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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Peru
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place with the Government of Peru concerning (a) the operation of their emergency legislation and (b) human rights in respect of the emergency legislation; and if he will make a statement. [6019]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: Since the answer I gave the hon. Member for Islington, North on 6 November, Official Report, columns 554-55, I personally discussed human rights with the Peruvian President of Congress and the Peruvian Foreign Minister in Lima on 29 November. Our ambassador in Lima held a further meeting with the Director General for Human Rights in the Peruvian Foreign Ministry on 14 December.
Small and Medium Enterprises
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice has been given to procurement staff in (a) the diplomatic wing and (b) the ODA on the implications of purchasing from small and medium enterprises. [6645]
Mr. Hanley: The diplomatic wing of the FCO provides detailed advice about business with small and medium enterprises through its purchasing manual, which as been distributed to all officers in the Department with purchasing responsibilities, and to those in its executive agency, the Wilton Park conference centre.
In addition, the DTI video "Think Big, Buy Small" is shown to all participants in the Department's introductory training course "Working on Purchasing and Supply".
The ODA's "Guide to Aid Procedures" is being revised to include advice on procurement from small and medium enterprises and reflect present policy.
Mrs. Roche:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what work (a) the diplomatic
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wing of his Department and (b) the ODA have done to develop best practice in the publication of departmental procurement guidance material relevant to small and medium enterprises' needs. [6643]
Mr. Hanley:
The diplomatic wing of the FCO promotes best practice relating to small and medium enterprises through its purchasing manual, which has been distributed to all officers in the Department with purchasing responsibilities and to those in its executive agency, the Wilton Park conference centre.
The manual reiterates current Government policy which is to encourage the development of small and medium enterprises by giving them a full opportunity to bid for public sector business. SMEs are included, wherever possible, in inquiries for quotations and invitations to tender.
The ODA is revising its own "Guide to Aid Procedures" to reflect similarly present policy.
General guidance for SME's on purchasing by the FCO and ODA is included in the DTI booklet "Tendering for Government Contracts".
Mrs. Roche:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress (a) the diplomatic wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and (b) the Overseas Development Administration have made regarding establishing a contact point with responsibility for liaison with relevant business support organisations and taking forward small and medium enterprise related public procurement initiatives. [6723]
Mr. Hanley:
FCO diplomatic wing contact points have been established in central London, Croydon and Milton Keynes and communicated to the Department of Trade and Industry for inclusion in the DTI booklet "Tendering for Government Contracts". The ODA has similarly forwarded to the DTI a contact point and a list of procurement agents employed by the ODA.
Mrs. Roche:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings (a) the diplomatic wing of his Department and (b) the ODA have had since May 1995 with organisations representing small firms to review tendering procedures. [6644]
Mr. Hanley:
The diplomatic wing of the FCO and the ODA have themselves had no meetings since May 1995 with organisations representing small firms to review tendering procedures. But on behalf of all departments, the Treasury's central unit on procurement met, on 27 September 1995, the CBI small firms panel, the Association of British Chambers of Commerce and the Forum of Private Business to review tendering procedures.
Mrs. Roche:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much (a) the diplomatic wing of his Department and (b) the Overseas Development Administration paid to the private sector for goods and services in 1994-95. [6507]
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Mr. Hanley:
Excluding amounts spent on major works and on local purchases overseas, it is estimated that the diplomatic wing spent £102.4 million on goods and services supplied by the private sector in 1994-95.
ODA figures on payments made for goods and services to the private sector are not separately held, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mrs. Roche:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many firms are represented by the percentage of invoices not paid by his Department within 30 days in 1994-95. [6487]
Mr. Hanley:
The Foreign and Commonwealth diplomatic wing and its executive agency, Wilton Park, use a sampling method of measure payment performance. During 1994-95, 8 per cent. of invoices or 55 payments sampled by the DW were not paid on time. During the same period, WP did not pay 5 per cent. of invoices on time, representing three firms.
The Overseas Development Administration and its executive agency, the Natural Resources Institute, monitor payment performance by analysing all payments. During 1994-95, 13 per cent. of ODA invoices and 4 per cent. of NRI invoices were not paid on time. It is not possible to break this down further by supplier without incurring disproportionate cost.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held with interested parties on the future of the Antarctic treaty and the siting of the secretariat; and if he will make a statement. [6927]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor:
Questions on the Antarctic treaty and the location of the secretariat are raised periodically as part of our regular meetings with other Antarctic treaty parties.
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held with signatories to the Antarctic treaty on (a) the progress of ratification and (b) the siting and operation of the secretariat. [6829]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor:
No recent discussions have taken place on ratification of the Antarctic treaty. The treaty was ratified on 23 June 1961. The United Kingdom ratified the environmental protocol to the Antarctic treaty on 25 April 1995.
The question of the location and operation of the Antarctic treaty secretariat is raised periodically as part of our regular meetings with other Antarctic treaty parties.
Sir Teddy Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of the new initiatives proposed by the Commission for 1996 in its document Com(95) 512 final will require legislation; and how many of these legislative proposals will be subject to majority vote. [6820]
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Mr. David Davis:
The Commission's work programme for 1996--document Com(95) 512 final--indicates that the Commission intends to bring forward 19 new pieces of primary legislation as part of its new initiatives programme in 1996. How many of these proposals will be subject to majority voting will become clear only when the Commission makes known on what treaty base it intends to bring each of them forward.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's representations to the Shell oil company concerning the activities of Shell Nigeria in the Ogoni lands; and if he will make it his policy to advise Shell to review its activities in this matter. [5958]
Mr. Hanley:
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave the hon. Member for South Dorset (Mr. Bruce) on 29 November, Official Report, column 1190. It is for Shell to make its own commercial decisions and to explain them to those who express concern about them.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the discussions his Department held with Shell in respect of discussions between Shell Nigeria and the Nigerian Government prior to the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa. [6002]
Mr. Hanley
[holding answer 18 December 1995]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave the hon. Member for South Dorset on 29 November, Official Report, column, 1190. It is for Shell to comment on any discussions it may have held with the Nigerian Government.
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many ministerial visits have been undertaken by each Minister in his Department between 6 July and 1 December; and how many and what percentage of these have been involved with the Minister travelling abroad. [4229]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor
[holding answer 6 December 1995]: Ministers carry out many visits in the course of their official duties. During the period in question the numbers of official visits by Foreign Office Ministers were as follows:
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My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary made 14 overseas visits visiting 17 countries;
the Minister for Overseas Development made five overseas visits visiting 14 countries;
the Minister of State, the right hon. Member for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley), made four overseas visits visiting 11 countries and one dependent territory;
the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Boothferry (Mr. Davis), made 16 overseas visits visiting six countries and one dependent territory;
and I made eight overseas visits visiting 13 countries.
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