Higher Education
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how his Department communicates the information that a course is to be designated for higher education purposes to the (a) Student Loans Company, (b) Quality Assurance Agency and (c) Higher Education Funding Council for England. [114456]
Mr Willetts: The information requested is as follows.
(a) Course designation decisions are communicated to providers by the Student Loans Company (SLC). The SLC maintains a list of designated courses on its website:
http://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/policy-information/designated-courses.aspx
(b) and (c) The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) and the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE) are able to access the information through the SLC website as above.
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether due diligence checks for higher education course designation take into account the applicant's parent company. [114457]
Mr Willetts: The due diligence checks currently undertaken for higher education course designation take account of a range of factors including consideration of the applicant's parent company.
As set out in the Government Response to the White Paper consultation we will be reviewing the existing student support course designation system for alternative providers to include more robust and transparent requirements on quality assurance, financial sustainability and management and governance.
Higher Education: Admissions
Elizabeth Truss: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) how many and what proportion of pupils in the (a) poorest and (b) richest one per cent of areas entered (i) any university, (ii) a Russell Group university and (iii) Oxbridge in the last year for which figures are available; [114138]
(2) how many and what proportion of pupils in the (a) poorest and (b) richest 10 per cent of areas entered (i) any university, (ii) a Russell Group university and (iii) Oxbridge in the last year for which figures are available. [114139]
Mr Willetts:
The information requested is not available centrally. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) publication “Widening Participation in Higher
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Education”, August 2011 shows proportions of maintained school pupils who entered higher education by local authority area.
http://www.bis.gov.uk/analysis/statistics/higher-education/official-statistics-releases/widening-participation-in-higher-education/analysis-of-progression-rates-for-young-people-in-england-by-free-school-meal-receipt
The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) publication “Trends in young participation in higher education” of January 2010 gives information on participation for areas classified by participation rates. This shows, for cohorts from the late 2000s, typically fewer than one in five young people from the most disadvantaged 20% of areas enter higher education, compared to more than one in two from the most advantaged 20% of areas.
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/year/2010/201003/
Manufacturing Industries: Drugs
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people are employed in the pharmaceutical sector in (a) the UK, (b) the East Midlands, (c) Nottinghamshire and (d) Ashfield constituency. [114255]
Mr Prisk: The manufacture of pharmaceutical products and preparations employed the following numbers of people in the UK, East Midlands and Nottinghamshire between 2008 and 2010. Employment data estimates for the Ashfield constituency and for Nottinghamshire in 2008 cannot be provided as this would infringe of the legal confidentiality rights of companies operating there.
| Employment in the pharmaceuticals manufacturing industry 2008-10 | |||
| Nottinghamshire | East Midlands | United Kingdom | |
| Source: NOMIS, Annual Business Survey; both ONS | |||
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the value of the pharmaceutical sector is to the economy of (a) the UK, (b) the East Midlands, (c) Nottinghamshire and (d) Ashfield constituency. [114289]
Mr Prisk: The manufacture of pharmaceutical products and preparations contributed the following amounts of Gross Value Added to the UK economy overall and the East Midlands economy between 2008 and 2010. These data are not collected at the county and constituency level and regional data are not yet available for 2010.
| Gross value added of the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry | ||
| £ million | ||
| East Midlands | United Kingdom | |
| Source: Regional Annual Business Survey 2009 and UK National Accounts; both ONS | ||
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Medicine: Education
Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of students who entered medical schools in the UK were educated in a UK state school in the latest period for which figures are available; what proportion of such students were (a) male and (b) female; what the breakdown of ethnicity was of such students; and if he will make a statement. [114331]
Mr Willetts: Figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show that in academic year 2010-11, 50% of UK domiciled students who entered full-time first degree courses in medicine and dentistry subjects at UK higher education institutions had applied from a state school. The denominator to calculate this figure includes students whose previous institution before HE was a state school, independent school, further education institution or higher education institution. It excludes students whose previous institution attended is unknown.
The following tables contain information on gender and ethnicity.
| Proportions of UK domiciled entrants to full-time first degree medicine and dentistry courses at UK HEIs from state schools, by gender and ethnicity | |
| Percentage | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are based on a HESA standard registration population. 2. Covers students in their first year of study. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) | |
Overseas Trade: Central Africa
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the primary (a) imported and (b) exported goods and services are between the UK and (i) the Democratic Republic of Congo and (ii) the Central African Republic. [114362]
Mr Prisk: In 2011, the UK exported goods to the value of £23.7 million to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRoC), and imported goods to the value of £3.6 million.
In 2011, the UK exported goods to the value of £0.7 million to the Central African Republic (CAR) and imported goods to the value of £0.1 million.
The top five goods traded between the UK and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRoC) and the Central African Republic (CAR) are listed in the following table, using the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) at 2 digit detail.
No services trade data are available for 2011.
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In 2010, the UK exported services to the value of £9 million to the Democratic Republic of Congo and imported services to the value of £8 million. No product breakdown is available. In 2010 Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) reported total goods exports of £15 million to the Democratic Republic of Congo and total goods imports of £4 million.
UK exports and imports of services from the Central African Republic were less than £0.5 million in 2010. In 2010 HMRC reported total goods exports of £0.7 million to the Central African Republic and total goods imports of £0.1 million.
It should be noted that HMRC goods and Office for National Statistics (ONS) services trade data are not reported on a wholly consistent basis.
| UK exports to DRoC 2011 | ||
| SITC-2 | £ sterling | Percentage |
|
74—General industrial machinery and equipment and machine parts n.e.s. | ||
| UK Imports from DRoC 2011 | ||
| SITC-2 | £ sterling | Percentage |
|
87—Professional, scientific and controlling instruments and apparatus n.e.s. | ||
| UK imports from CAR 2011 | ||
| SITC-2 | £ sterling | Percentage |
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| Notes: 1. Only two product groups were imported from CAR in 2011 2. Data are rounded to the nearest 100. Source: HMRC Overseas Trade Statistics (Goods), ONS Balance of Payments (Services) | ||
Overseas Trade: Syria
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the primary (a) imported and (b) exported goods and services are between the UK and Syria. [114363]
Mr Prisk: In 2011, the UK exported goods to the value of £85.3 million to Syria, and imported goods to the value of £20.9 million.
The top five goods traded between the UK and Syria are listed in the following table, using the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) at 2 digit detail.
No services trade data are available for 2011. In 2010 the UK exported services to the value of £50 million to Syria and imported services to the value of £30 million from Syria. No product breakdown is available. In 2010 Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) reported total goods exports of £133 million to Syria and total goods imports of £26 million from Syria. It should be noted that HMRC goods and Office for National Statistics (ONS) services trade data are not reported on a wholly consistent basis.
| UK exports to Syria 2011 | ||
| SITC-2 | £ sterling | Percentage |
|
74—General industrial machinery and equipment and machine parts n.e.s. | ||
| UK imports from Syria 2011 | ||
| SITC-2 | £ sterling | Percentage |
| Note: Data are rounded to nearest 100 Source: HMRC Overseas Trade Statistics (Goods), ONS Balance of Payments (Services) | ||
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Regulation
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what regulations his Department introduced between 1 February and 31 May 2012; and at what cost to the public purse. [114098]
Mr Prisk: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has introduced 13 regulations between 1 February and 31 May 2012. The information on the cost to the public purse is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Vocational Training
Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how the Skills Funding Agency monitors the effectiveness of (a) sub-contractors and (b) lead contractors delivering (i) the adult skills budget, (ii) 16-18 apprenticeships and (iii) adult community learning programmes; and what its key outcome performance indicators are for each. [113651]
Mr Hayes: The agency manages all providers it contracts with using a national performance management framework. This framework is based on a single account management approach, which partners each college or provider with one account manager in the agency. This approach encompasses all funding provided to them, such as the adult skills budget, 16-18 apprenticeships and adult community learning programmes.
The account manager works closely with the college or provider throughout the delivery of the learning or training, monitoring performance against its contracts with the agency and working with the contractor to ensure that our quality standards are met and ensure that provision is effective:
http://skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk/providers/quality/
Performance is measured against the terms and conditions of these contracts and meeting the contract in funding terms. Providers are encouraged to ensure their offer meets the needs of local employers and learners.
The assessment of quality remains the key performance measure within the freedoms and flexibilities of providers to respond to what employers and learners demand.
The agency uses qualification success rate of learners participating in programmes and this is also provided to Ofsted to underpin their inspection work. The agency uses a minimum level of performance policy to intervene where success rates fall below a national standard.
This approach is used in conjunction with wider provider performance management protocols which ensure public funding is maximised and spent effectively.
For all provision funded within the single adult skills budget delivered by private training providers (including 16-18 and 19+ apprenticeships), performance management reviews are conducted at quarterly points throughout the contract year. Adjustments to contracts are made where performance against cash profiles for the period in question is outside of our published tolerance levels. Where there is a pattern of under-delivery, the agency reduces the maximum contract values to reflect some or all of the value of the under-delivery.
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For colleges, simplified performance management and payment arrangements are in place. Colleges are not subject to in-year performance management. Their funding is assessed following the end of each academic year. Colleges are expected to deliver their agency funding allocation in line with their assessment of community, stakeholder and employer needs, Government ambitions and funding requirements. This includes a continued emphasis on delivering high quality provision.
The current Adult Safeguarded Learning programme (which will be renamed as Adult Community Learning in the 2012/13 academic year), is used to support the design and delivery of a wide range of learning opportunities in every geographical area. The adult and community learning programme is intended to widen participation and, in particular, to focus some of the activity specifically on deprived areas and disadvantaged groups.
A key effectiveness measure for this programme is the numbers of learners engaged. The numbers of learners are important as Government policy in this area is to maintain the numbers funded through this programme. The agency's aim is to reach as many learners from areas of disadvantage as possible. Agency relationship managers review with contractors:
planned numbers of learners;
allocation and funding;
actual numbers of learners engaged;
cost per learner for each programme.
The Skills Funding Agency is committed to a high quality offer and over time performance and quality arrangements are covered in performance management discussions, and reference is also made to any relevant inspection data and learner management information.
Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the management fees charged to sub-contractors by the lead contractors of Skills Funding Agency programmes. [113652]
Mr Hayes: The chief executive of the Skills Funding Agency has a statutory duty to make best use of the agency's resources when securing the provision of education and training. Therefore there is an expectation that the funding provided is used for the benefit of the learner and spent on their learning programme or provision. The amount of funding retained by a lead provider for programmes and provision delivered in whole, or part, by a subcontractor must represent good value for money and reflect the actual costs incurred by each party in the delivery of that provision.
The agency published the fees and costs associated with subcontracting taken from the Declaration of Subcontractor forms submitted by lead providers on our website on 22 June 2012. This is designed to enhance transparency; however, the level of these fees varies considerably as the nature of respective services provided by lead providers and their subcontractors also varies a great deal.
The agency will shortly be publishing its intention to require independent assessment of the nature and reasonableness of subcontracting fees for each such arrangement and will work with the FE sector on the detail in the coming weeks.
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Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how the Skills Funding Agency assesses the suitability of those sub-contractors involved in delivering apprenticeships which are not required to complete the Due Diligence Assurance Gateway. [113653]
Mr Hayes: The primary responsibility for assessing the suitability for sub-contractors rests with the lead provider with whom the agency contracts. As of last year, the agency also required all sub-contractors with an aggregate contract value of £500,000 and over to go through its gateway assurance process. This is the same process the agency uses to assess the providers it funds directly. This requirement has now been extended to all sub-contractors and they have until December 2012 to provide the necessary assurance.
However, the agency's gateway assurance process does not remove any responsibility from the lead provider in relation to assurances it needs to seek in relation to entering sub-contracting arrangements. Rather, it supports those arrangements and also enables a public list of sub-contractors that have passed a lead provider and the agency's checks to be used by lead providers and the agency in making procurement judgments.
Transport
Railways
16. Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department is taking to reduce the carbon intensity of the railways. [114056]
Mrs Villiers: Rail electrification reduces reliance on carbon-intensive fossil fuels. The Government are funding an ambitious electrification programme including the TransPennine route between York, Leeds and Manchester and various schemes in the north-west of England and the Great Western route.
My Department also includes environmental objectives in rail franchises which require train operators to develop plans to measure and reduce environmental impacts, including carbon emissions.
Longbridge Station
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Garston and Halewood of 14 June 2012, Official Report, column 533W, on railway stations, what account she takes of the role of Longbridge station in the regeneration of the local area when considering the proposals put forward by London Midland. [113064]
Mrs Villiers: The criteria to be used in arbitrating London Midland's proposal to amend ticket office opening hours are those set out in section 6-18 of the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement (TSA). The TSA covers the various arrangements between train operators relating to the carriage of passengers and the retailing of tickets. This includes requirements on protecting passenger access to the purchase of rail products following any change to ticket office opening hours. The TSA is owned and maintained by the Association of Train Operating Companies, and is available from their website at
www.atoc.org
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Private Hire Vehicles
Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2012, Official Report, column 1016W, on private hire vehicles: Greater London, what assessment she has made of the share of the taxi and private hire market held by (a) Addison Lee and (b) other companies. [114305]
Norman Baker: Under devolution, transport in London is the responsibility of the Mayor and Transport for London. As such, the Department for Transport has made no assessment of the share of the taxi and private hire market of Addison Lee and other companies. It is open to the Law Commission to take issues relating to market share into account as part of their consideration of the law around taxis and private hire vehicles, should they think this relevant.
Railways
Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what preparations she has made for the next rail High Level Output Specification. [114038]
Justine Greening: I know my hon. Friend will have welcomed our recent commitment to improve line speed on the Calder Valley route as part of our commitment to the Northern Hub. Extensive preparations have been made for the next rail High Level Output Specification which will be published by July 2012, building on the £18 billion of investment we are making in this spending review period.
Alun Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to make rail companies more accountable to the travelling public. [114053]
Mrs Villiers: As set out in the Government's Command Paper in March, future passenger train operators will be held to account through binding service quality commitments on key service aspects such as stations.
The National Passenger Survey and the work of Passenger Focus will inform decisions on the requirements we will place in future franchises on passenger satisfaction.
Network Rail has announced proposals to strengthen the ability of public members to hold the company to account, and to appoint a public interest director to its board.
Rolling Stock: Procurement
Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress she has made on the Intercity Express Programme rolling stock contract. [114040]
Mrs Villiers: Negotiations with Agility Trains on the Intercity Express Programme's two main contractual documents are now substantially complete. We expect to reach financial close soon.
Infrastructure
Mr Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress she has made on transport infrastructure projects announced in the autumn statement. [114037]
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Justine Greening: The Government are not just fixing the disgraceful legacy of debt left to us by the Labour party but also building for our country's success in future—and that means investing in transport. At the autumn statement we announced £2.5 billion more in transport investment, building on the £30 billion set out in the spending review. An update on the progress made on the priority infrastructure investments identified in the 2011 national infrastructure plan was published alongside the Budget in March.
International Development
Developing Countries: Water
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps the Government have taken to improve access to water in the developing world. [113948]
Mr O'Brien: At the Sanitation and Water for All High Level Meeting in Washington on 20 April 2012, the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), announced that the UK will double its results for the number of people we will reach with WaSH programmes. The UK has committed to reach at least 60 million people by 2015. Details of how we will deliver the scaled-up ambition are under development.
The Department for International Development is currently implementing nine major WaSH bilateral programmes in Africa (Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Sierra Leone) and four in South Asia (India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Vietnam). We also contribute to the results achieved by multilateral organisations including the European Commission, the World Bank, UNICEF and the African Development Bank.
Developing Countries: Water
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government are taking to support the work of WaterAid in the developing world. [113947]
Mr O'Brien: WaterAid is an important partner for the Department for International Development (DFID). WaterAid and other NGOs will be essential partners in helping us to scale up our results in WaSH, as announced on 20 April 2012.
Details of the funding provided by DFID to WaterAid for the period 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 are provided in Statistics for International Development (SID) 2011. Table 19 of SID provides information on WaterAid. This information is available on the DFID website:
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-us/How-we-measure-progress/Aid-Statistics/Statistics-on-International-Development-2011/About-Statistics-on-International-Development-2011-/
Niger
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Niger; and if he will make a statement. [114286]
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Mr O'Brien: The United Nations currently estimates that the food crisis in the Sahel region of West Africa has left over 18 million people at risk of food shortage over the next few months. Around 6.4 million of these people are in Niger.
Having visited the region earlier this month, I can confirm that the scale of the needs is great, but UK assistance is achieving results.
In response to the unfolding crisis, the UK provided two contributions of £5 million each in January and March 2012.
I am pleased to confirm that we have announced over the past two weeks a further package of assistance. Worth an additional £15.4 million, this more than doubles UK assistance to the region in 2012, to a total of £25.4 million.
Through this assistance, British aid this year will support 1.6 million people at risk of hunger across Mali, Niger, Chad, Mauritania and Burkina Faso, to achieve the following results:
improved nutrition for 185,000 children and women (including therapeutic treatment to save the lives of over 110,000 severely malnourished children under five years old);
food and cash vouchers for over 250,000 men, women and children;
livelihoods support to over 980,000 people through:
(a) the provision of seeds and tools for families to enable them to feed themselves for the next year and;
(b) animal feed and vaccinations to keep farmers' livestock alive.
These direct funds are in addition to £27 million of UK contributions also being provided in 2012 to the Sahel region through multilateral agencies such as the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) and the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).
My officials and I will continue to monitor the situation closely, and liaise with our opposite numbers in other Governments to urge that other countries also take their fair share of the response.
Procurement
Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what account his Department takes of the Government's transparency agenda in formulating its procurement policy. [113897]
Mr O'Brien: DFID is committed to the Government's transparency agenda and the procurement reform objectives being led by the Government Procurement Service within the Cabinet Office. At an international level, DFID led discussions on transparency in aid effectiveness at the High Level Forum in Busan (South Korea) in November 2011. DFID takes account of the transparency agenda when formulating its procurement policy.
DFID demonstrated its commitment to the transparency agenda with the early adoption of the Government “Contracts Finder” website to publish tender and contract documentation and the modification of contract terms and conditions to enable the publication of information. In April 2012 DFID also began publishing its Procurement Pipeline to provide improved transparency to enable businesses to compete more effectively for contracts. The UK was the first donor agency to publish data
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using the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) standard which covers all aspects of DFID business, including procurement.
DFID also ensures the monthly publication of electronic payments, including procurement card transactions in excess of £500, to the external website. DFID is making good progress with staff training and the ongoing development of key systems to ensure that it is fully supporting all aspects of the transparency agenda.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Iran
Mr Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether the Government plan to raise with other states the imprisonment and torture of Houtan Kian in Iran for legally defending Sakineh Ashtiani; [114099]
(2) whether he has made any representations to the Iranian authorities on the imprisonment and torture of Houtan Kian in Iran for legally defending Sakineh Ashtiani; and if he will make a statement. [114100]
Alistair Burt: We remain concerned about the fate of Mr Javad Houtan Kian, who is guilty of nothing more than defending his client Sakineh Ashtiani and has no case to answer. Iran should overturn his sentence and release him immediately. We are further concerned by the mistreatment he is reported to have faced. This is something the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), addressed in his speech to the “Imprisoned in Iran” event hosted by The Times newspaper in September 2011. We raised Mr Kian's case with the Iranian authorities before the closure of our respective embassies late last year, and continue to call frequently on Iran to meet its international human rights obligations. We will continue work with our international partners to ensure that Mr Kian's case is not forgotten. The UK and its EU partners have sanctioned a number of individuals responsible for human rights abuses in Iran, including the prosecutor in Ashtiani's case.
Israel
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Israel on their Unlawful Combatants Law. [113954]
Alistair Burt: While we have not had any direct discussion with the Israeli Government on their Unlawful Combatants Law. Our officials in Tel Aviv have repeatedly lobbied Israel to either charge or release Palestinian detainees held in administrative detention, so they have discussed with the Israelis the use of the law.
Official Cars
Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many vehicles are owned by his Department, its agencies and non-departmental bodies in the UK. [113693]
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Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), British Council, Great Britain and China Centre (GBCC), Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission (MACC) and Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) do not own any vehicles in the UK.
The FCO uses the Government Car and Despatch Agency for its transport requirements in the UK.
FCO Services, a trading fund of the FCO, currently owns and operates 43 vehicles within its UK fleet.
Wilton Park, an academically independent and non-profit making executive agency of the FCO, owns one vehicle.
Pakistan
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Pakistan following the death of Fukraz Begum. [113966]
Alistair Burt: During the recent visit by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), to Pakistan, he met with Prime Minister Gilani on 12 June. During this meeting he did not raise any specific consular cases though he did raise wider concerns over access to British detainees.
The British high commission to Pakistan was made aware of Fukraz Begum's case by her family on 23 April 2012. Consular staff are providing appropriate consular assistance to Mrs Begum's family. Victim Support has been notified and consular staff continue to be in contact with the local authorities on the police investigation.
Palestinians
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps he has taken regarding the Palestinian prisoner Mahmoud Sarsak. [113946]
Alistair Burt: We monitored closely Mr Mahmoud Sarsak's hunger strike and were pleased to receive reports that, following a review of his case by the Israeli Supreme Court, Mr Sarsak ended his hunger strike on 18 June as part of a deal that will lead to his release on 10 July.
We have longstanding concerns about the situation and treatment of Palestinians held in Israeli detention, including children. In this regard, we have followed closely the hunger strike by many Palestinian detainees. We welcomed the agreement reached on 14 May to end the mass hunger strike by Palestinian prisoners. We particularly welcomed Israel's agreement to limit the use of administrative detention and solitary confinement and reinstate family visits for detainees. These important issues, particularly Israel's extensive use of administrative detention, are ones which we have repeatedly raised with the Israeli ambassador and the Israeli Government, including in May with the Israeli Foreign Minister, Vice Prime Minister and National Security Adviser. We will follow closely the implementation of the agreement and its impact on the situation of Palestinian detainees.