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168827

registered interest
date	09/12/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Legal Costs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) legal and (b) other costs have been incurred by the Government in association with (i) investor-state dispute case brought by Eurotunnel against the UK and French governments in 2003, (ii) in the investor-state dispute brought by Mr Ashok Sancheti against the Government under the UK-India Bilateral Investment Treaty and (iii) any other such cases since 1994; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	217934
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <p>Legal and other costs relating to work done within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on specific cases are not recorded separately.</p><p>We do not hold detailed records dating back so far so complete records of costs for external legal spending, for example for instructing Counsel, are no longer held for these cases. However, the Department scrutinises external spending carefully, in order to ensure that costs are kept as low as possible.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 16/12/2014 16:32:46 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

168935

registered interest
date	09/12/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Staff
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much his Department has spent on (a) consultants, (b) temporary staff and (c) contingent labour in each of the last five years; how many people have been so employed; what the length of contract of each such person was; and what equivalent civil service salary band each was on.
tabling member constituency	Manchester Central
tabling member printed	Lucy Powell
uin	217777
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <p>Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) departmental spend in these categories in the last five years is set out in the table below.</p><p>2010/2011: Consultancy: £19.2m Contingent Labour/temporary staff: £5.2m<br>2011/2012: Consultancy: £12.0m Contingent Labour/temporary staff: £4.3m<br>2012/2013: Consultancy: £3.5m Contingent Labour/temporary staff: £5.8m<br>2013/2014: Consultancy: £1.5m Contingent Labour/temporary staff: £6.2m<br>2014/2015: Consultancy: £1.2m Contingent Labour/temporary staff: £3.4m</p><p>Since March 2010, the provision of contingent labour/temporary staff in the FCO has been provided by Hays Specialist Recruitment as part of a managed service for the provision of temporary labour. Under the current government; a Cabinet Office freeze on management consultancy has led to all governmment departments driving down consultancy costs. This reflected in the steady reduction in consultancy spend from 2011 onwards; our spend on consultancy in 2013/14 was 92% lower than in 2010/2011.</p><p>It is not possible to specify over this period how many people have been employed; their contract lengths and their equivalent civil service salary band without incurring disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 16/12/2014 18:06:32 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	4263 label Biography information for Lucy Powell

168936

registered interest
date	09/12/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to increase trade between the UK and APEC economies; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	217838
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <p>The Government is actively supporting British companies to do business in APEC countries. Our posts in the region help UK-based companies to identify and pursue new opportunities and work to promote the conditions in which business can succeed. To raise awareness in the UK of business opportunities, UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) has supported relevant business networks, including the UK-ASEAN Business Council and the China Britain Business Council. The Government actively supports the negotiation of an EU Free Trade Agreement with Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies. The EU-Korea FTA, signed in July 2011, has seen UK exports of goods to Korea more than double from £2.1bn to £4.6bn, and agreement has been reached on a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with Canada and a Free Trade Agreement with Singapore. We expect these to deliver a significant boost to the UK’s trade with these economies and UKTI is working to ensure that UK business is well placed to secure the commercial benefits.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 16/12/2014 15:09:00 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

168937

registered interest
date	09/12/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Older Workers
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many people working in his Department are over 65 years old; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	217829
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has 40 UK Based staff over 65 years old in its employment. These comprise of 18 permanent staff, 20 Fee Paid staff and 2 Fixed Term Contract staff.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 15/12/2014 16:04:12 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

168939

registered interest
date	09/12/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Disabled Staff
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many people with a disability work in his Department; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	217908
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) takes seriously its obligations to collect diversity data as required by the Equality Act 2010. Information about the diversity and makeup of our staff is listed in the FCO's Diversity and Equality Report. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/diversity-and-equality-report-2014</p><p>All staff have been asked to provide personal disability data to be held anonymously. We continue to encourage increased declaration by staff as current declaration rates are below the level necessary to give meaningful statistical information.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 15/12/2014 16:47:02 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

168941

registered interest
date	09/12/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Bahrain
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to secure the release of political prisoners in Bahrain.
tabling member constituency	Blaydon
tabling member printed	Mr David Anderson
uin	217950
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <table><tbody><tr><th> </th><td><table><tbody><tr><td>We encourage the Government of Bahrain to respect the rights of all peaceful opposition figures. If we have specific concerns around convictions or sentencing, we raise these with the Government of Bahrain as part of our wider dialogue on human rights and reform.</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 16/12/2014 15:15:22 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1486 label Biography information for Mr David Anderson

168943

registered interest
date	09/12/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Bahrain
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations have been made to his Bahraini counterpart about the health facilities on offer in prison to Dr Abduljalil Al Singace.
tabling member constituency	Blaydon
tabling member printed	Mr David Anderson
uin	217948
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <p>Our Embassy in Bahrain raised the case of Dr Abduljalil Al Singace, along with a number of other cases, with the Ombudsman for the Ministry of Interior in May. Our Ambassador in Bahrain also raised our broader concerns around detainee rights and prison conditions with HM the King, HRH the Crown Prince and the Minister of Interior.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 16/12/2014 15:11:56 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1486 label Biography information for Mr David Anderson

168944

registered interest
date	09/12/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Bahrain
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many political prisoners there are in Bahrain.
tabling member constituency	Blaydon
tabling member printed	Mr David Anderson
uin	217949
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <table><tbody><tr><th> </th><td><table><tbody><tr><td>The UK Government does not hold details on all the cases and charges against prisoners in Bahrain. If we have specific concerns around convictions or sentencing we raise these with the Government of Bahrain as part of our wider dialogue on human rights and reform. Most recently, on 6 December, the The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) discussed progress on the reform agenda with HM the King and HRH the Crown Prince of Bahrain.</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 16/12/2014 15:16:07 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1486 label Biography information for Mr David Anderson

168649

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Sino-British Joint Declaration
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will seek assurances from the Chinese government that it recognises the Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong as an international treaty, the terms of which continue to apply to the co-signatories.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	217617
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text The Government remains fully committed to the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, lodged at the United Nations as treaty number 23391. We regularly reiterate this commitment with the Chinese government. We have made clear our legitimate interest in developments in Hong Kong under the Joint Declaration, and we do of course expect China to continue to recognise this. Our Ambassador to China recently raised this with the Chinese Vice Premier and the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) recently raised this with the Chinese Foreign Minister and I personally raised it with Hong Kong’s Secretary for Justice. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) also restated our shared commitment with China as co-signatories of the Joint Declaration during Premier Li’s visit to the UK in June. The Foreign Secretary will continue to report regularly to Parliament on the implementation of the Joint Declaration. answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 11/12/2014 16:34:02 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

168650

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	British Overseas Territories
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2014 to Question 216865, what estimate he has made of the cost of obtaining the information requested; and on what basis that estimate was arrived at.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Yardley
tabling member printed	John Hemming
uin	217593
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p>The guide to Parliamentary work (available on the Cabinet Office website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-parliamentary-work and already in the Library of the House) sets out that Government departments can refuse to answer a question where the cost of responding to that question would be above the disproportionate cost threshold, which is currently set at £850. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office calculated that collating a response to the hon. Member’s question would exceed this threshold.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 15/12/2014 14:54:37 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1483 label Biography information for John Hemming