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3 Jun 2009 : Column 511W—continued
Conflict Prevention
Mr. Moore:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 18 May 2009, Official Report, column 1146W, on conflict prevention, what the original planned total allocation for conflict prevention was for (a) South
Asia, including Afghanistan, (b) Africa, (c) Europe and (d) the Middle East under the annual tri-departmental review for 2009-10; and if he will make a statement. [277340]
Gillian Merron: The original planned total allocation for conflict activity in financial year (FY) 2009-10 was set out in the Comprehensive Spending Review settlement: £109 million for Conflict Prevention, £73 million for Stabilisation and an additional call on the Treasury Reserve for the Peacekeeping Budget (£374 million).
As stated in the previous response, individual country/regional allocations were agreed through an annual tri- departmental (Department for International Development, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Ministry of Defence) review of planned activity across all three funds.
Under the tri-departmental review for 2009-10, the UK's total available conflict resource for FY 2009-10 (leaving aside the cost of UK military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq) was increased to £627 million (from £556 million). The breakdown is as follows:
£456 million has been ring-fenced for assessed peacekeeping. The remaining £171 million will fund all discretionary peacekeeping, conflict prevention and stabilisation. It has been divided in the following ways:
Africa—£43 million
Middle East—£18 million
Wider Europe—£33 million
South Asia—£61.3 million
Strategic Security International Organisations—£6.5 million
Central Reserve—£9.2 million (to act primarily as a buffer against fluctuations in the exchange rate and increases in assessed peacekeeping or other conflict-related costs).
Departmental Public Expenditure
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Richmond (Yorks) of 15 May 2009, Official Report, column 1061W, on departmental public expenditure, for what reason the administration allocation for the Baghdad post was reduced from £26,584,327 in 2007-08 to £2,673,946 in 2008-09; what categories of cost are now incurred at the post; and how much staff security at the post cost in the latest period for which figures are available. [276814]
Gillian Merron: Since 1 April 2008 funds for major contracts in Iraq have been managed from London as this is more cost-effective. The funds managed at post are for local running costs.
The total allocations for London and posts in Iraq Directorate for 2007-08 were £39.2 million. In 2008-09 total allocations reduced to £36.1 million. The decrease in allocation was because of the renegotiation of major contracts.
Costs incurred at Baghdad include those for security, transport, medical, catering and other life support costs.
Daniel Kawczynski:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Richmond (Yorks) of 15 May 2009, Official Report, column 1061W, on departmental public expenditure, for what reason
the administration allocation for the Kirkuk post was reduced from £1,390,059 in 2007-08 to nil in 2008-09; for what reason the administration allocation for the new post at Erbil remains at £140,569; what services in Kirkuk have been reduced as a result of the change; and what recent discussions he has had with authorities in the Kurdistan region on the effect of the change on the UK's policy on northern Iraq and the Kurds. [276816]
Gillian Merron: UK-based staff moved from Kirkuk to Erbil in February 2007. One locally engaged staff member remains in Kirkuk, administered from Erbil. All services provided to Kirkuk have ceased.
Since 1 April 2008 funds for major contracts in Iraq have been managed from London as this is more cost-effective. The funds managed at post are for local running costs.
The total allocations for London and posts in Iraq Directorate for financial year (FY) 2007-08 were £39.2 million. In FY 2008-09 total allocations reduced to £36.1 million. The decrease in allocation was because of the renegotiation of major contracts.
The Government attach great value to our relationship with the Kurds both as part of bilateral relationship with Iraq and directly with the Kurdistan Region. Kurdish leaders including Kurdish President Masoud Barzani and Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani have a major role to play in continued stabilisation and security in Iraq and, through dialogue with the federal Government in Baghdad and finding political solutions to the remaining nation-building legislation.
Separately, we continue to strengthen our relationship with the Kurdish Region by helping it to prosper as a stable, democratic and economically viable region through closer ties in education, trade, culture, security sector reform and supporting its efforts to establish better relations with its neighbours such as Turkey.
EC Law
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the proportion of domestic legislation which was enacted as a consequence of obligations arising from EU legislation in the latest period for which figures are available. [277764]
Caroline Flint: A House of Commons Library analysis of the effects of EU legislation on British law between 1998 and 2005 gave a figure of 9.1 per cent.
European Commission
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2009, Official Report, column 1196W, on the European Union, for which international bodies his Department recognises the European Commission as having an active treaty competence interest. [277115]
Caroline Flint: The European Commission’s Treaties Office keeps track of all the treaties to which the European Community is a party. It is publicly available at:
Where the European Community is a member of an international organisation the European Commission
will attend meetings of the organisation and may speak on matters falling within the European Community’s competence.
European Court of Justice
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the Government spent on legal costs for cases at the European Court of Justice for 2008. [277094]
Gillian Merron: For the financial year 2008-09, in relation to cases before the European Court of Justice and the Court of First Instance, the Government spent £514,111.00 on counsel’s fees. This figure does not include a limited number of outstanding fees relating to work undertaken in 2008-09 for which the Government have not yet been invoiced.
European Union
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the estimated marginal cost to the UK Permanent Representation to the EU was of European Parliament plenaries taking place in Strasbourg in the last 12 months. [277080]
Caroline Flint: The estimated marginal cost of Strasbourg plenary sessions to the UK Permanent Representation to the EU for the past 12 months was around €65,000. The UK Permanent Representation, on behalf of the Government, engages regularly with the European Parliament, including the Strasbourg plenary sessions, in order to achieve the best outcome for the UK.
Gambia: Politics and Government
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the next dialogue meeting between the Government of the Gambia and the EU will be held; and whether he plans to raise the case of David and Fiona Fulton at that meeting. [275465]
Gillian Merron: The next EU-Gambia meeting is scheduled for 10 June 2009. This meeting will not provide an opportunity for our high commissioner to raise the Fultons' case as he will be acting as the sole representative of the EU presidency on EU-Gambia matters. Consular staff continue to monitor the Fultons' case and make regular visits. Our high commissioner will make representations directly to the Gambian authorities where appropriate.
Iran: Sanctions
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 6 May 2009, Official Report, column 172W, on Iran: sanctions, what his policy is on the length of time Iran will be given to respond in a positive way before further steps are taken. [277228]
David Miliband: Following a meeting of officials from the E3+3 on 8 April 2009, EU High Representative Javier Solana contacted Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili to invite Iran to meet with the E3+3.
Iran has yet to respond to the E3+3’s invitation. While we remain committed to engagement, we are also clear that the window of opportunity for Iran to take positive steps is not open-ended.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 2 April 2009, transferred from the Department for International Development on 9 April, on Hakamada Iwao. [276553]
Gillian Merron [holding answer 20 May 2009]: This letter was replied to on 20 May 2009.
Middle East: Armed Conflict
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on levels of smuggling into Gaza; and if he will make a statement. [277208]
David Miliband: There are two types of smuggling into Gaza. The majority of smuggling is for commercial goods, including fuel. We believe that this continues to be a major part of the Gazan economy, primarily because of the continuing Israeli restrictions at the commercial crossings into the strip. The UK continues to call on the Israeli Government to reduce restrictions at the Gaza crossings on trade goods, reconstruction materials, and aid, as well as flows of people. The second type of smuggling is arms smuggling. We believe that recent actions have disrupted this to some extent but that it does continue. UK officials will attend a meeting in Ottawa in June 2009 (following earlier meetings in Copenhagen and London) to address further measures to prevent arms smuggling into Gaza.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on attempts by Hamas to re-arm in the Gaza Strip; and if he will make a statement. [277209]
David Miliband: We are deeply concerned by reports of continued sporadic rocket attacks from Gaza aimed at Israel and call on the attacks to cease immediately. The UK continues to urge Hamas to renounce violence and condemns attempts to smuggle weapons and ammunition into Gaza.
The UK continues to work with international partners against the smuggling of arms into Gaza. UK officials will attend a meeting in Ottawa in June 2009 (following earlier meetings in Copenhagen and London), to address further measures to prevent arms smuggling.
Pakistan: Nuclear Weapons
Mr. Hague:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on (a) recent activity in Pakistan's nuclear programme and (b) construction of facilities at (i) the
Dera Ghazi Khan nuclear site and (ii) the Institute of Science and Technology; and what recent discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on Pakistan’s nuclear programme. [277210]
David Miliband: Recent reports on Pakistan’s nuclear programme indicate that Pakistan is continuing to expand its nuclear weapons capabilities both in terms of warheads and their delivery systems. Dera Ghazi Khan nuclear site and the Institute of Science and Technology are both involved in Pakistan’s nuclear programme. I regularly discuss this and a range of other issues with my Pakistani counterpart, most recently on 26 May 2009.
Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 15 May 2009, Official Report, column 1071W, on peacekeeping operations, how many UK civilian secondees there have been to each conflict prevention and peacekeeping operation in each country in 2008-09; and what the role of each was. [277229]
David Miliband: The information is as follows:
| FY 2008-09 | |
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