http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/propriety_and_ethics/ministers/travel_gifts.aspx
The list for 2008-09 was published on 16 July 2009. This and earlier lists are available in the Library of the House.
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many hotel room nights were booked by officials in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in each year since 2007; and how much (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies spent on the fees of third party agents in booking hotel accommodation in each of those years. [309061]
Dan Norris: A centralised booking service contract was introduced in late 2006-07, from which the information stated has been taken and therefore only covers the period January to March 2007 of 2006-07.
The number of hotel room nights booked over this period by officials in the core-Department, and the agencies for which such information is held, are in the table.
The significant number of nights in 2007-08 for Animal Health relates to the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks.
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| 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10(1) |
| (1) April to November. | ||||
Bookings made by officials outside the centralised booking service could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Fees were not paid to third party agents for the bookings.
Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009
Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will put in place supporting measures for fishermen not permitted to fish in ancestral grounds following the entry into force of the provisions of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 establishing Special Areas of Conservation and Marine Conservation Zones. [316931]
Huw Irranca-Davies:
Special Areas of Conservation (SACS) are not designated as a result of the provisions in the Marine and Coastal Access Act. They are created
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through the Habitats Regulations 1994 and Offshore Marine Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 2007, transposing the EC Habitats Directive. Fishing activity is not necessarily entirely prohibited in these areas, or in Marine Conservation Zones.
We want to work with the industry to minimise the impact of designations on fishing activity, and to develop a package of mitigation and adaptation support. There are real opportunities for the fishermen affected to be involved in this work. The European Fisheries Fund offers opportunities for financial support to the industry in order to assist with adaptation. Additionally, the Sustainable Access to Inshore Fisheries Project aims to set out proposals for long term sustainability in the fleet later this year.
Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects the provisions of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 establishing Special Areas of Conservation and Marine Conservation Zones to enter into force. [316932]
Huw Irranca-Davies: Part 5 of the Act (Nature Conservation) commenced in England on 12 January 2010. On this date Lundy Island, originally designated as a Marine Nature Reserve under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, automatically became our first MCZ. The Government have asked the statutory nature conservation bodies to come forward with advice by autumn 2011 on sites to be designated as Marine Conservation Zones. They will then consult interested parties in 2012 before taking final decisions on designation later in that year.
Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) are designated under the provisions of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 and the Offshore Marine Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 2007, which transpose the EC habitats and wild birds directives, not under the Marine and Coastal Access Act.
Under these directives, member states are required to nominate sites to the European Commission. The Government expect to nominate an additional 10 SACs, and two further Special Protection Areas under the wild birds directive, to the Commission in October 2010. Stakeholders are consulted on the scientific case before nominations are put forward to the Commission.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Afghanistan: Detainees
Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the US administration on the closure of Guantánamo Bay. [316864]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The UK has long called for the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. Ministers and officials continue to discuss with the US Government how best we can work with them to achieve this goal, most recently in January 2010. The UK has already made a significant contribution to reducing the number of detainees in Guantanamo Bay by taking back 14 individuals. We will continue to share our experience in accepting former Guantanamo detainees with our European partners and others to help support the closure of the facility.
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British Overseas Territories: EC Grants and Loans
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether overseas territories are eligible to apply for funding from EU research programmes. [316607]
Chris Bryant: In accordance with Article 58 of the Overseas Association Decision (OAD), the instrument which determines the relationship between the EU and the overseas countries and territories (OCTs), Territories are eligible for funding from EU research programmes.
Territories have found it difficult in practice to access this and other funding streams to which they are eligible. This is an area which I and my officials have raised regularly with the Commission and it is something which we want to address in the re-negotiation of the OAD.
Burma: Arms Trade
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has had discussions with the government of (a) Canada, (b) New Zealand and (c) Brazil on an arms embargo against Burma. [316244]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Government maintains a dialogue with a wide range of international partners on Burma, including the governments of Canada and New Zealand. In recent weeks we have also shared details of our position on Burma with Brazil, which became a non-permanent member of the Security Council in January.
In August 2009, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister wrote to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and his fellow UN Security Council members underlining that no one should be selling arms to a military regime with an appalling human rights record. A global arms embargo remains a priority for this Government, and we will continue to press for progress in our bilateral contacts and in relevant multi-lateral fora.
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of arms trading with Burma, with particular reference to arms from (a) India, (b) Russia and (c) China; and what assessment he has made of the effects of such trade on the situation in Burma. [316582]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Government believe that no one should be selling arms to the Burmese regime in view of their appalling human rights record and the high likelihood arms supplied will be use for internal repression. An EU arms embargo has been in place since 1996, and we are working to build support for a global arms embargo. To this end, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister wrote to the UN Secretary General and all members of the Security Council in August 2009.
Reports suggest that India, China and Russia have all supplied arms to Burma. China is believed to be the leading arms supplier and in early January 2010, media reports suggested Russia had agreed to supply $600 million of combat aircraft and arms to the Burma regime. In
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response to these reports, our embassy in Moscow raised our concerns with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The ability of Burma to continue to purchase arms from a wide range of suppliers has helped to reduce their defence and security costs and modernise an army responsible for widespread and systematic human rights abuses.
Burma: Human Rights
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had in the United Nations Human Rights Council and the United Nations General Assembly on reports of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Burma. [316245]
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had discussions with (a) his EU counterparts, (b) the United Nations Human Rights Council and (c) the United Nations General Assembly on reports of crimes against humanity in Burma. [316378]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Government remain deeply concerned at the human rights situation in Burma and we regularly raise the issue with EU and other international partners, and in the UN's human rights bodies. At the last session of the Human Rights Council in September 2009, and at the UN General Assembly in November 2009, we helped to secure strong resolutions condemning the Burmese regime for ongoing and systematic human rights abuses. We will be looking to raise the issue again, and secure a further resolution, at the next session of the Human Rights Council in March 2010. In addition, we continue to give our full support to the efforts of the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Thomas Ojea Quintana, who is due to visit the country soon.
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aims and objectives he has set for the outcome of the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting on Burma. [316380]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: At the 13th session of the Human Rights Council in March 2010 we will work to secure a further, strong resolution condemning the continuing human right abuses in Burma. In our national intervention, and in the resolution text, we will seek to emphasise that the dire human rights situation, including the continued detention of 2100 political prisoners, child labour and the treatment of displaced people remain cause of significant concern. Burma's treatment of political leaders and suppression of freedom of expression undermine the credibility of elections planned for later this year.
Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to secure EU targeted sanctions against the government of Burma until the human rights situation in Burma improves. [316581]
Mr. Ivan Lewis:
The Government continue to believe that targeted EU sanctions against the military regime in Burma are an important means of maintaining pressure for political reform and respect for human rights. Sanctions introduced in 1996 have been strengthened over time,
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notably after the Saffron Revolution in 2007, and in August 2009 in response to the guilty verdict in Aung San Suu Kyi's trial. They are now among the EU's toughest autonomous measures against any country. The UK will not support any easing of sanctions in the absence of tangible progress on the ground.
Burma: Political Prisoners
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had discussions in the United Nations Human Rights Council on the arrest of pro-democracy activist Nyi Nyi Aung in Burma in September 2009. [316241]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We are deeply concerned at the arrest and imprisonment of Nyi Nyi Aung and are monitoring his case closely.
We continue to take every opportunity to raise the detention of Burma's 2100 political prisoners in the UN's Human Rights bodies. At the last session of the Human Rights Council in September 2009, and at the UN General Assembly in November 2009, we helped to secure strong resolutions calling for the release of all of political prisoners. We will be looking to raise the issue again, and secure a further resolution, at the next session of the Human Rights Council in March 2010.
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made representations to the Burmese authorities on permitting the International Committee of the Red Cross to resume its inspection of prisons in Burma. [316242]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The refusal of the Burmese authorities to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) independent and unsupervised access to political prisoners remains a grave concern, particularly as the number of prisoners of conscience has doubled to over 2100 since the 'Saffron revolution' in autumn 2007. We continue to urge the military government to co-operate fully with the ICRC and allow an immediate resumption of prison visits.
The UN General Assembly highlighted their concern at the condition of prisons and urged the regime to comply with human rights law in a resolution passed in November 2009. Our Ambassador in Rangoon last raised the issue of independent prison access for the ICRC to the Burmese government in August 2009 during the last visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma. Our Ambassador regularly raises the plight of political prisoners with Burmese ministers, and we remain in close contact with the ICRC on this issue.
Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received reports on the recent sentencing and imprisonment of a journalist who worked with the Democratic Voice of Burma. [316243]
Mr. Ivan Lewis:
We are aware that Democratic Voice of Burma journalist Ngwe Soe Lin was sentenced to 13 years in prison on 27 January 2010 by a Burmese military court for offences under the Electronic and
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Immigration Emergency Provisions Acts. This case follows the recent sentencing of two other journalists from the Democratic Voice of Burma to 20 and 26 years imprisonment respectively. At least 13 journalists and bloggers are currently detained in Burma, as the Burmese authorities seek to prevent the free flow of information in advance of elections planned for later this year.
The Government have consistently called on the military authorities to release all of Burma's over 2100 prisoners of conscience. Without their release, elections planned for later this year can have no international credibility.
Burma: Politics and Government
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will request the United Nations Security Council to undertake a review of the 2008 Burmese constitution together with representatives of (a) pro-democracy, (b) ethnic and (c) other groups in Burma. [316379]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: In November 2009 the UK helped to secure a UN General Assembly Resolution on the human rights situation in Burma, which called on the Burmese authorities to undertake a transparent, inclusive and comprehensive review of the Constitution while fully engaging with the democratic opposition and ethnic groups. We believe that a process of dialogue involving all actors in Burma will ensure a sustainable transition to democracy. This view is shared by other members of the EU and the United States of America.
In the UN Security Council, we regularly test the level of consensus for action on Burma, and have succeeded in securing discussion and a number of important Presidential Statements since autumn 2007. We do not judge, however, that an attempt to secure a Security Council review on the 2008 Constitution now would be successful. A resolution on Burma tabled in January 2007 was vetoed by two Permanent Members of the Council and any attempt to invalidate the Constitution will suffer the same fate.
China: Christianity
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Chinese authorities on the case of the Alimjan Himit. [316240]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The case of Alimjan Himit (who is also known as Alimujiang Yimiti) was last raised at the UK/China Human Rights Dialogue in January 2009 as part of an individual case list. At that time we urged the Chinese to consider freeing Alimjan, and to ensure he had access to a defence lawyer. The Chinese replied then that Alimjan was being detained in Kashgar Detention Centre, that his physical conditions were normal and that he enjoyed the rights to family visits and to hire a defence lawyer. We will continue to monitor his case and raise it wherever appropriate.