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Mr. Garel-Jones : There are no implications for the future of the islands : sovereignty is not for negotiation. We have repeatedly made that clear to the Argentine Government, and have reminded them and the Chilean Government of that since the joint declaration.
Russia (Seal Culling)
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what written representations he has made to the Russian authorities concerning seal culling ; if he will make it his policy to place a copy of any such representations in the Library ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We continue to draw the attention of the Russian authorities to public concern in the United Kingdom about the seal culling.
Consular Services
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the circumstances under which he advises British holidaymakers abroad to contact the consular services.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : There are numerous circumstances in which British holidaymakers abroad may seek help or advice from British Consulates. They include :
i. heightened danger from civil unrest ;
ii. arrest and/or imprisonment ;
iii. death of a British national or serious injury ;
iv. lost or stolen passports, tickets or money ;
v. need for help with repatriation ;
vi. requests for general information, such as names of lawyers, doctors, dentists, translators ;
vii. requests for travel advice.
China (Death Penalty)
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further representations have been made to the Government of China about the use of the death penalty in that country for offences other than murder.
Mr. Garel-Jones : We have made no specific representations on this point. The Chinese Government have been made aware repeatedly of the widespread concern in this country about human rights abuses of all kinds which occur in China.
Yugoslavia
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when it is intended for names to be put on the list of those held to be responsible for crimes against humanity in the current fighting in the former Yugoslavian state ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : UN Security Council resolution 771 calls on all states to submit substantiated information
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on "grave breaches" of international humanitarian law in the former Yugoslavia to the UN Secretary-General. Her Majesty's Government will submit any such information they receive as requested.South Africa
Mr. Luff : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of the British Council on the encouragement of cultural exchanges between Britain and South Africa ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The British Council's policy in South Africa is to promote Britain's role as a key partner
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in education, science, technology and culture by providing British expertise and assistance to those who will be in positions of authority and influence within a democratic, multiracial society. This policy enjoys the full support of the Government.Mr. Luff : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the cultural exchange visits between Britain and South Africa funded by the British Council in each of the last three financial years ; and what was the financial support provided in each case.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The information is as follows :
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|Number of Visits to|Financial support |Number of Visits |Financial support
|UK (including |from UK
|British Council
|fellows)
|(£) |(£)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1989-90
English Language |13 |21,868 |4 |4,893
Science and technology |6 |35,024 |- |-
Education and social science |50 |132,433 |8 |15,913
The arts |4 |17,314 |2 |2,791
|--- |-------- |--- |--------
Total |73 |206,639 |14 |23,597
1990-91
English language |5 |17,182 |3 |13,844
Science and technology |- |- |4 |2,508
Education and social science |41 |90,121 |18 |38,840
The arts |6 |22,016 |5 |10,784
|--- |-------- |--- |--------
Total |52 |129,319 |30 |66,016
1991-92
English language |7 |16,683 |6 |19,376
Science and technology |4 |8,826 |1 |1,065
Education and social science |47 |96,622 |15 |25,493
The arts |6 |16,992 |3 |9,969
|--- |-------- |--- |--------
Total |64 |139,123 |25 |55,903
British Council
Mr. Luff : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the total funds available to the British Council for supporting cultural exchanges in the current financial year ; and if he will provide a breakdown of the application of these funds by country.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The Government are giving the British Council grants-in-aid of £116.99 million to support cultural exchanges (including development activities) in the current financial year. British Council country allocations for cultural exchanges in 1992-93 are as follows :
|£000
-----------------------------------------------------------
Eastern and central Europe
Bulgaria |1,463
Croatia |<1>496
Czechoslovakia |3,138
Hungary |2,902
Poland |3,655
Romania |1,277
Slovenia |<1>482
Yugoslavia |<1>1,093
Countries with no directorate |12
Former Soviet Union and Baltic countries
Baltic countries |281
Russia |<1>2,870
Ukraine |<1>1,481
Western Europe
Austria |750
Belgium and Luxembourg |1,370
Cyprus |168
EC: EC Relations Office |183
UKRHEEO |149
France |3,266
Germany |6,793
Greece |1,044
Ireland |296
Italy |4,240
Malta |147
Netherlands |823
Nordic countries |1,139
Portugal |1,343
Spain |2,639
Turkey |2,622
Countries with no directorate |136
Middle east and north Africa
Algeria |792
Bahrain |305
East Jerusalem |997
Egypt |1,334
Ethiopia |565
Israel |1,336
Jordan |634
Kuwait |447
Morocco |395
Oman |316
Qatar |353
Saudi Arabia |854
Sudan |577
Syria |250
Tunisia |423
United Arab Emirates |353
Yemen |189
Countries with no directorate |544
Asia Pacific
Brunei |100
China |2,105
Hong Kong |2,119
Indonesia |1,455
Japan |5,086
Malaysia |1,427
Philippines |340
Singapore |974
South Korea |1,359
Thailand |747
Countries with no directorate |151
South Asia
Bangladesh |645
Burma |248
India |4,162
Nepal |157
Pakistan |1,272
Sri Lanka |516
Countries with no directorate |0
South Africa
South Africa |847
Sub-Saharan Africa
Botswana |181
Cameroon |427
Ghana |404
Kenya |620
Lesotho |216
Malawi |300
Mauritius |250
Mozambique |72
Namibia |147
Nigeria |1,486
Senegal |418
Sierra Leone |337
Swaziland |63
Tanzania |292
Uganda |180
Zambia |386
Zimbabwe |451
Countries with no directorate |57
Latin America and the Caribbean
Argentina |856
Brazil |2,975
Caribbean |378
Chile |751
Colombia |577
Ecuador |214
Mexico |959
Peru |545
Venezuela |606
Countries with no directorate |163
North America, Australia and New Zealand
Australia |1,214
Canada |710
New Zealand |496
United States of America |670
Grand total |116,988
<1> Provisional only. All other figures are based on the
Council's financial estimates for 1992-93.
British Council
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the total funds expended by the British Council in each of the past five years in (a) southern Greek Cyprus and (b) northern Turkish Cyprus.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : British Council expenditure since 1987-88 is as follows :
@
|Northern Cyprus|Southern Cyprus
|£ |£
----------------------------------------------------------------
<1>1987-88 |63,279 |78,635
1988-89 |193,184 |212,059
1989-90 |179,912 |218,464
1990-91 |272,653 |294,468
1991-92 |236,675 |366,278
<1> Statistics for technical co-operation training programme
not available before 1988-89.
Visa Applications
Mr. Gould : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what records are kept of personal interventions made by hon. Members in respect of visa applications for each year since 1987.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : No records are available before 1988. The hon. Member will be aware that the correspondence unit of the migration and visa department which was set up in May 1989 deals specifically with inquiries about entry clearance applications made at posts overseas. Details about the Unit were last circulated to hon. Members under cover of my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs' letter of 24 April 1992. From 1988 to date the Department and subsequently the unit has handled 20,850 inquiries from hon. Members as follows :
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|1988 |1989 |1990 |1991 |1992
----------------------------------------------------
January |299 |346 |357 |313 |337
February |353 |344 |359 |345 |342
March |374 |269 |368 |344 |381
April |266 |351 |358 |284 |213
May |348 |342 |390 |406 |415
June |380 |363 |426 |409 |557
July |424 |364 |532 |492 |564
August |309 |338 |390 |414 |443
September |274 |321 |342 |420 |474
October |332 |373 |397 |44 |-
November |282 |421 |354 |374 |-
December |234 |279 |288 |335 |-
|------|------|------|------|------
Totals |3,875 |4,111 |4,561 |4,577 |3,726
Whaling
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning the effect on Norway's proposed membership of the EC of its policy of continuing commercial whaling ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Garel Jones : Many members of the public have expressed their opposition to Norway's recent decision to resume commercial whaling. The Government regret this decision, which we hope will be reconsidered. Community legislation prohibits trade in whale products and requires member states to protect whales ; new members will be expected to accept this legislation.
El Salvador
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest information he has on the abuse of trade union members in El Salvador ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Garel Jones : We are deeply concerned by recent reports of deaths of, and threats to, trade unionists and others in El Salvador. We continue to urge restraint on all concerned, to allow full implementation of the peace agreement signed in Mexico City on 16 January.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Next Steps Agencies
Mr. Steen : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list all the next steps agencies and indicate the date on which they began operating, the number of staff each employs and the personnel costs each agency is incurring or is estimated to incur on an annual basis.
Mr. Robert Jackson : The information requested in respect of launch dates and staff numbers is as follows. Personnel costs for each agency are not held centrally : further details may be obtained from individual agency annual reports or direct from the appropriate chief executive.
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Next Steps-Executive agencies established
Agency |Launch date |Staff<1>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Accounts Services Agency |1 October 1991 |90
ADAS |1 April 1992 |2,500
Building Research Establishment |1 April 1990 |700
Cadw (Welsh Historic Monuments) |2 April 1991 |230
Central Office of Information<2> |5 April 1990 |670
Central Science Laboratory |1 April 1992 |370
Central Statistical Office |19 November 1991 |1,090
Central Veterinary Laboratory |2 April 1990 |590
Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment<3> |2 April 1991 |600
Civil Service College |6 June 1989 |230
Companies House<2> |3 October 1988 |1,070
Compensation Agency<4> |1 April 1992 |150
Defence Analytical Services Agency<3> |1 July 1992 |150
Defence Operational Analysis Centre<3> |1 July 1992 |180
Defence Postal and Courier Services<3> |1 July 1992 |600
Defence Research Agency |2 April 1991 |12,150
Directorate General of Defence Accounts<3> |1 April 1991 |2,130
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency |2 April 1990 |4,580
Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency<4> |1 April 1992 |250
Driving Standards Agency |2 April 1990 |38,400
Duke of York's Royal Military School |1 April 1992 |100
DVOIT |1 April 1992 |590
Employment Service |2 April 1990 |38,400
Fire Service College<2> |1 April 1992 |160
Forensic Science Service |1 April 1991 |600
Historic Royal Palaces |1 October 1989 |330
Historic Scotland |2 April 1991 |630
MSO<2> |14 December 1988 |3,250
Hydrographic Office<3> |6 April 1990 |860
Insolvency Service |21 March 1990 |1,470
Intervention Board |2 April 1990 |980
Laboratory of the Government Chemist |30 October 1989 |340
Land Registry |2 July 1990 |9,800
Medicines Control Agency |11 July 1991 |300
Meteorological Office |2 April 1990 |2,390
Military Survey<3> |2 April 1991 |1,300
National Engineering Laboratory |5 October 1990 |390
National Physical Laboratory |3 July 1990 |830
National Weights and Measures Laboratory |18 April 1989 |440
Natural Resources Institute |2 April 1990 |440
Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation<3> |1 April 1992 |1,510
NHS Estates |1 April 1991 |120
Occupational Health Service |2 April 1991 |100
Ordnance Survey |1 May 1990 |2,380
Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland<4> |1 April 1992 |210
Patent Office<2> |1 March 1990 |1,080
Planning Inspectorate |1 April 1992 |630
Public Record Office |1 April 1992 |440
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre |6 July 1989 |60
Queen Victoria School |1 April 1992 |60
Radiocommunications Agency |2 April 1990 |520
RAF Maintenance<3> |2 April 1991 |13,300
Rate Collection Agency<4> |1 April 1992 |270
Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency |2 April 1991 |240
Registers of Scotland |6 April 1990 |1,280
Royal Mint<2> |2 April 1990 |1,020
Scottish Agricultural Science Agency |1 April 1992 |140
Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency | 12 April 1991 |210
Service Children's Schools (North West Europe)<3> | 24 April 1991 |2,300
Social Security Agency<4> |1 April 1992 |5,350
Social Security Benefits Agency |2 April 1991 |63,100
Social Security Contributions Agency |2 April 1991 |8,000
Social Security Information Technology Services Agency |2 April 1990 |4,000
Social Security Resettlement Agency | 24 May 1989 |520
Teachers' Pensions Agency |1 April 1992 |300
The Buying Agency<2> | 31 October 1991 |110
Training and Employment Agency<4> |2 April 1990 |1,670
Transport Research Laboratory |2 April 1992 |580
United Kingdom Passport Agency |2 April 1992 |1,250
Valuation Office | 30 September 1991|5,200
Vehicle Certification Agency |2 April 1990 |80
Vehicle Inspectorate<2> |1 August 1988 |1,820
Veterinary Medicines Directorate |2 April 1990 |80
Warren Spring Laboratory | 20 April 1989 |310
Wilton Park Conference Centre1 September 1991 |30
75 in number |211,890
Customs and Excise<5> (30 Executive Units) |1 April 1991 |26,800
Inland Revenue<5> (34 Executive Offices) |1 April 1992 |62,100
Total<6>
Total civil servants<7> |291,050
<1> October 1991 figures for civil servants and armed forces personnel. Casuals are excluded. Part-time staff
are counted as half units.
<2> Trading Fund.
<3> Defence Support Agency.
<4> Northern Ireland civil service.
<5> Departments operating fully on Next Steps' lines. Staffing figure for Inland Revenue excludes the Valuation
Office which is a free standing agency.
<6> Includes 8,440 armed forces personnel in Ministry of Defence Agencies, and 1,300 locally engaged staff in
service children's schools, north west Europe.
<7> Includes 7,900 civil servants in agencies of the Northern Ireland civil service.
Scientists and Technologists
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what efforts are being undertaken by his Department to attract more scientists and technologists into the senior ranks of the civil service.
Mr. Robert Jackson : Under the policy of fair and open competition for civil service posts the Civil Service Commissioners within my Department see that many appointments for scientists and technologists are widely publicised. These include appointments at senior level, including agency chief executives and heads of research establishments, posts in the scientific and engineering fast stream and, more widely, the full range of opportunities for scientists and technologists to work in the civil service. In addition, Departments, agencies and research establishments publicise their own vacancies.
Column 42
Pesticides
Mr. Anthony Coombs : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what research his Department has undertaken concerning the relationship between the use of pesticides and the incidence of atopic illness.
Mr. Waldegrave : None. Neither the Agricultural and Food Research Council nor the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid through my office, are supporting any research projects specifically on the relationship between the use of pesticides and the incidence of atopic illness.
The research councils are always ready to consider, in competition with other applications, soundly based research proposals.
Column 43
Civil Research and Development
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make it his policy to raise the Government's share of the funding of civil research and development and to set a target date for achieving such a goal.
Mr. Waldegrave : No. It would be wrong for the Government to set a target for their share in the funding of total civil research and development--R and D--not least because this share would vary as a result of decisions on R and D funding by the private sector and other bodies. The Government fund the R and D they need on the basis or merit and value for money, consistent with what can be afforded.
EC Biomedical and Health Programme
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what monitoring he has undertaken of the biomedical and health programme of the EC.
Mr. Waldegrave : The Office of Science and Technology maintains contact with developments through officers of the Medical Research Council, who represent the United Kingdom on the programme advisory committee.
Column 44
Deregulation
Mr. Sproat : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what financial provisions, and how much, he has made within his Department in order to look at the potential for deregulation of each of the regulatory measures for which he has responsibility.
Mr. Waldegrave : I do not have responsibility for any regulatory measures.
Justices of the Peace
Ms. Janet Anderson : To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list for each year since 1987, the number of people submitted for consideration as justices of the peace in Rossendale broken down by (a) gender and (b) political affiliation ; if he will indicate how many of these have not been approved, both as a total number and a percentage of all submissions ; and if he will specify the criteria for the appointment of justices of the peace.
Mr. Waldegrave : The statistics requested are set out in the tables.
Column 43
Number of names considered and deleted
|Total names |Names deleted |Percentage of names
|considered |deleted
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1987 |6 |1 |16.66
1988 |5 |2 |40.00
1989 |6 |3 |50.00
1990 |7 |3 |42.85
1991 |20 |12 |60.00
1992 |16 |6 |37.50
As regards criteria for the appointment of magistrates, these are set out in a handbook for the
guidance of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster's advisory committees on the appointment of
justices of the peace in Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside. This broadly follows the
pattern of the handbook from the Lord Chancellor's Department. The deliberations of my advisory
committee in Rossendale are, of course, confidential.
Number of names considered and deleted
|Total names |Names deleted |Percentage of names
|considered |deleted
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1987 |6 |1 |16.66
1988 |5 |2 |40.00
1989 |6 |3 |50.00
1990 |7 |3 |42.85
1991 |20 |12 |60.00
1992 |16 |6 |37.50
As regards criteria for the appointment of magistrates, these are set out in a handbook for the
guidance of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster's advisory committees on the appointment of
justices of the peace in Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside. This broadly follows the
pattern of the handbook from the Lord Chancellor's Department. The deliberations of my advisory
committee in Rossendale are, of course, confidential.
Number of names considered and deleted
|Total names |Names deleted |Percentage of names
|considered |deleted
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1987 |6 |1 |16.66
1988 |5 |2 |40.00
1989 |6 |3 |50.00
1990 |7 |3 |42.85
1991 |20 |12 |60.00
1992 |16 |6 |37.50
As regards criteria for the appointment of magistrates, these are set out in a handbook for the
guidance of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster's advisory committees on the appointment of
justices of the peace in Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside. This broadly follows the
pattern of the handbook from the Lord Chancellor's Department. The deliberations of my advisory
committee in Rossendale are, of course, confidential.
A candidate's political persuasion is neither a qualification nor disqualification for appointment as a magistrate. Political persuasion as well as other factors such as age and experience are taken into account in order to try and achieve a bench which broadly reflects the area it serves.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Trevi Group
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will publish a list of the Trevi group of Ministers and officials ;
(2) if he will list the meetings of the Trevi group since 1990 and the Ministers and officials who attended in each case.
Mr. Charles Wardle : There is one Trevi ministerial meeting held during every EC Presidency, which is attended by the Minister from each EC member state with responsibility for interior and justice matters. In the United Kingdom this is the Home Secretary. Ministers are supported by officials normally from their respective Departments. In the United Kingdom these are from the Home Office.
Column 46
Ministers who have attended Trevi ministerial meetings since 1991 are Mr. Kenneth Clarke--Lisbon, June 11-12 1992, Mr. John Patten--The Hague, 1-2 December 1991 and Mr. Kenneth Baker-- Luxembourg, 13-14 June 1992.Individual Trevi working group meetings are attended by a delegation led by officials from each interior and justice ministry of the EC. United Kingdom delegations comprise Home Office officials and, generally, a police representative.
I have written to the hon. Member with dates of Trevi working group and ministerial meetings since January 1991, which is when full records are available. These are repeated in the table.
Records of the dates of meetings of the TREVI group are not held centrally before 1991. The following meetings have taken place since then :
30 September 1992-
1 October 1992 TREVI Working Group III
18 September 1992 Ad Hoc TREVI/Immigration Ministers 3-4 September 1992 TREVI Working Group I
20-21 July 1992 TREVI Working Group III
9-10 July 1992 TREVI 1992 Working Group
2-3 July 1992 TREVI Senior Officials TROIKA
11-12 June 1992 TREVI/Immigration Ministers
14-15 May 1992 TREVI Senior Officials
9-10 April 1992 TREVI 1992 Working Group
19-20 March 1992 TREVI Working Group III
27-28 February 1992 TREVI Working Group II
30-31 January 1992 TREVI 1992 Working Group
23-24 January 1992 TREVI Working Group I
2-3 December 1991 TREVI/Immigration Ministers
21-22 November 1991 TREVI Senior Officials
7-8 November 1991 TREVI 1992 Working Group
24-25 October 1991 TREVI Working Group I
7-8 October 1991 TREVI Working Group III
26-27 September 1991 TREVI 1992 Working Group
19-20 September 1991 TREVI Working Group II
9-10 September 1991 TREVI Working Group III
4 July 1991 TREVI 1992 Working Group
3 July 1991 TREVI Senior Officials
13-14 June 1991 TREVI/Immigration Ministers
30-31 May 1991 TREVI Senior Officials
18-19 April 1991 TREVI 1992 Working Group
28 March 1991 Ad Hoc TREVI/Immigration Ministers 14-15 March 1991 TREVI Working Group III
1 March 1991 TREVI Working Group II
14-15 February 1991 TREVI Working Group I
31 January-
1 February 1991 TREVI 1992 Working Group
22 January 1991 Ad Hoc TREVI/Immigration Ministers
Column 47
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what decisions were taken by the Trevi group of Ministers in the past 36 months ; and if he will deposit a copy of the decisions in the Library ;
(2) what was on the agenda for the meetings of the Trevi group of Ministers, during the past 36 months ; and if he will place copies of the agenda in the Library.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Successive Secretaries of State for the Home Department have reported to the House on the decisions of Trevi and Immigration Ministers by means of a written answer after each ministerial meeting. I refer the hon. Member to the replies given on those occasions :7 July 1992, column 132 ; 20 December 1991, column 351 ; 20 June 1991, column 242 ; 18 December 1990, column 110 ; 4 July 1990, column 582 ; 20 December 1989,column 276.
Asylum
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions the United Kingdom Government have taken part in relating to EC-wide measures to introduce compulsory fingerprinting for all asylum seekers.
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