To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much capital spending is planned to be brought forward by his Department to (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10. (266300)

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer of 24 March 2009, Official Report, column 185W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the answer of 29 January 2009, Official Report, column 689W, on departmental training, which Minister took the course Action Learning Set—National School of Government; and at what cost. (265669)

The Action Learning Set—National School of Government course referred to in my earlier answer cost £250. Identifying Ministers who undertake training may discourage participation in future training sessions, acting as a disincentive for Ministers to undertake formal professional development.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on energy prices in Wales. (265709)

I take a close interest in energy prices in Wales. Along with the Welsh Assembly Government I asked Ofgem when undertaking its review into the energy market to investigate why people in Wales appeared to be paying more for their energy. In its initial findings Ofgem concluded that people in Wales did pay more for their electricity due to a number of factors. I understand that Ofgem will be publishing new licensing conditions to help tackle some of these issues next month with a view to introducing them by the autumn.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an estimate of the airport runway capacity required in the South of England to remove the need for aircraft to be held in stacks. (265127)

The Government recognise the negative impacts of stacking on operational efficiency and the environment. The ‘Future of Air Transport’ White Paper encourages making better use of existing airport capacity and supports the delivery of two new runways in the south-east. Implementing that policy should reduce the need for stacking. In particular, the Government's recent confirmation of its support for a third runway at Heathrow should help to reduce the need for stacking at that airport where lack of runway capacity is a significant contributory factor. However, runway capacity is not the only relevant factor, and that is why the UK also strongly supports optimising the use of airspace, including through implementation of the Single European Sky.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what objectives and sub-objectives were contained in his Department's Aviation Directorate's business plan in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08 and (c) 2008-09; and which of these were contained in Project Heathrow project delivery and risk reports in each such year. (265874)

The Aviation Directorate's business plan for each of the years 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 included objectives relating to the delivery of ‘The Future of Air Transport’ White Paper. Heathrow project delivery and risk reports refer to those objectives. The Department's business plans are available on its website.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of its suppliers his Department has paid within 10 days of receipt of invoice in the last four months. (264932)

[holding answer 20 March 2009]: The Department for Transport collects and monitors its payment performance on a monthly basis against a target to pay all valid invoices within 30 days of receipt unless different payment terms exist. The Department’s overall payment performance is reported to BERR at the end of each financial year.

Following the Prime Minister’s statement on 8 October 2008 the Department has implemented new monitoring arrangements to report on its payment performance for all suppliers against a 10 day deadline. The new arrangements came into effect on 1 January 2009 with the first set of data available for the month of January.

Payment performance information is published each month on the Department’s website at:

www.dft.gov.uk/AboutDfT/Procurement/ProcurementPolicies/PromptPaymentStatistics

Data are available for January and February 2009 for the percentage of valid invoices paid within 10 days as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 3 February 2009, Official Report, column 1124W, how many hits each of the websites maintained by the Department received in each of the last 12 months. (262791)

Tables have been placed in the Libraries of the House showing websites currently maintained by the Department and the page hits received in each of the last 12 months.

Data are unavailable in some instances, either for technical reasons or because the website was not live at the time.

The Department intends to measure website usage in line with the proposed guidance issued by the Central Office of Information, ‘Measuring website usage (TG116)’, starting from the financial year 2009-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost of managing the estates of the (a) Vehicle and Operator Services Agency and (b) Driving Standards Agency in the last year for which figures are available. (264729)

[holding answer 19 March 2009]: The information is as follows:

(a) The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (comprising 180 sites ranging from testing stations to headquarters and administration offices) estimates that the cost of managing its estates is £740,000 for the current financial year.

(b) The Driving Standards Agency (comprising 413 sites ranging from testing stations to headquarters and administration offices) estimates that expenditure for management of the estate incurred in 2008-09 will amount to £2.64 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the application of the provisions of the Road Traffic Act 1988 relating to the physical fitness of drivers to persons with multiple sclerosis. (265093)

Multiple sclerosis is a prospective disability under section 92(2) of the Road Traffic Act 1988. A prospective disability is defined as a medical condition, which by virtue of the progressive or intermittent nature of the disability or otherwise, may become a relevant disability in the course of time.

For Group 1 licence holders/applicants (cars and motorcycles), providing a medical investigation confirms that driving performance is not impaired, a driver with multiple sclerosis can be licensed. A one, two or three-year licence may be required.

For Group 2 licence holders/applicants (buses and lorries), a licence will be refused or revoked if the condition is progressive. If driving would not be impaired and the condition is stable, licensing can be considered on a case by case basis subject to satisfactory reports and an annual review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on consultants in respect of proposals to widen stretches of the M25 in each of the last 11 years. (266462)

The cost of consultants engaged on M25 widening schemes for each of the previous 11 years is set out as follows.

The above costs relate to consultancy work on the following activities:

M25 J12-15 widening studies

M25 J7-8 anti-clockwise widening

25 J8-10 widening

25 Orbit Multimodal Study

25 J12-15 Widening Preparation

Preparation of the M25 DBFO Contract, specifically:

Traffic and Environmental Studies

Illustrative Design

Contract Preparation

Environmental Statement Publication

Public Exhibitions

Contract negotiations

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to award contracts for the next phase of the widening of the M25. (266463)

The widening of the M25 between Junctions 16 to 23, and Junctions 27 to 30, is included in the scope of the M25 Design, Build Finance and Operate (DBFO) Contract currently in the final stages of procurement.

It is expected that this contract will be awarded in late April 2009, subject to satisfactory completion of statutory processes and completion of the ongoing competition to raise finance for the project.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent steps he has taken to encourage the use of environmentally-friendly cars. (265130)

In January 2009, the Secretary of State for Transport announced £250 million towards consumer incentives for ultra-low carbon cars. This is in addition to £100 million the Government are already providing to support research, development and demonstration of key technologies for such vehicles.

The UK was in the vanguard of EU member states lobbying for a long term target, which was added to the New Car CO₂ regulation agreement reached in December 2008 between the European Council, Parliament and Commission. The target for 2020 is provisionally set at 95g/km.

The latest strand of the Government's ‘Act on CO₂’ consumer awareness campaign continues to promote the purchase of more environmentally friendly vehicles as well as the benefits of smarter driving.

Finally, the use and purchase of environmentally friendly vehicles is supported through the current UK taxation system, which is also the basis for the new car fuel economy labelling scheme now used in most car showrooms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the answer of 26 November 2008, Official Report, column 1370W, on redundancy, how many staff left his Department under staff exit schemes with a severance package worth (a) between £100,000 and £125,000, (b) between £125,001 and £150,000, (c) between £150,001 and £200,000, (d) between £200,001 and £250,000, (e) between £250,001 and £500,000, (f) between £500,001 and £1,000,000 and (g) over £1,000,000 in each year since 2005-06. (264290)

Unfortunately a detailed breakdown of staff exits cannot be provided as there are fewer than five exits in most cases. In these cases, the information is suppressed on the grounds of confidentiality.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the economic downturn on his Department’s Comprehensive Spending Review target to double real terms spending on transport over the 20 years from 1997. (265945)

Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 (Meeting the aspirations of the British people cm 7227) announced a 2.25 per cent. real growth in the Long-Term Funding Guideline to 2018-19, meaning that over the 20 years from 1997 UK spending on transport would have more than doubled in real terms.

Assessment of the future means of the Long-Term Funding Guideline will be made, as normal, in any future spending review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many public consultations his Department has conducted in the last 12 months; how long each consultation was open for; how many responses were received in each case; and what the cost of conducting each consultation was. (259697)

In the last 12 months, the Scotland Office has undertaken one public consultation, “Sorting the Ballot”. This public consultation began on 13 December 2007 and ended on 7 March 2008; an analysis of the 39 responses was published on 24 June 2008. The consultation paper was printed by the Stationery Office at a cost of £1,727 and vetted by the Plain English Campaign at a cost of £311, making a total of £2,038.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Environment Agency plans to determine whether used cooking oil may be used as a fuel; and when he plans to determine his policy on this matter. (263592)

The Government have made funding available to enable the Environment Agency to develop an end-of-waste protocol for waste cooking oils. Waste cooking oil which is treated to the standards set out in the protocol is accepted by the agency to have been fully recovered and to have ceased to be waste. The protocol applies to the production of biodiesel for use in automotive engines. The question of whether waste cooking oil has been fully recovered so that it ceases to be waste before it is used as fuel in other circumstances is one that must be determined on the facts of each case and taking into account relevant case law on the definition of waste.

Used cooked oil which has not been fully recovered may also be used as a fuel. However, the use of waste as a fuel is subject to the requirements of the waste framework directive and the waste incineration directive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the adequacy of supplies of bluetongue vaccine to respond effectively to an outbreak of the disease in 2009. (263884)

DEFRA underwrote 28 million doses of BTV8 vaccine in 2008, enough for all susceptible animals in England. 12 million of these doses formed the supply at the start of 2009. This along with free market vaccine supplies from the three manufacturers authorised to market vaccine in the UK, Intervet, Merial and Fort Dodge should meet the demand for BTV8 vaccine in 2009.

DEFRA continues to closely monitor the situation in Europe, and engage with experts and manufacturers on the issue of vaccine development and authorisation for other serotypes of bluetongue.

However, currently BTV8 is the only vaccine that can legally be used in the UK, and farmers should not wait for BTV1 or bivalent vaccine to become available this year. We remain at risk from BTV8 and we are working with the industry-led JAB campaign to encourage farmers to vaccinate to protect themselves at the earliest convenient opportunity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which (a) counties and (b) parishes had been free of bovine tuberculosis in the four years prior to (i) 1997 and (ii) 2007. (263720)

The information requested is provided in the tables.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to his Department was of travel by train by its staff in each year since 1997. (261190)

DEFRA came into being in June 2001. From available information held centrally the cost of travel by train by staff from April 2006 to January 2009 inclusive was as follows:

April 2006 to March 2007: £2,135,127

April 2007 to March 2008: £2,450,197

April 2008 to January 2009: £2,232,893

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent North (Joan Walley) of 9 October 2008, Official Report, column 732W, on fisheries: international co-operation, whether he plans to make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Joint Committee. (264940)

[holding answer 20 March 2009]: UK officials have attended these meetings and have found them a useful forum to discuss potential difficulties and agree practical solutions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2009, Official Report, columns 5-6W, on floods: Canvey Island, if he will place in the Library a copy of the recent letter from Councillor Ray Howard to the Environment Agency on development in flood risk areas such as Canvey Island; on what dates the Environment Agency (a) received and (b) replied to communications from Councillor Howard on the issue in the last three years; what the content of such communications was; and if he will make a statement. (264327)

I have placed a copy of Councillor Ray Howard's recent letter in the Library. The Environment Agency's Eastern Area of Anglian Region has no record of having received or replied to other correspondence from Councillor Ray Howard in the last three years on the subject of development in flood risk areas such as Canvey Island.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the answer of 14 July 2008, Official Report, column 32W, on incinerators: waste disposal, if he will publish the results of the public consultation on H14 ecotoxicity testing held in October 2007. (263745)

[holding answer 18 March 2009]: The results of the consultation were a revision to the Environment Agency's guidance on hazardous waste, WM2 which is published on its website.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding his Department makes available to assist tourism in rural areas; and on what criteria such funds are allocated. (262973)

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) does not hold lead responsibility for supporting or promoting rural tourism. This sits with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, DCMS.

However, the Rural Development Programme for England 2007-13, a joint EU-DEFRA funded programme, provides support to improve quality of life in rural areas and diversify the rural economy. This includes support to encourage rural tourism. Over the seven year life of the programme around €38 million (around £35 million), has been allocated to this measure.

This funding has been devolved to regional development agencies to decide how it is spent in their regions to create a sustainable countryside and communities where people want to live, work and visit, now and in the future. The funding will help business to make use of the natural and cultural resources in England’s rural areas to attract visitors and create new employment opportunities through the development of the tourism sector. Around £5.8 million has already been committed by the regional development agencies to projects and programmes of investment that support rural tourism.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many velodromes he has visited on official business in the last 12 months. (267024)

In the last 12 months I have visited two velodromes on official business.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many incidences of (a) bullying and (ii) harassment were recorded in his Department in each of the last three years; and how many staff have been subject to disciplinary procedures as a result of such incidents. (266068)

There have been no bullying or harassment cases in the last three years in DCMS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much and what percentage of the Tote’s revenue came from category B2 gaming machines in 2007-08. (265661)

The Tote switched to a new generation of gaming machines in the middle of the 2008 financial year. In its annual report and accounts for 2008, the Tote did not report the mix of revenue between over the counter betting and gaming machine business in its licensed betting offices. This was because the information was deemed by the Tote to be commercially sensitive as it would allow its competitors to benchmark machine performance and inform their choices. That position has not altered and the Tote remains of the view that machine revenue is commercially sensitive information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he plans to hold a consultation on exemptions from the Licensing Act 2003 for low risk music events. (265973)

[holding answer 24 March 2009]: No date has been set for a consultation on this matter. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport continues to consider how best to encourage live music, including the possibility of workable exemptions from the Licensing Act 2003. Any exemption would maintain necessary public protections in accordance with the licensing objectives.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the Government plan to respond to English Heritage’s Nighthawking Survey report; and if he will make a statement. (266508)

English Heritage is preparing an implementation plan to take forward the recommendations of the Nighthawking Survey; English Heritage expects this to be ready before the summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many swimming pools he has visited on official business in the last 12 months. (267030)

In the last 12 months I have visited five swimming pools on official business.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether local authorities which have currently opted out of the Government’s free swimming scheme will have the opportunity to access funding from it at a later date. (265413)

We have given those local authorities who withdrew their expression of interest in the under 16s element of the scheme one final opportunity to opt back in before the Free Swimming Programme launches on 1 April. When the scheme is launched, there will not be an opportunity for non-participating local authorities to participate. We will be closely monitoring the impact of the scheme over its two year duration to inform any future funding and delivery arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what restrictions are in place on the sale of ball-bearing guns to children. (265178)

Ball-bearing guns which fire small plastic pellets are usually referred to as airsoft or BB guns. They are not lethal and are treated in law as imitation firearms. The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 made it an offence to sell an imitation firearm to someone aged under 18, and for someone aged under 18 to buy one.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what finance and support her Department provided for the production of series (a) one, (b) two and (c) three of the Kids Taskforce Watch over me DVD. (262476)

The Home Office provided the following support and finance for the production of the Kids Taskforce Watch over me DVD.

(a) Series One—No Funding

(b) Series Two—£400,000 (with a small amount going towards research for the third series).

(c) Series Three—No funding outside that mentioned above.

Other support

Additionally, in 2008-09, £480,000 was given from the Home Office and DCSF to the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to pay for the copyright of The Kids Taskforce Watch Over Me DVDs for three years supplemented by 60 training days for teachers and partners. ACPO, DCSF and the Home Office are working with The Kids Taskforce on the national roll out of the DVD.

The Minister for Security, Counter-Terrorism, Crime and Policing also attended the launch of the third series at a reception at the CEOP Centre on 5 December 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many vehicles of each type have been seized in each police force area under section 165A of the Road Traffic Act 1988 in each year since 2005. (264619)

This information is not collected centrally.

I understand from information submitted by police forces to the motor insurance industry's Motor Insurance Database that in 2007 153,822 vehicles were seized under this power for being driven without insurance and that approximately 185,000 were seized in 2008. The type of vehicle is not identified.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Ministers attended her summit on violence against women on 9 March 2009. (265193)

The cross-Government consultation paper entitled ‘Together We Can End Violence Against Women and Children' was launched at a breakfast roundtable on Monday 9 March, 2009. Ministers who attended this launch event are:

Rt. Hon. Jacqui Smith, Home Secretary

Rt. Hon. Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Health

Baroness Morgan of Drefelin, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and Government Spokesperson, Department for Children, Schools and Families

Vera Baird, Solicitor-General

Vernon Coaker, Minister of State for the Home Office

Alan Campbell, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what freephone 24-hour telephone lines her Department provides for victims of violent crime. (265685)

[holding answer 23 March 2009]: The Government provide funds to a matrix of national helplines which provide support and information to the public who may be experiencing problems related to violent crime. Of these, the National Domestic Violence Helpline is the only freephone 24-hour telephone line.

In addition, the Government provide funding to Victim Support to provide services to victims of crime and witnesses. Part of the annual Grant in Aid provides funding for the national Victim Support line. This is a telephone helpline offering emotional support and practical advice to victims who call. An annual grant is also provided to SAMM (Support After Murder and Manslaughter). This charity provides support and advice to those bereaved by homicide. Both of these are national helplines but not 24 hours and calls are charged at a local rate.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the detection rate was for incidents of violence against the person reported to the police in each month in the last two years. (262052)

[holding answer 9 March 2009]: Police forces in England and Wales are asked to provide monthly cumulative data for use in the Home Office’s quarterly and annual crime statistics publication. However, the validation processes relate to quarterly rather than monthly data and therefore quarterly data for detection rates for violence against the person are given in the table. Detection rates are a ratio of crimes detected in a period to crimes recorded in a period. They are not based on tracking individual crimes recorded in a period as to whether they are eventually detected.

From 1 April 2007 the rules governing recording of non-sanction detections were revised to reduce the scope within which they can be claimed to a very small limited set of circumstances. This has significantly reduced the number of non-sanction detections which has been reflected in the overall detection rates.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding was made available to the Metropolitan Police for its Human Trafficking Unit in 2008-09; how much she plans to allocate in 2009-10; what assessment she has made of the unit's work; and if she will make a statement. (260377)

[holding answer 4 March 2009]: In 2008-09 a total of £600,000 was given by the ACPO lead for Organised Immigration Crime to the Metropolitan Police towards the costs of Operation Maxim, including the dedicated human trafficking team.

The work of the team, as part of the wider Operation Maxim, is highly regarded. But the grant is time-limited with an expectation that this work will be mainstreamed into existing police budgets as part of core business.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2009 to Question 260378, when she expects to reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Totnes of 24 November 2008 and 22 January 2009 on advice to the Government on the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings. (264781)

[holding answer 19 March 2009]: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 19 March 2009.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what Europol's targets are for tackling international human trafficking offences. (262575)

Europol's work is central to the United Kingdom's European-wide efforts to combat this heinous crime. In this respect Europol has an excellent working relationship with both the UKHTC and SOCA.

Detailed information on the work carried out by Europol is contained in their Annual Report which we anticipate will be published in the near future.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her latest estimate is of the numbers of (a) people who have been trafficked into the UK through Southampton and (b) victims of human trafficking in Southampton and the surrounding area; what steps are being taken to reduce those numbers; and if she will make a statement. (261410)

The nature of the crime makes it very difficult to estimate the problem faced by the United Kingdom through its ports. However, we have previously estimated that at any one time in 2003 there were up to 4,000 victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation in the UK. We hope to have a new figure by the end of the year.

All estimates are national in scale however. More robust data on the geographical location of victims will be collected with the introduction of the National Referral Mechanism which comes into force on 1 April 2009.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes to regulations regarding wheel clamping on private land she plans to make; and if she will make a statement. (264165)

[holding answer 18 March 2009]: Ministers have recently received the results of the feasibility study undertaken by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) on the options for the compulsory licensing of vehicle immobilisation companies who work on private land in England and Wales. We are now working with the SIA to develop further their proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effects of premises with late alcohol licences on levels of disorderly behaviour in the surrounding area. (257992)

The most recently published report, The impact of the Licensing Act 2003 on levels of crime and disorder: an evaluation (2008) by Hough et al, found that violent offences between 3 am and 6 am had increased by 236 incidents in the first year following the introduction of the Act. These offences represent 4 per cent. of all night time offences. Overall the review found that crimes involving violence during the whole evening and night-time had reduced.

To understand what is happening in the 3 am to 6 am period, we will undertake further comprehensive research into post-midnight drinking patterns and their impact on crime and disorder.

The Government are determined to tackle alcohol related crime and disorder, this is why the Home Secretary recently announced a new mandatory code of practice to target the most irresponsible retail practices, a £3 million cash injection for CDRPs for partnership activities in 190 areas and a further £1.5 million for police enforcement in our priority areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effects of the operation of the Licensing Act 2003 on levels of disorderly behaviour. (257995)

The first review of the Licensing Act reveals a mixed picture. Some people appear to be using the freedoms and are not sufficiently using the considerable powers granted by the Act to tackle problems. There is a need to rebalance action towards enforcement to tackle irresponsible behaviour.

Actions in response to the review of the Licensing Act include: increase the fine for anyone not obeying an instruction to stop drinking in a DPPO area to £2500 from £500, make it easier for the Police to disperse antisocial drinkers, extend the use of acceptable behaviour contracts and to extend the arrest referral pilots to include under 18s. We are working across Government to take these actions forward.

The Government are determined to tackle further alcohol related crime and disorder, this is why the Home Secretary recently announced a new mandatory code of practice to target the most irresponsible retail practices, a £3 million cash injection for CDRPs for partnership activities in 190 areas and a further £1.5 million for police enforcement in our priority areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance she has issued to police officers on the issuing of penalty notices for disorder in (a) police stations and (b) other locations. (265750)

I have been asked to reply.

The Government have issued operational guidance on the issuing of penalty notices for disorder (pnds) to police forces under section 6 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001. This guidance sets out the criteria which should be considered by police officers before issuing a pnd in police stations and other locations.

The current guidance was published in March 2005; a copy can be found at:

www.police.homeoffice.gov.uk/pnd

This is now subject to review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received from the Government of Bahrain on the granting of asylum to Bahraini citizens in the UK. (265391)

The issue of asylum was most recently discussed between the Bahraini Minister of the Interior, Sheikh Rashid, and my hon. Friend the Minister for Borders and Immigration in the Home Office on 12 March.

The Government have received no formal representations but the subject has occasionally been discussed at official level with Bahraini Interlocutors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he has made to the Burmese Government over the recent closure of house churches and Christian-run orphanages in Rangoon; (264920)

We are concerned by reports that the Burmese authorities have closed places of worship for religious minorities and child care centres run by Christian groups in Rangoon. We condemn the marginalisation or persecution of any community based on their religious beliefs or ethnic background. Although it makes the reported abuses no less serious, we believe that the persecution of religious minority groups by the Burmese authorities is often based on their ethnicity and perceived threat to security rather than their faith. We view the regime's actions as part of a wider deterioration in the human rights situation in Burma.

The issue of religious freedom is within the mandate of UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Tomas Ojea Quintana, which covers human rights and fundamental freedoms. We hold regular discussions with Mr. Quintana and his team concerning the human rights abuses we believe to be taking place in Burma, and fully support his efforts. Our ambassador in Burma regularly raises the issue of human rights in his meetings with Burmese Government officials.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons the Government have changed their policy on engaging with Hezbollah's political wing. (264754)

This is in light of more positive recent political developments in Lebanon, which have moved Lebanon away from the polarised and tense political scene of previous years. This includes progress in national reconciliation talks and the formation of the National Unity Government in which Hezbollah are participating. We believe that occasional and carefully considered contacts with Hezbollah's political representatives will best advance our objective of urging Hezbollah to reject violence and play a constructive, democratic and peaceful role in Lebanese politics in line with UN Security Council Resolutions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department holds on violations of UN Security Council resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1701 (2006) by Hezbollah and other armed groups in Lebanon. (265980)

The UN Secretary General reports quarterly to the Security Council on the implementation of United Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1701. The latest report was issued in March 2009.

The UN Secretary General’s final report to Members on UNSCR 1559 was issued in October 2008. This provided an update on progress in the implementation of the resolution and highlights areas of concern that continue to impede efforts to strengthen Lebanon’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence.

All these reports are available on the UN website at:

http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/sgrep09.htm.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of Hezbollah's renunciation of the use of violence. (265981)

We regret that Hezbollah has not yet renounced the use of violence. However we assess that there is a distinction between those members of Hezbollah who are legitimately involved in Lebanese politics and those who are involved in violence and terrorism. We proscribed the military wing in July 2008. We continue to urge Hezbollah to reject violence and play a constructive, democratic and peaceful role in Lebanese politics, in line with UN Security Council Resolutions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what steps he has taken to encourage the Governments of (a) Syria and (b) Iran to prevent the replenishment of missile stocks held by Hezbollah in Lebanon; (265982)

We call on both the Governments of Syria and Iran to cease their support for Hezbollah, which only increases instability in the region. During my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary’s visit to Syria in November 2008, he raised this issue with President Assad. We have serious concerns about Iranian support for Hezbollah. Such support is unacceptable and only serves to undermine regional security. Funding for arms supplies to Hezbollah is contrary to the arms embargo established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of (a) long- and (b) short-range missiles held by Hezbollah in Lebanon. (265984)

Since the end of the 2006 Lebanon conflict, we estimate that Hezbollah has replenished its holdings of short and long-range rockets and missiles. This is based upon both statements by Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary General of Hezbollah and other sources of information. However, we lack definitive figures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had with (a) President Assad and (b) Foreign Minister Muallem on establishing contact with Hezbollah during his visit to Syria in November 2008; and what response was received from each. (265985)

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary did not raise the issue of establishing contact with Hezbollah during his visit to Syria in November 2008.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department last made an assessment of Hezbollah's involvement in terrorist activity; and what the findings of that assessment were. (265986)

In July 2008 a thorough assessment of all the components of Hezbollah was carried out to establish a distinction between those members of Hezbollah who are legitimately involved in Lebanese politics and those who are involved in violence and support terrorism. As a result of this assessment the decision was made by the Home Office to proscribe the military wing, which we specified as the Jihad Council and all units reporting to it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his latest estimate is of the (a) size and (b) strength of Hezbollah's militia; and what reports he has received on progress towards its disarmament. (265987)

Hezbollah has not revealed its armed strength publicly, and estimates vary widely. These estimates suggest that Hezbollah's militia consists of a small core of experienced fighters supplemented with much larger numbers of volunteers/reservists.

The latest Secretary General Report on United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1701 stated that Hezbollah continues to maintain a substantial military capacity distinct from that of the Lebanese State, in direct contravention of UNSCRs 1559 and 1701. The report welcomes the national dialogue as a means to take forward disarmament through a Lebanese-led political process.

All these reports are available on the UN website at:

http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/sgrep09.htm.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what reports he has received on the (a) physical and (b) psychological effects of rocket and mortar attacks fired from the Gaza Strip on residents in southern Israel; (265958)

Our ambassador and officials from our embassy in Tel Aviv frequently travel to towns in southern Israel that have been subject to indiscriminate rocket fire from terrorist groups in Gaza. They have called on schools, hospitals, families and community leaders in and around Sderot and Ashkelon to assess the impact of rocket and mortar attacks. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary also visited Sderot in November 2008, and I went to Ashkelon in December 2008. In recent months the frequency and indiscriminate nature of the attacks that target citizens has had a highly damaging impact on people's everyday lives in these areas. The extent of the psychological damage, especially to children, is clear. In addition to the psychological damage to children, the need to shelter from attacks whilst at school has had a disruptive effect on education. Likewise, the general disruption and physical threat of rocket fire has impeded economic growth and deterred investment. We continue to condemn all terrorist attacks, on southern Israel and elsewhere.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with the US Administration the likely effects of recent developments in the political situation in Israel on the middle east peace process. (265399)

We are in regular dialogue with the US Administration. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met with both the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senator Mitchell on 18 March 2009. They discussed a number of issues related to the middle east peace process. Both the US and the UK look forward to working with a new Israeli Government towards a lasting peace in the region.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the US Administration on the political situation in North Korea. (265398)

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has regular conversations with the US Secretary of State, but they have not discussed North Korea recently. However, our embassy in Washington is in regular contact with US officials dealing with North Korea and we are co-ordinating positions closely in response to North Korea's plan to launch a satellite next month.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the President of Pakistan in the last four weeks. (265436)

I have been in regular contact with President Zardari. My discussions covered a number of issues including the appointment of Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles as the UK's Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, stability in Pakistan's federally administered tribal areas and the Swat region, prosecuting those responsible for the attacks in Mumbai and the recent political crisis in Pakistan. On the latter I encouraged all parties to come together in the interests of Pakistan and seek a peaceful resolution.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for the future of the Palestinian Government of Prime Minister Fayyad's decision to stand down; and if he will take steps to ensure that the Middle East peace process includes a unified Palestinian Government. (264688)

Mr Fayyad is still the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Government. The UK will continue to work towards a unified Palestinian Government. In Cairo, on 25 February 2009, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary stated his support for Egyptian-sponsored efforts towards building a non-partisan, technocratic Government capable of working productively with the international community, which would allow Palestinians to focus jointly on economic development and preparation for elections. I re-emphasised this during the Foreign Affairs Committee evidence session on 4 March 2009.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visits were made by Ministers to Washington DC in the financial year 2007-08. (264569)

There were 36 ministerial visits to Washington DC from April 2007 through to March 2008.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics (1) how many sports clubs have been awarded the Inspire mark; (265400)

The Inspire mark is awarded by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) to high quality non-commercial projects and programmes inspired by 2012 that deliver achievements in sport, culture, volunteering, the environment and promoting business opportunities.

So far, 93 projects have been awarded the Inspire mark, of which 18 have a significant sporting element.

This first pilot phase for the mark has been predominantly cultural where, alongside nationwide projects and programmes from across all legacy themes, local projects across the nations and regions have been joining the Cultural Olympiad from its launch in September 2008. LOCOG will be targeting and supporting activity across all themes, including sport, this year.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many people over the age of 21 defined by the Government Olympic Executive as local have undertaken training placements as part of the Olympic construction process. (259332)

For the month of December 2008, 303 people on the Olympic Park declared themselves as a trainee or an apprentice; 69 of these held a permanent address in one of the five host boroughs and stated that they were over 21 years of age.

In addition to this, to date 315 other individuals have benefited from training at the Plant Training centre on the Olympic Park operated by the National Construction College (NCC). As the centre is managed by a third party we do not hold the age data of candidates. However, 313 of these held a permanent address in one of the five host boroughs.

Both sets of activity form part of the of the Olympic Delivery Authority’s aim to place at least 2,250 people into trainee, apprenticeship, and work placements up to 2012.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many companies are engaged in building venues for the London 2012 Olympics; and how many of these businesses are based in the UK. (263704)

There are currently seven Tier One contractors engaged in building venues for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and all of these are registered in the UK. These include:

The Tier One contractors for Eton Dorney and the shooting venue are yet to be confirmed.

To the end of January 2009, 881 businesses had won over £3.5 billion of work supplying the Olympic Delivery Authority; 98 per cent. are UK-based businesses, and just under half are based outside of London (45 per cent.).

To ask the Minister for the Olympics what recent discussions she has had with the Minister responsible for horticulture on landscaping projects for the London Olympics 2012. (263875)

The Landscape and Public Realm project has developed through extensive planning, consultation and design work involving local, metropolitan and national stakeholders, as well as the expertise of internationally recognised individuals and organisations.

As part of this consultation programme, the Olympic Delivery Authority has consulted regularly with Natural England—the Government body tasked with the promotion of nature conservation and the enhancement of the natural landscape—and other stakeholders including the Environment Agency, British Waterways, the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, the GLA’s Biodiversity Unit and the Forestry Commission. The ODA, with the latter two organisations, has funded research into species selection in relation to climate change.

We are committed to inclusive consultation and have encouraged as many people as possible to take the opportunity to contribute to the design of the emerging Olympic Park.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many non-UK European Union nationals are employed in the construction of the venues for the London 2012 Olympics. (263899)

The figures for the contracted workforce at the end of October 2008, and released by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) in December 2008, show that 86 per cent. of those employed on the Olympic Park were EU nationals, 63 per cent. of these were British and 8 per cent. were Irish. The number of non-UK European nationals employed on the Olympic Park at that time was therefore 23 per cent. These figures are a snap shot of the workforce at a particular point in time. All vacancies are advertised locally. The ODA and its partners have a range of measures in place to ensure local people can benefit from the employment and training opportunities that arise on the park.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics what assessment the Government Olympic Executive has made of the economic effects of the London 2012 Olympics on (a) Cumbria and (b) Copeland constituency. (263705)

We are fully committed to maximising the economic benefits of the London 2012 Games across the UK particularly in these challenging economic times.

We aim to do this through direct business opportunities from the London Organising Committee and Olympic Delivery Authority’s (ODA) procurement. London 2012 expects to procure directly in the region of £6 billion worth of contracts, which will generate 75,000 supply chain opportunities.

The London 2012 Business Network was specifically set up to provide businesses across the UK with access to contracts in the London 2012 supply chains, and any support they need to compete for them.

I would encourage my hon. Friend to urge businesses in his constituency to register on CompeteFor, the electronic brokerage service for buyers and suppliers. Encouraging more businesses to register will ensure that they are in the running for Games related business. To the end of January 2009, 35 businesses registered in the North West had won a contract directly supplying the ODA. This includes one business registered in Cumbria. To date, no businesses registered in Copeland have won direct contracts.

There are also wider opportunities for businesses beyond those in the construction supply chains, such as those arising in the tourism and media sectors and through inward investment and export.

In addition, there will be skills initiatives such as the Personal Best programme which uses Games-inspired volunteering to help people to develop their skills for work. Building on the success of London, the North West will be one of the first regions to benefit by introducing this programme.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics what plans she has to involve schools (a) in Copeland constituency, (b) in Cumbria and (c) elsewhere in the UK in events organised in as part of the London 2012 Olympics. (263709)

We committed in our Legacy Action Plan to get thousands of schools and colleges throughout the country inspiring young people through the Olympic and Paralympic values and taking part in sport and other activities.

We are creating a world class PE and sport system, able to offer every child five hours per week of quality sporting opportunities, including a broader range of non-traditional activities. Schools are central to our offer, and School Sports Partnerships—such as Copeland SSP, where 92 per cent. of pupils now participate in at least two hours per week—are playing a leading role in expanding the numbers of young people participating in sport.

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has developed ‘Get Set’, the London 2012 Education programme which was launched in September 2008. This provides a variety of online resources for teachers and schools to use, as well as information on getting involved in Olympic-related events, such as last year’s ‘Make Your Mark’ challenge which involved some 56,000 young people. LOCOG has also just launched a national competition for 16 to 21-year-olds in full or part-time education to create a new design to infill the London 2012 brand, creating a new official London 2012 education logo.

According to LOCOG’s latest figures, 3,676 schools, colleges and other education providers throughout the UK have registered to be part of ‘Get Set’. 300 of these are based within the north-west region, and 47 within Cumbria itself. Statistics are not collated on a constituency basis. A full list of registered schools, and of activities, is available at

www.london2012.com/getset

To ask the Minister for the Olympics how much had been spent on the Olympic stadium at the latest date for which figures are available; and what the estimated final cost of the stadium is. (256585)

At the end of December 2008 £72 million had been spent on the Olympic Stadium project.

The budget announced at the end of 2007 for the Olympic Stadium was £496 million. This was increased to £504 million to include £8 million of structural enhancements to the roof in relation to loading requirements for the opening and closing ceremonies.

A number of potential cost pressures, estimated at £43 million, have been identified arising from:

Possible scope requirements, including separate amendments to roof loading and provision for an external wrap;

Contract negotiations and the development of the design.

To ask the Minister for the Olympics what her most recent estimate is of the number of permanent full-time jobs likely to result from the London 2012 Olympics. (263719)

The latest stage of the Legacy Masterplan Framework (which will provide the blueprint for the regeneration of the Olympic Park and its surroundings) indicates that as a direct result of the London 2012 games the Olympic Park site has the potential to deliver 9,000-10,000 permanent jobs after the games. This is part of wider regeneration plans contained in the Lower Lea Valley Opportunity Area Planning Framework to deliver 50,000 jobs in the Lower Lea Valley area.

Additionally, we anticipate significant employment opportunities during the lifetime of the programme. The Olympic Delivery Authority expects that 30,000 people will be employed on the Olympic Park and the Village over the life of the build project. This number will peak at 11,000 in 2010.

Q12. To ask the Prime Minister what factors he has identified as causing delays in the construction of the future aircraft carriers.

I have been asked to reply.

I refer the hon. Member to the written statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 11 December 2008, Official Report, columns 65-66WS.

6. To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Darfur; and if he will make a statement. (266029)

The humanitarian situation in Darfur remains critical. The expulsion of 13 international NGOs and the closure of three national NGOs risks having a devastating impact. The UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs initially estimated that up to 1 million people could lose access to drinking water and sanitation, and up to 1.5 million will lose access to healthcare. We believe the Government of Sudan should reconsider this decision for the sake of their own people.

7. To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Gaza. (266030)

8. To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he made of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza strip upon his recent visit to the region. (266031)

I was horrified by what I saw in Gaza. It is clear that the humanitarian situation remains dire. Even now, nine weeks after the conflict ended, 97 per cent. of the population receive food aid, 50,000 people remain without running water and 10 per cent. of people still have no access to electricity. Over 15,000 homes have been destroyed or badly damaged and some families are housing up to 40 people in their homes.

12. To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Gaza. (266036)

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. According to United Nations (UN) figures, even now, nine weeks after the conflict ended, 97 per cent. of the population receive food aid, 50,000 people remain without running water and 10 per cent. of people still have no access to electricity. Over 15,000 homes have been destroyed or badly damaged, as well as businesses and farms.

I have pledged £30 million to support the first phase of reconstruction, known as ‘early recovery’. This will help the most vulnerable people in Gaza rebuild their lives and ensure delivery of basic services.

10. To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the Government’s approach to the development agenda for the G20 summit. (266034)

I have regular discussions with the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and other members of the Cabinet as part of our ongoing preparations for the April 2 London summit. These discussions include international development issues.

Our goal for the London summit is for leaders to agree to immediate action to support the global economy, safeguard jobs and protect the poorest. We know from past crises that it is the poorest who suffer most. The Government are working hard to make sure that the London summit agrees concrete actions to protect the poorest countries and most vulnerable people.

11. To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department has allocated to its bilateral aid programme for China for the next three years; and if he will make a statement. (266035)

The allocations to China in 2009-10 and 2010-11 are £30 million and £20 million respectively. Any allocations for subsequent years will be determined during the next comprehensive spending round.

13. To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department has allocated to its bilateral aid programme for China for 2009-10; and if he will make a statement. (266037)

The allocation for China in 2009-10 is £30 million.

14. To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps his Department has taken to improve its mechanisms for public accountability for its distribution of aid; and if he will make a statement. (266038)

In line with the 2006 International Development (Reporting and Transparency) Act, the Department for International Development (DFID) provides annual reports to Parliament on the provision and use made of aid, and on aid-effectiveness and transparency. DFID has also established the Independent Advisory Committee on Development Impact to ensure independent, open, and transparent scrutiny of our development assistance. DFID is also committed to the International Aid Transparency Initiative, launched at the Accra High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in September 2008, which will make information about aid more available and accessible, helping the public to hold donors and Governments to account for the effective use of aid.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the amount of EU cross-border aid to Burma in (a) 2007 and (b) 2008; and if he will make a statement. (265453)

Comprehensive information on cross-border aid to Burma is not available.

In 2007 the Department for International Development (DFID) agreed that its funding to the Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) may be used for cross-border programmes of support to internally displaced people in eastern Burma. DFID’s contribution to TBBC was £770,000 in 2007-08 and £1 million in 2009-09. DFID has not stipulated what proportion of these contributions should be allocated to cross-border programmes. DFID plans to give £1.1 million to TBBC in 2009-10, a 10 per cent. increase over 2008-09.

Several other EU member states, as well as the European Commission, give funding to TBBC. Overall the EU contributed about 55 per cent. of TBBC’s income in 2008. The Commission does not allow its contributions to be used for Thailand Burma cross-border programmes. Other member states have their own individual policies on how their funding to TBBC may be used.

DFID and the European Commission both contribute to cross-border health care provision from China to Kachin and Shan States in Burma. We estimate that spending on this programme, by UK financial year, was approximately:

2007-08—£571,000 (£235,000 from the Commission; and £336,000 from DFID)

2008-09—£426,000 (£204,000 from the Commission; and £222,000 from DFID)

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what mechanisms to ensure co-ordination between countries which give aid to developing nations the UK participates in; and if he will make a statement. (264833)

The UK Government strongly support and promote co-ordination among donors on both policy and implementation. At the global level the UK participates fully in co-ordination, for example through the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development and the UN Development Co-operation Forum. The UK strongly supports the 2005 Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the 2008 Accra Agenda for Action (AAA) which contain specific commitments by donor countries and recipients to better co-ordinate development efforts. The UK is on target to meet all Paris Declaration targets by 2010.

In accordance with Paris targets, UK seeks to align its country programmes with partner country priorities and to harmonise and co-ordinate with other donors. This is achieved through Joint Assistance Strategies with other donors, in support of partner Governments setting out their development policies and how they wish donors to provide development assistance. The UK also co-ordinates closely with other donors in co-financing partner country programmes.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the Answer of 16 March 2009, Official Report, column 873W, on Africa: water, how his Department’s budget for its five-year water, sanitation and hygiene education programme is to be distributed. (265773)