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Mr. Douglas Hogg : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs last discussed these issues with the US Secretary of State on 25 March. We are in regular contact with other member states represeill propose enforcement of the no-fly zone over Bosnia- Herzegovina ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The United Kingdom co-sponsored UN Security Council resolution 816, which authorises enforcement of the no-fly zone established by Security Council resolutions 781 of 9 October 1992 and 786 of 11 November 1992.
Sir Russell Johnston : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his
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answer to the hon. and learned Member for Fife, North-East (Mr. Campbell) of 25 March, Official Report, column 653, if he has received a copy of the UNPROFOR report on the recent breach of the no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina ; what was the origin, destination and type of the aircraft concerned ; and on what basis it was identified as a Bosnian-Serb aircraft.Mr. Garel-Jones : We have received a copy of Note Verbale S/24900/Add.27 of 16 March from the United Nations Secretary-General to the President of the Security Council, which gives details of the three aircraft observed bombing the village of Gladovici. The report does not specify the origin of the aircraft. One aircraft was a single-engined propellor-driven biplane, the other two being single-engined propellor- driven monoplanes. It was not possible to determine the precise type of destination of the aircraft, but all three withdrew towards the Bosnian/Serbian border. The circumstantial evidence therefore suggests that the aircraft were operated by the Bosnian Serbs.
Sir Russell Johnston : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the United Nations monitors are in place at each Bosnian-Serb airfield in the republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina and each airfield in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ; and how many combat missions have departed from any of these airfields since their installation.
Mr. Garel-Jones : UNPROFOR airfield monitors are stationed in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia at Batajnica/Surcin, Ponikve, Kraljevo, Berane, Podgorica, Pristina and Nis and in Bosnia at Mahorljani, Zaluzahi, Cazin and Tuzla.
No sorties positively identified as for combat purposes have been recorded departing from any of the airfields at which UNPROFOR monitors are stationed.
Sir Russell Johnston : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning the enforcement of the no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Mr. Garel-Jones : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the oral answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement on 1 April 1993 to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark), c. 499.
Sir Russell Johnston : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when was the last occasion on which fixed wing or propeller aircraft from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia crossed into Bosnia-Herzegovina ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The last occasions on which aircraft unauthorised by UNPROFOR were observed crossing from Serbian airspace into Bosnia- Herzegovina were on 14 March, when violations by three separate aircraft-- one helicopter, one biplane and one monoplane--were reported.
Sir Russell Johnston : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the total number of violations of the no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina by (a) Bosnian-Serb fixed wing aircraft, (b) Bosnian-Serb helicopters, (c) Bosnian-Muslim fixed wing aircraft, (d) Bosnian-Muslim helicopters, (e) Croatian fixed wing aircraft and (f) Croatian helicopters since its introduction.
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Mr. Garel-Jones : UNPROFOR reports of violations of the no-fly zone do not normally attribute individual violations to parties. Nor is it in many cases possible to determine whether the violating aircraft is fixed or rotary wing.
Kenya
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on relations with Kenya following the policy decisions of the international financial institutions.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We are urging the Kenyan Government to reopen discussions with the IMF/World Bank with a view to reaching agreement at the earliest opportunity.
Know-how Funds
Mr. Patrick Thompson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the know-how funds for the Confederation of Independent States, central and eastern Europe.
Mr. Douglas-Hogg : The know-how fund is kept regularly under review. The fund is well regarded for its effective and flexible contributions to economic and political reform.
Israel
Mr. David Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to assist the ending of the Arab trade boycott of Israel.
Mr. Douglas-Hogg : We consider the Arab boycott to be iniquitous and incompatible with the spirit of the peace process. Calls on the Arab League to lift the boycott were made at the 1991 London economic summit, at the Lisbon European Council of June 1992, and in a series of European Community demarches in September 1992. We shall continue to pursue this issue with Arab Governments.
Mr. Ronnie Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communications he has had with the Israeli Government on whether Israeli settlements in the west bank, Gaza strip, Golan heights and East Jerusalem are continuing ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Garel-Jones : Ministers have regularly discussed the settlement issue with the Israelis ; most recently with the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister and the Israeli Minister of Housing who were both in London last month. The Israeli Government instituted some curbs on settlement activity in the west bank and Gaza shortly after its formation last year. This was a welcome move, but fell short of the total ban on settlements in the occupied territories which we, and other members of the international community, had called for. It remains our view that all settlements in the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem, are illegal and an obstacle to peace.
Mr. Ronnie Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence he has
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recently received on changes in Israeli settlements in the west bank, Gaza strip, Golan heights and east Jerusalem ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Garel-Jones : The Israeli Government instituted some curbs on settlement activity in the west bank and Gaza shortly after its formation last year. This was a welcome move but fell short of the total ban on settlements in the occupied territories which we, and other members of the international community, had called for. Settlement activity continues in East Jerusalem. It remains our view that all settlements in the occupied territories, including east Jerusalem, are illegal and an obstacle to peace.
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information Her Majesty's Government possess on the violation of the human rights of Palestinians in Israel in each month since January 1992.
Mr. Garel-Jones : We receive regular information from a variety of sources on the human rights of Palestinians in the occupied territories. The situation there remains a matter of great concern as my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Grantham (Mr. Hogg), made clear in a speech to the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva on 9 February.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Israel concerning the imprisonment of Mordechai Vanunu ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have raised with the Israelis concerns over humanitarian aspects of this case. They have assured us that the conditions under which Mr. Vanunu is detained have now improved. We have no formal locus to intervene.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action has been taken within the nuclear non- proliferation treaty concerning Israeli nuclear capability ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : As Israel is not a party to the non-proliferation treaty, it is not subject to its provisions. We are, however, concerned by reports that Israel has a nuclear weapons programme, although we have no direct evidence to confirm that this is the case, and would like Israel to accede to the treaty as a non-nuclear weapon state as soon as possible.
Nuclear Testing
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department was represented at the meeting launching the appeal for a nuclear test ban held in Committee Room 6 on 30 March.
Weapons Conventions
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what legislation is required before (a) the 1977 additional protocols to the Geneva convention and (b) the 1981 inhumane weapons convention can be ratified by Her Majesty's Government.
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Mr. Garel-Jones : Should we decide to ratify the 1977 additional protocols to the Geneva conventions, legislation would be needed at least in the form of an amendment to the Geneva Conventions Act of 1957, to create criminal offences in respect of grave breaches of additional protocol I, as required by article 85 of that protocol. The need for legislation on any further points is under consideration.
It is not thought that legislation would be required to enable the United Kingdom to ratify the 1981 United Nations weaponry convention.
Public Appointments
Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of the appointments made by him as listed in "Public Bodies 1992" came within the categories set out in paragraphs 49 and 50 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers" and required a submission to the Prime Minister.
Norway
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Norway's application to join the European Community, in regard to environment and foreign and security policy.
Mr. Garel-Jones : We welcome Norway's application to join the Community and look forward to the swift conclusion of accession negotiations, which began on 5 April. Norway has said that she is ready to participate fully in the common foreign and security policy and has played a full role in international environment policy. The precise terms of accession in these and other areas will be the subject of negotiation.
St. Helena
Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 22 March, Official Report , column 441 , how many vehicles were imported free of tax into St. Helena owned by United Kingdom or St. Helena Government employees.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The available figures for private vehicles imported free of tax, on first arrival, by employees of the United Kingdom and St. Helena Governments are as follows :
Vehicles imported
free of tax
by employees of the
United Kingdom and
St. Helena
Governments
Year |Number
---------------------
1987 |3
1988 |21
1989 |4
1990 |11
1991 |10
1992 |8
|-----
Total |57
Nuclear Non-proliferation
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what matters in regard to nuclear
non-proliferation were discussed during his recent meetings in the United States of America.
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Mr. Garel-Jones : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed nuclear non-proliferation matters in the context of preparations for the 1995 nuclear non- proliferation treaty extension and review conference, notably current problems with North Korea and Ukraine.
Iraq
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Iraqi interests section of the Jordanian embassy about the release of funds for Iraqi students and their host academic institutions in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Garel-Jones : We have urged the Iraqi interests section of the Royal Jordanian embassy on many occasions to settle outstanding bills in respect of students sponsored by the Iraqi Government. We have recently assisted them to set up a mechanism which facilitates the settlement of these bills. This mechanism conforms to the provisions of the United Nations sanctions regime.
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the latest position over the UN- supervised programme of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq ; and if he will itemise what has so far been destroyed and the likely number yet to be dealt with.
Mr. Garel-Jones : UN inspectors continue to carry out inspections and monitoring in Iraq in accordance with Security Council resolution 687.
Destruction on prohibited items, facilities and components is under way. The UN estimates that destruction of chemical agents will continue for a further nine to 10 months ; the extent of other destruction activity has yet to be determined.
Inspectors have so far supervised the destruction of :
Ballistic Missiles and Supergun
62 ballistic missiles
10 ballistic missile launchers
18 fixed sound launch pads
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government and the UN towards the sale of oil by the Iraqi regime ; what response there has been so far from the regime ; and what steps have been taken to publicise the reasons for the present UN policy among the populations of UN member states.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The sale of oil by the Iraqi regime is forbidden under the terms of United Nations Security Council resolution 687 until the Government of Iraq comply with the provisions of that resolution which laid out the terms of the ceasefire. But under the provisions of two subsequent UN Security Council resolutions, 706 and 712, Iraq is able to export up to $1.6 billion worth of oil in exchange for the financing of humanitarian imports. The Iraqi Government have chosen not to implement these resolutions. We have consistently called on Iraq to implement all relevant UN Security Council resolutions. We also hope that Iraq will take advantage of the opportunity to export oil. We have made our position clear on frequent occasions, notably with other members so the Security Council at the regular reviews of UN sanctions against Iraq.
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Korea
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the report made by the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency to the IAEA's board of governors on 31 March on the nuclear status of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Mr. Garel-Jones : In accordance with the IAEA board of governors' resolutions of 25 February and 18 March, the Director-General of the IAEA made a statement to the board of governors on 31 March on safeguards in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Dr. Blix reported that the IAEA was unable to verify that there has been no diversion by the DPRK of nuclear material to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, and that the DPRK was in non-compliance with its safeguards agreement with the agency.
Hong Kong
Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give an estimate of the number of retired pensioners of the Hong Kong Government there will be at the date when control of the colony passes to China.
Mr. Garel-Jones : Based on present retirement patterns, the estimated number of Hong Kong Government pensioners at the end of June 1997 should stand at some 51,000.
Correspondence
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Bradford, West about the murder of Mrs. Hamida Mattoo by security forces in Indian-occupied Kashmir ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : I shall be writing to the hon. Gentleman shortly about the death of Mrs. Hamida Mattoo.
Cyprus
Mrs. Roche : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Nations talks on Cyprus.
Mr. Garel-Jones : The United Nations Secretary-General held a formal meeting with the leaders of the two Cypriot communities in New York on 30 March. The two leaders expressed their willingness to resume talks in New York on 24 May and to use the "Set of Ideas" for the purpose of reaching a mutually acceptable overall framework agreement. We continue actively to support the UN initiative.
Somalia
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Somali asylum seekers have been interviewed at the British embassy in Cairo for each of the past 12 months.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : No Somali asylum-seekers have been interviewed at the British embassy in Cairo in the last
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12 months. However, the number of Somali nationals interviewed in the British embassy, Cairo in connection with their applications to join sponsors who have claimed asylum in the United Kingdom is as follows :
|Numbers interviewed|Dependents of
|applicants
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
April 1992 |1 |3
May 1992 |1 |4
June 1992 |1 |0
July 1992 |2 |1
August 1992 |1 |0
September 1992 |0 |0
October 1992 |1 |1
November 1992 |0 |0
December 1992 |0 |0
January 1993 |0 |0
February 1993 |0 |0
March 1993 |2 |3
|----- |-----
Total |9 |12
SCOTLAND
Local Government Reform
Mr. Davidson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what effect he expects the transfer of undertakings (protection of employees) legislation to have on the proposed local government reforms ; what cost implications there will be and on which bodies they will fall ; and what account was taken of the calculations prepared for his Department by Touche Ross.
Mr. Stewart : The question of whether the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations will apply can be determined only in the light of individual circumstances and following careful legal consideration. We envisage that most local authority staff who are currently employed by local authorities will in any case, by one means or another, become the employees of the new authorities. In preparing its report on costs, Touche Ross assumed that all staff would transfer to the new authorities and that any surplus staff would be made redundant by those authorities.
Mr. Davidson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimates he has made of the implications for public sector expenditure over the next five years of the proposed reform of local government in Scotland.
Mr. Stewart : The Scottish Office engaged consultants last year to estimate the costs and savings likely to arise from a move to a single-tier structure of local government in Scotland. The consultants' findings are at present being refined in the light of comments on their report. The available evidence suggests that our reform proposals will give rise to transitional costs which will be quickly recovered by savings arising from the new structure. An indication of the likely financial consequences of reform will be included in due course in a White Paper setting out our proposals.
Mr. Davidson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what provision he will make for accountability when transferring existing local authority powers from directly elected Scottish local councils to the Scottish Office and to non-elected bodies.
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Mr. Stewart : Local authority functions are regularly reviewed. New duties are placed on local government in appropriate circumstances and some functions are assumed at other times by other bodies or agencies. Questions of accountability, service delivery and a range of other issues are given full consideration in each case.
Mr. Davidson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will specify the reasons which underlay the Government's decision to establish a local government commission to inquire into local government reform in England but not in Scotland.
Mr. Stewart : The fact that a commission has been appointed in England to consider local government restructuring is not itself a necessary reason for adopting a similar procedure in Scotland. It is appropriate to adopt Scottish solutions to Scottish problems. Similarly, no such commission has been appointed in Wales. The present structure of local government in Scotland and the evidence available from previous reviews mean that the current reform exercise is of a smaller scale and less complex than that in England. The Government have recently completed a very full consultation exercise about the shape of the new single-tier structure to which over 3,300 responses were submitted. These are now being carefully analysed.
Transplants
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many patients are on waiting lists for bone marrow transplants, and for transplants for cases of genetic and metabolic disorders ; (2) what provision is made for patients who require a bone marrow transplant ; and what provision is made for funding transplants for genetic and metabolic disorders.
Mr. Stewart : It is for health boards to negotiate contracts for the provision of bone marrow transplant services. As at 31 March 1993 there were four adult patients waiting for bone marrow transplants in Scotland. There is no waiting list for bone marrow transplants for genetic or metabolic disorders.
Agency Nurses
Mrs. Fyfe : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to ensure that agency nurses employed in NHS hospitals are always suitably qualified and experienced for the wards to which they are allocated.
Mr. Stewart : In Scotland agencies for the supply of nurses are licensed under part III of the Nurses (Scotland) Act 1951. The licensing authority for nurses agencies in Scotland is the health board for the area in which the agency's premises are situated. Conditions attached to the granting of a licence are stringent and include a requirement that agencies supply only nurses on the register of the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting. These, and other conditions, are enforced by the licensing authority. In addition, my noble Friend the Minister of State announced on 15 June 1992 the intention that all patients would have a named nurse to ensure that in all circumstances suitably qualified and experienced nurses are available to patients.
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European Community
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 25 March, Official Report, column 687, what is the total number of persons, and of what grade or level, seconded to (a) the European Commission and (b) the UKREP to the EC since 1973 ; and how many of those who have completed their secondment are still employed by his Department.
Mr. Stewart : Between 1981 and 1993 13 Scottish Office staff between higher executive officer and unified grade 7 level or professional equivalent have been seconded to the European Commission, of whom 11 are still employed by the Department. Figures for the period 1973-81 are not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate expense.
Since 1973, seven Scottish Office staff have been seconded to UKREP, of whom six are still employed by the Department. Two were at higher executive officer level, two at unified grade 7 and three at unified grade 5 level.
Forestry Commission
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are Her Majesty's Government's current intentions in relation to (a) the future of the Forest Enterprise wing of the Forestry Commission and (b) the future of the regulatory functions of the Forestry Commission in England, Wales and Scotland ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Hector Monro : I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland to my hon. Friend the Member for Staffordshire, Moorlands, (Mr. Knox) on 30 March 1993, Official Report, column 150 . We have no plans at present to change the regulatory functions of the Forestry Commission.
Pupil-teacher Ratio
Mr. Peter Robinson : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average pupil-teacher ratio in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Scotland.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The average pupil-teacher ratio at September 1991 in education authority schools in Scotland was 19.5 in primary and 12.4 in secondary.
This information was published in the Scottish Office Education Department statistical bulletin, "Schools, Pupils and Teachers in Scotland" (Edn/A1/1993/1), tables 4 and 6. A copy of the bulletin is in the House of Commons Library.
Countryside (Access)
Mr. Galbraith : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what plans he has to charge for access to parts of the countryside in public ownership ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) what discussion he has had with land owners concerning access to the countryside ; and if he will make a statement ;.
(3) what representations he has received concerning access to the countryside.
Sir Hector Monro : All aspects of access to the countryside, whether in public or private ownership, are
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currently under active review by Scottish Natural Heritage. SNH issued a public consultation paper in January 1993. The consultation period ends on 16 April 1993, following which it will be developing policy proposals for the consideration of Government and other interests. I cannot anticipate at this stage what these might be.Fishing Exclusion Zone
Mr. Norman Hogg : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to extend the fishing exclusion zone to encompass areas where high levels of oil contamination have been found associated with sediment south of the current exclusion zone.
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