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Mr. Douglas Hogg : It must be for the Gulf states and others in the region to decide future arrangements for peace and security once hostilities have ended. We are ready to play our part, if asked to do so, in support of those arrangements.
32. Mr. Brandon-Bravo : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made with other countries on burden sharing with United Kingdom costs of the conflict in the Gulf.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We continue to have discussions with a number of countries which may be willing to contribute to our costs. Generous cash contributions have been pledged by Kuwait, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, and Hong Kong totalling £1.2 billion.
33. Mr. Dykes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the non-military assistance being provided by European and other countries in respect of the allied efforts in the present Gulf conflict.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Considerable non-military assistance is being provided by European and other countries to the multinational force in the Gulf, mainly in the form of financial backing or medical and other logistical support. We are still in discussion with a number of countries which have not contributed directly to the military effort, but which may be willing to help defray our costs.
Soviet Union
19. Mr. Andrew MacKay : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to visit the Soviet Union to discuss United Kingdom-Soviet relations.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State attaches importance to maintaining a dialogue with the Soviet Government. Dates for his next visit to the Soviet Union have not yet been fixed.
38. Mr. Andy Stewart : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Soviet ambassador to discuss United Kingdom-Soviet relations.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : British-Soviet relations were among the subjects discussed when my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State saw the Soviet ambassador on 31 January.
Drugs
20. Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British participation in the international fight against drugs.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We give high priority to combating drugs problems. We welcome the recent appointment of Mr. Giacomelli to head the new United Nations
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international drug control programme and will continue to work vigorously with the United Nations, in the European Community, with the Council of Europe's Pompidou group and through bilateral assistance programmes in the international fight against drugs.Cyprus
21. Mr. Morley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the high commissioner of the republic of Cyprus to discuss United Nations resolutions on Cyprus.
Mr. Garel-Jones : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs last met the Cyprus high commissioner formally on 1 November. He called on me on 15 November.
British-American Relations
25. Mr. Churchill : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to meet the United States Secretary of State to discuss British-American relations.
Mr. Hurd : I am often in touch with Secretary Baker and hope to meet him again within the next few weeks.
Dalai Lama
27. Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is proposing to meet the Dalai Lama of Tibet when he visits Britain next month.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.
Guatemala
34. Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next intends to meet representatives of the Government of Guatemala.
Mr. Garel-Jones : Neither I nor my right hon. Friend have any present plans to meet representatives of the Guatemalan Government. Developments in the Gulf obliged me to abandon plans to attend the inauguration of President Serrano on 14 January. I look forward to visiting Guatemala when I can.
East Timor
35. Ms. Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the current situation in East Timor.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We support the efforts of the UN
Secretary-General to promote contacts between the Indonesian and Portuguese Governments aimed at achieving a settlement which reflects the interests of the people of East Timor.
International Criminal Court
37. Mr. Archer : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will initiate discussions with the United Nations with a view to establishing an international criminal court.
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Mr. Lennox-Boyd : The question of establishing an international criminal court is already under consideration at the United Nations in connection with the draft code of crimes against the peace and security of mankind. The United Kingdom participates in these discussions, most recently in November 1990.Colombia
39. Mr. Dunnachie : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Colombia about human rights.
Mr. Garel-Jones : Human rights were discussed during the visit to London of the then President Barco in April 1990. We take every suitable opportunity to register our deep concerns about human rights in Colombia. We welcome President Gaviria's commitment to uphold them.
Mr. Dimitri Birman
Mr. Archer : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Soviet authorities regarding the case of Dimitri Birman who has been refused permission to emigrate to Israel.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Her Majesty's embassy in Moscow has made representations to the Soviet Foreign Ministry about the case of Dimitri Birman, and we shall continue to follow it closely.
Departmental Achievements
Mr. Pawsey : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the principal achievements of his Department since June 1987.
Mr. Hurd : The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Her Majesty's representatives overseas have protected and promoted British interests and pursued the Government's overseas objectives. The United Kingdom has played a prominent part in bringing about constructive change in Europe. With other western partners we have promoted democracy and human rights in eastern Europe, a policy pursued over many years which has at last borne fruit. To help the further progress of eastern European countries the FCO is managing a programme of assistance--the know-how fund. The Government have joined others in setting up the European bank for reconstruction and development, whose headquarters will be in London.
The FCO played a leading part in the negotiations which completed the unification of Germany and the restoration of its sovereignty, a longstanding objective of British policy.
The United Kingdom contributed to the conclusion of a treaty on conventional forces in Europe which, if implemented, will enhance stability in Europe. This treaty, the charter of Paris, which was agreed at the summit meeting of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, and the NATO London declaration, form the foundation of a Europe with greater freedom and security for all. In the European Community, the FCO has worked with other Government Departments for :
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completion of the single market (70 per cent. of legislation agreed) ;reform of the common agricultural policy, including the 1988 budget decision ;
strengthening European political co-operation ; and
a co-ordinated EC contribution to eastern Europe.
The United Kingdom has made a substantial contribution to change in South Africa where the release of Nelson Mandela and the opening of direct talks between the South African Government and the ANC are important achievements. We help black communities in South Africa. At the United Nations the United Kingdom has contributed to the adoption of resolution 598 which led to the ceasefire in the Iran-Iraq conflict. We supported the United Nations's negotiations which brought Namibia peacefully to independence.
The United Kingdom played an important part in securing a prompt, firm and united response by the United Nations Security Council to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, and joined our partners in the international coalition in action to remove Iraqi forces from Kuwait in pursuit of United Nations Security Council resolutions. The United Kingdom has been at the forefront of international co-operation to combat drug trafficking and to protect the environment.
The Overseas Development Administration of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has maintained a substantial aid programme. Gross public expenditure on overseas aid in the period 1987-89 totalled £4.75 billion. Priorities include supporting economic reforms, promoting good government, and reversing environmental degradation. About 80 per cent. of our bilateral aid has been allocated to the poorer countries. We have taken the lead in promoting measures to reduce the debt burden of poorer countries. We have responded swiftly to appeals for emergency aid--over £100 million from 1987-89. The assistance provided to business men by Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff overseas (nearly one third of whom are engaged in trade promotion work) has contributed to export sales by small, medium and major United Kingdom companies.
Consuls and honorary consuls have provided assistance to an increasing number of British nationals travelling and living overseas. During the latter part of 1990 our embassies in Baghdad and Kuwait helped with the evacuation to the United Kingdom of 1,796 people.
European Political Union
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's attitude towards the inter govermental conference on political union in the light of the Gulf conflict.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The 4 February meeting of the intergovernmental conference on political union discussed proposals for a common foreign and security policy. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and others emphasised the need to take account of the Twelve's response to the Gulf crisis. Foreign Ministers will return to this subject at subsequent meetings of the IGC.
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Human Rights
Mr. Harry Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made at the current session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : As observers at this year's Commission on Human Rights, our delegation is playing an active part in its work. I visited Geneva on 4-5 February and gave a speech to the commission, a copy of which is being placed in the Library of the House. We shall continue our efforts in the remaining weeks of the commission and beyond to promote respect for fundamental human rights and to urge compliance by all states with their international obligations in this field.
Western Sahara
Mr. Watson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Morocco on the question of independence for western Sahara.
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Mr. Douglas Hogg : We have remained strictly impartial in this dispute. However, as one of the permanent members of the Security Council, we have consistently supported the United Nations Secretary General's efforts to arrange a free and fair referendum to determine the territory's future.
Value-for-Money Exercise
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the (a) target and (b) progress as at 31 December 1990 of the value-for-money exercise in respect of (i) consular work, (ii) information work, (iii) cultural work, (iv) commercial work, (v) overseas accommodation and (vi) non-governmental organisations.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd [holding answer 31 January 1991] : The following progress had been made by the FCO by 31 December 1990 in meeting the value-for-money targets set for financial year 1990-91.
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Target |Progress
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) Consular Work
(a To deal with the greater demand for consular services | The greater volume of travellers to 31 December 1990
arising from the 6 per cent. increase in the number of |was dealt with within overall existing resources.
British nationals travelling overseas within existing
resources.
(b To increase interest in, and usage of, public education | Efforts to achieve the £ 1 million figure by year end
television and radio fillers; to achieve free broadcast |continue. The targetting of the information campaign has
at airtime value of £ 1 million; and in 1990-91 to target |been achieved through issuing a leaflet with all British
our public information campaign more closely |visitors' passports since October 1990, and is ongoing for
towards those travellers identified as being the major |1991.
cause of the avoidable consular workload.
(c To complete, by the end of 1990-91, a phased | Under the above programme, the nine largest passport
programme for the issue at overseas posts of |issuing posts overseas are to be equipped for the
passports in the European Community common |computerised issue of passports in the European
format without any overall increase in existing |Community common format. By 31 December 1990, five of
staffing levels, while at the same time coping with a |these posts were operating the new system. Two more will be
forecast increase in the number of passport |equipped before the end of the current financial year: the
applications. |remaining two posts will be converted to the new system
|during financial year 1991-92. On the basis of information
|currently available, it is expected that the programme will be
|completed within existing staffing levels.
(ii) Information Work
(a To improve the speed of delivery of ministerial | Project scheduled for completion on 1 July 1991.
statements and other verbatim material to overseas
posts, while reducing annual costs by £ 135,000.
(b To improve the effectiveness of other information | Improved systems established for the management of
services (eg through better targetting on foreign |publications, including tighter ordering procedures, more
policy objectives) without increasing costs. |consistency of presentation and better quality control.
|Savings on television production and exhibitions have
|been achieved by recruiting specialists and contracting out
|less work, eg a 40 per cent. saving on the cost of a new film
|about the workings of Parliament.
| Efficiency savings achieved to date-£ 126,500.
(iii) Cultural Work
(a To increase the number of FCOSAS awards jointly | Evidence at 31 December 1990 suggested that 475 such
funded with United Kingdom institutions, private |awards would be made in 1990-91.
trusts, private sector and other partners from 156 in
1988-89 to 275 in 1990-91.
(iv) Commercial Work
(a At existing levels of manpower resources, to improve | Good progress has been made. Commercial Sections'
further the targetting and quality of Posts' services to |work overseas, and the deployment of resources, are now
exporters, monitored through the Quality |guided and directed by the BOTB Forward Plan. The
Measurement System and the charging mechanism, |monitoring carried out under the Quality Measurement
and to increase further the quantity and quality of |System has revealed that, over the last 15 months, customers'
reporting of export opportunities. |perception of the extent to which their needs were being met
|remained positive. The overall satisfaction rates for
|information, advice and promotion services, were consis-
|tently high during 1990.
(b To ensure better focussed and targetted output by | High customer satisfaction borne out by demand for
Commercial Sections overseas directed towards the |chargeable services, eg sales of market information enquiries
targets and priorities set out in the BOTB Forward |increased by over 60 per cent. during the period
Plan. |April-November 1990; over 90 per cent. of the companies
|contacted would use the services again.
(v) Overseas Accommodation
(a To reduce running costs on the overseas estate by | Performance at 31 December 1990 suggests target of
£ 500,000 in 1990-91 by asset recycling. |£ 500,000 will be met or exceeded.
(b To reduce the level of furnishing stocks by 15 per | Furnishing stock levels at 31 December 1990 indicated
cent. in the course of the 1990-91; and to achieve a |that the target will be achieved; that for savings on storage
saving in storage charges of £ 100,000. |charges has already been met.
(c To achieve 5 per cent. saving on cost of furnishings by | The FCO is currently in negotiation with a large number
direct purchase. |of contractors: but it is expected the £ 250,000 target will be
|met.
(d To achieve savings on consultancy services, construc- | £ 250,000 savings figure had been achieved by 31
tion contracts and the purchase of goods of £ 250,000. |December 1990.
(vi) NGOS
British Council
(a To reduce costs of the English language testing | The target had been achieved by 31 December 1990.
service by 55 per cent. between 1987-88 and 1991-92.
|Forecast surplus for 1990-91 is £ 120,000.
(b To reduce by 1993-94 annual global costs of | On target. Costs were reduced by £ 150,000 in 1989-90.
provision of information to outside enquirers by 15
per cent. of the 1988-89 expenditure figure.
(c To reduce telephone, telex and fax expenditure at | Ahead of target. Reduction of 12 per cent. achieved in
headquarters by 5 per cent. per annum between |1989-90; reduction of 10 per cent. forecast for 1990-91.
1989-90 and 1991-92. |Savings of £ 80,000 were produced in 1989-90.
(vii) Commonwealth Secretariat
(a To find during 1991, in co-operation with other | The Commonwealth Senior Officials' Meeting in
member governments of the Commonwealth, a cost |November 1990 authorised the Secretariat to continue
effective solution to the Commonwealth Secretariat's |negotiations for the purchase of a second HQ building to
accommodation problem and to press for an |accommodate their overspill staff. The meeting also
improved budgetting and management system for the |introduced new programme budgetting procedures.
Secretariat.
BBC World Service
(a The BBC World Service has a number of | As at 31 December 1990, the BBC World Service was on
performance measures and targets relating to |course to meet all its targets for 1990-91 by 31 March 1991.
efficiency, economy and effectiveness.
DEFENCE
The Gulf
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 29 January 1991 at column 504 to the hon. Member for Cunninghame, North (Mr. Wilson), if he will give the names and size of the ships chartered by Her Majesty's Government for use in the Gulf.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : Although some information has been given in the past, in view of the current terrorist threat and the possibility of reprisals against those shipping companies willing to carry out work in support of
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British forces in the Gulf, I do not believe it would be prudent to provide further details. To date a total of 130 vessels have been chartered by Her Majesty's Government for use in the Gulf, of which seven have been British flagged.Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his statement of 31 January, Official Report, columns 1108 and 1114, if he will now give consideration to the provision of call-time- limited free phone calls to the United Kingdom and Germany for service personnel in the Gulf.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : We believe that the concession announced by my right hon. Friend on 31 January is the
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most equitable means of subsidising telephone calls made from the Gulf by service personnel. Cable and Wireless has recently announced a complementary scheme which aims to provide 100,000 £10 phone cards free over a two to three-month period.Column 524
NORTHERN IRELAND
Leisure Facilities
Mr. Peter Robinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much grant aid has been given towards the capital cost of district council recreation or leisure centres in each of the past 10 years ; and if he will specify the council to which each grant was given.
Dr. Mawhinney : Grants by the Department of Education have been made as follows :
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Grant paid-Leisure/Recreation Centres
Council |1980-81 |1981-82 |1982-83 |1983-84 |1984-85 |1985-86 |1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89 |1989-90 |Total
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Antrim |- |- |- |- |- |56,348 |50,399 |4,769 |- |- |111,516
Ards |- |607 |7,073 |157,704 |200,810 |814,810 |129,014 |543,319 |20,105 |7,646 |1,881,088
Armagh |- |- |- |- |63,069 |349,485 |5,154 |- |- |- |417,708
Ballymena |2,386 |91,793 |494,344 |133,965 |262,121 |- |20,257 |- |45,522 |- |1,050,388
Ballymoney |674,434 |449,326 |200,855 |343 |3,522 |1,232 |2,589 |56,250 |20,537 |- |1,409,088
Banbridge |53,739 |10,092 |3,329 |1,836 |10,755 |60,385 |- |608 |- |- |140,744
Belfast |1,004,949 |2,252,944 |3,164,971 |1,666,133 |648,768 |96,307 |134,652 |74,162 |80,641 |- |9,123,527
Carrickfergus |20,190 |684 |- |- |110,742 |45,754 |9,000 |- |- |- |186,370
Castlereagh |57,382 |70,962 |2,822 |18,193 |47,648 |29,437 |- |3,187 |9,524 |- |239,155
(Swimming pool
only)
Cookstown |- |- |19,806 |- |18,652 |390,275 |266,570 |89,712 |52,080 |- |837,095
Coleraine |- |- |- |- |- |14,644 |2,318 |456 |18,129 |25,145 |60,692
Craigavon |53,616 |27,903 |456 |12,774 |- |- |- |7,065 |- |- |101,814
Down |- |67,940 |287,704 |187,423 |139,810 |73,665 |186,959 |7,830 |3,222 |1,588 |956,141
Derry |51,719 |73,479 |24,648 |48,015 |3,481 |1,681 |- |14,942 |7,748 |5,562 |231,275
Dungannon |- |- |- |16,881 |9,675 |- |1,750 |- |- |- |28,306
(Swimming
pool only)
Fermanagh |3,144 |- |80,878 |- |7,819 |- |- |- |- |- |91,841
Larne |- |- |- |- |- |- |2,956 |435 |981 |- |4,372
(Swimming
pool only)
Limavady |120,020 |17,316 |64,909 |- |15,357 |12,504 |2,799 |- |- |- |232,905
Lisburn |- |- |89,644 |311,981 |476,337 |168,002 |60,748 |11,557 |43,005 |61,376 |1,222,650
Magherafelt |119,916 |228,065 |40,208 |90,795 |76,126 |113,992 |8,879 |16,542 |27,859 |6,423 |728,805
Moyle |- |- |109,972 |91,546 |93,039 |1,833 |- |855 |- |- |297,245
Newry/Mourne |72,311 |93,689 |297,573 |243,595 |50,832 |29,275 |296,173 |173,482 |61,921 |13,998 |1,332,849
Newtownabbey |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |19,366 |- |- |19,366
North Down |317,600 |135,580 |83,353 |22,172 |- |- |19,854 |- |- |- |578,559
Omagh |397,476 |351,497 |319,543 |1,651 |7,040 |21,838 |18,381 |25,515 |1,458 |3,861 |1,148,260
Strabane |1,973 |- |- |- |449,413 |171,073 |- |- |15,243 |65,435 |703,137
|------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |2,950,855 |3,871,877 |5,292,088 |3,005,007 |2,695,016 |2,452,540 |1,218,452 |1,050,052 |407,975 |191,034 |23,134,896
Mr. Peter Robinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funds are available to assist district councils with the capital cost of leisure centre construction ; and if he will make it his policy to fund those councils which have proceeded with schemes ahead of receiving grant aid.
Dr. Mawhinney : The funds made available by Government are determined from year to year in relation to the overall priorities of the Department of Education. In the current financial year funds have been made available to allow a start to be made on a sports hall facility at Dungannon.
Expenditure incurred by district councils which has not been approved by the Department of Education is not grant-aided retrospectively. It is not proposed to change this policy. Councils may also apply for EC funding in support of capital development.
EC Funding
Mr. Peter Robinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much European Community funding has been granted to each Northern Ireland district council ; and if he will list the schemes and show from which European Community fund the grant was made.
Mr. Needham : I have arranged for the information requested by the hon. Gentleman to be placed in the Library.
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EMPLOYMENT
Adjudicated Decisions
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the relationship between information on adjudicated decisions contained in the chief adjudication officer's quarterly reports and clerical returns ; and whether the series are compatible.
Mr. Jackson : Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service executive agency are the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.
Social Security Act 1989
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what research his Department is undertaking or has commissioned concerning the Social Security Act 1989 ; and when he expects the research to be published.
Mr. Jackson : My Department is presently undertaking research on the implementation of the actively seeking employment condition for benefit entitlement. A study on the perception of employers to this condition has also been commissioned from the Institute for Manpower Studies. It is not possible at this time to provide an indication of the timing of any publication.
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SCOTLAND
Artistic Institutions
Mr. Wray : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the projects funded by his Department to help (a) musical, (b) theatre and (c) other artistic institutions and organisations in Scotland to make their activities easily available to low-income Scottish people.
Mr. Allan Stewart : The following projects, funded under the urban programme, aim to improve access to, and involvement in, the arts by communities in the worst deprived urban areas in Scotland. (a) Music
Music Project--Inverclyde
C Sharp Music Factory--Castlemilk
(b) Theatre
West Lothian Youth Theatre--Livingston
Barlanark Theatre Workshop
Enterprise Theatre--Govan
Garthamlock Visual Statement
St. Andrew's High School Theatre--Clydebank
(c) Other
Craigmillar Arts Project
Community Arts Programme--Ardrossan
Garnock Valley Arts Resource Centre--Glengarnock
Maryhill Arts Project
Forum Arts Centre--Townhead
Community Arts Project--Motherwell
Community Arts Team--Dundee
Falkirk Community Arts Project
Glasgow 1990--Arts Co-ordinator
Business and the Arts--Govan
Castlemilk Community Arts/Cultural Development
Slide Workshop (Magic Lantern Van)--Edinburgh
Springburn Museum and Exhibition Centre
The Dundee Dance Factory
Stanley Community Arts Project--Ardrossan
Beechwood Integrated Arts Project--Renfrew
Gear Community Arts Project--Glasgow
Gorbals Community Arts and Leisure Programme
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