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Prison Service
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to initiate a study into the relations between the Prison Service and the Home Office in accordance with the recommendation of Sir John Learmont; and if he will make a statement.[23140]
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 28 March 1996]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Ms Anderson) on 14 March, columns 708-09.
Fire, Police and Prison Services
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what categories of information are collected centrally in relation to (a) fire services, (b) police forces and (c) the Prison Service; and if he will make a statement. [23141]
Mr. Howard [holding answer 28 March 1996]: For police forces and the Prison Service, annex C of "Digest 3: Information on the Criminal Justice System in England and Wales" lists the publications containing statistical information issued by the Research and Statistics Department of the Home Office, by Her Majesty's chief inspectorate of constabulary and Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons. For the fire service, information is published in "Fire Statistics UK 1993" and in "Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Fire Services for England and Wales for 1994-95". Copies of these publications are in the Library.
Irish Procession, Liverpool
Mr. Parry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the recent troubles in Hope street, Liverpool, during the Irish community's procession on 17 March; [22456]
- (2) how many police personnel were on duty in the Mount Pleasant area of Liverpool on 17 March for the Irish community's procession; and if he will make a statement; [22457]
(3) if he will list the offences committed during the Irish procession on 17 March; how many arrests were made; and if he will make a statement. [22458]
Mr. Maclean [holding answer 28 March 1996]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question by him on 27 March, column 599.
Fur Imports
Mr. Heppell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors underlay the decision not to implement EC regulation 3254/91 in the United Kingdom on 1 January. [22885]
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Mr. Clappison: I have been asked to reply.
The 1991 leghold traps regulation requires the Commission to determine which countries have met the conditions to import furs into the Community. Since this has not been done, and the necessary implementing measures have not been adopted, there is some doubt as to whether member states would be acting lawfully if they attempted to implement a fur import ban on 1 January 1996. In view of this, and the absence of routine controls on intra-Community trade, the Government reluctantly concluded that it would not be appropriate to implement the ban.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total cost of answering parliamentary questions in each parliamentary Session since 1989-90. [22900]
Mr. Hanley: Neither the FCO (diplomatic wing) nor the Overseas Development Administration calculates the data requested; they could be provided at disproportionate cost only.
Kashmir
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ask the Indian Government to permit observer groups to witness elections in Kashmir. [23345]
Mr. Hanley: We have made it plain to the Government of India that we would favour the greatest possible openness in the conduct of the election process in Jammu and Kashmir.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Indian Government regarding elections in the Indian-occupied Kashmir; and if he will make a statement. [23332]
Mr. Hanley: The Indian Government are aware of our wish to see the development of a genuine political process in Kashmir. The Indian Election Commission has announced that parliamentary elections are to be held in Jammu and Kashmir on 7, 23 and 30 May.
India
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of India over the arrest and subsequent disappearance of Mr. Jalil Andrabi, chairman of the Kashmir Commission of Justices; and if he will make a statement. [23756]
Mr. Hanley: Our high commission in New Delhi has reported that the body of Jalil Andrabi was found in the Jhelum river on 27 March. The circumstances surrounding his death are unclear. We have contacted the Indian authorities to register our concern at this shocking incident and to press for a full inquiry.
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Guatemala
Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made about human rights abuses in Guatemala. [23194]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor: We regularly raise our concerns about human rights abuses in Guatemala. I did so most recently at the EU/central America ministerial meeting in Florence on 21 March.
We have also welcomed the measures taken by the new Guatemalan Government to bring the Guatemala security forces under democratic control.
India (Hawk Aircraft)
Mr. Madden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning the supply by British Aerospace to India of Hawk 100 aircraft; and if he will make a statement. [23759]
Mr. Hanley: There have been no recent representation other than those made by the hon. Gentleman.
General Affairs Council
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the General Affairs Council on 25 March. [24013]
Mr. David Davis: The A points listed in document 5975/96, which will be deposited in the Libraries of the House as soon as it is available, were approved. These included a draft mandate for a free trade agreement on South Africa, on which the UK abstained.
The Council took note of the resolutions in documents 4970/96 (PE-RE 15) and 5126/96 (PE-RE 18). Copies of these documents will be deposited in the Libraries of the House as soon as they are available.
The Council discussed the follow-up to the Barcelona conference and progress on negotiations and exploratory talks on Euro-Mediterranean agreements. The Council also discussed the MEDA regulation, covering financial assistance to Mediterranean countries; and had a brief discussion of EU-Albania relations, noting the Commission's intention to make a proposal for a new EU-Albania agreement.
The Council discussed EU-Turkey relations. The Association Council with Turkey was postponed to allow the Council to consider Prime Minister Yilmaz' statement of 24 March. The presidency stressed its determination to reinstate the Association Council shortly, in order to register real progress.
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The Council gave its formal agreement to the convening of an intergovernmental conference. The first meeting will be in Turin on 29 March. The Council also reached agreement in principle on the mechanism for keeping the European Parliament informed about the progress of the intergovernmental conference.
The Council discussed former Yugoslavia and agreed the appointment of a new EU administrator in Mostar. The Council agreed that compliance by the Bosnian parties with Dayton would be an important condition for the April donors' conference. The Council also adopted a decision on demining in former Yugoslavia.
The Council discussed the middle east peace process. The presidency gave a brief report on the follow-up to the recent Foreign Ministers' meeting in Palermo and the Sharm el Sheikh summit.
The Council discussed the World Trade Organisation telecoms negotiations and agreed a statement pointing to EU willingness to improve its offer in Geneva.
The Council discussed EU-Canada relations, agreeing that the Presidency and Commission should draw up an EU action plan with Canada.
The Council heard a report from Portugal on the recent all-party talks on East Timor held in Austria under UN auspices.
A Portuguese proposal for an EU-Africa summit and a Commission communication on conflict prevention in Africa were remitted to officials for further consideration.
A declaration on the latest developments in Chechnya was agreed.
In the margins of the Council, the EC/Belarus interim agreement was signed. This provides for interim application of the trade provisions of the EU/Belarus partnership and co-operation agreement.
Apart from the UK's abstention on the A point on South Africa, noted above, no other votes were taken at this Council.
Mr. Robert Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response was made by Her Majesty's Government to the appeal from the Secretary-General of the United Nations for additional resources to assist with the quartering of the Angolan rapid reaction police in support of the peace process in Angola. [23552]
Mr. Hanley:
Following an appeal by the special representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, we considered providing tentage to assist with the quartering of the rapid reaction police. However, after clarifying the precise requirements, in common with other major donors, we decided not to proceed with this.
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