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16 Sep 2009 : Column 2232W—continued
Consular Posts
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken to monitor the response of consular posts to reports of British nationals abroad since 2004. [291419]
David Miliband: There are a number of ways in which cases of British nationals alleging mistreatment are monitored. Since the rollout of an effective electronic case management system between 2002 and 2005, Consular Directorate in London has been able to monitor cases in real-time.
Posts have been required since 1 April 2005 to collate statistics on the number of cases where we have raised concerns with the detaining authorities over allegations of torture or abuse.
Finally, we are currently in the process of deploying Consular Regional Directors around the world, whose responsibilities include monitoring the performance of posts in their regions, including on the response of these posts to allegations of mistreatment.
G20: Public Relations
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what external (a) public relations and (b) public affairs firm were contracted to provide support for the London G20 Summit; and at what cost to the public purse. [289084]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: No external public relations or public affairs firms were contracted to provide support for the London G20 Summit.
However, a temporary unit was created within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to support posts in their engagement with overseas media, help organise local events during the run up to the summit, as well as providing information for the London summit website.
This was staffed by FCO and externally contracted staff who acted as project co-ordinators and content developers, rather than in a public affairs capacity.
Indonesia
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with the Indonesian Government taking steps against former members of the Indonesian Kopassus Special Forces named in 2007 by the Coroner of New South Wales in her findings in relation to the deaths of British citizens Malcolm Rennie and Brian Peters in 1975 in East Timor; and if he will make a statement. [291435]
Mr. Ivan Lewis:
The Australian Federal Police have announced their intention to launch an investigation on the basis of the findings of the 2007 inquiry by the Coroner of New South Wales. We shall consider our position carefully in the light of the results of the Australian Federal Police investigation. The British Government hopes that the investigation may succeed
in shedding light on the circumstances in which Malcolm Rennie and Brian Peters died, thereby bringing some comfort and greater certainty to their families. We do not intend at this stage to raise the issue with the Indonesian authorities.
Israel
Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Israeli Prime Minister on issuing building permits for new housing in Gush Etzion, Ma'aleh Adumim, Givat Ze'ev and other Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in advance of a settlement freeze. [291394]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We are extremely concerned by the recent approval by the Israeli Government of new illegal settlement construction permits. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made this clear in a recent telephone conversation with Ehud Barak.
The Government's position on Israeli settlements has been consistent and robust: they are illegal, a clear violation of international law, and an obstacle to peace. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made this clear during his 25 August 2009 meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister.
Libya
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many official visits to Libya were made by officials from his Department in (a) 2006, (b) 2007, (c) 2008 and (d) 2009; and what the purpose of each such visit was. [291199]
David Miliband: There is no central record of the number of official overseas visits made by Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials to Libya. However officials from various parts of the FCO, both in the UK and overseas, visit Libya regularly in the course of their official duties.
Senior officials hold an annual meeting with Libyan government officials which alternates between Tripoli and London. No senior officials meeting has taken place in 2009.
During the course of their visits officials work to deliver Government objectives in the fields of security, trade, co-operation in the UN and African Union, visas, consular matters and the safety, security and wellbeing of FCO officials and their families living and working in Tripoli.
Lockerbie: Bombings
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times he has discussed the case of Mr. Al-Megrahi with his US counterpart since Mr. Al-Megrahi's conviction. [291198]
David Miliband: I hold regular discussions with my US counterpart, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on a range of issues, such as the case of Mr. Al-Megrahi. The content of these discussions remains confidential as is normal practice.
UK and US officials worked closely together following the Lockerbie bombing to bring Mr. Al-Megrahi to justice. My officials have remained in close contact with US colleagues both before and since Mr. Al-Megrahi's conviction.
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions Ministers and officials from his Department have had with their Libyan counterparts since March 2004. [291251]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Since 2004 there have been a number of ministerial visits to Libya made by Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Ministers: two in 2004, one in 2005, two in 2006, one in 2007, one in 2008 and two in 2009. During the same period, Ministers from Libya's Ministry of Foreign Affairs have visited the UK for meetings with their UK counterparts on a number of occasions: one in 2004, three in 2008 and six in 2009.
Ministerial discussions since 2004 have covered the full range of UK-Libyan bilateral relations, including co-operation in the fields of security, trade, at UN and with the African Union: as well as, visas, consular matters and the safety, security and wellbeing of FCO officials and their families living and working in Tripoli.
There is no central record of the number of official overseas visits made by FCO officials to Libya. However officials from various parts of the FCO, both in the UK and overseas, visit Libya regularly in the course of their official duties. Senior officials hold an annual meeting with Libyan Government officials which alternates between Tripoli and London. No senior officials meeting has taken place in 2009. Issues discussed since 2004 covered the full range of UK-Libyan bilateral relations.
Naheem Hussain: Rehan Zaman
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the reasons were for the time taken for his Department to respond to reports of Naheem Hussain and Rehan Zaman being tortured in Pakistan; and if he will make a statement. [291418]
David Miliband: When consular staff from our High Commission in Islamabad first visited them in prison on 29 July 2004, Mr Naheem Hussain and Mr Rehan Zaman raised allegations that they had been mistreated while in initial police custody. This was reported back to London. We failed to seek an explicit view at the time from them as to whether they wanted us to raise their concerns with the local authorities.
Staff in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London subsequently advised the High Commission in Islamabad to seek such a view on their next visit to Mr Hussain and Mr Zaman. However, once it was realised that this would not be until October 2004-prison visits to British nationals in Pakistan are usually done on a three monthly cycle-a decision was taken to seek their view via their lawyer which we did in early September 2004. As the right hon. Member will be aware, their lawyer subsequently confirmed that they did not want the matter raised with the local authorities.
It should not have taken five weeks from our first visit to Mr Hussain and Mr Zaman to obtain their view. Our consular guidance has developed since 2004 and we have taken steps to ensure such a delay would not happen now. This has included giving clear guidance to our consular staff both overseas and in London that where we have reason to believe a British national has been mistreated in detention overseas, this should be raised urgently with the relevant authorities. Our immediate objective in these cases is to have the allegations investigated and, if there is a possibility that mistreatment is continuing, to ensure that it is stopped. By reacting promptly in this way we also hope to deter abuse in future cases.
Pakistan
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether guidelines were in place in British posts in Pakistan in July 2004 which set out procedures to respond to allegations of the torture of British nationals. [291420]
David Miliband: In 2004, guidance for consular staff made clear the importance of responding to such allegations, including the need to report such cases to the Consular Directorate in London, and to ask the individuals concerned whether they wished us to raise them with the relevant authorities.
Sudan: Peace Negotiations
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of (a) progress in relation to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Sudan and (b) the long-term outlook for Sudan, with particular reference to recent reports of resources from sharing oil revenues. [291402]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The UK welcomes progress that has been made in recent months towards implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). This includes acceptance by both the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the National Congress Party (NCP) of the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in relation to the Abyei area and both parties' commitment to implement the decision.
The UK also welcomes the signing by the SPLM and NCP. under the facilitation of US Envoy General Gration, of the "Points of Agreement" document on the outstanding CPA milestones. We are concerned however that further progress is required on several critical issues, including agreement of the census results, preparations for the elections in April 2010 and for the referendum on self-determination for South Sudan in 2011. The UK is working closely with both parties and with international partners to press for implementation of the outstanding issues.
Health
Alcoholic Drinks: Prices
John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the alcohol industry on reducing the availability of cheap alcohol. [291375]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: No such recent discussions have taken place.
However, Government have just finished a consultation on a mandatory code for alcohol retailers. This proposed restrictions on very cheap alcohol sold below cost, and on irresponsible promotions such as "all you can drink" type offers.
The Government announced in May its decision not to proceed with any measures concerning a minimum unit price at a national or local level.
While there is good evidence that cheap alcohol is linked to people drinking more and the subsequent harm to their health, it is important that any Government interventions reduce harm without impacting unduly on the majority of adults who do drink responsibly.
Government will look to develop further the evidence base in this area with a view to identifying concrete proposals for action, which reduce irresponsible, harmful and/or binge drinking without impacting unduly on the majority of responsible drinkers.
Allergies
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 20 July 2009, Official Report, column 965W, on allergies: consultants, what steps he plans to take to inform primary care staff of the National Occupational Standards on Allergy developed by Skills for Health. [291337]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The National Occupational Standards on Allergy developed by Skills for Health are available on the Skills for Health website at:
Guidance setting out their use is also freely available to employers organisations and staff across the sector.
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 7 July 2009, Official Report, column 685W, on allergies, whether his Department has taken steps to increase the number of posts advertised in open recruitment for entry into allergy. [291338]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Pursuant to the answer given on 7 July 2009, no additional posts have been established by the Department for open recruitment into allergy. The Department created an additional five centrally funded allergy training posts and five immunology posts in 2007. The national health service and deaneries are responsible for establishing whether there is a local need to commission more local training posts.
Cancer: Prescriptions
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of cancer patients in (a) Leicestershire, (b) the East Midlands and (c) England have obtained the exemption from prescription charges since April 2009. [291344]
Mr. Mike O'Brien:
Cancer patients were able to apply for Medical Exemption (MEDEX) certificates (which entitle them to exemption from prescription charges) from 25 January 2009, although these certificates were not valid until 1 April 2009. From this date until
9 September 2009, the total number of valid prescription charge certificate applications processed by NHS Help with Health Costs in England, for cancer patients resident in England, where cancer was the only medical condition ticked on the FP92A application form, was 59,900. The Department is unable to provide the proportionate analysis requested in the question because data on the total number of cancer patients in England who could benefit from the exemption are not available. Nor is it possible to provide a sub-national breakdown of the number of MEDEX issued for cancer, as these data are not held.
Embryos: Storage
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has had with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority on cases where parents wish to store embryos for their infertile offspring under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Statutory Storage Period for Embryos and Gametes) Regulations 2009; and what guidance his Department has provided on this matter. [291431]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Department has not issued guidance on cases where parents wish to store embryos for their infertile offspring. The individual factors of each case would be taken into account by a registered medical practitioner when deciding if the criteria for extending storage periods for embryos or gametes on the grounds of premature infertility are met.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has produced guidance, including through workshops, on the various changes that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 and its related regulations introduce.
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance his Department has provided on whether a couple whose gametes were used to bring about the creation of an embryo may extend storage of the embryo for 10 years as referred to in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Statutory Storage Period for Embryos and Gametes) Regulations 2009, where one of the couple is eligible for the extension on the basis of premature infertility, but the other person whose gametes were used to bring about the creation of the embryo is beyond natural childbearing age; [291432]
(2) what discussions his Department has had with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority on the age at which infertility would no longer been deemed premature in (a) men and (b) women for the purposes of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Statutory Storage Period for Embryos and Gametes) Regulations 2009; [291433]
(3) with reference to Parts 2 and 3 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Statutory Storage Period for Embryos and Gametes) Regulations 2009, what guidance his Department has provided on whether a person who was prematurely infertile on the day of examination, but whose infertility would no longer be premature for the whole of the subsequent 10 years would be eligible for a full 10 year extension of storage of embryos and gametes, with the exception of the final extension to 55 years. [291434]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: As far as guidance issued by the Department and discussion it has had with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority are concerned, I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Enfield, Southgate (Mr. Burrowes) on 9 September 2009, Official Report, column 1984W.
The purpose of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Statutory Storage Period for Embryos and Gametes) Regulations 2009 is to provide more scope for people who are prematurely infertile to have children. Decisions to provide treatment using any such stored gametes or embryos will be subject to the normal welfare of the child considerations.
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