Home Page |
Column 551
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department who are the members currently appointed to the Legal Aid Advisory Committee and legal services conference.
Mr. John M. Taylor [holding answer 3 February 1994] : The members of the Legal Aid Advisory Committee are Elizabeth Filkin (chairman), Dr. Bill Bishop, Rosemary Day, district judge Greenslade, Jan Luba, Mavis Maclean, Graham McGrath, June O'Dell OBE, Christine Thornton, Anna Turnbull-Walker and Nick Warren. From time to time the committee holds conferences, for which there is no formal membership.
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department who are the members currently appointed to each of the advisory committees on the Juvenile Court Lay Panel for Northern Ireland.
Mr. John M. Taylor [holding answer 3 February 1994] : There is only one advisory committee on the Juvenile Court Lay Panel for Northern Ireland and it is not the Lord Chancellor's policy to disclose its membership due to the possible security implications for the individuals concerned.
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department who are the members currently appointed to each of the advisory committees on justices of the peace for Northern Ireland.
Mr. John M. Taylor [holding answer 3 February 1994] : It is not the Lord Chancellor's policy to disclose membership of advisory committees on justices of the peace in Northern Ireland due to the possible security implications for the individuals concerned.
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department who are the members currently appointed to the Legal Aid Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland.
Mr. John M. Taylor [holding answer 3 February 1994] : The current members of the Legal Aid Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland are :
His Honour Judge Petrie QC (Chairman)
V. Chambers
Mrs. L. A. Gilbert
Miss L. Lundy
J. I. Meehan
J. C. Morton
L. McBrinn
J. P. McGrath
Master J. C. Napier
Mrs. A. P. O'Donoghue
W. R. Wilson
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department who are the members currently appointed to the Council on Tribunals.
Column 552
Mr. John M. Taylor [holding answer 3 February 1994] : The members currently appointed to the Council on Tribunals are as follows : The Lord Archer of Sandwell, PC, QC. Chairman
T. Norman Biggart, Esq, CBE, WS, Chairman of Scottish
Committee
Mrs. Annie Anderson
G. A. Anderson, Esq, CA, FCMA
M. B. Dempsey, Esq
Professor D. L. Foulkes, JP
Mrs. S. Friend, JP
T. R. H. Godden, Esq, CB
Christopher Heaps, Esq
B. Hill, Esq, CBE, DL
Professor M. J. Hill
W. N. Hyde, Esq
R. H. Jones, Esq, CVO
Dr. Carole Kaplan
L. F. Read, Esq, QC
W. K. Reid, Esq, CB
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to initiate investigations into allegations that United Kingdom-registered companies have (a) built armanent manufacturing factories in the former Yugoslavia and (b) provided arms and military equipment to Serbia contrary to internationally agreed embargoes.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We have no information concerning allegations that United Kingdom companies have been involved in the construction of armaments factories in the former Yugoslavia.
Investigation of alleged breaches of internationally agreed embargoes on the supply of arms and military equipment to Serbia and Montenegro is a matter for the commissioners of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise. They will decide what, if any, action would be appropriate in the light of available information.
Mr. Khabra : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the British Government are taking to prevent British arms being sold to the Indonesian Government for use against the population of East Timor ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Goodlad : All applications for export licences in respect of Indonesia, as elsewhere, are subject to strict controls and scrutinised on a case-by-case basis. Any application for equipment likely to be used for repressive purposes against a civilian population would be rejected.
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government will take to urge the Government of the People's Republic of China to repeal recent religious laws increasing state controls on Chinese and foreign religious adherents ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Goodlad : We are aware of the recent publication of two new regulations on religious activity. Any action which further restricts freedom of choice, or which results in further harassment or ill treatment of religious believers
Column 553
is of serious concern. We regularly raise questions of human rights, including the persecution of religious believers, with the Chinese authorities, urging them to conform to internationally approved standards. We will continue to do so.Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government will take to urge the Government of the People's Republic of China to release from imprisonment Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo, Bishop Johannes Han Dingxiang, Auxillary Bishop Shi Hong-Zhen, and other Christians recently imprisoned for their faith.
Mr. Goodlad : We and our European Union partners have often urged the Chinese authorities to conform to internationally approved standards of behaviour in the human rights arena, including cases of detention without trial. We have also raised with them lists of specific cases, including some cases of individuals detained in connection with their religious beliefs. We will continue to to so.
Mr. Mullin : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 28 January, Official Report, column 468, what conclusions his officials have come to about the allegations published in The Independent on 24 January regarding British mercenary involvement in Nagorno-Karabakh ; and what action he is taking.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We take seriously the allegation that British citizens and companies are attempting to procure arms and mercenaries for Azerbaijan, and investigations continue. Investigations to date suggest that there may be truth in the allegation that these attemps have been made, but as yet we have no evidence that they have succeeded. If evidence of illegality is found the matter will be put in the hands of the custom or police, as appropriate. We remain committed to supporting the CSCE's voluntary arms embargo.
Mr. Khabra : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures the Government are taking to bring about a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 31 January 1994 at column 481.
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all television advertising, newspaper advertising, radio advertising and other promotional campaigns with a budgeted cost in excess of £10,000 conducted by his Office (a) in the current financial year and (b) planned for 1994-95, showing for each the objectives and mechanisms for assessing the effectiveness of the advertising.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Both the diplomatic and ODA wings of the FCO use newspaper advertising for recruitment. During the financial year 1993-94 recruitment campaigns with a budget in excess of £10,000 will have been held for grades DS9, executive assistant, administrative assistant and research analysts. Similar recruitment
Column 554
advertising will be undertaken in the financial year 1994-95. The ODA recruit specialists via advertisements throughout the year : cumulatively this costs more than £10,000. Effectiveness is measured in levels of response.Other promotional campaigns costing more than £10,000 are as follows :
FCO TV advertising offering advice to British travellers overseas including what consular services are available. This comprises short consular "filler" films screened free of charge at off-peak hours, and teletext inserts. There are no plans yet for further films in this series in 1994- 95. Feedback on screening and estimated viewing figures is provided by the handling agency.
An FCO leaflet offering advice to overseas travellers which is distributed with British visitors passports by the Post Office and travel agents.
A booklet called "The European Community : Facts and Fairytales" designed to explain popular misconceptions about European regulations has been distributed during the financial year 1993-94. Effectiveness was measured through demand.
The FCO has not advertised on radio during 1993-94 and has no plans yet to do so in the next financial year.
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account he has taken of the representations by the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators in preparing his proposals for putting forward in Japan at the Antarctic conference on tourism.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : We have received no representations from the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators. We look forward to a full discussion on tourism at the Antarctic treaty consultative meeting in Japan. We believe that Antarctic tourism can be regulated through the environmental protocol to the Antarctic treaty. Tourism is explicitly referred to in the protocol.
Dr. Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the United Kingdom paid for United Nations peacekeeping operations in 1993 (a) in Namibia, (b) in the Western Sahara, (c) in Iraq-Kuwait, (d) in Cambodia and (e) in Cyprus.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : There were no United Nations assessed contributions for UNTAG--Namibia--and MINURSO--Western Sahara--in 1993. UNTAG closed down in March 1990. 1993 costs for MINURSO were met from existing United Nations resources. 1993 United Kingdom assessed contributions to UNIKOM--Iraq-Kuwait--totalled $3,003,584, UNTAC--Cambodia- -$39,817,868, and UNFICYP--Cyprus--$538,081. UNFICYP was only brought onto United Nations assessed contribution funding in June 1993.
Dr. Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the United Kingdom paid for United Nations peacekeeping operations in 1993.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The United Kingdom paid a total of $165,225,559 in United Nations assessed contributions to peacekeeping operations in 1993.
Column 555
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has to regulate banking deposits by United Kingdom citizens in bank accounts registered in the Cook islands ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : None. The regulation of banking services in the Cook islands is a matter for the Cook islands authorities.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has had with his opposite number in the European Union in relation to the regulation of the trade in financial services between the United Kingdom and the Cook islands.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : None. The marketing of financial services in the United Kingdom is regulated under United Kingdom and European Community law.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the United nations and the Government of Morocco concerning the proposed referendum on the future of the Western Sahara.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We maintain regular contact with the United Nations through our permanent representative in New York and with the Government of Morocco through the British embassy in Rabat.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Morocco concerning the continued imprisonment of Abdelhaq Rouissi ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The British embassy in Rabat has raised the case of Abdelhaq Rouissi with the Moroccan authorities and recently drew it to the attention of the newly appointed Moroccan Minister for Human Rights.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Comonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Morocco concerning their record on human rights.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : We regularly take up human rights issues bilaterally and with our European Union partners. We welcome the Moroccan Government's agreement to recent visits by Amnesty International and the decision to establish a Ministry for Human Rights.
Mr. Marlow : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy that new boundaries for Euro-constituencies shall be drawn only after a decision that any new building for the European Parliament shall not be in Brussels.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : No. A Council decision of 1 February 1993 calls for member states to complete the necessary procedures to bring into effect the agreement reached at the Edinburgh European Council increasing the number of MEPs in time for the elections in June this year.
Column 556
The legislative procedures required to fulfil this obligation in the United Kingdom are expected to be completed shortly.Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had during his recent visit to Turkey with representatives of the Kurdish community.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs had wide ranging discussions in Ankara with senior politicians, business men and journalists but he did not meet representatives from Kurdish political parties.
Mr. Marlow : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) Commission personnel and (b) direct European Council staff are involved with the European Community foreign and security policy ; if he will set out their relative responsibilities and duties ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory : The section in the Commission which deals with the common foreign and security policy of the European Union is staffed by 125 Commission officials of all grades. The new CFSP unit in the Council secretariat is being developed from the former EPC secretariat. It is headed by a seconded ambassador and staffed by 11 seconded diplomats from member states--a 12th is expected to join the unit at a later date. It is envisaged that 12 permanent Council secretariat staff will join the unit in the future. The Commission personnel are responsible for advising Mr. van den Broek, the Commissioner for External Political Relations. The CFSP Unit in the Council secretariat works to the presidency.
Mr. Alan Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 8 February, Official Report , column 124 , if he will give details of that section of the protocol between the Secretary of State for Defence and the Government of Malaysia relating the value of aid to amounts of arms purchased.
Mr. Goodlad : No. It is established practice that details of Government-to-Government exchanges are confidential.
We will co-operate fully in the inquiry announced by the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the daily average number of remand prisoners and convicted prisoners held in police cells in each year since 1980 and in the current year to the latest available date.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Column 557
Letter from A. J. Butler to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 14 February 1994 :The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question asking what was the daily average number of remand prisoners and convicted prisoners held in police cells in each of the years 1980 to 1993 inclusive, and in the current year to the latest available date. The information you have requested is available for annual averages, calculated from the population figures for the last day of each month, which are given in the attached table. In 1981- 1987 all prisoners held in police cells are assumed to be remand prisoners. For other years estimates have been made of the numbers held on remand and under sentence. Statistics on the number of prisoners held in police cells are published in table 1.5 of "Prison statistics, England and Wales".
Average population in police cells by type of custody 1980-1994<1> Year |Remand |Sentenced|Total -------------------------------------------------- 1980 |645 |195 |845 1981 |125 |- |125 1982 |47 |- |47 1983 |310 |- |310 1984 |54 |- |54 1985 |45 |- |45 1986 |119 |- |119 1987 |537 |- |537 1988 |982 |95 |1,077 1989 |103 |7 |110 1990 |465 |196 |661 1991 |682 |406 |1,088 1992 |715 |383 |1,098 1993 |13 |1 |14 <2>1994 |9 |0 |9 <1>In 1981 to 1987 all prisoners held in police cells are assumed to be remand prisoners. For other years estimates have been made of the numbers held on remand and under sentence. Averages are calculated using the population figures for the last day of each month. <2>31 January.
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current average cost by police force of keeping a prisoner in police cells, per night.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Butler to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 14 February 1994 :
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question requesting information about the current average cost by police force of keeping a prisoner in police cells, per night.
As prisoners have only been held by the Greater Manchester police during November and December, and more recently by two additional forces, Humberside and South Yorkshire in February, not accounts have been received. I am therefore unable to provide this information at present.
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost incurred by his Department for keeping prisoners, both sentenced and remand, in police cells for the financial year 1992-93.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Column 558
Letter from A. J. Butler to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 14 February 1994 :The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question requesting information about the total cost incurred by the Prison Service for keeping prisoners, both sentenced and remand, in police cells for the financial year 1992-93.
The total expenditure on keeping prisoners, both sentenced and remand, in polce cells for the financial year 1992-93 was £9,974,035. Further accounts relating to 1992-93, totalling £1,217,763 are under consideration.
Next Section
| Home Page |