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9 Sep 2009 : Column 1965W—continued
Papua: Political Prisoners
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the imprisonment of Papuan democracy activist Buchtar Tabuni; what steps his Department has taken in response to such reports; and if he will make a statement. [289219]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Buchtar Tabuni was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for "provocation" on 3 July 2009. Prosecutors had pressed for a sentence of ten years for treason but this was rejected by the judges.
Our embassy in Jakarta have been following the trial of Buchtar Tabuni and previously met his lawyers to investigate allegations of physical abuse. They were unable to verify these claims.
My predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Bill Rammell), raised continuing UK parliamentary and public concern at the human rights situation in Papua with Indonesian Foreign Minister Wirajuda when he met him in Jakarta on 10 February 2009 and again at the Asia Europe meeting in Hanoi in May. There is frustration in Papua over poor implementation of the Special Autonomy Law of 2001. However, while problems do remain, it is important to recognise that real improvements have been made in Indonesia's human rights situation in recent years. Our embassy staff make regular visits to Papua to discuss human rights issues with a wide range of interlocutors. The last visit was on 17-18 June 2009.
Peacekeeping Operations: Private Sector
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer to the Lord Toms of Cheltenham of 5 May 2009, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA106, on private military companies, how many personnel of private military companies are operating under contracts with his Department. [276800]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office holds a number of contracts with private military and security companies (PMSCs) to provide services such as close protection, static guarding and police mentoring. We do not hold contracts with individual personnel of those companies nor is there a centrally held record of how many personnel are employed by them providing services to the Government. Additionally a number of overseas posts hold contracts with PMSCs locally. To establish the number of personnel working for the companies operating under contracts with us would therefore be a wide ranging exercise, the cost of which would be disproportionate.
Scotland
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department plans to make a submission to the Scottish Executive's National Conversation consultation on Scotland's constitutional future. [288955]
Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not submitted evidence to the Scottish Government's National Conversation.
Sri Lanka: Human Rights
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Sri Lanka since the end of the conflict in the country; and if he will make a statement. [288580]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We are increasingly concerned about the treatment of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Sri Lanka, especially the lack of freedom of movement in the camps and the restrictions put on protection activities, including ensuring the safety of the IDPs, reuniting unaccompanied children with their families and registration of the IDP population as a whole. We also remain concerned at continuing reports of abductions, disappearances, violence and intimidation against the media, all of which appear to affect Tamil communities disproportionately. We continue to raise these issues regularly with the government of Sri Lanka and call upon them to take decisive action to tackle human rights abuses.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Sri Lankan government on the treatment of Tamils in camps; and if he will make a statement. [288581]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We take every available opportunity to urge the Sri Lankan government to ensure the internally displaced persons (IDPs) held in camps in northern Sri Lanka are treated in accordance with international standards. These include providing basic facilities such as food, water, shelter and medicine as well as issues such as freedom of movement, reuniting family members and ensuring the early return of IDPs to their homes.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister discussed the humanitarian situation in IDP camps with President Rajapakse on 18 May 2009, as did my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary with Foreign Minister Bogollogama on 5 June 2009. My noble Friend, the then Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, Lord Malloch-Brown, raised the issue with the Sri Lankan Minister for Trade and External Development when they met on 19 June 2009. Our High Commissioner to Sri Lanka continues to raise our concerns with the Sri Lankan government at every opportunity.
I also refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by the Minister of State, Department for International Development, my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Thomas), on 14 July 2009, Official Report, columns 12-13WS, which contains further information on the latest humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka.
Sudan: Politics and Government
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Sudan on the abduction of opposition politicians and activists in that country. [290915]
Chris Bryant: The UK regularly raises human rights issues with the Government of Sudan through the European Union, the Assessment and Evaluation Committee, the National Elections Commission and in bilaterals. In particular, we have raised the importance of protecting freedom of expression and the political space for campaigning by all parties in the run up to the elections in 2010.
Sudan: Prisoners
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) the Irish government and (b) the Sudanese government on the kidnapping from Northern Darfur of two aid workers from the charity GOAL. [288694]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke with the Irish Foreign Secretary regarding the kidnapping on 14 July 2009. Our Ambassador to Sudan has discussed the issue with the Sudanese Foreign Minister and Minister for Humanitarian Affairs. Our Embassy in Khartoum continues to work closely with Irish officials in Sudan.
We strongly condemn all acts of violence against aid workers, and call on all parties, including the government of Sudan, to ensure the safety of aid workers in the region.
Thailand: Aviation
Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of progress made by the Thai authorities in their inquiry into the September 2007 air crash involving British citizens; and what recent discussions he has had with the Thai authorities on the date of publication of the report on the inquiry. [290894]
Chris Bryant: An interim investigation report was published by the Thai authorities in June and we circulated an English translation of this report to the families of those involved in this tragic accident. The final report is in the process of being translated into all the relevant languages, including English. It will then be submitted to the International Civil Aviation Organisation who have 60-days upon receipt to verify the documents. The finalising of the report was delayed following the accident in Koh Samui in August this year in which four British nationals were injured, as the same body is responsible for investigating both incidents. We expect it to be several months before the final report is published.
Our embassy in Bangkok is monitoring the progress of the investigation and we will alert the hon. Member and the families concerned as soon as the report is made public.
USA: Terrorism
Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the US administration on its designation of Interpal as a global terrorist organisation; and if he will make a statement. [289236]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Officials are in ongoing discussions with their US counterparts about how to facilitate legitimate charitable work while protecting against any risk of abuse by terrorist financiers.
This has included the case of Interpal and its status as a US designated organisation.
Western Sahara: Human Rights
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that the matter of human rights abuses in the Non-Self Governing Territory of Western Sahara related to calls for a referendum is raised with Morocco by EU officials in the next meeting of the sub-committee on Human Rights, Democratisation and Governance. [289057]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The UK considers the EU-Morocco Association Agreement Sub Committee on Human Rights, Democratisation and Governance to be an essential element of the EU-Morocco relationship. We have been engaged in the planning for the meeting on 24 July 2009 through our Missions in Rabat and Brussels. The agenda was agreed by member states on 13 July 2009, and will include, among other issues, women's rights, freedom of expression and the rights of detainees. Discussions will not exclude the territory of Western Sahara.
The EU engages regularly with the Moroccan Government on human rights issues at a local level with our EU colleagues by raising individual cases of concern as appropriate.
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy that there be a field presence from the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Western Sahara. [289058]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Government believe that greater openness and transparency on human rights by all the parties would create a significantly better environment for political dialogue between the parties. We support the call by the UN Secretary General, in his latest report, for the parties to remain engaged in a continuous and constructive dialogue with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and to make progress on the human dimension of the conflict. If, as the result of such dialogue, a mechanism were to be established to allow OHCHR to further add value, for example by assisting and reporting on the situation in Western Sahara, the Government would support it.
WPC Yvonne Fletcher
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received a recent request from members of the family of WPC Yvonne Fletcher for a meeting with Ministers; and if he will make a statement. [290920]
Chris Bryant: Although my right hon. Friend, the Foreign Secretary has not received a request, he has offered to meet the family of WPC Fletcher to discuss the Government's efforts to move the investigation forward.
Libya has accepted responsibility for WPC Fletcher's murder and paid compensation to her family. Despite their promises to do so, and the UK's repeated requests, Libya has not allowed the Metropolitan Police Service to return to Libya to continue the investigation.
We attach the highest importance to securing Libyan cooperation with the investigation and push this with the Libyan authorities at every available opportunity.
Energy and Climate Change
Carbon Emissions
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his latest estimate is of the UK's carbon footprint. [288713]
Joan Ruddock: The latest estimate for the total carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from the UK is 542.6 Mt in 2007. A provisional estimate for the total CO2 emitted from the UK in 2008 is 531.8 Mt.
The latest estimate for the total greenhouse gas emissions emitted from the UK is 636.6 Mt in 2007. A provisional estimate for the total greenhouse gas emissions emitted from the UK in 2008 is 623.8 Mt.
Climate Change
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many copies of the departmental pamphlet, The Road to Copenhagen: Taking International Action on Climate Change, have been printed; to whom they have been distributed; what the cost of printing and distribution has been; and what steps he plans to take to promote the proposals in the pamphlet before the Copenhagen summit. [288564]
Joan Ruddock: I can confirm that the overall cost of the Road to Copenhagen leaflet was approximately £34,000 exclusive of VAT. This includes design, typesetting, printing and distribution of 46,000 copies. The leaflet is being distributed in hard copy or electronic format to a range of outlets, including educational establishments, public libraries, Citizens Advice bureaux, trade unions, business-related outlets, MPs and other key stakeholders.
Climate Change: South East
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment has been made of the financial effects of climate change at the present rate on (a) the ceremonial county of Hampshire and (b) the South East. [288895]
Joan Ruddock: In 2005, the regional climate change partnerships working with the UK Climate Impacts Programme published 'Measuring Progress'. The report assessed the impacts of climate change by region including the South East and included some indicative assessments of the impacts on activities from climate change. The Government have now begun the Adaptation Economic Assessment, which will analyse the high level economic costs and benefits of adapting to climate change in the UK. The project will include information by English region, including the South East, but not by individual county boundary. It is due to report in 2012.
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has to assist people in the (a) ceremonial county of Hampshire and (b) the South East to adapt their domestic circumstances to take account of the effects of climate change. [288897]
Joan Ruddock:
The aim of the Government's Adapting to Climate Change Programme is to help people adapt to the effects of climate change by providing robust evidence on the effects of climate change and embedding
adaptation into policies, plans and programmes. The programme seeks to achieve this by building capacity in organisations who are the most able to take long term adaptation decisions. This includes local government via mechanisms such as National Indicator 188-Planning to Adapt to Climate Change within the local government performance framework to enable them to support individuals to adapt to future climate changes through local programmes.
On 18 June, the Government published the latest UK Climate Projections. These projections show the potential changes in climate for the UK for a range of probabilities, climate variables and emissions scenarios. These data are freely available to all to make their own assessments of the likely effects of climate change. To support organisations in using the projections, the Government are providing a training package, Projections in Practice from July to March 2010. The programme will include a series of national events for specific sectors and will also include from September a programme of events in each region including the South East. To support adaptation locally and regionally, we have established a local and regional programme managed by a board of key local and regional organisations. The regional climate change partnership, Climate South East, is represented on the board. The board manages a small programme of projects to develop guidance and tools to help local authorities, regional climate change partnerships and others to support communities to take account of the effects of climate change. Further information on the board is located on the Government's Adapting to Climate Change Programme website:
Damian McBride
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on what date he last met Mr. Damian McBride in the course of his official duties. [287404]
Joan Ruddock: There have been no such meetings.
Departmental Electronic Equipment
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the answer of 26 November 2008, Official Report, column 2142W, on departmental electronic equipment, how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have spent on (i) flat screen televisions, (ii) DVD players and (iii) stereo equipment since November 2008. [289164]
Joan Ruddock: The Department has spent £7,289 on flat screen televisions, some of which had built-in DVD players and £68 on stand-alone DVD players. The Department has procured no stereo equipment.
The Department has no agencies.
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