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Council of Ministers (Majority Voting)

28. Mrs. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the advantages and disadvantages of majority voting in the Council of Ministers of the European Union. [17290]

Mr. David Davis: Qualified majority voting already applies to most of the day-to-day decisions taken by the European Community. It has been a useful factor, for example in completing the single market. But the Government see no case for extending qualified majority voting further.

Export Licensing

29. Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans his Department has to change the criteria used for recommending countries for inclusion on the list of countries for which special export licensing procedures are required; and if he will make a statement. [17291]

Mr. David Davis: The list is drawn up in accordance with foreign policy objectives, international understandings or embargoes to which we are party, the non-proliferation credentials of the country concerned and the effectiveness of its export controls. A revised list was published on 19 July 1995 and is printed in the Official Report. The list is kept under constant review. The Government will consider future arrangements for export control legislation in the light of comments by Sir Richard Scott and the responses to the consultation paper announced by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

Political Representation of Women

30. Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met members of the European Parliament to discuss the political representation of women. [17292]

Mr. David Davis: My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary, other Ministers and I regularly meet Members of the European Parliament to discuss a wide range of issues. Our discussions have not included the political representation of women.

Sudan

31. Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions his Department has had with the Government and opposition groups in Sudan. [17293]

Mr. Hanley: We have regular diplomatic contacts in Khartoum and London. In addition, there are regular meetings with opposition groups in London, Cairo, Khartoum and Nairobi. Most recently, in January our ambassador accompanied the Bishop of Bradford to the Nuba mountains where they met the Wali (regional governor), state ministers and provincial commissioners.

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United States Relations

34. Mr. Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the current state of relations between the United Kingdom and the United States; and if he will make a statement. [17296]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: Relations between the United Kingdom and the United States are excellent.

United Nations (Financial Position)

Mr. Cyril D. Townsend: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new proposals he is putting forward to improve the financial position of the UN. [17275]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: In his speech to the UN summit last October, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister stressed the importance of prompt and full payment of contributions; clearance of arrears; reform of the system of assessment; and greater focus on efficiency. Together with the French Government, we have now developed a package of proposals reflecting these concerns and designed to resolve the UN financial crisis. This package has been endorsed and adopted by the EU.

Greece and Turkey

Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to assist in preventing the rise of conflict between Greece and Turkey. [17280]

Mr. David Davis: We are encouraging both sides to eschew provocative actions or statements and look for ways of developing constructive dialogue. We have suggested to both that, on the specific question of Imia, the best way forward must be to submit the dispute to arbitration.

Embassies and Missions (EU)

Mr. Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all the embassies and missions established by the European Union to date, indicating the total cost, including staff and administration costs for the last year for which figures are available. [18768]

Mr. David Davis: The following list of all European Commission delegations in third countries is taken from the latest version of the Commission's external directory--the asterisk indicates countries where the Commission delegate is non-resident.


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Cyprus

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the negotiations on Cyprus's application for membership of the EU. [17266]

Mr. David Davis: We welcome the prospect of accession and think it should contribute to a settlement. The Madrid European Council reaffirmed that accession negotiations will start six months after the conclusion of the IGC and taking account of its results.

East Timor

Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's plans to raise the violation of human rights in East Timor by the Indonesian Government at (a) the forthcoming 52 session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and (b) other intergovernmental conferences. [18848]

Mr. Hanley: Together with our EU partners, we shall raise our concerns about the human rights situation in East Timor at the 52nd session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and at all other appropriate international forums.

Turks and Caicos Islands

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a Minister of the British Government last visited the Turks and Caicos Islands; and for what purpose. [19140]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: The last ministerial visit to the Turks and Caicos Islands was in April 1995, when the Solicitor-General paid a familiarisation visit to the islands, en route to the Caribbean Dependent Territories Attorney-General's conference in the Cayman Islands.

Mr. Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff presently serve in the Turks and Caicos Islands; and of what grades. [19141]

Mr. Hanley: Three Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff are serving in the Turks and Caicos Islands. One diplomatic service grade 4 officer; one diplomatic service grade 7 officer; and one secretary.

Mr. Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations he has received from Ministers in the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands about the conduct of the governor of the islands; and from which Ministers. [19142]

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Sir Nicholas Bonsor: On 20 May 1994, the then Chief Minister wrote to the then Foreign Secretary, the right hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd). The Chief Minister subsequently wrote on 27 June 1994 to the then Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, claiming that his original letter was meant as a direct criticism not of the governor, but of the balance of constitutional powers. On 21 February this year, all six Ministers of the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands, together with the other elected members, and two out of the three nominated members of the Legislative Council, signed a petition to my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary demanding the recall of the governor.

Mr. Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands; and if he discussed with him the incidence of corruption in the islands. [19143]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: My right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd) the then Foreign Secretary, met the Governor-designate of the Turks and Caicos Islands in May 1993, shortly before Mr. Bourke took up his appointment. They discussed the importance of good government in the islands, but did not discuss specific instances of corruption.

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