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21 Jan 2010 : Column 464Wcontinued
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An equivalent breakdown by age bands is not available for offenders living in England due to the method used to allocate records where insufficient address data are available.
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with reference to the answer of 17 June 2009, Official Report, House of Lords, column 210WA, in respect of which countries co-location with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been explored but rejected; and for what reasons co-location was rejected in each case. [311568]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: Since April 2007, the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have explored options to co-locate in Pretoria, Abuja, Bridgetown and Pristina and decided not to proceed because the proposed moves would not provide value for money. The options for these posts are kept under review, along with those for all other posts which are currently not co-located.
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether any citizen juries or summits have been hosted by his Department since October 2008. [311624]
Mr. Michael Foster: No citizen juries or summits have been hosted by the Department for International Development (DFID) since October 2008.
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in which countries his Department share procurement arrangements with the British Embassy, Consulate or High Commission. [311588]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Department of International Development (DFID) shares some aspects of procurement arrangements overseas with the Foreign Office, collaborating as opportunities arise, most frequently in the provision of estate management and security, travel management and healthcare support. We are pursuing opportunities to extend shared procurement arrangements.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 5 January 2010, Official Report, column 201W, on the "Middle East: armed conflict", what steps are being taken to remove white phosphorus contamination from rubble in Gaza; how many sites have been found to be contaminated; what timetable is envisaged for decontamination; and what assessment has been made of the risk to public health arising from such contamination. [311486]
Mr. Michael Foster: Following the end of the conflict the UN Mine Action Team (UNMAT) carried out an unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance operation and any white phosphorus (WP) rounds that were found, whether leaking or intact, were removed and neutralised. During this initial phase UNMAT assisted in the destruction of over 100 WP rounds. UNMAT has also removed and neutralized 53 WP rounds found in further clearance operations carried out since July 2009.
Currently, the UN does not know of any contaminated sites where WP remains. However, there may be a residual risk in buildings and areas yet to be cleared. The removal of UXO and explosive remnants of war (ERW) from rubble and agricultural areas will continue until July 2010.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is unaware of any assessments of the risk to public health arising from WP contamination. However, UNMAT notes that exposed WP normally burns immediately, leaving remnants which pose a limited risk. Unexposed WP is safe until it is discovered or exposed to air. If WP is exposed during clearance, UNMAT is ready to deal with the situation immediately.
Mr. Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 5 January 2010, Official Report, column 256W, on the "Middle East: armed conflict", what arrangements his Department has made to meet the housing needs of the 60,000 families identified as being in need; and if he will make a statement. [311487]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) supported the provision of basic shelter by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the immediate aftermath of the conflict. The Prime Minister, other UK Ministers and officials have repeatedly pressed the Government of Israel to permit the import of materials for the reconstruction of homes and other buildings.
We are pleased that Israel has now allowed some glass to enter, but we will continue to advocate on this issue. We are also following with interest the UNRWA pilot project to build three houses using locally-manufactured compressed earth bricks, made from locally sourced materials such as sub-soil and aggregates.
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on how many occasions a Minister from his Department has visited Gaza to assess the humanitarian situation since the conflict in Gaza began; and if he will make a statement. [311397]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Secretary of State for International Development visited Gaza on 1 March 2009. He was accompanied by John Ging, the UN Relief and Works Agency's Director for Gaza. The Secretary of State saw for himself the level of destruction in Gaza and met with people affected by the conflict. He also discussed relief efforts with the representatives of UK Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).
Officials from the Department for International Development regularly visit Gaza to assess the humanitarian situation and keep in close contact with NGOs and-United Nations agencies. The Secretary of State receives regular briefings regarding the situation on the ground.
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans the Government has to raise the restrictions placed by the government of Israel on access for humanitarian aid and reconstruction materials into Gaza at the UN Security Council; and if he will make a statement. [311400]
Mr. Michael Foster: The UK consistently presses the Government of Israel to ease border restrictions and permit the flow of humanitarian aid and reconstruction material into Gaza. The Secretary of State for International Development raised this issue in a telephone call with the Israeli Defence Minister in December. The UK has also raised the need for improved access in several international fora, including the UN Security Council on 17 December 2009.
We shall continue to take all appropriate opportunities to press for improved access into Gaza, full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1860 and full respect of international humanitarian law.
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what Government policy is on the legality under international law of Israeli restrictions on the access into Gaza of humanitarian aid. [311401]
Mr. Michael Foster: Although there is no permanent physical Israeli presence in Gaza, given the significant control that Israel has over Gaza's borders, airspace and territorial waters, Israel retains obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention as an occupying power. These include an obligation to facilitate the transfer of humanitarian aid into Gaza. We are extremely concerned by the continued restrictions on materials entering Gaza and will continue to press the Israeli Government to ease their restrictions.
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks, of 5 January 2010, Official Report, column 255W, on "Palestinians: overseas aid", what assessment he has made of the extent to which the decision of the Government of Israel to link aid and reconstruction materials access to Hamas's refusal to renounce violence constitutes collective punishment of the people of Gaza; and if he will make a statement. [311581]
Mr. Michael Foster: We have serious concerns about the Israeli restrictions on Gaza and the impact they have on the lives of Gazans. Although there is no permanent physical Israeli presence in Gaza, given the significant control that Israel has over Gaza's borders, airspace and territorial waters, Israel retains obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention as an occupying power. The Fourth Geneva Convention is clear that an occupying power must co-operate in allowing the passage and distribution of relief consignments. The restrictions currently imposed on the passage of relief supplies are, as we see it, a disproportionate response to the security threat.
The extent of Israeli restrictions, and the threat to Israel from militants in Gaza, varies constantly. Rather than focus on whether the restrictions at any given time, amount to collective punishment, we have consistently pressed the Israeli Government to comply with their obligations under international law and allow passage of relief supplies. Although aid is entering Gaza, according to the United Nations this is insufficient to meet the needs of the Gazan people.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many officials accompanied the UK ministerial delegation to the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen; how many such officials used each (a) mode and (b) class of travel; and what the total cost was of such travel. [310741]
Joan Ruddock: Two Ministers and 54 officials comprised the official UK delegation to the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. 45 delegates travelled by air, seven travelled by train, and four did not require any international travel.
Both Ministers and the five DECC officials accompanying them travelled business class. The other 33 DECC delegates travelled on economy tickets. The total cost of DECC's travel was roughly £19,390.
This does not include the Prime Minister and the delegation from No. 10.
Mr. Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has for his Department's funding of the climate programme at the Hadley Centre after 2010. [310991]
Joan Ruddock: Funding for climate change research undertaken by the Met Office Hadley Centre has been agreed through to March 2011, with contributions from DECC, DEFRA and DFID. Funding beyond April 2011 will be subject to the normal Government Spending Round processes.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the quantity of food waste generated by his Department in each year for which figures are available. [310810]
Joan Ruddock: DECC endeavours to send as much of its food waste as possible for environmentally-friendly treatment (generally composting) rather than to landfill. The total amount of food waste sent for treatment in this way, included as part of the Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate reporting process is 6.88 tonnes for January 2009 to December 2009.
Some additional food waste, which has not been quantified, may have entered the residual waste stream and been sent to landfill.
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2010, Official Report, columns 1045-8W, on departmental internet, how many staff worked on each listed website (a) in each of the last three years and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available. [311920]
Joan Ruddock [holding answer 19 January 2010]: The DECC corporate site:
was launched on 23 February 2009. 1.5 full-time equivalent members of staff worked on the website at the time of launch in 2008-09. 3.5 members of staff are working on the website as of 19 January 2010.
The majority of other sites run by the Department are resourced entirely by outside agencies and require/have required no departmental staff involvement.
Those sites that do require/have required staff involvement are as follows:
2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009 to date | |
1 FT May 2009 to present; and 1 FT from August to December 2009 | ||||
(1) One FT member of staff working across the three sites https://www.og.decc.gov.uk/EIP/pages/help.htm was launched in 2008-09. |
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