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ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Crown Prosecution Service

Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to reduce the budget of the Crown Prosecution Service; and if he will make a statement. [28233]

The Attorney-General: The budget for the Crown Prosecution Service agreed in the 1995 public expenditure survey is, in cash terms, in 1996-97 and in the following two years, £288 million, £286 million and £286 million respectively. Future spending plans will be the subject of discussion in this year's survey.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Lebanon

18. Mr. Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the prospects for peace in the Lebanon. [27210]

21. Mr. Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on the present attacks in Lebanon by Israel. [27214]

Mr. Hanley: I refer the hon. Members to the oral answer given in the House earlier today by my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary.

8 May 1996 : Column: 144

China

19. Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Britain's relations with China. [27211]

Mr. Rifkind: Our relationship with China is of great importance, particularly because of our shared interest in the successful transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong next year.

27. Mr. Pawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Chinese authorities about strengthening trade relations after the transfer of Hong Kong. [27220]

Mr. Hanley: My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary had wide-ranging discussions with Chinese leaders during his visit to China in January, and with the Chinese Foreign Minister in The Hague on 20 April.

EU Institutions

20. Mr. Clelland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has to increase the involvement of national parliaments in decision-making in EC institutions. [27212]

Mr. David Davis: We are looking at a number of proposals to increase the involvement of national parliaments in the European Union, such as a minimum period for documents and in particular draft legislation to be available for parliamentary scrutiny before these are discussed in the Council, and written Council reports to national parliaments on justice and home affairs and common foreign and security policy.

29. Mr. Jim Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his proposals for reforming the institutions of the European Union. [27222]

Mr. Davis: We have set out our approach to the IGC on many occasions, and notably in the White Paper, "A Partnership of Nations", which was debated on 21 March.

Intergovernmental Conference

30. Mr. Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which EU member states attending the intergovernmental conference are supporting the United Kingdom Government's opposition to a further extension of qualified majority voting. [27224]

Mr. David Davis: Most other member states support some extension of qualified majority voting. However, they do not all agree where specifically it should apply. Some link extension to other issues, such as EC payment for policies which may be foisted upon them in consequence--for example, in the environmental area--and reweighting of votes. The position is therefore complex and will no doubt develop as the negotiations continue.

25. Mr. O'Hara: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will meet the new Italian Prime Minister to discuss the Italian presidency of the intergovernmental conference. [27218]

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Mr. Davis: My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary expects to meet the new Italian Prime Minister soon after he has been sworn in.

28. Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report on the progress of the intergovernmental conference. [27221]

Mr. Davis: The second ministerial session of the IGC took place on 22 April. There have been six working group sessions to date. The next ministerial session is on 13 May.

Western Sahara

22. Mr. Hutton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on the future of Western Sahara. [27215]

Mr. Hanley: We continue to believe it essential that Morocco and Polisario co-operate fully with the UN operation in the Western Sahara. We await the Secretary-General's full report on 15 May.

Land Mines

23. Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent undertakings he has given about United Kingdom policy on land mines; and if he will make a statement. [27216]

36. Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to achieve an international ban on the sale and production of land mines. [27230]

Mr. David Davis: I set out recent changes to UK policy in my written answer to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 23 April, Official Report, column 84.

Commercial Sections

24. Mr. Barry Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the role of commercial sections in assisting British manufacturing industry in north American markets. [27217]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: Commercial staff at posts throughout north America provide a large range of services to support British manufacturing and other industries.

Iraq (UN Sanctions)

26. Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on UN sanctions on Iraq. [27219]

Mr. Hanley: The purpose of sanctions is to ensure that Iraq complies with its obligations under relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Iraq remains a long way from compliance. UN Security Council resolution 986 is intended to alleviate the suffering of the Iraq people. We hope that the current discussions will succeed and that Iraq will implement the resolution.

8 May 1996 : Column: 146

Brazil

31. Mr. Jacques Arnold: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Brazil. [27225]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: Relations remain excellent, particularly on the economic front, and continue to improve. My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary had a most successful visit to Brazil in April.

EU Enlargement

32. Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the prospects for enlargement of the European Union. [27226]

Mr. David Davis: Britain wants enlargement to take place as soon as the candidates are ready to join. We are working hard to create the conditions in which enlargement can take place successfully.

Middle East Peace Process

33. Mr. Bill Michie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning the middle east peace process. [27227]

Mr. Hanley: I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer given in the House earlier today by my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary.

Gibraltar

34. Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of the State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans next to visit Madrid to discuss the cross-border enforcement of European rules and regulations. [27228]

Mr. David Davis: My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary hopes to meet his new Spanish opposite number at the earliest opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues.

UN Commission on Human Rights

35. Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the conclusions of the 52nd session of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva; and if he will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government on each of the conclusions. [27229]

Sir Nicholas Bonsor: The UN Commission on Human Rights adopted more than 100 resolutions and decisions on human rights thematic subjects and individual country situations. Voting details of the United Kingdom and other Commission members are contained in UN reports, copies of which will be deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.

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