House of Commons Hansard Debates for 29 Oct 1990

Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his most recent discussions with European Community Foreign Ministers on the subject of human rights in Sri Lanka.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : EC member states have considered this question on several occasions in recent months. Our most recent consideration resulted in a demarche by EC heads of mission in Colombo on 19 October and a statement by the EC presidency at the aid consortium meeting in Paris on 25 October, in which the Community and its member states urged the Sri Lankan Government to observe their international obligations in the field of human rights.

Mr. Stern : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his most recent discussions with the Government of Sri Lanka on the subject of human rights and alleged violations thereof by officials of that Government and the Indian peacekeeping force in Sri Lanka.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have had no discussions with the Sri Lankan Government about violations of human rights by the Indian peacekeeping force, which withdrew from Sri Lanka in March. Our high commissioner in Colombo has raised our concerns about human rights abuses by Sri Lankan Government agencies with the President directly, and with his Ministers on many occasions.

Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who will attend the Sri Lankan aid consortium meeting in Paris ; and if United Kingdom representatives will express formal concern at breaches of human rights by Sri Lankan Government security forces.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We were represented at the aid consortium meeting in Paris on 25 October by officials from the ODA. We have regularly voiced our concerns about human rights abuses by the Sri Lankan Government and on this occasion the British delegation, in common with other donors, made it clear that human rights performance was one of the factors to be taken into account in future decisions on aid.

Yosif Dimant

Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Soviet Government about their failure to grant an exit visa to Yosif Dimant, of Chernovtsy.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We will add Mr. Dimant's case to the list of those which we raise regularly with the Soviet authorities. We shall continue to press the Soviet authorities until all such cases are satisfactorily resolved.

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Diplomatic Relations

Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those members of the United Nations with which the United Kingdom does not have diplomatic relations.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Following are those members of the United Nations with which the United Kingdom does not have diplomatic relations : Albania

Bhutan

Cambodia

Libya

Syria

Nepal

Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has made any representation to the Government of the Kingdom of Nepal concerning the introduction of a secular state and freedom of religion with regard to its forthcoming new constitution.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Yes. Her Majesty's ambassador in Kathmandu has expressed our concerns on these points on several occasions including to the Prime Minister of Nepal on 20 September.

COCOM Proscribed Destinations

Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with his COCOM colleagues the extension of proscribed destinations and items to include Iraq and Libya.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The COCOM controls were designed to counter the strategic security threat from communist countries. Their purpose is to control the export of goods and technology that would otherwise enhance the threat that still exists. The list of proscribed destinations agreed amongst COCOM partners is based on that strategic threat. The controls reflect the indigenous capabilities of those countries.

Exports are controlled to other destinations for other reasons. Iraq and Libya are prohibited destinations listed in the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1989, as amended, for the export of certain goods and technology.

Mr. Atkinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether acceptance as a full member of the Council of Europe qualifies a state for removal from the COCOM list of proscribed destinations ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The list of destinations proscribed by COCOM comprise those countries that pose a threat to western strategic security interests, or countries whose military and intelligence links with the former are inimical to those interests.

COCOM members are considering a special procedure to facilitate the licensing of certain exports to Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. This will be dependent on their adopting adequate export control systems together with a commitment to ensure that imported strategic goods and technologies are devoted exclusively to civilian purposes.

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Middle East

Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all resolutions passed by the United Nations Security Council since 2 August on middle east affairs ; which of these were initiated by the United Kingdom ; and how the United Kingdom ambassador voted on each resolution.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The Security Council has passed 11 resolutions on the middle east since 2 August. The United Kingdom voted for them all, and was closely involved with each initiative, either as a permanent member of the Security Council or as president of the Security Council for the month of October.

Mr. Marlow : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards recognising the right of the Palestinian people to opt for a Palestinian state ; and as to what extent this should depend on the agreement of the Israeli Government provided that in such negotiations Israel has been offered borders which Her Majesty's Government consider satisfy that country's reasonable demands for security.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have always supported the Palestinians' legitimate right to self-determination. We also support Israel's right to exist within secure borders. A settlement of the Palestinian problem should be on this basis. Whether it will include a Palestinian state is a matter for resolution between the parties.

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Northern Ireland

Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all United Nations resolutions passed since 1970 on deaths of civilians in Northern Ireland ; and how the United Kingdom voted on each resolution.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : No resolutions of this nature have been passed in the United Nations.

Fuel Air Explosives

Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during the next meeting of the European Community Foreign Affairs Council, he will raise with his Spanish counterpart the sale of fuel air explosives from the Spanish company M. S. Systems of Madrid, via a third party in Chile, to Iraq.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We are in constant touch with European and other Governments to exchange information about the practical implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 661.

Nuclear Weapons

Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during his recent visit to Egypt and the middle east, he discussed the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the Gulf region.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : No.

Turkey

Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last raised the matter of human rights and political prisoners with Ministers or officials of the Turkish Government.

Mr. Garel-Jones : Turkey's human rights performance is regularly discussed between members of Her Majesty's embassy in Ankara and officials in the Turkish Foreign Ministry. At ministerial level, the subject was most recently raised by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs during a visit to Ankara on 20 June.

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom officials will represent Her Majesty's Government at the amendment conference to the 1963 partial nuclear test ban treaty, to be held in New York in January next year ; and if his Department has had any consultation with interested non-governmental organisations over prospects for this conference.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : United Kingdom official representation at the partial test ban treaty amendment conference has not yet been decided. We anticipate that it will be drawn from officials serving at our missions to the United Nations conference on disarmament at Geneva and to the United Nations in New York. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office discussed prospects for the conference at the most recent of meetings with non-governmental organisations on 23 October.

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Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each outstanding technical verification problem requiring resolution prior to the achievement of a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty ; and what resources in terms of committed scientific expertise and financial support have been expended by Her Majesty's Government since 1980 on the problems of verification.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : A full explanation of the technical problems with verification can be found in CD/610, a paper submitted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the United Nations conference on disarmament at Geneva in July 1985. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House. We maintain a specialist seismic research unit known as Blacknest, committed to studying verification. It employs approximately 30 staff.

Mercenaries

Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the 1989 United Nations convention on mercenaries.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The convention against the recruitment, use, financing and training of mercenaries was agreed in December 1989 by the General Assembly. We are examining it carefully against the background of current United Kingdom legislation. We hope to come to a decision soon.

Trident

Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations in writing or orally he, Ministers or officials of his Department have received since 15 September concerning the status of the United Kingdom Trident programme in the context of nuclear disarmament commitments under article VI of the 1968 nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have not received any representations on the status of our Trident programme under article VI of the NPT.

Nuclear Tests

Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards (a) the threshold test ban treaty and (b) the peaceful nuclear explosions treaty ; and how the United Kingdom capacity to continue nuclear testing in Nevada will be affected by these treaties.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We welcome the ratification of the threshold test ban treaty and the peaceful nuclear explosions treaty. Neither treaty will have any effect on the United Kingdom testing programme. This programme meets the testing limits agreed by the US and the Soviet Union.

Guyana

Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions are being taken by Her Majesty's Government to ensure that there are free and fair elections in Guyana.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : During several ministerial meetings with Ministers of the Government of Guyana during the

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past year we have consistently emphasised that the forthcoming elections in Guyana should be seen to be free and fair. The last such occasion was in London on 16 October when I met the Guyanese Minister of Finance, Mr. Carl Greenidge.

We have welcomed President Hoyte's invitation to the Commonwealth Secretary General to send a Commonwealth election observer mission to monitor the elections and have informed the Secretary General that we will make a significant contribution towards the costs of an observer mission.

Syria

Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contacts he has had with the Syrian Government in the past year ; whether he has any plans to visit Syria ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has had no contacts with the Syrian Government and has no plans to visit Syria.

Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether any representatives of the Government of Syria have requested any meetings with Her Majesty's Government in the past year ; what written communication there has been between the Syrian Government and Her Majesty's Government in that period ; and if he will make a statement ;

(2) what contacts officials acting on behalf of Her Majesty's Government have had with Syrian Government officials in the past year ; whether there are any plans for British officials to visit Syria ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have remained in contact with the Syrians since the break in relations in 1986. There have been no written communications during the past year, other than routine contact through the Syrian interests section in London and the British interests section in Damascus.

Iraq

Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Newport, West, Official Report, 22 October, column 55, he will set out when and through what channels the representations to the Chinese Government to which he refers, were made ; and when and through what channels the response was received.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Representations were made by the British embassy in Peking to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 25 August, and were followed up bilaterally in New York. A formal Chinese response was delivered to the embassy in Peking by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 27 August.

Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will urgently consider providing the telephone and postal concessionary facilities for the hostages in Iraq and their families in the United Kingdom that are provided by some other western European states ; and if he will make a statement.

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Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We are already helping. We have approached British Telecom. From 1 November it will reduce by half the cost of calls to Iraq and give every assistance to families with large bills to pay. We are setting up a PO box arrangement in London for relatives to use. We shall continue to look for ways to reduce the burden on families.

Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements he has made to assist the families of United Kingdom citizens detained in Iraq to communicate with those who are detained.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd [holding answer 22 October 1990] : We are doing everything possible to help families stay in touch. I refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the answer I have given his other question today. We have also approached British Telecom and it has halved the cost of a five-minute call to Baghdad.

Mr. Menzies Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will permit the families of United Kingdom citizens detained in Iraq to communicate with those who are detained by means of the diplomatic bag.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd [holding answer 22 October 1990] : We are actively looking at all possible ways to help relatives. As I announced on 24 October, we are setting up a PO box in London to which letters can be sent. Our embassy in Baghdad will accept mail for postage in London.

Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will arrange for letters, books, clothes and other articles to be sent from the United Kingdom by relatives and friends of British citizens held in Iraq by British diplomatic bags ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd [holding answer 22 October 1990] : We are actively exploring all possible ways to help relatives. As I announced on 24 October, we are setting up a PO box in London to which letters can be sent.

Pakistan

Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent elections in Pakistan.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : According to the information so far available to us the elections in Pakistan took place peacefully. We shall study the reports from international observers when they are available. We look forward to working with the Government who emerge.

Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether British officials made any representations to the Pakistan authorities about the conduct of the Pakistan elections ; how many complaints about the conduct of the Pakistan elections have been received by him or British officials ; and whether British officials have been in contact with the international delegation monitoring the Pakistan elections.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The Government of Pakistan were aware of the importance which we attach to free and fair

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elections. It would not be for us to receive complaints about the conduct of the elections and none has been made to us. British officials have been in contact with international observer groups monitoring the elections.

Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will arrange for reports by British officials on the conduct of the Pakistan elections to be placed in the Library ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd : No. Reporting from our high commission is classified and will be treated in the usual manner.

Eastern Europe

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what extra resources have been available to the British Council in respect of English language teaching in eastern Europe.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd [holding answer 26 October 1990] : British Council expenditure on the promotion and development of the teaching of English in central and eastern Europe and the Soviet Union rose to some £2.5 million last year and is scheduled to rise to £5 million this year, the money coming in part from increases in the council's direct grant and in part from the know-how fund.

Mr. Tony Banks : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what extra resources have been made available to the British Broadcasting Corporation foreign language services in light of the developments in eastern Europe ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd [holding answer 26 October 1990] : We recognise the value of World Service broadcasts to eastern Europe and are in regular touch with the BBC about the resources needed. Funding for the BBC World Service is set for periods of three years. In 1990-91, the final year of the present triennium, funding is 40 per cent. higher in real terms than in 1979-80 and 13 per cent. higher than in 1987-88. Funding for the next such period, beginning in April 1991 falls within the 1990 public expenditure survey and will be announced following the autumn statement.

CIVIL SERVICE

Employment Terms (South-west)

48. Mr. Speller : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what representations he has received on civil service terms of employment as they affect the south-west region.

Mr. Mellor : I am not aware of having received any representations on this subject.

Trade Union Lobby

51. Mr. Allen : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will agree to meet civil service trade union leaders on 31 October during their lobby of Parliament.

Mr. Mellor : I understand that the lobby has been postponed.

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Next Steps"

Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what recent discussions he has held in connection with progress with the "next steps" agency programme.

Mr. Mellor : I have frequent discussions on the excellent progress which is being made in implementing the "next steps" initiative.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

EC Budget

Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest figure for the provision which has been made for expenditure relating to agriculture in the 1991 EEC budget ; and what was the estimate for 1990.

Mr. Curry [pursuant to his reply, 15 October 1990, c. 764] : Revision to the sterling-ecu exchange has caused some amendments to the figures originally given in reply to this question.

The provisions for expenditure relating to agriculture in the European Community's 1990 budget and 1991 draft budget are 30.0 billion ecu (£20.9 billion) and 33.4 billion ecu (£23.3 billion) respectively. In addition there is provision in each year for a monetary reserve of a further 1 billion ecu (£0.7 billion), which may be drawn on if unfavourable movements in the ecu-US dollar exchange rate cause an increase in expenditure on agricultural price support of more than 400 mecu (£279 million).

Sea Trout

Mr. Onslow : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his Department has commissioned into the decline of sea trout stocks in United Kingdom waters.

Mr. Curry : I refer to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Scottish Office, to a similar question. For England and Wales, there has been an overall fall in the catches of sea trout by rod and line in 1989 and 1990. This may not, however, be conclusive evidence of a decline in the stocks of sea trout supporting the fisheries. The interpretation of trends is complicated by the fact that there were dry summers in both years, as well as by the natural fluctuations in stock availability.

Departmental scientists are continuing to monitor the situation in co- operation with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland and the National Rivers Authority.

Spongiform Encephalopathies

Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he has received on spongiform encephalopathies from Dr. Carleton Gajdusek ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer : The Government take account of all available research findings, including those of Dr. Gajdusek.

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Diet Survey

Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information was obtained about the dietary intakes of food additives and contaminants from his survey "The Dietary and Nutritional Survey of British Adults" ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer : The survey in question was carried out on behalf of my Department and that of the Department of Health. The intention was to gather information on the current dietary behaviour and nutritional status of the adult population, and in particular to establish a database of the range of food, drink and nutrient intakes of adults. It does not, therefore, contain any information on dietary intakes of food additives and contaminants although it can be used to calculate these in conjunction with data on their levels in individual foods obtained from analytical surveys.

Less-favoured Areas

Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received concerning the problems faced by farmers in less-favoured areas.

Mr. Curry : I have recently received a number of representations concerning the problems faced by farmers in less-favoured areas.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement outlining the initiatives currently taken by his Department and his future plans to assist farmers in less-favoured areas.

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