights since the entry into force of the Human Rights Act.
Human Rights: EU Action
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 5 May 2009, Official Report, columns 4-7WS, on the General Affairs and External Relations Council, what proposals the Swedish Foreign Minister made for publicising the EU’s work on human rights; and to which officials the Presidency referred further work. [275453]
Caroline Flint: The Swedish Foreign Minister proposed that the EU should consider the following: consolidating on one easily recognisable website a range of information about the EU’s human rights work; strengthening the EU Annual Report on Human Rights; reinforcing the EU’s day-to-day public diplomacy in respect of human rights; and issuing public reports on human rights situations in third countries.
The presidency referred the matter to the Political and Security Committee for further consideration.
Mikhail Khodorkovsky
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what recent representations his Department has made to the Russian Government on the trial of Mr. Mikhail Khodorkovsky; and if he will make a statement; [274597]
(2) what steps his Department is taking to monitor the trial of Mr. Mikhail Khodorkovsky; and if he will make a statement. [274598]
David Miliband: We regularly raise our concerns regarding the case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, bilaterally and through the EU. The issue was raised bilaterally at the UK/Russia human rights consultations in January in Moscow. Our concerns include the arbitrary application of the rule of law, due process and fair treatment of Khodorkovsky and others who have been arrested or prosecuted in the Yukos Affair, access to lawyers and medical care, conditions of detention and the alleged harassment of defence teams and witnesses.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister did not specifically raise Mr. Khodorkovsky’s situation during his bilateral with President Medvedev at the G20 summit. However, during their bilateral the Prime Minister and President Medvedev agreed that both governments should continue to work together to resolve the areas on which the UK and Russia differ. The Government will continue to raise specific human rights cases, not only through the bilateral human rights consultations.
The UK is participating in trial monitoring with EU partners and the US. We will continue to follow developments in Mr. Khodorkovsky’s case.
Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he discussed the case of Mr. Mikhail Khodorkovsky with President Medvedev at the G20 summit; and if he will make a statement. [274601]
David Miliband: During my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s bilateral with President Medvedev before the G20 Summit, a number of issues of concern to the UK were raised.
Sri Lanka: Armed Conflict
Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the number of civilians (a) injured and (b) killed in northern Sri Lanka between 8 and 11 May 2009; and if he will make a statement. [275963]
Caroline Flint: As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary said at the UN on 11 May 2009, we are appalled at the recent reports of civilian casualties. The ongoing conflict makes it difficult to be certain of the facts of the present situation, which is compounded by the lack of access for international agencies and the media, so it remains difficult to confirm the exact number of casualties. Estimates vary wildly, depending on the source. We have made clear to the Government of Sri Lanka our concerns over the disturbing reports of the continued use of heavy weapons and civilian casualties. Following the Foreign Secretary's discussions with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on 12 May 2009, they released a joint statement calling for the Government of Sri Lanka to abide by its commitment of 27 April 2009 to end major combat operations and the use of heavy weapons. They called on all sides to end hostilities immediately and allow for the safe evacuation of the tens of thousands of civilians trapped within the safe zone.
Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had discussions with the Sri Lankan Government on civilian deaths during the recent fighting in the north east of the island. [276263]
Caroline Flint: As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary said at the UN on 11 May 2009, we are appalled at the recent reports of heavy fighting and civilian casualties. We condemn the killing of civilians in the strongest possible terms. During his recent visit to Sri Lanka with French Foreign Minister Kouchner, the Foreign Secretary made clear to the Sri Lankan Government that the safety of civilians must be paramount and that hostilities must end immediately. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary spoke to Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Bogollogama on 10,11 and 13 May 2009 to express our grave concern over the continued reports of heavy fighting and civilian casualties and to underline the urgent need for a pause in fighting to allow civilians to leave the conflict area safely.
Sri Lanka: Press Freedom
Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the government of Sri Lanka on the arrest and expulsion of Channel 4 journalist Nick Paton Walsh and two of his colleagues; and if he will make a statement. [275959]
Caroline Flint: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to Foreign Minister Bogollagama on 10 May 2009, expressing our disappointment at the detainment and deportation of three Channel 4 journalists from Sri Lanka the day before. The Foreign Secretary made clear our view that there is an overwhelming need for greater transparency, not less. We have consistently called for access for international monitors and the media. Our high commission in Colombo has lodged a formal protest with the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the incident.
Written Questions: Government Responses
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to answer Question 268581 tabled on 30 March 2009 on the G20 Summit; and if he will make a statement. [275528]
Gillian Merron: This question was answered on 18 May 2009, Official Report, column 1149W. The delay in replying was due to an administrative error.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to answer question 272621, tabled on 30 April 2009, on the number of records stored on the Overseas Territories Regional Crime Intelligence System. [276795]
Caroline Flint: This question was answered on 19 May 2009, Official Report, column 1322W. The delay in replying was due to an administrative error.
Innovation, Universities and Skills
Apprentices: Management
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many apprenticeship (a) starts and (b) completions in management there were at each level in each of the last five years. [268146]
Mr. Simon: Table 1 shows the number of apprenticeship and advanced apprenticeship starts in management-related frameworks (business administration and management) in the last five years.
Table 2 shows the number of apprenticeship and advanced apprenticeship completions in management-related frameworks (business administration and management) in the last five years.
| Table 1: Number of apprenticeship completions in business administration and management by level, 2003/04 to 2007/08 | ||||
| Sector framework | ||||
| Academic year | Level | Business administration | Management | Total |
| Notes: 1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred, therefore figures may not sum to the totals shown as they are calculated using unrounded data. 2. Figures under 50 have been suppressed and replaced with a “—”. 3. Figures for advanced apprenticeships include higher level apprenticeships (HLA) to be consistent with the information published in statistical first releases. HLA numbers are currently too small to include as a separate category. 4. Tables use programme starts/completions as a measure for comparative purposes. Full-year numbers are a count of the number of starts/completions at any point during the year. Learners starting/completing more than one course will appear more than once. Source: Work Based Learning Individualised Learner Record (WBL ILR) | ||||
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