Written Statements

Monday 9th December 2013 Written Statements

Monday 9 December 2013

Central African Republic

Monday 9th December 2013 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Philip Hammond)]

The Government are increasingly concerned about the deteriorating security situation and growing humanitarian crisis in the Central African Republic. We are working with international partners, and through international organisations, to end the violence, deliver humanitarian support, and re-establish stability and security. As the Central African Republic is surrounded by countries that are still recovering or suffering from recent conflicts, engagement by the international community is vital to prevent a repetition of previous crises in the region. The scale of this challenge means that we must use all means at our disposal: our diplomatic networks, aid and trade, our political relations, and our military and security co-operation.

The Government have worked closely with France and other Security Council partners to agree a United Nations Security Council resolution on the Central African Republic; resolution 2127 was adopted on 5 December. UNSCR 2127 marks a critical step in restoring security and authorises the deployment of the African-led international support mission to the Central African Republic (MISCA). MISCA will contribute to: the protection of civilians; the vital restoration of security and public order; the stabilisation of the country; the restoration of state authority over the whole country; and the creation of conditions to enable the provision of humanitarian assistance. It also authorises French forces to take all necessary measures to support MISCA in the discharge of its mandate and, recognising the severity of the situation, imposes an arms embargo and encourages progress on the transitional arrangements initiated in Libreville on 11 January 2013.

Shortly after UNSCR 2127 was adopted, President Hollande announced that France would be launching operation Sangaris immediately, in conjunction with Africans and with the support of European partners. On 6 December, following this announcement and in response to a request from the Government of France to provide logistical support to their operation, the United Kingdom deployed a RAF C-17 transport aircraft to move French equipment to the Central African Republic. In the spirit of our strong bilateral relationship with France and in line with the undertakings of the Lancaster House treaty of 2010, the United Kingdom will provide a further two RAF C-17 flights between now and mid-December to help the rapid deployment of equipment for French forces in support of MISCA. The Government have no intention to deploy UK troops in a combat role and have therefore clearly defined the level of support that we will provide to France.

Our military support follows the announcement of a £10 million UK aid package, having already contributed £5 million in July. We are now one of the largest donors of humanitarian assistance to the people of the Central African Republic and will operate alongside the International Red Cross and UN agencies to help thousands of people gain access to food, water, shelter, sanitation and healthcare. We will continue to work closely with France and other partners to improve the security situation in the Central African Republic and relieve the suffering of its people.

Clean Energy Infrastructure

Monday 9th December 2013 Written Statements

[The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Michael Fallon)]

Preferred bidders in the Government’s £1 billion carbon capture and storage (CCS) commercialisation programme were announced in March 2013. Since then, my Department has taken forward detailed negotiations with these bidders to draw up and agree specifications and contracts for front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies of their projects. Developing CCS infrastructure forms part of the Government’s national infrastructure plan, published last week.

I am pleased to inform Parliament that I intend to award a multi-million pound contract for detailed design and planning, known as a FEED study, to Capture Power Ltd for the White Rose CCS project, which includes the Yorkshire-Humber CCS Trunkline, a carbon dioxide (CO₂) transportation and storage solution to be undertaken by National Grid Carbon Ltd.

The White Rose proposal is to build a new state-of-the-art 426MWe (gross) clean coal power plant with full carbon capture and storage, bringing clean electricity to over 630,000 homes and capturing approximately 2 million tonnes of CO₂ per year. This will link into the planned development of a CO₂ transportation and storage infrastructure which would have capacity for additional CCS projects in the area.

FEED is an important stage in the development of major infrastructure projects. It is a comprehensive programme of engineering, planning and financial work to thoroughly develop the proposal ahead of taking final investment decisions. It represents a significant investment in the project by both the Government and the bidder.

In addition to informing investment decisions, these studies will provide valuable new practical research into this area. We will share the information gathered by these studies with industry, academics and the public through our knowledge transfer programme to help drive forward this important industry.

Negotiations on the FEED study for the other preferred bidder project are still under way. They are progressing positively and we hope to make an announcement on the outcome shortly.

Judges and Advocate-General (Appointments)

Monday 9th December 2013 Written Statements

[The Minister for Europe (Mr David Lidington)]

I would like to update the House on recent appointments and renewals of mandates to the General Court and the Court of Justice of the European Union, and the appointment of an Advocate-General of the Court of Justice.

The following judges have had their mandates to the General Court renewed until 31 August 2019: Nicholas James Forwood (United Kingdom); Alfred Dittrich (Germany); Ingrida Labucka (Latvia); Miro Prek (Slovenia); Mariyana Kancheva (Bulgaria); Guido Berardis (Italy); Eugène Buttigieg (Malta); Carl Wetter (Sweden) and Irena Pelikanova (Czech Republic).

Additionally, the following judges have been appointed: Stéphane Gervasoni (France); Egidijus Bieliunas (Lithuania); Ignacio Ulloa Rubio (Spain) and Lauri Madise (Estonia).

In the Court of Justice, the Estonian judge Uno Lõhmus has been replaced by Küllike Jürimäe, and the Luxembourg judge Jean-Jacques Kasel has been replaced by François Biltgen. Their mandates expire in October 2015.

As a result of Croatian accession, Vesna Tomljenovic and Sinisa Rodin have been appointed as judges to the General Court and Court of Justice respectively.

Finally, Maciej Szpunar (Poland) has been appointed as Advocate-General of the Court of Justice.

Ministerial Oral Question (Correction)

Monday 9th December 2013 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr William Hague)]

On 29 October 2013, Official Report, column 752, during oral questions to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the right hon. Member for Leicester East (Keith Vaz) asked me about the number of British businesspeople of Chinese origin who joined the Chancellor, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and the Secretary of State for Transport on recent visits to China.

I replied that

“I do not have that information at my fingertips, but I imagine that quite a few of them were. I will write to the right hon. Gentleman with the details”—[Official Report, 29 October 2013; Vol. 569, c.752].

I have written to the right hon. Member with the details, and would like to inform the House that neither the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change nor the Secretary of State for Transport were accompanied by any British business people on their trips. The Chancellor was accompanied by 25 representatives of the technology sector, none of whom were of Chinese origin.

Westminster Foundation for Democracy

Monday 9th December 2013 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr William Hague)]

I would like to inform the House that the framework agreement between the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has been updated, in line with Cabinet Office and HM Treasury guidelines for non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs).

The framework agreement combines a management statement, which sets out the basis for the FCO’s relationship with WFD, and a financial memorandum, which sets out in greater detail the financial framework within which the WFD is required to operate.

I have placed copies of the agreement in the Libraries of both Houses. The agreement is also available on the Westminster Foundation for Democracy website.

Changes in Immigration Rules

Monday 9th December 2013 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mrs Theresa May)]

The Government keep visa regimes under constant review to ensure that the UK has the right visa requirements set in the right places, aligned to risk. Today I am laying changes to the immigration rules to provide a new, straightforward and free alternative to a visa for short-term visitors from Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We intend to extend similar arrangements to Kuwait later in 2014. Britain is open for business and genuine visitors and tourists coming here to enjoy our world-class attractions, study or do business are always welcome.

Passport holders of Oman, Qatar and the UAE will, from 1 January 2014, be able to travel to the UK visa-free if they have obtained an electronic visa waiver (EVW) document online at least 48 hours in advance of travel to the United Kingdom, and present the document to an immigration officer upon request on arrival.

This simple online form means there is no fee, there will be no requirement to give biometrics or attend a visa application centre. Guidance will be published on the Home Office website. Some visitors may still prefer a long-term multi-entry visit visa and the facility to obtain these visas will remain.

I am also laying a change relating to the Vatican City. Holders of non-national travel documents require a visa before travel to the United Kingdom. This rule includes holders of service, temporary service and diplomatic passports issued by the Holy See. The Government have assessed the procedures for issuance of these documents and consider that they are robust enough to merit an exemption from the visit visa requirement. Nationals and citizens of the Vatican City are already exempt from the visa requirement.

The changes also include minor amendments to the rules for armed forces and for graduate entrepreneurs.

Alongside these changes, UK visas and immigration continues to be focused on delivering excellent customer service to business and leisure visitors and ensuring that the UK maintains a competitive visa system that can innovate in order to serve the ever-changing needs of business and ensure Britain succeeds in the global race.

Benefits Uprating

Monday 9th December 2013 Written Statements

[The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Steve Webb)]

I am pleased to announce the proposed social security benefits rates for 2014, which are set out in the table below. The annual uprating of benefits will take place for state pensions and most other benefits in the first full week of the tax year. In 2014, this will be the week beginning 7 April. A corresponding provision will be made in Northern Ireland.