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8 Dec 2009 : Column 234W—continued
| Table 3: Offences of theft of a pedal cycle recorded by the police 2002-03 to 2008-09( 1) | |||||||
| Number of offences | |||||||
| English Region and Wales | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
| 1. The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years. | |||||||
Tobacco: Young People
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences by (a) confectioners and tobacconists and (b) other retailers related to selling tobacco products to those aged under 16 years were recorded in 2008; how many police cautions for such offences were issued in each year; how many fines were imposed in each year; and what the average fine imposed in each year was. [302259]
Mr. Alan Campbell: Information on the number of recorded offences of retailers selling tobacco products to those aged under 16 years is not collected centrally. This is a summary offence and is not included in the police recorded crime statistics.
Statistics on the number of police cautions issued, the number of fines imposed and the average fines are collected by the Ministry of Justice. Statistics for 2008 will be published on 28 January 2010. The Ministry of Justice have advised that for 2007, the latest available year, there was one police caution issued. There were 49 fines imposed and the average fine was £324.
UK Border Agency: Manpower
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the staff of the Risk and Overseas Liaison Network of the UK Border Agency are UK citizens. [302532]
Mr. Woolas: The risk and overseas liaison network of the UK Border Agency has 102 officers acting as immigration liaison managers and immigration liaison officers (formerly risk assessment managers and airline liaison officers), all of whom are British citizens. They are supported by locally engaged staff.
United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre
John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the future (a) management and accountability structures and (b) location of the UK Human Trafficking Centre; and if he will make a statement. [303756]
Mr. Alan Campbell [holding answer 7 December 2009]: We are currently considering how to enhance the role and status of the UK Human Trafficking Centre. No decision has yet been taken.
Video Games: Young People
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences in respect of retailers selling video games or DVDs to underage customers (a) in England and Wales and (b) in each police force area were recorded in 2007 and 2008; how many related (i) police cautions and (ii) fines were issued in each of those years; and what the average such fine was in each such year. [302258]
Mr. Alan Campbell: Information on the number of recorded offences of retailers selling video games or DVDs to underage customers is not collected centrally. This is a summary offence and is not included in the police recorded crime statistics.
Statistics on the number of police cautions issued, the number of fines imposed and the average fines are collected by the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice have advised that there were no cautions given or fines issued for this offence in 2007. Data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Capita
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any contracts between Capita Group plc and his Department have been cancelled before completion since 1997; and whether Capita Group plc has been liable for any penalties arising from failings in the administration of contracts since 1997. [303085]
Chris Bryant: This information is not held centrally and is available only at disproportionate cost.
Childbirth
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK citizens have (a) given birth whilst abroad and (b) registered a birth at a British embassy in each of the last five years. [305279]
Chris Bryant: Figures collated by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Consular Directorate relate only to births registered at our Missions overseas.
The number of births registered by consular staff overseas for the last five years are:
| Number | |
Departmental Assets
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assets of his Department are planned to be sold in each year from 2009-10 to 2013-14; what the (a) description and (b) book value of each such asset is; what the expected revenue from each such sale is; and if he will make a statement. [300201]
Chris Bryant: The Treasury set the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) a property sales target of £18 million for each of the three financial years 2008-11. In 2008-09 disposal of land and buildings by the FCO generated over £61 million, exceeding the full three-year target by £7 million.
FCO's revised 2009-10 property sales target is £8 million of which we have already sold £5.632 million. This is made up of three office buildings, one residence, eight units of staff accommodation, one amenity building and two plots of land at various overseas Posts. A further £3 million (approximately) former office building is under offer.
For financial years 2010-11 to 2013-14 our asset managers have identified, and intend selling, 106 properties as potentially redundant. Their current book values total £71 million. The properties comprises four office buildings, six Heads of Post residences, 86 units of staff accommodation, four plots of land, three amenity complexes and three ancillary buildings.
More sales are likely to arise as part of our active asset management. We continue to keep our entire property portfolio under review, ensuring it provides value for money, fitness for purpose, and security for our staff.
In order to maximise the price received for the sale of our assets, it is not our policy to release details of our sales programme, nor the price we expect to receive, in advance of formal marketing. Details of sales completed are reported quarterly to the Foreign Affairs Committee.
The book value for each property is usually based on open market value as assessed by independent chartered surveyors commissioned as part of our rolling programme of estate revaluations. In most cases, this gives the best indicator of anticipated revenue.
Embassies: Closures
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British (a) embassies, (b) high commissions and (c) consulates have closed since 1997; what arrangements have been made to safeguard British interests in these circumstances; and if he will make a statement. [301878]
Chris Bryant: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 9 July 2009, Official Report, column 948W and the answer by my right hon. Friend, the then Minister for Europe, (Mr. Hoon) on 6 February 2007, Official Report, column 821W.
Of the 31 diplomatic posts closed, 18 were consulates or other subordinate posts in countries where our Embassy or High Commission remains open. Elsewhere, we have made arrangements to safeguard British interests through the non-resident accreditation of a British Ambassador based in a neighbouring country, or the appointment of an Honorary Consul.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office continuously reviews the deployment of its resources and aligns them flexibly in line with UK interests to the benefit of the British taxpayer.
Equatorial Guinea: Human Rights
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further steps his Department plans to take to seek to ensure that the Government of Equatorial Guinea improves its human rights record, with particular reference to prison conditions. [303705]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We remain concerned about the human rights situation in Equatorial Guinea, including reports by the UN Special Rapporteur on the question of torture, Manfred Nowak, of poor conditions in Equato-Guinean Prisons.
The UK will raise its human rights concerns during Equatorial Guinea's forthcoming Universal Periodic Review in the Human Rights Council this month. The Government welcomed the visit to Equatorial Guinea by the UN Special Rapporteur and the co-operation given by the authorities for the visit. The UK engages in the interactive dialogue for every country going through the review-one of the most important innovations of the Human Rights Council, as it has the potential to result in real improvements in the human rights situation on the ground-and we will do the same for Equatorial Guinea. Our ambassador to Equatorial Guinea, located in Abuja, will also continue to raise concerns with the Equato-Guinean authorities on his visits to the country.
Iraq
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had on oil concessions in Iraq. [303570]
Mr. Ivan Lewis:
The Government have regular discussions on Iraqi energy issues with the Government of Iraq and with international oil companies. These exchanges include discussion of Iraq's recent and upcoming oil licensing
rounds through which the Iraqi Government are acquiring international expertise in order to increase oil production and exports.
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the number of (a) death sentences imposed by the incumbent Iraqi regime and (b) people sentenced to death who were associated with the previous regime. [304023]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The administration of justice and the punishment of criminal activities in Iraq, including the imposition of the death penalty, is a matter for the elected Government of Iraq. Death sentences have been given to those found guilty of murder or terrorist crimes whether or not they are associated with Saddam Hussein's regime.
The Iraqi Human Rights Minister told UK officials recently that about 900 prisoners had been given the death sentence but it was not clear from when these sentences were imposed. The EU has reported that 117 prisoners have been executed this year.
The position of the UK and of our EU colleagues towards the use of the death penalty is well known to the Government of Iraq, and we continue to raise our opposition to it regularly.
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of bribery allegations relating to the private security company Blackwater in respect of the deaths of civilians in Iraq. [304056]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not received any allegations of bribery relating to Blackwater in respect of the deaths of civilians in Iraq.
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