Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 1 December 2010
International Development
Departmental Sponsorship
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what expenditure his Department incurred on sponsorship in each year since 1997 for which figures are available. [27524]
Mr O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) is not able to provide details of expenditure which may have been incurred on sponsorship without incurring a disproportionate cost.
Developing Countries: Education
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the needs of disabled people informed the ministerial review of his Department's Education Strategy 2010-15; and what steps his Department plans to take to ensure such needs inform any further such review. [27555]
Mr O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) published its Learning for All Education Strategy in March 2010. The strategy recognised that disability is a major factor in excluding children from school and the importance of reaching those currently marginalised if the education millennium development goals and Education for All goals are to be achieved.
DFID recently published a guidance note on supporting access to education for children with disabilities, "Education for Children with Disabilities-Improving Access and Quality", which is available on the DFID website. This note has been used by country teams during the bilateral aid review, which will inform our ongoing policy, including that on education for children with disabilities.
Developing Countries: HIV Infection
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's programmes in reducing the global incidence of HIV/AIDS; what plans he has for the future of such programmes; and if he will make a statement. [27747]
Mr O'Brien:
Figures from the UNAIDS Report on The Global Aids Epidemic 2010 demonstrate steady progress in the reduction of HIV incidence. In 33 countries, of which 22 are in Sub-Saharan Africa, HIV incidence has fallen by more than 25% between 2001 and 2009. In the countries most severely effected by the epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa-Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe-incidence have either stabilised or are showing signs of decline. These are all countries
where the Department for International Development (DFID) has supported national HIV prevention programmes.
DFID is reviewing all its bilateral and multilateral aid programmes to ensure UK aid is effective, represents value for money for the UK taxpayer and accelerates progress towards the millennium development goals. As set out in DFID's business plan 2011-15, we will specify our objectives on restricting the spread of diseases like TB, HIV, and malaria by May 2011.
EU Law
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many EU directives are pending transposition into domestic legislation by his Department; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each such transposition. [27507]
Mr O'Brien: There are currently no EU directives waiting to be transposed into domestic legislation by the Department.
Football: World Cup 2010
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on entertainment activities related to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. [27360]
Mr Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) spent no money on entertainment relating to the activities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Trade Unions: Finance
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has given to trade unions in the UK and overseas through (a) the Civil Society Challenge Fund, (b) the UK Trades Union Congress Strategic Grant Agreement, (c) the Strategic Framework Partnership Agreement, (d) the partnership programme agreements, (e) the Development Awareness Fund and (f) other programmes in each of the last three years; which trade unions received such funds; and for what reason the award was made in each case. [27381]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: I will arrange for the requested information to be placed in the Library of the House.
The Department for International Development (DFID) is reviewing all of its aid programmes, including aid channelled through trade unions, to ensure that it makes a real difference to the world's poorest people.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Agricultural Wages Order
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many grants of widow's or widower's bereavement allowances were made under the Agricultural Wages Order in each of the last five financial years; [27417]
(2) what the average sum payable as a grant of widow's or widower's bereavement allowance under the Agricultural Wages Order was in each of the last five financial years. [27418]
Mr Paice: The Agricultural Wages Order provides agricultural workers with an entitlement to paid bereavement leave on the death of a close relative, including a spouse or civil partner. However, it does not include provision for the payment of a lump sum grant in addition to this.
The Government do not keep records of the amount of bereavement leave taken by agricultural workers. Therefore, it is not possible to provide details of the average amount of bereavement leave pay received in each of the past five years.
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many grants of dog allowances were made under the Agricultural Wages Order in each of the last five financial years; [27419]
(2) what the average sum payable as a grant of dog allowances under the Agricultural Wages Order was in each of the last five financial years. [27421]
Mr Paice: The dog allowance is a weekly amount added to the minimum rate for a worker whose employer requires them to keep a dog or dogs. The allowance is paid in respect of each dog.
The Government does not have information on the number of allowances paid to workers required to keep a dog or dogs for the better performance of their work. Nor is it possible to state what the average sum payable to such workers was in each of the last five financial years.
The level of the weekly dog allowance payable to a worker required to keep a dog or dogs in each of the last five years was as follows:
| £ | |
| Note: All allowances are effective from 1 October of the relevant year. | |
Biofuels
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much wood was imported for burning as biomass fuel in (a) 2007, (b) 2008 and (c) 2009. [27552]
Gregory Barker: I have been asked to reply.
Information collated by HM Revenue and Customs as part of its statistics on overseas trade do not indicate the final use for imported wood.
The 2010 edition of the Digest of UK Energy Statistics contains estimates of the total quantities of wood and waste wood that were used for energy purposes during 2007, 2008 and 2009. Copies of this publication are available in the House Library. The publication shows the following information:
| Thousand tonnes of oil equivalent | |||
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
Additionally, the publication contains the following estimates of straw, short rotation coppice, and other plant based biomass imported for energy purposes:
| Thousand tonnes of oil equivalent | |||
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
|
Total imports of straw, short rotation coppice and other plant-based biomass for energy purposes | |||
British Waterways
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had on the future of British Waterways. [25906]
Richard Benyon: On 14 October, the Government announced that British Waterways will move from being a public corporation to a charitable body within civil society from April 2012. Government's intention is to issue a full public consultation on the scope and model of the new waterways charity early in 2011. Key stakeholders will continue to be kept closely involved through ongoing discussions, workshops and meetings with myself and DEFRA officials.
Carbon Emissions: Businesses
Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she plans to introduce mandatory reporting of carbon emissions by UK-listed companies. [27113]
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the introduction of mandatory carbon reporting for businesses under section 85 of the Climate Change Act 2008. [26349]
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will assess the merits of introducing mandatory reporting of carbon dioxide emissions by listed UK companies; and if she will make a statement. [27200]
Mr Paice: I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friends to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr Wright) on 27 October 2010, Official Report, column 319W.
Common Agricultural Policy
Amber Rudd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the effect on UK food security of the operation of the Common Agricultural Policy. [20736]
Mr Paice: The best guarantors of UK food security, as detailed in DEFRA's UK food security assessment, are an open trading system with other countries, and farmers at home and overseas being able to respond to market price signals. We believe that there needs to be reform of the Common Agricultural Policy to facilitate this.
Departmental Policy
Mr Watson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what departmental policy reviews her Department has undertaken since 6
May 2010; on what date each such review (a) was announced and (b) is expected to publish its findings; what estimate she has made of the cost of each such review; who has been appointed to lead each such review; to what remuneration each review leader is entitled; how many (i) full-time equivalent civil servants and (ii) seconded staff are working on each such review; from which organisations such staff have been seconded; and how much on average such seconded staff will be paid for their work on the review. [21883]
Richard Benyon: The information requested is set out in the following table.
Farming Futures: Finance
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding Farming Futures received from her Department in each of the last four years; and how much funding she plans to allocate to Farming Futures in each of the next four years. [27031]
Mr Paice: Farming Futures was set up in 2007 to build greater awareness and provide advice to farmers on the impacts of climate change and actions they can take to deal with this, to increase efficiency, profitability and competiveness. DEFRA has provided Farming Futures with core funding of over £850,000 covering a four year period:
| £ | |
DEFRA funding for Farming Futures was a substantial, time-limited contribution to allow them to establish themselves in playing a central role in supporting the industry's action on climate change, whilst they sought alternative long-term funding. After four years, DEFRA's financial support will come to an end in March 2011.
Genetically Modified Organisms
Mr Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the opinion of the Council of Ministers on the proposal to amend the GMO Deliberate Release Directive 2001/18 by introducing a new article 26b has been received by her Department; and if she will make a statement. [26331]
Mr Paice [holding answer 25 November 2010]: All member states have received the opinion of the Council Legal Service on the proposal to amend Directive 2001/18. Opinions on this matter are also expected to be made available soon from both the European Parliament and the Commission legal services. Following this, further discussions will be held at EU level on the legal implications of the Commission's proposal.
Mr Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the commercial growing of genetically-modified crops; and if she will make a statement. [26878]
Mr Paice [holding answer 29 November 2010]: The details of the Government's policy on GM crops are currently under consideration, but all policies will be based on robust scientific evidence.
National Parks
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what visits on what dates for what purposes (a) she and (b) other Ministers in her Department have made to (i) national parks and (ii) national nature reserves since 11 May 2010. [26156]
Richard Benyon [holding answer 24 November 2010]: I have expressed a keen interest in visiting all of the English national parks to see at first hand the valuable work being undertaken. So far I have been to Northumberland national park on 15 June and the Peak District national park on 27 July.
During my visit to Northumberland national park I also went to Greenlee Lough national nature reserve to see how national park and national nature reserve designations can work together.
Other national nature reserves I visited are Holme Fen and Woodwalton Fen on 10 November as part of the Great Fen project which is designed to link up the land between the two nature reserves.
I was also able to see Leigh Woods national nature reserve from the Avon Gorge site of special scientific interest which I visited on 19 July.
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for South East Cambridgeshire (Mr Paice) visited Dartmoor national park on 11 November to discuss uplands issues.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs the noble Lord, Lord Henley visited the Lake District national park on 25 August regarding future changes needed to adapt to climate change.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman) has met with key representatives from the English national parks authority association and spoken with a number of people who have an interest in national parks and national nature reserves. We are currently putting together a programme of visits for 2011, which includes visits to our national parks.
Salmon: Rivers
Mr Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of salmon returning to the river (a) Test, (b) Itchen and (c) Hampshire Avon in each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement; [26235]
(2) what assessment her Department has made of the future capacity of the river (a) Test, (b) Itchen and (c) Hampshire Avon to support viable stocks of migratory salmonoids; and if she will make a statement. [26236]
Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency (EA) operates fish counters on the rivers Test, Itchen and Hampshire Avon and uses these to derive annual estimates of the number of salmon returning to each of these rivers. The following table shows the estimated number of salmon returning in each of the past five years, although such estimates have only been possible on the Hampshire Avon since 2006.
| Test | Itchen | Hampshire Avon | |
The EA estimates the Conservation Limits (CLs) for salmon stocks in each of the 64 principal salmon rivers in England and Wales; including the Test, Itchen and Hampshire Avon. CLs are described as 'the minimum desirable spawning stock levels, below which stocks should not be allowed to fall'. The salmon stocks in the rivers Test, Itchen and Hampshire Avon were all below their CLs in 2009, and are classified as being 'At Risk' or 'Probably at Risk'. They are also expected to remain in one of these categories until at least 2014. There are no similar indicators of the status of other salmonid species.
Stocks may still be sustainable at levels below their CL, but they are at greater risk. The EA and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science are investigating the significance of impacts on salmon and will seek ways to manage the effects. An understanding of these key factors will be important in estimating the future potential of these southern chalk streams for all salmonid species.
Woodland Grant Scheme
Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for the future of the Woodland Grant Scheme following the outcome of the comprehensive spending review; and if she will make a statement. [21955]
Mr Paice:
Expenditure on the Rural Development programme for England will be maintained over the spending review period. We will work with the Forestry Commission to ensure the England Woodland Grant Scheme, which provides for the stewardship of existing woodlands and the creation of new woodlands, is more
effective and better targeted. I also refer the hon. Gentleman to the Welsh Assembly Government which administers woodland grant schemes in Wales for information on its plans.
Energy and Climate Change
Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress his Department has made on the inclusion of a proportion of electricity generated from energy from waste in the Carbon Reduction Commitment. [27286]
Gregory Barker: All electricity supply arrangements to a CRC participant which meet the CRC's supply criteria must be reported under the scheme, irrespective of how, where and by whom the electricity is generated. This ensures the scheme's focus is on energy efficiency measures.
CRC participants which operate an energy from waste plant will also need to report their input fuel to the generational process, where that waste supply meets the CRC supply definitions.
Departmental Contracts
Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department plans to take to encourage and support small and medium-sized enterprises and third sector organisations to compete for departmental contracts in line with value-for-money policy, UK regulations and EU procurement directives. [28114]
Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change is following all the requirements of the Transparency Agenda and openly advertising all procurements above £10,000.
In circumstances where an applicant is unsuccessful with their bid the Department provides full feedback to all companies as requested.
Energy: Prices
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to assist energy-intensive industries with rising energy prices. [27120]
Charles Hendry: In order to help UK energy intensive industries, DECC is working closely with BIS, industry representatives, academics and other experts on an Energy Intensive Industry Strategy. The Strategy is assessing the impact of climate change and energy policies on the cost of energy for these industries, greenhouse gas abatement opportunities within key energy intensive sectors and is considering policy options where further cost-effective abatement opportunities are not available in the short term.
The Government also provide businesses with enhanced tax relief for investments in equipment that meets published energy-saving criteria via enhanced capital allowances.
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he plans to seek additional data-sharing powers to enable people with a terminal illness automatically to receive assistance from the mandatory social price support scheme. [27741]
Gregory Barker: Energy suppliers will be required from April 2011 to provide greater help with the financial costs of energy bills to more of the most vulnerable fuel poor households-with total support of £250 million in 2011-12 rising to £310 million in 2014-15.
We anticipate that data matching methods, similar to those which were used successfully in the Energy Rebate Scheme, will be used to target the available assistance towards more of the most vulnerable households.
We intend to consult on the detailed policy design, including eligibility and targeting methods, shortly and would welcome views and input on these issues during that process.
Natural Gas
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate he has made of the level of reserves of shale gas in the UK. [27752]
Charles Hendry: The British Geological Survey estimates that there could be worthwhile shale gas resources in the UK. However it is not possible to make an estimate of reserves without drilling and production testing, and it is not yet clear that the success elsewhere can be replicated in the UK.
Women and Equalities
Black Asian and Minority Ethnic Women Councillors Taskforce: Expenditure
Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2010, Official Report, columns 81-2W, on ethnic minorities, who the speakers were at each of the 16 events. [27469]
Lynne Featherstone: A total of 16 Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Women Councillors' Taskforce events were held across Britain. The speakers at each of the events were as follows:
Councillors: Dr Anwara AN, Shirley Marshall and Lurline Champagnie; Barbara Follett MP and Deputy Minister for Women; former Councillor Neelam Bakshi.
Councillors: Salma Yaqoob, Karen Hamilton and Paulette Hamilton; Francine Fernandes; Carol Coombes CEO.
Councillors: Lurline Champagnie, Mimi Harker, Nana Asante and David Ashton.
Former Councillor Yvonne Jardine; Nia Griffith MP; Salma Abbasi; Mari Rees.
Councillors: James Kempton, Jyoti Vaja, Anjana Patel, Ruth Polling, Berenice Vanier; Mouna Hamitouche.
TUC event central London-3 February 2009:
Sarah Veale; Dinah Cox; Councillors: Anwara Ali and Lurline Champagnie.
Former Councillor Neelam Bakshi; Angela O'Hagan; Councillor Paulette Hamilton; Loretta Mordi; Ann Henderson.
Former Councillor Carol Francis; Councillors: Barry Dare, Lorna Campbell and Lady Mavis Dunrossil; Parmjit Dhanda MP.
Former Councillor Thea Khamis; Councillors: David Faulkner and Lurline Champagnie; Baroness Sandip Verma; Ranjana Bell.
Councillors: Manjula Sood, Ross Willmott, Sarah Russell and Ramilla Shah; Sheila Lock CEO; Liz Reid-Jones; Anita Patel.
Councillors: Maya de Souza, Keith Moffitt and Geethika Jayatilaka; Dame Jane Roberts; Simon Woolley.
Councillors: Lorna Campbell; Nicholas Stanton, Eliza Mann, Mimi Harker and Dora Dixon Fyle; Dawn Butler MP; Harriet Harman QC, MP and Minister for Women and Equalities.
Former Councillor Mia Jones; Councillors: Warren Bradley and Anna Rothery; Amina Ismail; Maria Eagle MP and Deputy Minister for Women and Equalities.
Chilterns, Maidenhead and Berkshire-26 June 2009:
Councillors: Mimi Harker, Humaira Khan, John Warder, Meral Ece, Denise Headley.
Councillors: Sherma Batson, Joan Bailey, Jacqui Burnett and Anjana Patel; Dr Nazia Khanum; Kate Belinis CEO.
Adeeba Malik; Councillors: Dale Smith, Naveeda Ikram and Alison Lowe; Marcia Churley.
Note:
This information is in the public domain through the BAME Women Councillors' Taskforce report. The full report is available at the following link:
Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2010, Official Report, columns 81-82W, on ethnic minorities, how the (a) attendees and (b) delegates at each event were (i) invited and (ii) selected for invitation. [27471]
Lynne Featherstone: A total of 16 events were held across Britain reaching nearly 1,100 women. These events were promoted using a wide range of organisations. This included working closely with existing local equalities group networks and political parties.
The Government Equalities Office (GEO) sent e-mails including the event details and also telephoned organisations who helped to promote the events on behalf of the GEO. These organisations included local women's organisations, equalities organisations, local authorities, local political parties, strategic partners, local Libraries and business networks.
Attendees signed up to attend the events online. The selection of attendees was based on a first come first served basis where the numbers were dependent on the size of the venue.
Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2010, Official Report, columns 81-82W, on ethnic minorities, what steps she plans to take to evaluate the (a) outcome and (b) value for money of each event. [27473]
Lynne Featherstone: Action has been taken to evaluate the work of the Black, Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) Women Councillors' taskforce and an evaluation report will be published in the new year, with an executive summary. The report will assess the short- and longer-term impacts of the taskforce as a whole, and by each of the three strands of work covering the support and development element of the programme, which are the outreach events, the shadowing and mentoring scheme and the community leadership course.
The specific research objectives are:
1. To identify and examine the outcomes and effectiveness of the BAME taskforce
2. To identify the strengths and limitations of the BAME taskforce programme of work
3. To assess the value of the taskforce programme of work, including how to make this agenda sustainable in the longer term
4. To follow-up and track participants' progress in getting involved in political and public life.
Home Department
Aviation: Security
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who informed (a) her and (b) the Prime Minister of the discovery of a bomb on board a UPS courier aircraft at East Midlands airport; and what the reasons were for the time taken to inform each Minister of that discovery. [22219]
Mr Maude: I have been asked to reply.
The Secretary of State for Transport, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) was informed about an incident at East Midlands airport at 8.10 am on 29 October. In his capacity as Secretary of State for Transport he is routinely informed of incidents having the potential to disrupt air transport, even when no specific threat materialises. The Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) and the Minister of State for Security and Counter-terrorism (Baroness Neville-Jones) were all informed at lunchtime on 29 October.
Crime
Ed Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the change in overall crime levels has been between 1997 and the latest date for which figures are available in terms of the methodology used in collecting information for (a) police recorded crime and (b) the British Crime Survey. [24606]
Mrs May [holding answer 16 November 2010]: Both the police recorded crime statistics and the British Crime Survey provide an incomplete picture of crime.
Statistics from the two sources are published annually in the Home Office statistical bulletin, Crime in England and Wales, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.
Homosexuality: Criminal Records
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward legislative proposals to change requirements for the disclosure of historic convictions for homosexual intercourse for the purpose of preventing discrimination. [27241]
Lynne Featherstone: As set out in the Home Office Business Plan, the Freedom Bill, to be introduced by February 2011, will include provisions so that those who were prosecuted for consensual gay sex at a time when this was illegal may apply to have their conviction record deleted from police records and will no longer be required to disclose their conviction in any circumstances.
Immigration
Mr Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are available to her to restrict the level of immigration from other EU member states. [26882]
Damian Green [holding answer 29 November 2010]: The right to free movement is not unlimited; European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) nationals must be exercising a Treaty right as a worker, a self-employed or self-sufficient person or a student if they wish to reside in the UK beyond three months.
The EU Accession Treaties for countries that have joined the EU since 2004 include a temporary derogation that allows individual member states to restrict accession workers' access to the labour market for up to five years, or up to seven years if justified on labour market grounds. This Government are committed to applying transitional controls on access to the UK labour market as a matter of course in the future to all new EU member states.
Under transitional arrangements currently in place, workers from the Central and Eastern European countries that acceded to the EU in 2004 must register their employment in the UK within one month. This scheme must end by 30 April 2011.
Workers from Romania and Bulgaria, which acceded to the EU on 1 January 2007, must seek authorisation to work from the UK Border Agency and meet the required criteria. These restrictions will remain in force until 31 December 2011 and may be extended for a further two years.
Migration
Mr Blunkett:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the oral statement of 23 November 2010, Official Report, columns 169-71, on controlling migration, what the minimum amount is
which any applicant must be able to deposit in a UK-based financial institution prior to becoming eligible for an entrepreneur visa. [27758]
Damian Green: The minimum amount an applicant to the tier 1 (entrepreneur) route must have available to deposit in a UK-based financial institution is currently £200,000. We will announce details of the revised criteria for entrepreneurs in due course.
Vetting
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what recent representations she has received from accredited guardianship organisations on her Department's review of the vetting and barring regime; [27681]
(2) what account she took of accredited guardianship organisations in her Department's review of the Independent Safeguarding Authority. [27684]
Lynne Featherstone [holding answer 30 November 2010]: The review and remodelling of the Vetting and Barring Scheme is still under way. Representations from various organisations including those involved with the private and independent schools sector have been received, and will be taken into account as the review progresses.
Wales
Grants
Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what grants have been awarded by her Department in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11 to date; what grants she plans to award in each of the next two years; what the monetary value is of each such grant fund; and to which organisations such grants have been made. [27861]
Mr David Jones: I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer of 30 November 2010, Official Report, column 737W.
UN Food and Agriculture Organisation
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment she has made of the compliance of her Department with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation's criteria for sourcing sustainable timber. [27851]
Mr David Jones: The Wales Office obtains its support services through the Ministry of Justice and comes under that Ministry's sustainable development framework, where there is a requirement for all timber to be from sustainable sources.
Transport
Biofuels
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effects on the environment of (a) small-scale biodiesel production and (b) competition within the biodiesel market. [26932]
Norman Baker: The environmental impacts of biofuel production are included in the lifecycle assessment of biofuels awarded renewable transport fuel certificates (RTFCs).
Biofuel producers who wish to claim RTFCs for the fuel they produce must register with the Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA). In the 2009-10 reporting period 33 non-obligated biofuels producers were awarded RTFCs. The RFA quarterly reports list all biofuel producers awarded RTFCs during the reporting period, but do not distinguish between small and large suppliers. The volume of fuel supplied is commercially sensitive data.
The RFA requires fuel suppliers claiming RTFCs to submit monthly reports on the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) saving and the sustainability of the biofuels they supply. Summaries of the data supplied are published in the RFA's quarterly reports. In the 2009-10 reporting period all biofuels-only suppliers reported meeting a qualifying environmental standard in 90% or more of the biofuel supplied and all reported on the fuel characteristics (feedstock, country of origin, sustainability and previous land use) for more than 95% of the fuel supplied, although in many cases environmental data were reported using RFA default values.
The RFA quarterly reports are available at:
East Midlands Airport: Security
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at what time on 29 October 2010 he was informed of the security incident at East Midlands airport. [22480]
Mr Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) was informed about an incident at East Midlands airport at 8.10am on Friday 29 October. In his capacity as Secretary of State for Transport he is routinely informed of incidents having the potential to disrupt air transport, even when no specific threat materialises. The Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) and the Minister of State for Security and Counter-terrorism (Baroness Neville-Jones) were all informed at lunchtime on Friday 29 October.
Lake Windermere: Speed Limits
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the speed limit is for motorised transportation across Lake Windermere in (a) miles per hour, (b) nautical miles per hour and (c) kilometres per hour. [26475]
Mike Penning: Speed limits for motorised transportation across Lake Windermere are a matter for the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA).
"There is a 10 nautical miles per hour speed limit on Lake Windermere, dropping to 6 miles per hour in some areas."
Official Cars: Liquefied Natural Gas
Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has made an estimate of the potential cost savings likely to be made from converting a Government Car Service vehicle to be fuelled by liquefied petroleum gas autogas. [27204]
Mike Penning: The cost-effectiveness of a conversion to liquid petroleum gas (LPG) can only be realised with vehicles that cover high mileage using primarily LPG and without incurring the associated reliability issues that the conversion creates. The mileage profile and replacement cycle of a Government Car Service vehicle would not permit full recovery of the conversion costs.
Parking: Fines
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many local authorities (a) responsible for London boroughs and (b) outside London have contacted his Department to seek an increase in charges for parking penalties. [27114]
Norman Baker [holding answer 29 November 2010]: Penalty charges in London are the responsibility of the London Mayor. The British Parking Association has raised this matter with Ministers on behalf of their local authority members. In addition six local authorities have written to the Department for Transport.
Stourbridge to Walsall Freight Rail Line
Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on reinstating the Stourbridge to Walsall freight rail line; and if he will make a statement. [27799]
Mrs Villiers: There is no current project to reinstate the Stourbridge to Walsall line. However, Network Rail has published the West Midlands and Chilterns Route Utilisation Strategy Draft for Consultation in November 2010. It has established that there may be a case for re-opening the Stourbridge to Walsall line to accommodate future freight growth.
Transport: Expenditure
George Eustice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes his Department has made to its formula for assessing benefit-to-cost ratios in respect of transport schemes since May 2010. [27328]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has not changed its definitive appraisal guidance since May 2010. The guidance, along with planned changes released "in draft" in January 2010 (which included a new benefit-cost ratio formula), are available at:
Spending review decisions were informed by a value-for-money measure which was consistent with two of the proposed changes to the guidance: introducing the latest monetary values of carbon and adopting the new benefit-cost ratio formula.
The Department for Transport's business plan for 2011-15 states it will reform the way transport projects are assessed, and funding prioritisation decisions are
made, so that the benefits of low carbon proposals are fully recognised. This includes reviewing and revising its guidance on appraising transport projects, as well as its processes for assessing schemes and supporting ministerial decisions. We will announce the scope and timetable of this review shortly.
Defence
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the remit of the Defence Reform Units review includes forces and operations in Afghanistan. [26292]
Dr Fox: The remit of the Defence Reform Unit's review does not include our current forces or operations in Afghanistan.
Armed Forces: Aircraft
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate his Department has made of the likely effect of implementing his decision to procure the non-STOVL variant of the joint strike fighter on the number of jobs. [27614]
Peter Luff [holding answer 30 November 2010]: The decision to purchase the carrier variant (CV) of the joint strike fighter (JSF) was made on the basis of its advantages offered in terms of interoperability with allies, range, and pay load and through life costs over the short take off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant.
The industrial implications of the key strategic defence and security review choices were given careful consideration, but we have not made a specific assessment of the impact on the jobs in the UK of the decision to proceed with the CV of the JSF. Many UK companies continue to be heavily involved in the overall JSF programme.
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which engines have been chosen to be fitted on the joint strike fighter; and if he will make a statement. [27615]
Peter Luff: Pending the US decision as to whether to continue funding for the completion of development of the alternative General Electric/Rolls Royce F136 engine, it is too early to determine which engines will be fitted to the joint strike fighter.
Armoured Fighting Vehicles
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the strategic defence and security review, page 24, what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of introducing protected support vehicles to replace unprotected versions that are no longer suitable. [26794]
Peter Luff:
There are a number of future planned programmes for both protected and unprotected support vehicles. The protection level of any given vehicle is very much driven by the capability the vehicle is designed to meet and the threat level it is expected to face. To
maintain flexibility many of the vehicles are designed and procured with the ability to be fitted with additional protection in order to match specific threats.
The Wolfhound, Coyote and Husky tactical support vehicles have been procured specifically for Afghanistan and over 500 will enter service at an approved cost of over £500 million.
The new Foxhound light protected patrol vehicle will replace Snatch Vixen on operations and an initial tranche of 200 vehicles has been approved at a cost of around £180 million excluding VAT.
The cost of the Operational Utility Vehicle System will be determined after the main investment decision point.
Defence Exports Group
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Defence Exports Group was established; what its terms of reference are; who its members are; how many times it will meet per year; and when it will next meet. [22652]
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to establish the Defence Exports Group; and whether a decision has been made on its composition. [25615]
Dr Fox: The Defence Exports Support Group (DESG) was established on 22 October. The core DESG membership is the Secretary of State for Defence; the Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology; the Minister for International Security Strategy; and Head, Defence and Security Organisation, UK Trade and Investment. Ministers and/or senior officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills will also attend as appropriate. The DESG will be a forum through which Ministers will plan and focus their support to UK Defence exports. The intention is to hold the first DESG meeting before Christmas at which its terms of reference and frequency of meetings will be discussed.
Nimrod Aircraft
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of making alternative arrangements for (a) protection of the carrier fleet and (b) provision of strategic deterrent against submarines compared to the cost of retaining the Nimrod MRA4; and if he will make a statement; [26944]
(2) what assessment he has made of the consequences for (a) intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance support, (b) maritime protection and (c) search and rescue capability in respect of (i) protection of merchant shipping and (ii) protection of coastal waters following the decision to cease the use of Nimrod MRA4 aircraft; what estimate he has made of changes to the cost to the public purse in the provision of such services as a result; and if he will make a statement; [27016]
(3) what assessment he has made of the cost to his Department of C130 and C130K aircraft as a replacement for the Nimrod MRA4 for (a) intelligence surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance, (b)
maritime protection and (c) search and rescue; and if he will make a statement. [27026]
Peter Luff: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 October 2010, Official Report, columns 450-51W, to the right hon. Member for Coventry North East (Mr Ainsworth) and the hon. Members for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow (Mr McCann), and North Durham (Mr Jones).
The UK's requirement for Anti-Submarine Warfare and intelligence surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability was assessed during the Strategic Defence and Security Review and will be kept under regular review. I can confirm that we have judged the implications of the decision not to bring the Nimrod MRA4 into service to be acceptable. We are in the process of developing a longer-term plan to mitigate the impact of cancellation on our continuing military tasks and capabilities. This will include an assessment of costs.
Rescue Services
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the concept of operations underpinning the search and rescue (helicopter) requirement included the assumption that a search and rescue helicopter fleet would operate in conjunction with Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft. [26669]
Dr Fox: The search and rescue helicopter project includes the requirement that the helicopters would be able to interface with any other assets that might also be involved in dealing with an incident.
Strategic Defence and Security Review
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) to whom his Department's document entitled SDSR: Lessons Identified, 3 November 2010, was submitted; [26297]
(2) who commissioned his Department's document entitled SDSR: Lessons Identified, 3 November 2010; [26301]
(3) if he will publish his Department's document entitled SDSR: Lessons Identified. [26312]
Dr Fox [holding answer 25 November 2010]: The document was proposed and a draft prepared by the strategic defence and security review (SDSR) core co-ordination team in charge of day-to-day management of the Review, to draw together working-level views from individuals involved in the SDSR process in the Ministry of Defence. The draft was a working document distributed to members of the SDSR programme board for comment: The Government have no intention to publish it.
Trident Submarines
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on long lead items for Vanguard submarines prior to the final decision to proceed with construction of the submarines. [26415]
Dr Fox: Details of the cost of long lead items for the Vanguard class are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the proportion of the cost of replacing Trident likely to be incurred prior to a decision of the House at Main Gate Stage on submarine replacement in 2016. [26416]
Dr Fox: The likely expenditure will be dependent on the Initial Gate decision which we expect to finalise shortly. I do, however, propose to update Parliament on progress, including costs, after the Initial Gate decision through the publication of a report.
USA: Nuclear Weapons
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to his plans to co-operate on nuclear warhead testing with France, whether the UK will continue to (a) participate in or (b) receive the results of US sub-critical nuclear tests undertaken at the Nevada nuclear test site. [27415]
Dr Fox: The recently signed treaty with France on proposed nuclear co-operation does not address "nuclear warhead testing" but delivers hydrodynamic experiments that provide a key element of assurance for the safety and reliability of the UK's nuclear stockpile.
I am satisfied that the treaty is complementary to our nuclear co-operation with the US under the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement and the nuclear exchanges made possible through that agreement.
Warships: Decommissioning
Mr Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether HMS Ark Royal will be offered for sale to foreign navies following her decommissioning. [27188]
Peter Luff: HMS Ark Royal is due to formally leave service with the Royal Navy in early 2011. It is too early to determine the future plans for HMS Ark Royal.
Any decision will be in line with the Ministry of Defence's policy for handling surplus assets.
Scotland
Elections
13. Jim McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the Electoral Commission to discuss the management of elections in Scotland. [26720]
David Mundell: My right hon. Friend and the Advocate-General for Scotland met the Electoral Commission on 13 October.
I will be meeting the new Convener of the Electoral Management Board later this month to discuss preparations for next year's elections and referendum on the UK parliamentary voting system.
VAT
14. Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the likely effect on families in Scotland of the proposed increase in value added tax. [26721]
David Mundell: The VAT rise is part of the Government's credible plan to tackle the largest deficit in peacetime history. Difficult decisions are necessary but, as a consequence, we will get ourselves back on a sustainable economic footing.
Departmental Sponsorship
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what expenditure his Department incurred on sponsorship in each year since 1997 for which figures are available. [27521]
David Mundell: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. The only expenditure it has incurred since then by sponsoring others outside Government to promote a cause or provide a service was £3,296 in 2002-03.
Devolution
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Advocate-General on devolution issues. [26717]
David Mundell: The Secretary of State and I discuss devolution issues with the Advocate-General on a regular basis, and we have all worked together on preparations for the new Scotland Bill which will deliver the Government's commitment to strengthening the devolution settlement for Scotland.
Justice
Arrest Warrants
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what timetable he has set for the implementation of his proposals to amend the law on universal jurisdiction. [27240]
Mr Blunt: The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill, which was introduced into this House yesterday, contains a provision requiring the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions to be given before an arrest warrant can be issued in a private prosecution for an offence of universal jurisdiction alleged to have been committed outside the United Kingdom. This requirement would ensure that, whilst private individuals could still apply for an arrest warrant, a warrant could be issued only where there was a prospect of successful prosecution.
Departmental Grants
Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what grants have been awarded by his Department in 2010-11 to date; what grants he plans to award in each of the next two years; what the monetary value is of each such grant; and to which organisations such grants are made. [27214]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: Between April and October 2010 the MoJ awarded grants worth £70 million to external organisations. The organisations who were awarded grants are listed in the following table.
For 2011-12, the MoJ is still exploring funding options for external organisations and charities. The MoJ 2012-13 funding is subject to the 2010 spending review and is not yet finalised. NOMS has estimates in place for 2011-12 and 2012-13 but these are subject to change based on funding levels from MoJ.
The MoJ also provides grants-in-aid to its NDPBs. For the year 2010-11, the gross provisions(1) for these are:
| NDPB | Grant-in-Aid (£000) |
| (1) As per the 2010-11 winter supplementary estimates Note: These figures are subject to change following end of year audit. | |
The MoJ is currently working out specific funding requirements for NDPBs in 2011-12 and 2012-13.
| Organisation or Umbrella term | Grant awarded by MoJ or executive agency (£000) |
Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the monetary value of grants awarded by his Department was in 2009-10; and how much he expects to award in grants in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12. [27215]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: In 2009-10 the Ministry of Justice awarded grants to external organisations to the value of £81.4 million.
For the full financial year of 2010-11, the MoJ anticipates a total expenditure of £71.8 million to be made in grants to external bodies.
The grants to external organisations for 2011-12 have yet to be decided.
Note:
All future figures are estimates only and are subject to change.
EU Law
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many EU directives are pending transposition into domestic legislation by his Department; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each such transposition. [27506]
Mr Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice is responsible for two directives that are currently pending transposition into domestic legislation:
Directive 2008/52/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on Certain Aspects of Mediation in Civil and Commercial Matters. The introduction of this directive will not impose additional regulatory burdens on businesses. The procedures it will introduce will be optional to those wishing to conduct EU cross-border mediations, and are expected to lead to greater legal certainty for those involved. The main costs envisaged to implement the directive are in relation to the necessary facilitative amendments to court rules and minimal costs in training court staff and the judiciary.
Directive 2010/64/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Right to Interpretation and Translation in Criminal Proceedings. We are currently considering the most cost-effective ways of transposing and implementing this directive, with the result that estimated costs cannot currently be provided.
Prisons: Visits
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many registered prison visitors there were in each of the last five years; and whether he plans to take steps to increase the number of such visitors. [27667]
Mr Blunt: Statistical information on the number of official prison visitors (OPVs) is not collated centrally. OPVs are independent volunteers appointed by prison governors to visit prisoners and offer friendship. They are neither paid civil servants nor religiously affiliated volunteers. The appointment of OPVs is a matter for the governing governor of each establishment.
House of Commons Commission
Meat: Ritual Slaughter
Keith Vaz: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, what checks are made with suppliers to ensure that halal and kosher meat are not supplied as ordinary meat intended for general consumption in canteens and restaurants of the House of Commons. [27688]
John Thurso: Incumbent suppliers and suppliers bidding for the award of the contract for the future supply of fresh meats and poultry to the House of Commons catering service have confirmed that kosher meat does not enter the mainstream supply chain to catering establishments and, on that basis, they are confident that kosher meat has not been, nor will be, supplied to the House as ordinary meat.
As stated in the reply given on 16 November 2010, Official Report, column 761W, by the hon. Member for Middlesbrough (Sir Peter Stuart Bell) to the hon. Member for East Yorkshire (Mr Knight), incumbent suppliers have admitted that it is highly likely that halal-slaughtered poultry has in the past been supplied to the House of Commons instead of ordinary meat. Henceforth, all suppliers have agreed, as a condition of contract, that halal-slaughtered meats and poultry will not be supplied unless expressly ordered or agreed to by the House of Commons catering service. This requirement has been added to the contract currently being tendered.
Keith Vaz: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether meat used in canteens and restaurants in the House of Commons in the last 12 months had been slaughtered by kosher methods. [27689]
John Thurso: No kosher meat has been served in the House of Commons cafeterias and restaurants in the last 12 months.
Keith Vaz: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether kosher meat has been used in non-kosher dishes in the restaurants or canteens in the House of Commons in the last 12 months. [27696]
John Thurso: No kosher meat has been used in non-kosher dishes in the House of Commons restaurants or cafeterias in the last 12 months.
Parliamentary Archives: Manpower
Mr Amess: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission how many staff at each grade are employed in the Parliamentary Archives; and if he will make a statement. [28132]
John Thurso: The Parliamentary Archives, a shared service of both Houses, employs 23.5 staff at the following House of Lords' grades:
| Number | |
Smartphone Applications
Priti Patel: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, what estimate the Parliamentary Information and Communications Technology Office has made of the cost of developing a mobile smartphone application for Parliament; what the cost will be of holding focus group meetings on 30 November 2010 and 1 December 2010; and when the smartphone application is due to be available. [27382]
John Thurso: The development of a new mobile application, designed primarily for those visiting Parliament, is being led from within the Department of Information Services. The procurement for the smartphone mobile application is currently running, and to publish the budget might influence the responses from potential suppliers.
Only one focus group is now being run, on 30 November. The focus group planned for 1 December is not going ahead. The participants are coming in on a voluntary basis and are not being paid. The cost of holding the focus groups will depend on the number of participants, and will be restricted to the provision of refreshments and any claims for reasonable travel costs. Refreshments are expected to cost £17.50, and a maximum of £20 per person is being set for travel claims. At present, seven people have registered an interest.
It is expected that the smartphone application will be available from April 2011.
Public Accounts Commission
Departmental Written Questions
Sir Paul Beresford:
To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Public Accounts Commission for answer on a named day were answered substantively before or on the day named for answer (a) in Session 2009-10 and (b) since May 2010; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 had not received a substantive
answer by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to the Commission of answering a question for written answer on a named day on the day named for answer in the latest period for which figures are available. [25991]
Mr Tyrie: In Session 2009-10, there was one question tabled to the Public Accounts Commission for answer on a named day. This received a substantive answer four days after the day named, which was the next sitting day. Since May 2010 there have been no named day questions.
The Public Accounts Commission has not made an estimate of the average cost of answering a named day question on the day named for answer but it is noted that HM Treasury has established the cost of a written PQ as £154.00. See paragraph 7.27 at the following link:
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission how many and what proportion of questions tabled to the Public Accounts Commission for ordinary written answer (a) in Session 2009-10 and (b) since May 2010 were answered within (i) seven days and (ii) 14 days of tabling; how many such questions tabled between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 remained unanswered by 18 November 2010; and what estimate he has made of the average cost to the Commission of answering a question for ordinary written answer within seven days of tabling in the latest period for which figures are available. [25992]
Mr Tyrie: In Session 2009-10, there were two questions tabled to the Public Accounts Commission for ordinary written answer, of which both were answered within seven days. Between May 2010 and 12 November 2010 there were no questions tabled for ordinary written answer.
The Public Accounts Commission has not made an estimate of the average cost of answering an ordinary written question within seven days of tabling, but it is noted that HM Treasury has established the cost of a written PQ as £154.00. See paragraph 7.27 at the following link:
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Akmyrat Rejepow
Neil Parish: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the government of Turkmenistan on the (a) fate and (b) whereabouts of Akmyrat Rejepow. [27314]
Mr Lidington:
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has made no representations to the Turkmen Government on the fate and whereabouts of Akmyrat Rejepow, nor are we aware of a request for us to do so. We understand that Mr Rejepow (a former general in the Turkmen security apparatus) was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment in May 2007, having been convicted on charges of
corruption. We understand he is being held in secure detention in Ashgabat or in a prison colony not far from Ashgabat. Mr Rejepow's son, Nurmurad-arrested at the same time-was pardoned in 2007.
We continue to have a regular and constructive dialogue with the Turkmen Government on human rights issues, both bilaterally and through international fora such as the European Union. Monitoring and raising individual cases forms an important component of this dialogue.
British Council: Finance
Mr Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much funding was provided by his Department to the British Council in each year since 2005. [23459]
Mr Jeremy Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Sussex (Nicholas Soames) on 27 July 2010, Official Report, column 970W.
Cayman Islands: Loans
Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what conditions were placed on the loan of £217 million to the Cayman Islands authorised in 2009. [27742]
Mr Jeremy Browne: The Government gave permission for the Cayman Islands Government to borrow Cayman Island $275 million in October 2009, subject to the Cayman Islands Government (CIG):
including further savings/efficiency measures in 2009-10 budget plans;
undertaking an urgent independent impact assessment of the community enhancement fee, alternative forms of payroll tax, property tax and any other tax that would genuinely broaden the revenue base;
introducing substantial new tax(es) or fee(s) as identified in the impact assessment study as soon as possible and certainly no later than financial year 2010; and
taking swift action to further cut expenditure and/or raise additional revenue if a greater than expected deficit was recorded.
Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what conditions he placed on the loans to the Cayman Islands authorised in June 2010. [27743]
Mr Jeremy Browne: The Government gave permission for the Cayman Islands Government to borrow Cayman Island $155 million in June 2010, subject to:
The measures in the Cayman Islands Government's (CIG) three year plan being fully implemented, which included measures to make significant savings/efficiencies, and raise revenue by increasing fuel duty over the three years;
CIG using the proceeds of divestment activity to establish a dedicated "sinking fund" within the next year to rebuild reserves and offset debt attached to the recent bond issue;
CIG restructuring existing loans to put in place arrangements to pay down debt over the longer term; and
CIG ensuring that the Cayman Islands have a full, up-to-date set of audited accounts by the end of the next financial year; and
No further requests for borrowing being made over the next financial year.
Diplomatic Service: Domestic Staff
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what regulations govern the (a) working conditions and (b) remuneration of domestic staff employed by foreign diplomats accredited to the UK. [28045]
Mr Bellingham: Article 41 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 states that, without prejudice to their privileges and immunities, it is the duty of all diplomats
'to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving State'.
This includes employment laws. Diplomatic missions and international organisations in the UK are periodically reminded of their responsibilities with regard to the employment of domestic workers; in August 2010, Protocol Directorate of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued a note to all missions highlighting their obligations. Government Departments work together and with non-governmental organisations to monitor the employment rights of domestic workers in foreign diplomatic households in the UK.
European Union
Mr Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what powers have been ceded to the EU and in what areas of policy jurisdiction since 10 May 2010 and in each case specifying whether such cession was by (a) EU legislative instrument, (b) judicial decision, (c) operation of a passerelle provision, (d) the ending of an opt-out, (e) an agreement to opt-in, (f) treaty amendment and (g) other means. [26626]
Mr Lidington: All of the legislative measures that have been adopted since 10 May 2010 have been based on the existing powers and competences conferred on the EU under the existing EU treaties, which have been approved by Parliament. None of the passerelles under the existing EU treaties have been exercised since 10 May 2010. There have been no treaty amendments. We are not aware of any judicial decisions which have resulted in a transfer of competence or power from the UK to the EU. The whole of Title V is an area of shared competence. This position is not altered by the exercise of a UK opt-in.
Football: World Cup 2010
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on attendance at the 2010 FIFA World cup. [26149]
Mr Jeremy Browne: No Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Ministers or officials visited South Africa to attend the 2010 World cup, and no money was spent by the FCO on purchasing match tickets.
Government Hospitality: Wines
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many bottles of (a) red wine, (b) white wine, (c) champagne and (d) fortified wine there are in the Government wine cellar. [26387]
Mr Bellingham: The Government Hospitality wine cellar has held between 38,000 and 39,000 bottles of wine for the last five years. The most recent independent stock-take in October 2010 showed that the Government Hospitality wine cellar contained:
(a) 25,721 bottles of red wine
(b) 7,624 bottles of white wine
(c) 1,661 bottles of champagne
(d) 2,937 bottles of fortified wine.
This excludes non-vintage reception wines.
Cellar stock levels are regularly reassessed and the cellar's performance and value for money are reviewed throughout the year.
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at which events held between 11 May and 11 November 2010 wine from the Government wine cellar was served. [26388]
Mr Bellingham: Events held between 11 May 2010 and 11 November 2010 at which wine from the Government Hospitality wine cellar was served are as follows.
The following were on a repayment basis:
13 May 2010: Dinner for British-American business hosted by my hon. Friend the Minister for Trade, Investment and Small Business.
8 June 2010: Diplomatic reception hosted by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
9 June 2010: Dinner for Israeli judges hosted by my right hon. Friend the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice.
5 July 2010: Reception for the Young Offenders Programme led by the National Grid hosted by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice.
28 July 2010: Reception for energy security hosted by my hon. Friends the Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Minister of State at the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
13 September 2010: Lunch for Dr Henry Kissinger hosted by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
21 September 2010: Reception for Eid hosted by my right hon. Friends the Home Secretary, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and other Government Ministers.
9 November 2010: Dinner for the Secretary of Defence for the Republic of South Africa hosted by my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Security Strategy.
The following were funded by Government Hospitality Fund:
3 June 2010: Lunch for the Prime Minister of Canada hosted by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.
3 June 2010: Dinner for the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs hosted by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
3 June 2010: Dinner for the Judicial Conference hosted by my right hon. Friends the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice.
8 June 2010: Lunch for the Secretary of Defence of the United States of America hosted by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.
16 June 2010: Lunch for the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates hosted by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
18 June 2010: Lunches for the President of the Republic of France and his Ministers hosted by my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.
23 June 2010: Dinner for Reconnaissance Visit from the Holy See hosted by my noble Friend the right hon. Lord Patten of Barnes CH PC (Chancellor of the University of Oxford).
28 June 2010: Lunch for the Minister of Defence of the Federal Republic of Germany hosted by my right hon. Friend Secretary of State for Defence.
28 June 2010: Dinner for the Five Country Conference hosted by my hon. Friend the Minister for Immigration.
5 July 2010: Lunch for the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan hosted by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
7 July 2010: Dinner for the international energy forums hosted by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Energy and Climate Change.
8 July 2010: Lunch for the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey hosted by my hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
20 July 2010: Reception for Indian Government/industry officials who attended the Farnborough International Air Show hosted by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Security Strategy.
28 July 2010: Lunch for the State Secretary of Labour and Social Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany hosted by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Employment.
5 August 2010: Dinner for the President of Pakistan hosted by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.
6 September 2010: Dinner for the capital markets climate initiative hosted by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change.
8 September 2010: Dinner for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam hosted by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Commonwealth Affairs.
17 September 2010: Dinner for Pope Benedict XVI's delegation hosted by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
27 September 2010: Lunch for the Minister for Roads, Transport and Highways of the Republic of India hosted by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport.
27 September 2010: Lunch for the Reconnaissance Party for the state visit of the Emir of Qatar.
21 October 2010: Lunch for the UK/Mexico high level talks hosted by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
21 October 2010: Lunch for the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland hosted by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
25 October 2010: Lunch for the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi hosted by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.
25 October 2010: Lunch for the Finance Minister for the Swiss Confederation hosted by my hon. Friend the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury.
26/27 October 2010: Lunch and state banquet for the state visit of the Emir of Qatar hosted by Her Majesty the Queen.
27 October 2010: Dinner for the Secretary for Policy, Strategy and International Affairs of the Federative Republic of Brazil hosted by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Security Strategy.
30/31 October 2010: Lunch and dinner for the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany hosted by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.
2 November 2010: Lunch for the UK-France summit hosted by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.
8 November 2010: Dinner for the International Energy Forum hosted by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change.
11 November 2010 Lunch for the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Austria hosted by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
Iraq: Christianity
Mr MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for the Wrekin of 15 November 2010, Official Report, column 631W, on Iraq: Christianity, what the outcomes were of his meeting with the Iraqi Foreign Minister; and if he will take further steps to seek to secure protection for institutions in Iraq. [27860]
Alistair Burt: Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari confirmed to my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 10 November that the protection of minorities was the responsibility of the Iraqi Government. This responsibility has been recognised more widely by the Iraqi Prime Minister and the newly elected Speaker of the Council of Representatives Usamah Al-Nujaifi. The Speaker has requested that Christian MP Yonadam Kanna form a parliamentary committee to prepare recommendations for protecting Christians and follow up investigations into the recent attacks. The Iraqi Council of Representatives has also called for increased recruitment of Christians into the Iraq security forces.
During my visit to Iraq from 22-25 November I raised the need to improve the protection of Christians and other minorities with all his interlocutors. The British Government will continue to press the Iraqi Government to ensure that Iraqi constitutional commitments to guarantee the rights and freedoms of citizens is respected and protected. We will also continue to urge the Iraqi Government to protect all communities, especially vulnerable minority groups and to deal appropriately with those who are found responsible for any acts of violence and intimidation because of political, ethnic or religious affiliation.
Israel: OECD
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the UK representation is on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (a) Committee of Statistics and (b) study team quantifying the effects on Israeli macro-economic statistics of the inclusion of the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem and Israeli settlements in the West Bank. [25635]
Mr Jeremy Browne: The UK Statistics Authority represents the UK on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Committee on Statistics. The authority will also represent the UK on the study team quantifying the effects on Israeli macro-economic statistics of the inclusion of the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem and Israeli settlements in the West Bank. This work is expected to begin in early 2011.
Palestinians: International Assistance
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how much funding his Department provided to non-governmental organisations within the Palestinian Authorities of the West Bank and Gaza in each financial year since 2003; and for what purposes such funds were allocated; [21986]
(2) how much funding his Department has provided to non-governmental organisations located in the Palestinian authorities of the West Bank and Gaza in each financial year since 2003; and for what purposes such payments were made. [25737]
Alistair Burt: Between 2003-04 and 2009-10 financial years, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has provided £2,420,960 to non-governmental organisations within the West Bank and Gaza. The breakdown is as follows:
| £ | |
| (1) No allocation | |
The list of organisations and project funding for 2010-11 is an indicative list, as funding cannot be confirmed at this point of the financial year.
The FCO utilises a number of funding programmes with the purpose of (a) strengthening the bilateral relationship (b) helping to manage or mitigate conflicts and (c) developing the capacity of non-state actors in the West Bank and Gaza to provide oversight of the Executive and its actions including monitoring of human rights, access to justice and social welfare.
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