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Private Finance Initiative

Ms Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of funding to be made available to this Department through the private finance initiative in (a) 1995-96, (b)1996-97 and (c) 1997-98. [26168]

Mr. Hanley: We consider the use of private finance as the preferred option for all proposed capital projects. I refer the hon. Member to the capital spending estimates in table 6.5 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1996-97", which is available in the House Library. no capital investment took place under the private finance initiative scheme in 1995-96.

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South Africa (Trade Access)

Sir David Steel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the position of Her Majesty's Government in the Council of Ministers of the EU with regard to the liberalisation of trade access by the Republic of South Africa to the EU; and if it will make it the policy to work for a fair and asymmetrical trade deal with particular emphasis on allowing as much market access for agricultural products as possible. [26093]

Mr. David Davis: The UK has consistently argued for an EU trade agreement with South Africa which will help South Africa's successful transition to a prosperous and stable non-racial democracy. The agreement should cover substantially all trade, with as much market access for agricultural products as possible. The mandate agreed at the Foreign Affairs Council on 25 March is not as liberal as we would have liked, and we therefore abstained in the vote and made a statement expressing our concerns. We will continue to work for as liberal an agreement as possible. We expect that the Commission will need more negotiating flexibility: we will respond sympathetically to any such request, and urge our EU partners to do likewise.

Israel-Lebanon Conflict

Miss Emma Nicholson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his recent speeches regarding the present Israeli-Lebanese conflict represent a change in Government policy in respect of the respect for territorial integrity between Lebanon and Israel as outlined in Security Council resolution 425. [26140]

Mr. Hanley: We continue to support the territorial integrity of Lebanon, and have consistently called for the implementation of Security Council resolution 425. The UK co-sponsored resolution 1052 on 18 April, which called for a ceasefire and recalled SCR 425.

Miss Nicholson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government propose to take to support attempts by members of the international community to bring about an immediate ceasefire in the present conflict between Lebanon and Israel. [26137]

Mr. Hanley: We are in close touch with all the Governments concerned. My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary has sent messages to Foreign Ministers Bouez and Shara'a and has spoken to Warren Christopher and the Israeli Foreign Minister. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister met the Lebanese Prime Minister and has discussed the situation with Presidents Clinton and Chirac. We strongly support US efforts to mediate. We also supported UNSCR 1052, which calls for immediate ceasefire.

Miss Nicholson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government plan to take to support international relief efforts to alleviate the suffering of people displaced in Lebanon by the present conflict between Israel and Lebanon. [26141]

Mr. Hanley: We are providing bilateral emergency aid to Lebanon of £250,000. In addition, the European Commission is providing 600,000 ecu, which will be spent on medical aid, tents, blankets, food aid and safe water supplies.

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St. Helena

Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to ensure non-discrimination between the sexes in employment conditions in the public service on St. Helena. [26464]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: There is no discrimination between the sexes in employment conditions.

Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that no public service employee on St. Helena loses her employment because she becomes pregnant. [26463]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: St. Helena Government public service orders provide that all established female officers are eligible for maternity leave. However, those engaged on temporary terms are not eligible. The St. Helena Government are reviewing the terms and conditions of unestablished employees.

Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to remove Government control of access to the broadcasting service on St. Helena. [26465]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: The Government of St. Helena are examining options for the management of Radio St. Helena, including establishing a media trust.

EU Member States (Territories)

Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 12 March, Official Report, columns 531-32, for what reasons the Falkland Islands were not included in the list of United Kingdom territories. [26462]

Mr. David Davis: This was due to an administration error. The answer should have included the Falkland Islands within the list of UK dependent territories as follows:

Territory	Part of EU?	Vote in EP elections?
Falkland Islands	No	No

A request for an amendment to the Official Report was made on 15 March.

Land Mines

Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the use of anti-personnel land mines. [26722]

Mr. David Davis: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) yesterday.

DEFENCE

Royal Air Force Training

Dr. David Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to suspend non-essential RAF training. [25795]

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Mr. Soames: RAF training is designed to fit individuals with the skills to meet the tasks expected of them both now and in the future. Not all training has to take place within fixed time frames. Accordingly, as part of the measures to avoid unnecessary pressure on personnel during transition to the future RAF manning structure, we plan to suspend refresher training in common core skills for the period to March 1997, except where this would prejudice safety standards or jeopardise support for the RAF's operational commitments. Military effectiveness will not be compromised.

Gulf War Syndrome

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will obtain the details of the research experiments conducted by Dr. Mohamed Abou-Donia at Duke university medical centre in the United States into the causes of Gulf war syndrome. [26266]

Mr. Soames: My Department will consider very carefully the report on the research undertaken at Duke university medical centre when it is published.

Bosnia

Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the British armed forces serving in Bosnia have available (a) armoured vehicles plated with depleted uranium and (b) depleted uranium shells for operational use. [26262]

Mr. Soames: No.

Ulster Defence Regiment

Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time members of the Ulster Defence Regiment there were at the date of its abolition; and how many (i) full-time and (ii) part-time members are now serving in the Royal Irish Regiment in Northern Ireland. [25931]

Mr. Soames: There were 2,990 full-time and 2,858 part-time members of the Ulster Defence Regiment when it amalgamated with the Royal Irish Rangers to form the Royal Irish Regiment on 1 July 1992. The Royal Irish Regiment (Home Service) consisted of 3,014 full-time and 2,122 part-time soldiers on 31 March 1996.

Cyprus

Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 2 April, Official Report, column 98, for what reason no Turkish Cypriots are employed in the western sovereign base area; what proposals he has to ensure that employment by the base reflects the composition of the population of the western sovereign base area; and if he will make a statement. [26239]

Mr. Soames: Following the events of 1974, the Turkish Cypriot population now lives in the Turkish-controlled area to the north of the UN-patrolled buffer zone. No Turkish Cypriots are registered for employment in the catchment area for the western sovereign base area. The employment of Cypriot personnel within the WSBA reflects this position.

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