PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES - United Kingdom Parliament

1001W
Written Answers
26 MARCH 2013
Written Answers
1002W
PRIME MINISTER
G8
Mr Dodds: To ask the Prime Minister what
consideration he has given to the hosting or
participating in a G8 Investment Conference in
Northern Ireland following the G8 Summit at Lough
Erne in June 2013. [149843]
The Prime Minister: As I said on the day I announced
the G8 would be hosted at Lough Erne, I want to use
this as an opportunity to showcase Northern Ireland to
the world as a modern and dynamic part of the United
Kingdom that is open for business, with huge potential
for investment and tourism. I would welcome plans for
a G8 investment conference in Northern Ireland.
Syria
Mr Andrew Turner: To ask the Prime Minister when
he last discussed Syria with Mr Tony Blair. [149808]
The Prime Minister: I have met Tony Blair in his role
as the Special Representative of the Middle East Quartet
on a number of occasions, most recently on 6 February
2013 and 13 September 2012. During these meetings we
discussed the prospects for the Middle East Peace Process
and the vital role the US has in leading an effort to
revive this, supported by European, Arab and other
nations. There were no detailed discussions on Syria.
SCOTLAND
Armed Forces: Electoral Register
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for
Scotland how many family members of (a) serving
and (b) former Scottish service personnel are
registered to vote in Scotland. [149245]
David Mundell: Registration is a private matter and
we do not collect information on whether or not family
members of service personnel are registered to vote.
Under section 59 of the Representation of the People
Act 1983, the Ministry of Defence must make appropriate
provision to inform service personnel and their spouses
of their rights under that Act. Under the Act, members
of the forces; people employed overseas in the service of
the Crown; people employed overseas by the British
Council; and the spouses or civil partners of those
groups are entitled to register under a service declaration.
The Electoral Register does not differentiate between
these various groupings.
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for
Scotland what steps his Department is taking to raise
awareness amongst the military community of voting
registration procedures. [150186]
Michael Moore: The Government is committed to
members of the armed forces being able to take their
full part in the democratic process, in accordance with
the armed forces covenant.
The Ministry of Defence works closely with the
Cabinet Office and the Electoral Commission to raise
awareness of voting registration procedures, including
through an annual campaign to promote service voter
registration. As part of the annual campaign, a defence
instruction notice is issued, and its key messages reinforced
at unit level through posted routine orders. In addition,
unit registration officers are expected to hold service
registration days at all units.
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for
Scotland how many Scottish service personnel have
been able to re-register as a service voter after their
previous such registration had lapsed in the last
12 months. [150230]
Michael Moore: All service personnel are eligible to
re-register as service voters when their existing registration
lapses, however registration is a private matter and we
do not collect information on whether or not personnel
are registered to vote.
Scottish Parliament
Mr MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for
Scotland what assessment he has made of his
Department’s progress in completing pre-release
inspection of files relating to the creation of the
Scottish Parliament; and when he expects to release the
remaining such files. [149934]
David Mundell: There are 38 files which fall within
the scope of the question: 36 have been reviewed by
Scotland Office officials in accordance with the Freedom
of Information Act 2000 (FOIA)—which applies to
these files. Officials are expected to complete their review
of the remaining two files during the week commencing
8 April 2013.
Of the 36 files which have been reviewed, 31 have
been released, four have been passed to the Cabinet
Office for further review and 1 has been fully withheld
as it contains personal information (absolute exemption
under s40 of FOIA).
Social Rented Housing
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for
Scotland how many lettings of (a) one bedroom and
(b) two bedroom socially rented housing units were
made to existing tenants in the socially rented sector in
each local authority area in (i) Scotland and (ii) Wales
in the last 12 months. [149739]
David Mundell: Housing in Scotland is a devolved
matter. The Scotland Office does not hold the information
requested for Scotland, nor for Wales.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Disclosure of Information
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for
Northern Ireland how many civil servants in her
Department have been subject to non-disclosure
agreements in each year since 2010. [150039]
Mike Penning: Since 2010, no civil servants in my
Department have been subject to such an agreement.
This response does not include reference to the Official
Secrets Act which all civil servants are required to sign
as part of their employment contract.