| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Domestic Violence
Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the Northern Ireland Instruments relating to domestic violence; and what consideration he has given to incorporating Northern Ireland into the Family Law Bill. [17118]
Sir John Wheeler: The Northern Ireland statutory instruments relating to domestic violence are as follows:
Domestic Proceedings (Northern Ireland) Order 1980 (NI.5)
Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (NI.2)
Matrimonial and Family Proceedings (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (NI.4)
Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1983 (NI.15)
Rent (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 (NI.20)
Magistrates' Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (NI.26)
Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (NI.12).
As to part III of the Bill--that is, the matrimonial homes and domestic violence provisions--the Government take the view that since there are a number of aspects of the law of Northern Ireland which vary from
28 Feb 1996 : Column: 555
that of England and Wales extension of this part of the Bill is undesirable. It is also the case that direct extension would create considerable drafting difficulties. The resulting complexity of the Bill would have the effect of making the legislation more difficult to use for those seeking its protection.
Mr. Robert McCartney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in what circumstances the Housing Executive has power to ascertain the name of the ultimate beneficial private landlord whose tenant is being paid housing benefit; and for what reasons these powers are not routinely used. [17117]
Mr. Moss:
The information obtained by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in respect of all claims from private tenants for housing benefit includes the name and address of the estate agent, if appropriate and the owner. The estate agent or owner is also required to complete and sign a certificate giving his name and address as well as that of the claimant.
Mr. William Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many visits have been made to each council area by (a) investors seeking a site for manufacturing industry and (b) investors seeking a site for service or retail facilities, in which his Department or the Industrial Development Board were involved; and in what order the council areas were visited in each case for each of the last three years; [15769]
Mr. Ancram:
The information requested is not available and could be provided only at a disproportionate costs. However, visits made to Northern Ireland district council areas by potential investors in the last three years are detailed in the table.
(2) what was the number of visits made to each parliamentary constituency in Belfast by investors seeking a site for (a) manufacturing industry and (b) service or retailing facilities, in which his Department or the IDB were involved; and in what order the constituencies were visited in each of the last three years. [15768]
(5) Includes four visits managed by Londonderry Development Office (DOE).
28 Feb 1996 : Column: 556
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Cuba
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from organisations (a) within and (b) outside the United Kingdom concerning the treatment and condition of pensioners in Cuba; and what discussions he has held on these matters. [17201]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: None, other than letters just received from the hon. Member for Coventry, South-West (Mr. Butcher) and for Coventry, North-West (Mr. Robinson) to which separate replies will be sent.
Mr. Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of (a) Her Majesty's Government and (b) the EU on the blockade on Cuba. [17203]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: We consider the US embargo against Cuba to be primarily a matter for the two Governments concerned. We do, however, protest strongly and frequently to the Americans about the extra-territorial aspects of the embargo and are lobbying hard against the draft legislation currently before Congress which seeks to tighten the embargo.
There is no common EU policy on the embargo.
Mr. Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) the United Nations and (b) the United States of America regarding the blockade on Cuba. [17202]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor:
We have traditionally abstained at the UN General Assembly on the Cuban-tabled resolution against the US embargo. This is because we think it is primarily a bilateral matter and that the UNGA is not the correct forum in which it should be discussed.
I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer.
Ms Eagle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those contracts his Department currently holds with EDS, indicating for each the (a) date of inception, (b) value and (c) duration. [17446]
Mr. Hanley:
We currently have only one contract with EDS, awarded on 2 February 1996 at the value of £11,950 and expiring in March 1996.
28 Feb 1996 : Column: 557
Mr. Llwyd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the United Kingdom's annual contribution to the United Nations' regular budget in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [17523]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor:
The UK's annual contribution to the United Nations's regular budget in each of the last five years was as follows:
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Vietnamese boat people are currently detained in Hong Kong. [17658]
Mr. Hanley:
On 23 February 1996, there were 19,499 Vietnamese in detention in Hong Kong.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Vietnamese boat people have been deported from Hong Kong in each of the last three years. [17659]
Mr. Hanley:
The breakdown of Vietnamese who have returned to Vietnam from Hong Kong since 1993 is as follows:
The UK continues to pay its assessed contributions to the UN promptly and in full and encourages others to do likewise.
1991: $44,775,548 (£25,598,167)
1992: $49,437,6754 (£28,260,694)
1993: $51,229,662 (£33,820,091)
1994: $51,067,778 (£34,755,641)
1995: $57,589,390 (£36,414,616)
| Voluntary repatriation | Orderly repatriation | Deportation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 12,301 | 375 | 75 |
| 1994 | 5,581 | 242 | 116 |
| 1995 | 1,668 | 858 | 112 |
| 1996(6) | 552 | 218 | 14 |
(6) To 23 February.
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions in the past 12 months the Governor of Hong Kong invited (a) Mr. C. H. Tung, (b) Mr. Rong Yiren, (c) Mr. David Choy, (d) Mr. Tsui Tsin-tong, (e) Mr. George Cardona and (f) Mr. Algy Cluff to (i) receptions, (ii) lunches and (iii) dinners. [17865]
Mr. Hanley: The Governor has naturally met some of these people on a number of occasions in the course of his official duties.
EU Foreign and Security Policy
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he intends to table at the 1996 intergovernmental conference to make the European pillar of common foreign and security policy more effective; and if he will make a statement. [17779]
28 Feb 1996 : Column: 558
Mr. David Davis:
We have already made a number of proposals for improving the effectiveness of the common foreign and security policy including ways of strengthening the roles of the Political Committee and Council secretariat. Our proposals were sent to the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee on 7 June 1995. Our approach to making CFSP more effective will be set out in more detail on the forthcoming White Paper on the intergovernmental conference.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |