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5 Nov 2009 : Column 1110W—continued
Unemployment
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in (a) England, (b) the North East, (c) Tees Valley and (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency had no one in employment in each year since 1997. [297145]
Angela E. Smith: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Jil Matheson, dated November 2009:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question on the number of households in (a) England, (b) the North East, (c) Tees Valley and (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency which had no-one in employment in each year since 1997. (297145).
The available information is provided in the attached tables. Estimates for England and the North East are provided from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) household datasets, for the years 1997 to 2009, covering the three months to June in each year, the period at which specially designed household datasets are available.
This information is taken from the annual Statistical Bulletin titled, "Work and worklessness among households" which can be found here:
Estimates for areas within the North East are not available from the LFS household datasets.
Estimates for Tees Valley & Durham and Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland have been provided from the Annual Population Survey (APS), which combines four quarters of the LFS and sample boosts, to produce an annual estimate. Estimates on this basis are available from 2004, the first year the household datasets are available, to 2008, for the calendar year January to December.
Figures for households are based on working age households. A working-age household is a household that includes at least one person of working-age, that is a woman aged 16 to 59 or a man aged 16 to 64.
| Number of Workless working-age( 1) households in England and North East Region -n ot seasonally adjusted | ||
| Thousand | ||
| April to June each year | England | North East |
| (1) A working-age household is a household that includes at least one person of working-age, that is a woman aged 16 to 59 or a man aged 16 to 64. Notes: 1. Figures have not been adjusted to include estimates for households with unknown economic activity 2. Excludes households with unknown economic activity status. Source: ONS Labour Force Survey | ||
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
British Overseas Territories: Remembrance Day
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to lay a wreath on behalf of the British Overseas Territories on the Cenotaph on Remembrance Day; and if he will take steps to ensure that all representatives of British Overseas Territories are able to do so. [296923]
Chris Bryant [holding answer 2 November 2009]: The Government fully recognise the contribution and sacrifice made by citizens of the Overseas Territories during time of conflict. After careful consideration and consultation across relevant Whitehall Departments it has been decided that there should be no change to existing arrangements at the Remembrance Sunday Service.
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will continue to lay a wreath on behalf of all the British Overseas Territories at the Cenotaph Service on Remembrance Sunday.
Colombia: Political Prisoners
Alun Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether members of his Department posted to Bogota have visited political prisoners in Colombia jails. [297732]
Chris Bryant: No, but we have pointed out to the Colombian authorities that those charged with crimes should have their legal rights fully respected, including to a fair trial.
Colombia: Trade Unions
Alun Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to the Government of Colombia on the detention since September 2007 of trade unionist Andres Gil. [297705]
Chris Bryant: The last time we made formal representations on the detention of Andres Gil was in July 2009. We have received no response to date and will make further representations accordingly.
Departmental Visits Abroad
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on overnight accommodation for (a) Ministers and (b) officials while overseas in each of the last three years. [294696]
Chris Bryant: This information is not held centrally, and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. Travel by Ministers and civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code respectively.
Hakluyt
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contacts his Department has had with Hakluyt and Co Ltd since 1 January 2009. [296748]
Chris Bryant: This information is not held centrally and collating it would incur disproportionate cost.
Honduras: Politics and Government
Mr. Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage the restoration of democratic government in Honduras. [296811]
Chris Bryant: The UK strongly condemned the forcible removal of President Manuel Zelaya of Honduras. Since June 2009, the UK and our EU partners have continued to support a regional resolution and have welcomed in particular the role that President Arias of Costa Rica and the Organisation of American States have played in seeking to find a peaceful, negotiated resolution to the crisis.
The EU has issued a number of statements about the situation in Honduras (21, 25, 31 July, 7 August and 22 September 2009) which have publicly supported these processes. The EU has also applied a number of diplomatic measures, including restrictions on political level contacts with members of the de facto regime, and suspending budgetary support.
We hope that the signing by representatives of President Zelaya and the de facto Government of an accord on 30 October 2009 will lead to a return to democratic government and constitutional order in the country.
Kenya: Foreign Relations
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his latest assessment is of the state of relations between the UK and the government of Kenya; and what recent discussions he has had with his European Union counterparts on the state of relations between Kenya and the EU. [297645]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Government have good relations with the Government of Kenya. Our two countries are bound together by strong historic links, reinforced by a Kenyan diaspora of an estimated 130,000 in the UK. We support the Kenyan Government's political reform process and stress the importance of credible action to strengthen governance. We are one of the largest bilateral aid donors to Kenya and also have strong trade, investment, tourism and military relationships. We share common interests in tackling regional and international security issues. Kenya's progress on political and socio-economic reform has an impact on the vitality of these relationships. That is why we are encouraging and supporting the National Accord which sets out a framework of action to address issues that threaten Kenya's stability and prosperity. These include constitutional, electoral, police and judicial reform, while tackling the entrenched culture of impunity related to corruption and violence.
We work closely with EU partners to coordinate support and engagement with the Kenyan Government and others active in the reform process. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary attended the EU General Affairs Council Meeting in Brussels in late July 2009 where Council Conclusions on Kenya were agreed. The conclusions highlighted the need for faster implementation of reforms vital to the interests of the Kenyan people, while acknowledging the importance of Kenya's partnership with the EU in addressing issues of regional significance,
such as piracy. With our EU partners and other like-minded countries we are continuing to support Kenya's political reform process.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to reply to the letter of 15 September 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Zeenat Begum. [296122]
David Miliband: I replied to my right hon. Friend on 29 October 2009.
Middle East: Peace Negotiations
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to encourage dialogue between the authorities in Israel and Palestine. [296737]
Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 2 November 2009]: From my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister down, we work closely with the Israeli and Palestinian authorities, and our international partners, to promote efforts towards a comprehensive peace in the middle east. We are also working on the ground to improve the capacity of the Palestinian Authority to provide security and services for Palestinians and to support economic growth. Both through political engagement and practical assistance we are seeking to make progress towards a two-state solution.
Passports: Embassies
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 27 October 2009, Official Report, column 257W, on passports: embassies, how many emergency passports were issued through consular services in each (a) region of the world and (b) country in each of the last five financial years. [297868]
Chris Bryant: The number of emergency passports issued in each country over the last five financial years is provided in the following table:
| N umber of EPs i ssued | |||||
| Country | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
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