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11 Nov 2009 : Column 544W—continued
Gilad Shalit
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to Governments of Arab states to secure the release of Gilad Shalit. [298555]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We continue to call on Hamas to release Gilad Shalit without further delay or conditions. I met Noam Shalit, Gilad's father, in Tel Aviv in August 2009 to demonstrate our ongoing support. On the same visit, I also stressed the need for his immediate release to those I met within the Palestinian Authority. Since then, in discussions at the UN, we have also made clear to Arab governments and others the need for his immediate release.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with human rights organisations on Gilad Shalit since July 2009; and if he will make a statement. [298561]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: During recent exchanges with non-governmental organisations on the Goldstone report, we have continued to stress the need for Hamas to release Gilad Shalit without further delay or conditions.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had recent discussions with representatives of the Arab League on Gilad Shalit. [298562]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We continue to call on Hamas to release Gilad Shalit without further delay or conditions. In recent discussions at the UN, we have made clear to all concerned, including the Arab League, the need for his immediate release.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether (a) he, (b) ministerial colleagues and (c) officials of (i) his Department and (ii) other Government Departments have had recent discussions with representatives of (A) the Palestinian authority, (B) Hamas and (c) Hezbollah on Gilad Shalit. [298563]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We continue to call on Hamas which is holding Gilad Shalit to release him without further delay or conditions. While we welcome the videotape released by Hamas on 2 October 2009 as part of a prisoner-swap deal, the continued captivity of Gilad Shafit is utterly unacceptable.
India
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens he expects will leave India as a result of his Department's recent advice to them to consider doing so; what support and advice his Department is offering to British citizens asking to leave; and if he will make a statement. [299009]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice for India does not advise British citizens to leave India.
International Conference on the Great Lakes Region
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the Government is providing to the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR); and whether he has made a recent assessment of (a) the effects on the political situation in that region of the ICGLR and (b) merits of taking steps to seek to increase the effectiveness of the ICGLR. [297293]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Government provided assistance, including funding, to establish the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) in 2004 as a vehicle for promoting dialogue and resolving conflict among member states. In late 2008 the ICGLR provided a forum for discussion between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, and their neighbours in the wider region, on the problems of the eastern DRC. The ICGLR can play a role as a facilitator in bringing the countries of the region together, but real progress depends on the will and commitment of the leaders of the countries involved.
Iraq: Armed Conflict
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Iraqi locally employed civilians have been killed by militias in Iraq. [298607]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Over 40 Iraqis who have worked for our military, civilian and police training missions have been reported as having been killed as a result of their association with us. Others have died in accidents, of natural causes or in violent incidents in which they do not appear to have been specifically targeted.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many former Iraqi locally employed civilians have (a) accepted financial payments from the UK Government and (b) had their applications for assistance under the scheme rejected. [298613]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: 284 former locally engaged staff have opted for financial payments and 590 have had their applications rejected. The main reasons for the rejections were that the applicants had not been employed for the requisite 12 months' period; had not been employed as interpreters/translators or in similarly skilled or professional roles necessitating the regular use of written or spoken English; or had not been employed directly by the Government.
Iraq: Asylum
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many former Iraqi locally employed civilians have been granted asylum in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [298615]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: A total of 427 Iraqi nationals, consisting of 135 former locally employed civilians plus their dependants, have been granted asylum and been resettled to the UK under the Locally Employed Staff Assistance Scheme as at 2 November 2009.
A further 45 Iraqi nationals consisting of 12 Iraqi staff plus their dependents, have been accepted for resettlement and will be moved to the UK in the coming weeks.
These data are normally used for management information only and are not subject to the detailed checks that apply to National Statistics publications. These data are provisional and may be subject to change.
Libya: EC Relations
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on a framework agreement between the EU and Libya; and if he will make a statement. [298936]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: My right. hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had any recent discussions with his EU counterparts on the EU-Libya framework agreement.
In July 2008 the Justice and Home Affairs Council approved a negotiating mandate for the Commission to take forward negotiations on the EU-Libyan framework agreement. Negotiations began in November 2008. Discussions take place at official level within the EU on a regular basis. UK officials hold regular discussions with EU partners at working group and Coreper (Permanent Representatives) levels in Brussels on the state of negotiations.
Religious Freedom
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with representatives of human rights organisations on the persecution of Christians in (a) India and (b) Pakistan. [298686]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We are encouraging human rights reform through our regular dialogue with the Governments of India and Pakistan, bilaterally through the EU and through meetings between Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials and human rights organisations on the subject of the persecution of Christians in India and Pakistan.
Along with our EU colleagues we regularly discuss our concerns with human rights organisations over the situation of human rights and religious minorities in India and Pakistan. The most recent démarche called upon the Government of Pakistan to promote religious tolerance and to protect freedom of expression and to reform discriminatory legislation such as the blasphemy laws. Minority rights are discussed as part of the continuing EU-India human rights dialogue.
Rwanda: Politics and Government
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking with (a) other donor countries and (b) the Rwandan government to ensure that the recommendations of the EU Electoral Observer Mission to Rwanda in 2008 are implemented before the presidential election in Rwanda in 2010. [297292]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development are working closely with the national electoral commission and other donor countries to encourage implementation of the recommendations of the 2008 EU Election Observation Mission to Rwanda. The Commission and donors discuss progress in implementing the recommendations on a monthly basis. The UK has also made detailed recommendations to the Electoral Commission on the draft electoral code, which will form the legal basis for the 2010 elections.
Western Sahara: Land Mines
Ms Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will hold discussions with his Moroccan counterpart on mine clearance in the occupied territory of Western Sahara. [299307]
Mr. Ivan Lewis:
The UN Mission in Western Sahara (MINURSO) and, under MINURSO guidance, the parties to the dispute, are responsible for marking and
disposing of mines and unexploded ordinance in the disputed territory of Western Sahara.
MINURSO, as the most appropriate body to do so, regularly discusses mine clearance with the Moroccan authorities. Landmine Action, a UK based non-governmental organisation works closely with MINURSO and the Government funds the work of MINURSO through our assessed contributions to the UN.
Zimbabwe: Politics and Government
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government plans to take to encourage co-operation between the governing parties in Zimbabwe. [296738]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The UK wants the Government of Zimbabwe to succeed in delivering the political and economic reform outlined in the Global Political Agreement (GPA). Following the visit by Prime Minister Tsvangirai to the UK in June 2009, in which representative of all parties in the Government of Zimbabwe participated, we have continued to provide political and technical support to the Government of Zimbabwe to support the inclusive Government to increase the prospects of reform in Zimbabwe.
As guarantors of the GPA, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and South Africa have a key role to play in supporting implementation of the GPA. We are encouraged by the outcome of the SADC meeting in Maputo on 5 November 2009. We urge South Africa and the region to remain committed to promoting reform in Zimbabwe and the parties in the inclusive Government to continue to work to implement the GPA.
Work and Pensions
Better Off In Work Credit
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what plans she has for the future of the Better Off in Work credit; [298785]
(2) how many people have received a better off in work credit since the pilots began. [298867]
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the Better Off in Work pilot in Yorkshire; and when she plans to implement the scheme nationwide. [298789]
Jim Knight: When we introduced the Better off in Work Credit pilot in October 2008 we said that it would run for a year. Therefore, the pilot came to an end on 30 October 2009. We are now undertaking a thorough evaluation of the pilot to assess the Better off in Work Credit's impact.
Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission: Correspondence
Mr. Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Child Support Agency will respond to the letters from the hon. Member for Canterbury of 31 July and 18 September 2009 on the case of Mr and Mrs Quinney, constituents of the hon. Member. [299758]
Helen Goodman: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the child maintenance commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Child Support Agency will respond to the letters from the hon. Member for Canterbury of 31 July and 18 September on the case of Mr and Mrs Quinney constituents of the hon. Member. [299758]
As details about individual cases are confidential I have written to you separately about this case.
Child Support Agency
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff have been moved from the Child Support Agency to other posts within her Department, its agencies and its non-departmental bodies since 1 January 2008 or the nearest date to that for which figures are available. [296734]
Helen Goodman [holding answer 2 November 2009]: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff have been moved from the Child Support Agency to other posts within her Department its agencies and its non-departmental bodies since 1 January 2008 or the nearest date to that for which figures are available. [296734]
On 1 November 2008 the Department for Work and Pensions transferred the functions of the Child Support Agency and its 10,524 people (9,319 full time equivalents) to the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (the Commission).
In January 2009 and in consultation with Jobcentre Plus the Commission brought forward a reorganisation to enable the transfer of people and estate to Jobcentre Plus. This contributed to the Department's plans to increase Jobcentre Plus staffing to reflect the increasing numbers of clients as a result of the economic downturn. A total of 636 people (551 full time equivalents) and eight sites were transferred to Jobcentre Plus. No other employees have been moved to any other part of the Department outside the Commission other than those individuals who have successfully applied for posts on level transfer or promotion.
I hope you find this answer helpful.
Crimes of Violence
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many reported assaults of each type there were on staff of (a) her Department and (b) each of her Department's agencies in 2008-09. [298910]
Jim Knight [holding answer 9 November 2009]: The following table provides information on the number of reported assaults on staff in DWP and its agencies, for 2008-09. The only reported assaults were in the delivery businesses, shown in the following table. Numbers of incidents reported in PDCS reflects the nature of their businesses delivery, of which contact with the customer is mainly telephony based. The information is broken down into three types of assault: actual, attempted and verbal.
| DWP by business | Actual | Attempted | Verbal | Total |
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