| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
6 Jan 2010 : Column 418W—continued
St. Helena
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the net migration rate for St. Helena was in the latest period for which figures are available. [309107]
Chris Bryant: Responsibility for immigration in St. Helena rests with the Government of St. Helena who hold the required information.
Sudan
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on trends in the numbers of (a) shootings and (b) kidnappings of peacekeepers and humanitarian workers in Darfur and the surrounding region; and what steps he plans to take in consequence. [309133]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We strongly condemn the attacks of 4 and 5 December 2009 which killed five Rwandan peacekeepers and brought to 22 the number of African Union-UN mission in Darfur (UNAMID) personnel killed since 1 January 2008. There has also been a worrying increase in the number of kidnappings in Darfur and the surrounding region. Two civilian UNAMID peacekeeping staff were released on 13 December 2009 after more than three months of being held hostage. Four humanitarian workers kidnapped in Darfur and the border regions of Chad and the Central African Republic remain in captivity: one has now been held for over two months.
We closely monitor levels of insecurity and lawlessness in Darfur. These remain high. The UK continues to work closely with both UNAMID and Chief Mediator Bassolé as well as with international partners and the Government of Sudan towards creating a stable and secure Darfur. We have committed in excess of £100 million to improving UNAMID's deployment and operational capacity, and we strongly press all parties to give it the space to fulfil its full mandate. We call for the immediate release of the four international aid workers who remain in captivity.
Sudan: Politics and Government
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the security situation in south Sudan following violent incidents in December 2009; and if he will make a statement. [308001]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 November 2009, Official Report, column 431W.
We are very concerned by the continuing insecurity in south Sudan as a result of tribal violence and activity by the Lord's Resistance Army. This has serious implications for stability in the region and for the safety of the people of south Sudan. It also undermines implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Sudan.
Tzipi Livni
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for UK-Israel relations of the decision by Westminster magistrates to issue an arrest warrant for Mrs Tzipi Livni. [308409]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Israel continues to be a strategic partner and a close friend of the UK. We shall continue to foster a close relationship with Israel and are determined to protect and develop these ties. Israeli leaders-like leaders from other countries-must be able to visit the UK.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had with the government of Israel concerning former Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's proposed address to the Jewish National Fund Conference on 13 December 2009. [309028]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke with the Israeli Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, and Tzipi Livni herself on 15 December 2009. He also met the Israeli ambassador Ron Prosor. During these discussions he set out his view that Israeli leaders-like leaders from other countries-must be able to visit and have a proper dialogue with the Government.
The Government are looking urgently at ways in which the UK system might be changed in order to avoid this sort of situation arising again.
USA: Extradition
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the UK Mission to the US has made of facilities in US federal prisons to provide care for a person extradited from the UK who has acute Asperger's syndrome and related clinical depression (a) during custody before trial, (b) after trial and before sentencing and (c) after sentencing; and if he will make a statement. [308318]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Before an individual is extradited to the United States, the US authorities may assess their medical and mental health (based on medical records) to help them identify the most suitable detention facility. An individual will also be assessed on arrival at the detention facility. During the period between extradition and sentencing, the detainee will remain under the care of the US Department of Justice. After sentencing, the individual will come under the authority of the US Bureau of Prisons who again will evaluate any individual medical needs in order to identify the most suitable detention facility.
Where appropriate we will consider seeking assurances from the US authorities that any individual's medical needs will be taken into consideration.
Vietnam: Foreign Relations
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aims and objectives he has set for UK foreign policy in respect of Vietnam. [309151]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Based on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Departmental Strategic Objectives for 2009-10 our embassy in Hanoi and Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City have a Country Business Plan that focuses on the following foreign policy objectives:
Market access for UK companies and a trade policy that ensures Vietnamese compliance with World Trade Organisation obligations.
Support for managed migration from Vietnam while reducing intake, and to increase the number of Vietnamese immigration offenders removed from the UK.
To support Vietnam in achieving sustainable economic growth, including a transition to a low carbon economy.
To assist Vietnam to play an active role on international issues and in international institutions.
A sustained improvement in Vietnam's civil and political human rights record, in line with its international commitments and its objective of long-term sustainable development.
To deliver high quality Consular support for British nationals in Vietnam.
To provide knowledge, access and influence to help our Partners Across Government deliver their objectives in Vietnam.
These objectives are set out in more detail on the UK in Vietnam website:
Western Sahara: Fisheries
Ms Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the owners of UK fishing vessels who are issued with permits to fish in the waters of Western Sahara are provided with guidance on the status of that area. [305400]
Huw Irranca-Davies: I have been asked to reply.
Owners of vessels that fish in the waters of Western Sahara under the EU/Morocco Fisheries Agreement are not issued with guidance about the status of the area.
Treasury
Digital Broadcasting: Radio
Peter Luff: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the cost of replacing all programme making and special events equipment that will be rendered redundant as a result of the clearance and sale of the digital dividend spectrum; and if he will make a statement. [308340]
Mr. Timms:
Ofcom have estimated the costs for the residual value of programme making and special events (PMSE) equipment that will be affected by the changes
in channel 69, taking into account the relevant life of the equipment and has made these available to the Department. Figures have also been provided by representatives of PMSE users, based on a new for old approach and the costs of clearing all the channels affected. The Government are currently reflecting on proposals by PMSE users for full "new for old" compensation, in the light of the notice, in some cases extensive, provided by Ofcom of these changes.
Enhanced Capital Allowance Energy Scheme
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he plans to amend the categories of equipment eligible for support under the Enhanced Capital Allowance Energy Scheme; and if he will make a statement; [308410]
(2) what change to the level of funding allocated by his Department to the Enhanced Capital Allowance Energy Scheme he anticipates in 2010-11. [308411]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: There is no predetermined level of spending for the enhanced capital allowances scheme for energy efficient products or any other capital allowances scheme. The Government determine whether the scheme should be altered or expanded on the basis of annual recommendations made by the Department for Energy and Climate Change on the merits of the particular technology, and as assessment of the value for money of the proposal, considered in terms of the scheme's overall policy objectives.
Budget 2009 contained detail on updates to the level of support for the recent changes to the qualifying criteria for the scheme. New products are added monthly as manufacturers seek approval for their products to be included in the scheme.
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will amend the information provided to purchasers of capital equipment about the Enhanced Capital Allowance Energy Scheme in order to encourage take-up of the Scheme. [308412]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Information about enhanced capital allowances is presently provided by the Carbon Trust at:
and more recently by Business Link at:
http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail/r.s=sc&;r.l1=1079068363.lc=en&r.l3=1074403838&r.l2= 1082899752&type=RESOURCES&itemld=1074404607
Business Link is a key source of information on the benefits the Government provides to encourage the purchase of energy efficient equipment.
The Carbon Trust frequently consults with industry to further encourage take-up of the scheme.
Gift Aid
Mr. Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what charities received gift aid payments; and how much was paid by the Exchequer in Gift Aid to each such charity in the most recent year for which figures are available. [309207]
Mr. Timms: For reasons of taxpayer confidentiality, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) cannot provide details of Gift Aid repayments to individual charities.
The amount of tax repaid to charities in the UK on donations under Gift Aid are published in table 10.1 on the HMRC website at:
Written Questions: Government Responses
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to answer question (a) (i) 307171, (ii) 307172 and (iii) 307173 on the Pre-Budget Report and (b) 307174, on interest rates, tabled by the right hon. Member for Birkenhead on 9 December. [308072]
Ian Pearson: I have now replied to the right hon. Member's questions and apologise for the delay in doing so.
Work and Pensions
Departmental Contracts
John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many small and medium-sized firms are contracted to her Department; and how long on average her Department has taken to settle their invoices in the six months to 30 November 2009. [308097]
Jim Knight: As part of our Commercial Strategy, DWP tracks the number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) the Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies does business with in each financial year and the amount it spends with each supplier. In 2008-09 the number of SMEs that had contracts with the Department was 9,212 and the total expenditure with them was £429.7 million or 11.2 per cent. of total DWP procurement expenditure in the year. The latest available figures for 2009-10 are 4,902 SME firms and spend with them of £321 million or 12 per cent. of total procurement expenditure in the period April to end November 2009.
DWP signed the Prompt Payment Code in March 2009 and is meeting its target to pay 90 per cent. of all correct invoices within 10 days, figures for November 2009 were 97 per cent.. DWP does not isolate invoice settlement times for SME invoices and to do so would incur disproportionate cost.
Local Housing Allowance
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants were in receipt of local housing allowance in excess of (a) £385 per week and (b) £965 per week in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available. [308321]
Helen Goodman: On average in 2009, 50 people were in receipt of weekly local housing allowance in excess of £965 and 3,290 people were in receipt of weekly local housing allowance in excess of £385.
Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
2. Figures were derived by taking the monthly average in 2009 from January to September.
Source:
Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE): January 2009 to September 2009
Members: Correspondence
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will ensure a substantive reply is sent to the letter of 28 October 2009 from the hon. Member for Walsall North to the Head of Carer's Allowance concerning a constituent. [307817]
Jonathan Shaw: A substantive response was issued on 15 December 2009.
Motability: East Sussex
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many vehicles were (a) purchased and (b) leased by people resident in (i) Lewes constituency and (ii) East Sussex under the Motability Scheme in each of the last five years. [309252]
Jonathan Shaw: Motability is an independent charitable company and is responsible for the administration of the Motability scheme. They have agreed to write separately to the hon. Member with such information as they have available.
Pensioners: Poverty
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate has been made of the number of (a) pensioners and (b) children in Nottingham North constituency who have been lifted out of poverty since 1997. [308244]
Angela Eagle: Estimates of poverty for both pensioners and children are published in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. These figures only allow a breakdown of the overall numbers in poverty at Government office region level. Therefore, information is not available for the Nottingham North constituency.
Estimates of the number of pensioners and children who have been lifted out of poverty are not available, as each year different households are surveyed to produce low income statistics in the Households Below Average Income series. However, information is available about the net change in the number of pensioners and children with incomes below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income over the period requested for the East Midlands Government office region.
The Government use a basket of three key thresholds of income, after housing costs, to measure pensioner poverty. The most commonly used poverty figures relate to those with incomes below 60 per cent. of contemporary household median income after housing costs.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |