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11 Jun 2009 : Column 966W—continued
Departmental Finance
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to page 14 of the National Audit Office's report on the financial management of his Department, HC 289, what arrangements his Department has made with HM Treasury to carry forward unspent funds into future years through the system of end year flexibility; and whether there have been any changes to these arrangements in the last two financial years. [278646]
David Miliband: The take-up of end year flexibility (EYF) carry over of unspent funds into future years is subject to normal Treasury scrutiny on the basis of need, and in the light of the wider fiscal position. In 2008-09 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office took up £17.3 million EYF. There have been no formal changes to the EYF arrangements in the last two financial years.
European Union: Civil Servants
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff there were at each grade at the UK Permanent Representation to the EU in each year since 1997. [277096]
Chris Bryant: At present staff at each grade at the UK Permanent Representation to the EU are:
| Number | |
To collate a year-by-year breakdown would incur disproportionate cost. The general staffing levels at the UK Permanent Representation have remained reasonably consistent in recent years.
Iraq: Iran
Mr. David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to Iraqi authorities on the security of the residents of Ashraf City. [278967]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Our ambassador in Baghdad called on the Iraqi Human Rights Minister, Wijdan Salim, on 13 April 2009 this year to raise the issue of Camp Ashraf and make her aware of the level of interest in this issue in the UK. We took the opportunity to remind her of the Government of Iraq’s earlier assurances towards the proper treatment of the residents of Ashraf. In addition, officials at our embassy in Baghdad have undertaken consular visits to Camp Ashraf to clarify whether any residents qualified for UK consular assistance.
The Iraqi Government have made assurances that no Ashraf residents will be forcibly transferred to a country where they have reason to fear persecution, or where substantial grounds exist to believe they would be tortured.
Middle East
Dr. Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his (a) Israeli, (b) Egyptian and (c) Palestinian counterparts on the commitment of the Government together with the US, Norway, Germany, France, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands and Denmark to implement measures to prevent arms smuggling from Iran into the Gaza Strip. [278470]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The matter of counter weapons-smuggling to armed groups in Gaza is part of our regular discourse on Middle East Peace Process issues with the EU, US and regional partners, including Israel, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority. Stopping the flow of weapons along with ensuring humanitarian and reconstruction access to Gaza are vital elements to securing a lasting ceasefire.
Dr. Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made on his undertaking together with Italy, Germany and France, to provide naval resources to stop the flow of weapons from Iran into the Gaza Strip. [278471]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Taking action to prevent the smuggling of arms into Gaza plays a key role in consolidating the ceasefire.
We will continue to work closely with the EU, US and regional partners to establish how best our expertise, including naval resources, can be used. Officials are attending a meeting on prevention of arms smuggling to Gaza in Ottawa on 10-11 June 2009. This is a follow up meeting to the ones held in Copenhagen and London where a programme of action was agreed by the nine participating countries (Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, the UK, and the US).
Poland: Treaty of Lisbon
Mr. Hayes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his
Department has had with the Polish government on Poland’s ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon; and if he will make a statement. [276972]
Chris Bryant: My right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Minister for Europe have regular contact with their EU counterparts in other member states. These discussions include a wide range of bilateral, European and international issues.
Republic of Ireland: Treaty of Lisbon
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the Irish Government on Ireland's ratification of the treaty of Lisbon; and if he will make a statement. [276973]
Chris Bryant: The Irish Government updated partners in Brussels on their views on preparing the June European Council discussion during the course of the week beginning 25 May 2009. My right hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint), the then Minister for Europe, wrote on 5 June 2009 to the chairs of European Scrutiny Committee and the Lords EU Select Committee updating them on these discussions. Copies of this letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Tibet
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2009, Official Report, column 522W, on Tibet, what report was made to him by those officials who visited the Tibet Autonomous Region in May 2009. [278980]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Bill Rammell), the then Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on 8 June 2009, Official Report, column 694W.
Culture, Media and Sport
Digital Broadcasting: Radio
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made towards creating a plan for the digital migration of radio. [279096]
Mr. Bradshaw: We have worked closely with a wide range of industry stakeholders since the publication of the Interim Digital Britain Report. We will set out the findings, alongside our proposals for the future of radio, in the Digital Britain Final Report, which will be published shortly.
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on how many occasions the Digital Radio Delivery Group has met. [279097]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Digital Radio Delivery Group has met four times.
Football Foundation: Finance
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Football Association and (b) the Premier League on the funding of the Football Foundation; and what financial commitments to the Foundation have been agreed for each year to 2012. [278552]
Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 8 June 2009]: I have regular discussions with the Football Association and the Premier League about football matters, including issues relating to the Football Foundation.
The current agreed annual financial commitment to the Football Foundation by each of the three funding partners is currently £15 million and runs to the end of the financial year 2009-10.
Heroes Return 2 Scheme
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many veterans have received funding under the Heroes Return 2 scheme. [278307]
Barbara Follett [holding answer 8 June 2009]: Through the Big Lottery Fund’s Heroes Return 2 programme 1,184 veterans have received funding. This funding has offered WW2 veterans from the UK, Channel Islands and Republic of Ireland the opportunity to visit the places where they saw active service or to take part in an official commemoration in the UK.
UK Film Council: Pay
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which (a) employees and (b) board members of the UK Film Council receive a salary higher than the Ministerial salary of a Secretary of State; and what the salary is in each case. [278078]
Barbara Follett: The information is as follows:
(a) Four UK Film Council employees receive a salary higher than a Secretary of State. In accordance with the UK Film Council’s annual report and accounts disclosure of senior staff salaries, not including the chief executive officer, is given in salary ranges.
| Employee | Position | Salary |
(b) Board Members of the UK Film Council do not receive remuneration.
Scotland
Departmental Data Protection
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many notifications his Department made to the Information Commissioner in the year ended 30 April 2009 in respect of the loss or mishandling of personal information or data; what was notified in each such case; and how many individuals were the subjects of personal information or data in respect of which such notifications were made. [278755]
Ann McKechin: Under the mandatory requirements of the Data Handling Report published on 25 June 2008, the Scotland Office is required to give a summary report on data breaches reported to the Information Commissioner in our annual resource accounts.
The Scotland Office has made no such notifications.
Electoral Commission Committee
Local Government: Reorganisation
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission what financial consultants were used by the Boundary Committee to model the possible costs of unitary local government in (a) Devon, (b) Norfolk and (c) Suffolk; and at what cost. [279559]
Mr. Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that the Boundary Committee engaged three independent financial consultants to consider the affordability of its draft proposals for Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk. They are Chris Wheeler CPFA, Tony Hall CPFA and Ken Bell CPFA. The committee also engaged Dr. Eric Fisher CPFA to undertake a peer review of their affordability assessments. All were contracted through CIPFA Placements.
The cost to date is £279,949. This figure accounts for work undertaken in relation to Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk from March 2008 to 10 June 2009.
Olympics
Olympic Games 2012
Pete Wishart: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how much has been raised from all dedicated London 2012 Olympic Lottery games (a) in total and (b) in each quarter of 2008-09. [278093]
Barbara Follett: I have been asked to reply.
As at 31 March 2009, the total contributed to the Olympic Lottery Distribution Fund (OLDF) from designated Olympic Lottery games is £390.4 million.
The amount contributed to the OLDF from designated Olympic Lottery Games in each quarter of financial year 2008-09 is:
| £ million | |
The National Lottery Commission publishes quarterly reports detailing the level of funds that have been transferred to the OLDF. These are available on its website:
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