Unemployment: Graduates
Mr Laurence Robertson:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of graduates registered
4 July 2011 : Column 1011W
as unemployed in the first year after graduation remained unemployed for
(a)
six,
(b)
12,
(c)
18 and
(d)
24 months in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [63375]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated June 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what proportion of graduates registered as unemployed in the first year after graduation remained unemployed for (a) six, (b) 12, (c) 18 and (d) 24 months in the latest period for which figures are available. 63375
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles unemployment statistics from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions. However, estimates of the proportion of graduates registered as unemployed in the first year after graduation and remaining unemployed are not available from the LFS.
Unemployment: Young People
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many young adults were unemployed for over 12 months in each parliamentary constituency in each of the last 18 months. [63691]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many young adults were unemployed for over 12 months in each parliamentary constituency in each of the last 18 months. (063691)
The Office for National Statistics compiles unemployment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey following International Labour Organisation definitions; however estimates for young adults for this geography and duration are not available. As an alternative, counts based on claimants of Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) have been provided from administrative data.
Table 1 shows the number of people aged 16 to 24 years who have been claiming JSA for more than 12 months within each parliamentary constituency in each of the last 18 months. As the information requested is quite extensive, a copy has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and JSA count are available on the Nomis website at:
http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
Justice
Community Orders
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average number of hours of community service required by each order was in each probation service area in the latest period for which figures are available. [63365]
Mr Blunt: The following table shows the average length of unpaid work requirements started by offenders in each probation area for the year 2010 (latest available). Unpaid work is the current term for what was previously known as community service.
4 July 2011 : Column 1012W
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
| Average length of unpaid work requirements started in 2010, by probation area and order type | ||
| Hours | ||
| Area | Community order | Suspended sentence order |
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of offenders were given community service orders in each probation service area in each of the last three years. [63402]
Mr Blunt: The tables show the number of offenders starting community and suspended sentence orders with unpaid work requirements attached (and the proportions of total orders) for the years 2008 to 2010 (latest available).
Unpaid work is the current term for what was previously known as community service.
4 July 2011 : Column 1013W
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
4 July 2011 : Column 1014W
| Offenders starting community orders and suspended sentence orders with unpaid work attached in each of the last three years in each probation area, with proportion of all orders started | ||||
| 2008 | ||||
|
|
Community orders with unpaid work | Percentage of all community orders | Suspended sentence orders with unpaid work | Percentage of all suspended sentence orders |
| 2009 | ||||
|
|
Community orders with unpaid work | Percentage of all community orders | Suspended sentence orders with unpaid work | Percentage of all suspended sentence orders |
4 July 2011 : Column 1015W
4 July 2011 : Column 1016W
| 2010 | ||||
|
|
Community orders with unpaid work | Percentage of all community orders | Suspended sentence orders with unpaid work | Percentage of all suspended sentence orders |
4 July 2011 : Column 1017W
4 July 2011 : Column 1018W
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the budget was for the administration of community service orders in each probation service area in each of the last four years; and what he expects those budgets to be in each of the next four years. [63435]
Mr Blunt: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has not previously collected such historical information and to do so now would involve surveying every trust; the cost of doing this would be disproportionate.
NOMS is developing systems to break down current expenditure on a service by service basis. Once the information has been reviewed and validated we will then consider how best to use it to meet commitments under the Government's transparency agenda.
The future funding for the provision of community payback is currently subject to competition, thus future budgets will be dependent on negotiated contract bid prices, which are yet to be determined.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department has any plans to generate low-carbon energy from its estate. [63324]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: The Ministry of Justice has plans to generate low carbon energy from its estate which we can export to the grid. In association with Partnerships for Renewables the National Offender Management Service's planning application for wind energy generation at Standford Hill on the Isle of Sheppey, was approved in May 2011. Partnerships for Renewables will discharge the planning conditions for this project during 2011-12 with site preparation and construction scheduled for early 2013.
The Ministry of Justice also has plans to generate low carbon energy from its estate for on site consumption. HM Courts and Tribunals Service are piloting photovoltaics at two sites: Leeds Combined Court Centre and Aberystwyth Law Courts.
The National Archives at Kew recently installed a CHP (combined heat and power) plant to generate low carbon electricity on-site.
Departmental Official Cars
Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost to his Department and its predecessors was of the provision of ministerial cars in each financial year between 2000-01 and 2010-11; how many (a) cars for the exclusive use of Ministers and (b) ministerial car journeys were paid for by his Department in each such year; what the average cost to his Department of a ministerial car journey was in each such year; and what steps his Department has taken to reduce the cost of ministerial cars since his appointment. [62988]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) was established on 9 May 2007, its predecessor was the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA).
Information on the number and cost of ministerial cars is published in the Secretary of State for Transport's annual written ministerial statement, details of which can be found within the Libraries of both Houses using the links provided at the end of this answer. The requested data for the Department are shown in the following table:
| Department | Year | Number of cars | Cost (£) |
4 July 2011 : Column 1019W
Details of the costs for 2010-11 are being compiled and due for release in July 2011. Information prior to 2005 is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Information relating to individual ministerial car journeys prior to September 2010 is not available as there was no requirement to collect these data.
In September 2010, in order to make savings, the MOJ transferred from allocated ministerial cars to a system of on-demand bookings for individual car journeys. The vast majority of these journeys are home-to-work and work-to-home journeys, where Ministers of State and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State are able to work on restricted papers from their ministerial red boxes.
Ministers are otherwise encouraged to walk or take public transport during the working day.
Information relating to the number of ministerial car journeys made since the introduction of the ‘on-demand’ ministerial car service on 6 September 2010 and up until 31 March 2011 is included in the following table:
| Period | Jobs |
Links to D F T written ministerial statements:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070726/wmstext/70726m0004.htm
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070726/wmstext/70726m0004.htm
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080722/wmstext/80722m0008.htm
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090716/wmstext/90716m0009.htm
http://www.dft.gov.uk/press/speechesstatements/statements/hammond20101028a.html
Homicide: Finance
Mr Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects to announce the organisations which have been successful in bidding for funding from the 2011-12 Homicide Fund. [62863]
4 July 2011 : Column 1020W
Mr Blunt: Details of the organisations which were successful in bidding for funding from the 2011-12 Homicide Fund were published on the Ministry of Justice website on 30 June.
Legal Aid
Mr Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was paid in legal aid to Jeffrey Samuels QC in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10. [63248]
Mr Djanogly: The information requested is not readily available. We are compiling the information and will write to the hon. Member. A copy of the letter will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will place in the Library a copy of the response to his consultation on Reform of Legal Aid from (a) the Armed Forces Criminal Legal Aid Authority, (b) the National Audit Office, (c) the NHS Litigation Authority, (d) the Social Entitlement Chamber of the First Tier Tribunals and (e) each other Government Department. [63269]
Mr Djanogly: The items requested at (a) to (d) will shortly be placed in the Library. No formal responses from other Government Departments were received.
Legal Aid: Iraq
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2011, Official Report, column 179W, on legal aid: Iraq, in respect of how many cases relating to alleged abuse of Iraqi citizens by UK armed forces legal aid is being provided to persons not resident in the UK. [62969]
Mr Djanogly: As I stated in my answer of 21 June 2011, Official Report, column 179W, the Legal Services Commission (LSC) does not specifically record cases under the category of ‘abuse by the UK armed forces’. In addition, the LSC cannot provide information on the number of legal aid applicants non-resident in the UK without incurring disproportionate cost.
Missing Persons: Death
Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward proposals to align the law of England and Wales with that of Scotland and Northern Ireland in regard to presumption of death where a person has been missing for a significant period. [62804]
Mr Djanogly: At this time Government have no plans to make changes in this area. However, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Runaway and Missing Adults and Children is currently carrying out research in this area. We will carefully consider any recommendations that they may make as a result of their work.
Offenders: Employment
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assistance the National Offender Management Service has provided to probation trusts in respect of bidding for unpaid work during the tendering process. [63059]
4 July 2011 : Column 1021W
Mr Blunt: NOMS has encouraged probation trusts to seek NOMS/MOJ advice on the contractual models that they are developing. In addition, NOMS/MOJ will work with probation trusts to provide feedback and further advice to those probation trusts that have been accepted as ‘prime’ bidders for lots 2-6. This advice and information is outside of the formal bidding process, and care is taken to ensure that an ‘ethical wall’ is in place in order to ensure a fair approach for all bidders.
Offenders: Rehabilitation
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which (a) third sector organisations, (b) charities, (c) private companies and (d) other organisations are working in prisons to support prisoner rehabilitation; and how many prisoners are so supported. [62548]
Mr Blunt: Management information held centrally indicates that there are at least 245 voluntary and community sector organisations, social enterprises and charities which support the rehabilitation of offenders in prisons, and 79 private sector organisations supporting rehabilitation activities in prison.
The National Offender Management Service does not collect any other data on “other organisations” involved with supporting prisoner rehabilitation activities.
In addition there will be other types of support provided to offenders, the details of which are not collated centrally and so any comprehensive lists of organisations and statistical information on the numbers of prisoners undertaking interventions in support of their rehabilitation could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Open Prisons: Crime
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offences were committed by offenders serving a prison sentence in an open prison in the latest period for which figures are available; what the offence was in each case; and in which open prison each such offender was serving. [62917]
Mr Blunt: There are approximately 3,700 incidents reported annually in open prisons and prisons with an open element. These are reported on the HM Prison Service Incident Reporting System. However not all of these relate to a criminal offence; some relate to breaches of prison discipline while other types of incident include those connected with security or self-harm.
In order to provide data relating to the number of criminal offences committed by offenders serving a sentence in an open prison it would be necessary to manually examine each of these 3,700 records which could be done only at disproportionate cost.
Prison Service: Contracts
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which prisons his Department is considering for market testing; and if he will make a statement. [63036]
Mr Blunt: I will provide the hon. Member with a reply as soon as possible.
4 July 2011 : Column 1022W
Substantive answer from Crispin Blunt to Helen Jones:
The Ministry of Justice is currently developing the Offender Services Competition Strategy in line with commitments in the ‘Breaking the Cycle’ Green Paper and the Ministry of Justice business plan. The strategy will set out how competition will be used within Offender Services and outline a timetable for competition in this period. The strategy will be published later this year.
Prisoners’ Release
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the payment by results pilots in reducing the demand for his Department's services. [63058]
Mr Blunt: The Ministry of Justice set out plans to design and commission at least six payment by results pilots in the December 2010 Green Paper ‘Breaking the Cycle’.
The first payment by results pilot was launched in September 2010, the Social Impact Bond at HMP Peterborough. Other pilots have been agreed and will commence shortly. This includes pilot local approaches to reduce demand for criminal justice services in London and Manchester and a pilot at HMP Doncaster that will aim to reduce the reoffending of released offenders. The formal start date of these pilots is due to be July 2011 and October 2011 respectively.
As sufficient offenders have not yet passed through the scheme, it is too early to assess of the effectiveness of the Social Impact Bond in reducing demand for offender services. A report by RAND Europe on the set up of the HMP Peterborough pilot was published last month and an interim report on the first cohort of offenders through the pilot is expected in 2014.
Prisoners: Literacy
Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will commission research into the reading ability of prisoners; and if he will make a statement. [63122]
Mr Blunt: There are no current plans to commission research into the reading ability of prisoners.
However, in 2010 the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, working closely together with the Ministry of Justice, did commission a scoping study to explore the feasibility of undertaking a survey of prisoners and offenders in the community to examine their literacy and numeracy levels. The study concluded that while it would be possible to measure the skills levels of adult custody and community offenders as well as young offenders in custody, robustly sampling young offenders in the community would be difficult.
Neither the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills nor the Ministry of Justice currently have funding set aside to undertake a basic skills survey of offenders in the current financial year. However, this work will be considered against other policy priorities in future research-planning rounds.
Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will take steps to improve the literacy levels of prisoners. [63123]
4 July 2011 : Column 1023W
Mr Blunt: The MOJ and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills recently published “Making Prisons Work: Skills for Rehabilitation” on 18 May, setting out our reform programme for offender learning. Although our intention is to focus an intensive suite of vocational learning on the period in the run-up to release, we have committed to continuing to meet the literacy and numeracy needs of prisoners at the start of their sentences.
These functional skills are important in enabling prisoners to address other needs that might otherwise prevent them beginning work or training. We are evaluating intensive literacy and numeracy provision and, subject to the outcome of that, plan to extend its use as a means of addressing the needs of those with shorter sentences.
Prisons: Employment
Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent estimate he has made of the number of prisoners which undertake meaningful work; and in what types of jobs. [63124]
Mr Blunt:
Our latest estimate is that about 9,000 prisoners per day currently work in National Offender
4 July 2011 : Column 1024W
Management Service public sector prison industries in over 400 workshops, representing a wide range of activities including printing, furniture, textile manufacturing, laundries, engineering, contract services and land based activities.
Prisons also partly run on prison labour. These activities include about 4,400 prisoners working in catering and picking and packing services. In addition significant numbers of prisoners are involved in areas such as cleaning but, as these jobs are local to each prison, numbers are not collated centrally.
Sentencing: Drugs
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people received a custodial sentence for drugs offences in (a) Worcestershire and (b) Redditch in each of the last five years. [63243]
Mr Blunt: Persons sentenced to immediate custody for all drug offences in selected Local Justice Areas, 2006 to 2010, can be viewed in the table. Please note that local justice areas may include more than one magistrates court.
| Number of persons sentenced to immediate custody for all drugs offences, in selected local justice areas (1) , 2006-10 (2, 3) | |||||
| Local justice area and Crown court | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 (4) | 2010 |
| (1) May include more than one magistrates court. (2) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Revisions have been made to 2009 figures to account for the late receipt of a small number of court records. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice. | |||||
Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people received (a) immediate custodial sentences and (b) other disposals in respect of drugs supply offences in Hertfordshire in each of the last five years. [63341]
Mr Blunt: Persons sentenced to immediate custody and other sentences for supply and possession with intent to supply a controlled drug in Hertfordshire police force area, 2006 to 2010, can be viewed in the tables.
| Persons sentenced to immediate custody and other sentences for supply and possession with intent to supply a controlled drug, in Hertfordshire police force area, 2006- 10 (1,2,3) | |||
| 2006 | |||
| Offence and police force area | Sentenced | Immediate custody | Other sentences |
| 2007 | |||
| Offence and police force area | Sentenced | Immediate custody | Other sentences |
| 2008 | |||
| Offence and police force area | Sentenced | Immediate custody | Other sentences |
4 July 2011 : Column 1025W
| 200 9 (4) | |||
| Offence and police force area | Sentenced | Immediate custody | Other sentences |
| 2010 | |||
| Offence and police force area | Sentenced | Immediate custody | Other sentences |
| (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Cannabis was re-classified to a class B drug on 26 January 2009. (4) Revisions have been made to 2009 figures to account for the late receipt of a small number of court records. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice. | |||
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Afghanistan: United Nations
Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the security of United Nations personnel in Afghanistan. [56330]
Mr Hague: Primary responsibility for assessment of the security situation of UN personnel in Afghanistan is with the United Nations. However, the security managers at the British embassy in Kabul routinely share information about security threats with the UN. Additionally we often offer assistance with transportation to UN personnel travelling to Helmand, where the UN has no security staff.
4 July 2011 : Column 1026W
Balkans
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff of his Department are working in (a) Kosovo and (b) the western Balkans. [63542]
Mr Lidington: The following table gives the approximate number of Foreign and Commonwealth Office employees at each post in the western Balkans, including Kosovo, for the fourth quarter of financial year 2010-11. These figures include UK-based civil servants and staff employed locally. They are rounded up to the nearest five.
Albania, Tirana: 30
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo: 35
Croatia, Zagreb: 30
Kosovo, Pristina: 40
Macedonia, Skopje: 30
Montenegro, Podgorica: 10
Serbia, Belgrade: 70.
The following post has five or fewer FCO employees:
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Banja Luka.
British Nationals Abroad: Italy
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions his Department has had with its Italian counterpart on the rights of UK citizens teaching in universities in Italy. [63256]
Mr Lidington: The Government continue to take their duty to uphold the principles central to the EU single market very seriously. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), raised this issue with Italian Foreign Minister, Franco Frattini, in April. I also raised it with Franco Frattini on my visit to Italy last month.
We continue to lobby the Italian Government hard on this issue, at ministerial level and through the British embassy, but the Government's response to date has been that it is the responsibility of the Italian universities to seek a resolution. The Italian universities have said that they cannot resolve this issue without help from the Government.
We will continue to do all that we can to lobby the Italian Government to seek a resolution. While we are unable to get involved in Italian legal proceedings, we are nevertheless fully supportive of the British lecturers' cause.
British Nationals Abroad: Ransom
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 13 June 2011, Official Report, column 603W, on British nationals abroad: ransom, whether the payment of a ransom which is paid in whole or in part to a proscribed terrorist organisation constitutes an illegal act in UK law. [62226]
Alistair Burt:
The payment of a ransom in whole or in part to a proscribed terrorist organisation is an illegal act in UK law. The Terrorism Act (TACT) 2000 provides
4 July 2011 : Column 1027W
criminal penalties for offences relating to fundraising or using or possessing money or other property for the purposes of terrorism (set out in sections 15 to 18 of TACT), including providing money that will be used for the purposes of terrorism. This includes, but is not limited to, any resources of a proscribed organisation. The potential penalties for an individual who is guilty of such an offence are set out in sections 22 to 23 of TACT.
British Overseas Territories: Carbon Emissions
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce the carbon footprint of British Overseas Territories. [59019]
Mr Bellingham: Responsibility for this issue is devolved to the Governments of the Overseas Territories. However the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is working with the Department for Energy and Climate Change to ensure support to the Overseas Territories, in their efforts to reduce their carbon footprints. Funding from the joint FCO-Department for International Development and Overseas Territories Environment Programme has been used in support of renewable energy initiatives. I raised this issue during the Overseas Territories Consultative Council in November last year, to which all the leaders and premiers from the Overseas Territories were invited.
Capita
Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many contracts his Department has awarded to Capita since May 2010; and what the (a) monetary value and (b) net worth was of each contract. [62724]
Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has not awarded any contracts within the UK to Capita since May 2010.
As budgets in the FCO are devolved to over 260 posts overseas and details of their contracts are not held centrally, the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Chen Guangcheng
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he raised the treatment of Chen Guangcheng during the visit to the UK of the Prime Minister of China; and if he will make a statement. [R] [63115]
Alistair Burt: During his summit discussions with Premier Wen, the Prime Minister raised his concerns about human rights in China. In doing so he mentioned a number of high profile individual cases. No subjects were off limits.
We remain concerned about the treatment of Chen Guangcheng and his family. We continue to monitor his situation and are working with EU partners to maintain the profile of his case.
4 July 2011 : Column 1028W
China: Diplomatic Service
Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of diplomatic staff in China work in (a) trade, (b) human rights and (c) general diplomatic roles. [62117]
Alistair Burt: The following table gives the approximate number of Foreign and Commonwealth Office employees at each post in mainland China and Hong Kong for the fourth quarter of financial year 2010-11. These figures include UK-based civil servants and staff employed locally.
|
|
|
Approximate n umber |
| Note: Posts with fewer than 100 staff are rounded up to the nearest 5 and those with 100 or more are rounded up to the nearest 10. | ||
For operational and security reasons, we cannot provide a more detailed breakdown.
China: Family Planning
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he raised the issue of the one child policy during the visit to the UK of the Prime Minister of China; and if he will make a statement. [R] [63116]
Alistair Burt: During his summit discussions with Premier Wen, the Prime Minister raised his concerns about human rights in China. No subjects were off limits.
We do not dispute China's right or need to implement family planning policies but we do believe they should be based on principles of consent and not coercion, and in line with international human rights standards.
My right hon. and noble Friend Baroness Warsi raised China's population policy earlier this year in a meeting with Madame Uyunqimg, vice-chair of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.
Council of Europe: Finance
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what budgets have been set for each institution of the Council of Europe in the next three years; and what contribution will be required from the UK. [62541]
Mr Lidington: Negotiations are ongoing among Council of Europe member states over the budget beyond 2011.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has any plans to generate low-carbon energy from its estate. [63326]
4 July 2011 : Column 1029W
Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) plans to install a tri-generation heat, cooling and power plant in our headquarters in King Charles street. Gas will be burnt in the plant to generate electricity. The by-product heat will supply both domestic hot water and, via a heat exchanger, cooling to the on-site data-centre.
The FCO also plans to use the solar hot water technology on our new ICT building at Hanslope Park.
Our Wilton Park Executive agency has already installed a biomass boiler, using woodchip biomass from its grounds.
To identify all low carbon energy generation on the overseas estate would entail disproportionate cost. However, a number of overseas Posts have installed solar hot water heaters to supply domestic hot water and some use photovoltaic solar panels to generate electricity.
Departmental Travel
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how much has been spent on travel in respect of (a) each of his Department's Executive agencies and (b) the chief executive of each such agency since May 2010; [56178]
(2) how much each executive agency of his Department has spent on travel by (a) private hire vehicles, (b) trains, (c) buses, (d) commercial aircraft and (e) private aircraft since May 2010. [56074]
Mr Lidington: FCO Services is a Trading Fund of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). FCO Services provides secure services on a global scale to the FCO, other Government Departments and other international governments and institutions. This involves sending security cleared staff to various locations around the world to work in sensitive and restricted environments. Due to the global nature of the work, the majority of travel spend is on commercial flights. FCO Services spent the following since May 2010 to March 2011:
| FCO Services | |
|
|
£ |
The cost of flights within FCO Services has reduced from approximately £5.6 million in 2008-09. The chief executive of FCO Services spent no money on air, rail or private hire vehicles since May 2010 but claimed £2,168 in mileage expenses.
Wilton Park is a forum for democracy building, post-conflict reconciliation and international dialogue. Between May 2010 and March 2011 Wilton Park spent the following on travel:
| Wilton Park | |
|
|
£ |
4 July 2011 : Column 1030W
The chief executive spent £9,608 on travel included in this figure.
Egypt
Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the situation in Egypt. [60596]
Alistair Burt [holding answer 28 June 2011]:My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, is in regular contact with Secretary of State Clinton on a wide range of middle east issues. They met during President Obama's state visit to the UK to discuss developments in the region.
Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Egyptian Supreme Military Council on the process of transition from military to civilian rule in Egypt. [60597]
Alistair Burt [holding answer 28 June 2011]:My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs visited Egypt on 2 May and met Field Marshall Tantawi, Head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. He emphasized the importance of pluralistic parliamentary elections and raised his concerns about the dangers of extremism and sectarianism. He also encouraged reform to create the right environment for investors to return to Egypt. I visited Egypt from 9-11 March to develop the relationship with current and prospective political figures and to offer UK expertise to tackle the challenges of political, economic and security sector reform.
Our embassy is in close contact with the Egyptian authorities, the opposition and activists to support the transition, including through initiatives under the Arab Partnership. These include work with the media on its role in elections, and parliamentary capacity building.
Fair Trials International
George Eustice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding his Department has provided for Fair Trials International in the last five years. [63331]
Alistair Burt: In the last five years, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has provided Fair Trials International with funding for two projects (to the value of £6,000 and £15,000). These have been designed to help British nationals in detention abroad access the best possible range of support.
Greece: Asylum
Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Greek Government on the condition of detention facilities for asylum seekers in Greece. [62682]
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Mr Lidington: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, is not planning to make representations to the Greek Government. The issue of detention centres is sometimes discussed with Greece at EU Justice and Home Affairs Council discussions, most recently in autumn 2010. The UK also raised the issue in its intervention at the UN Human Rights Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Greece in Geneva on 9 May 2011.
The UK participates actively in European Union efforts to assist Greece to strengthen its migration and asylum procedures through the effective implementation of its 'National Action Plan for Migration Management'. This support includes the secondment of UK experts to the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) to help Greece improve its detention and reception facilities.
Iran: Religious Freedom
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of the ability of each religious community in Iran to (a) exercise its faith, (b) to observe its (i) holidays and (ii) weekly day of rest and (c) to administer its internal affairs; and if he will make a statement. [63106]
Alistair Burt: We continue be concerned by the state sponsored persecution of a number of religious minorities in Iran. Although several religions are “protected” in the Iranian constitution, in practice they are still monitored closely and frequently put under pressure because of the way they observe their faith. We are further concerned by the persecution of non-“protected” religions, including the Baha'is, and frequently call on the Iranian authorities to cease all persecution of minorities in Iran.
According to the website of the Iranian Ministry of Labour, religious minorities may not replace Fridays with their weekly day of rest and non-Islamic holidays are not legally counted as state holidays.
Iran: Satellites
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the potential effects on the middle east peace process of the recent launch by Iran of a Rassad-1 satellite; and if he will make a statement. [62006]
Alistair Burt: We have noted the recent space launch under taken by Iran with concern. Much of the technology used in this space launch is similar to that used to develop ballistic missiles. Under UNSCR 1929 Iran is prohibited from undertaking activity relating to ballistic missiles capable of carrying a nuclear payload, and from launches using ballistic missile technology.
We remain concerned that Iran continues to develop missile technology with the clear intention of extending the range of its missiles.
Incidents such as this highlight Israel's very real security needs and only encourage Israel to look inward, instead of engaging on the middle east peace process. We see negotiations towards a two state solution as the best way to meet the national aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians and lead to a sovereign, viable and contiguous
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Palestinian state living in peace and security alongside a safe and secure Israel and their other neighbours in the region.