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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group

Sir Jim Lester: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent meeting of the Commonwealth ministerial action group. [28304]

Mr. Hanley: I have sent a copy of the concluding statement of the second meeting of the Commonwealth ministerial action group held in London on 23 April to the Library of the House. The group welcomed the transition to an elected civilian government in Sierra Leone in March. It appealed to the international community to assist the Gambia to complete its transition programme to civilian democratic rule. On Nigeria, the group regretted that the Nigerian Government had declined to pursue a dialogue with the Commonwealth since its first meeting and that the human rights situation had continued to deteriorate. Pending further discussion with the Nigerian Government over the next month, the group recommended to Commonwealth member Governments the adoption of a number of measures in order to register continuing disapproval of developments in Nigeria and agreed to consult the European Union, the United States and other members of the international community on possible other additional economic measures.

9 May 1996 : Column: 212

Government Communications Headquarters

Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what services are currently being considered for outsourcing in GCHQ. [28531]

Mr. Rifkind: On 10 April 1996 the director of GCHQ announced that GCHQ's logistics and engineering support services would, from later this year, be contracted out to Vosper-Manteck. There are no current plans for further outsourcing.

Mr. Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for national security of outsourcing at GCHQ; and if he will make a statement. [28532]

Mr. Rifkind: The need to continue to protect the security of GCHQ's sensitive work remains of paramount importance. The arrangements for the outsourcing of GCHQ's logistics and engineering support services will preserve its ability to meet that need. As with all commercial contractors whose service GCHQ employs, the staff of the new contractor will be subject to the same stringent level of security checking as GCHQ's own staff.

Israel-Lebanon Peace Settlement

Miss Emma Nicholson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken to ensure that European Union countries play a part in the negotiation and implementation of a lasting peace settlement between Israel and Lebanon. [28561]

Mr. Hanley: We and our EU partners are making a significant contribution to the efforts to achieve a lasting peace in the region. The EU provides economic assistance to Lebanon and is involved in the political process. For instance, it will participate in the consultative group on reconstruction in Lebanon.

Correspondence

Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter to the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley) of 2 April--Foreign Office reference: GV100/31101--about his constituent. [28546]

Mr. Hanley: Replies were sent on 3 and 7 May.

Armed Conflict

Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he intends to put forward at the Council of Foreign Ministers on 13 May to make the European Union more effective in preventing armed conflict (a) between and (b) within states. [28451]

Mr. David Davis: I shall not be putting forward any proposals about the EU's role in conflict prevention at the 13 May Foreign Affairs Council. The EU's role in conflict prevention in Africa was considered at the 25 March Foreign Affairs Council. Officials are currently examining detailed proposals. The UK plays a leading role in conflict prevention--through national action, through the EU's common foreign and security policy, and through other international organisations, in particular the UN.

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Cyprus

Mr. Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last visited Cyprus. [28411]

Mr. David Davis: The last visit by a Foreign Secretary to Cyprus was in October 1993 for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in October 1993.

Mr. Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice his Department issues to hon. Members proposing to visit Cyprus. [28414]

Mr. Davis: We welcome the many visits hon. Members make to Cyprus. We encourage them to have contact, where possible, with both Cypriot communities. We advise hon. Members to give us good advance notice of their visits, so that we can offer appropriate assistance.

Mr. Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. [28410]

Mr. Davis: The Government remain committed to an active and leading role in the search for settlement in Cyprus within the framework of the UN Secretary-General's mission of good offices.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

Royal Fine Art Commission (Report)

Mr. Key: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when Sir Geoffrey Chipperfield's report on the Royal Fine Art Commission will be made available to the House. [28960]

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley: I have today placed in the Library copies of Sir Geoffrey Chipperfield's report and my conclusions. Sir Geoffrey has recognised the valuable work done by the Royal Fine Art Commission to improve the quality of design in the major developments which it reviews. He has considered ways in which this work might be done more effectively and has recommended closer links with the statutory planning system. We are discussing with the Department of the Environment how this may best be done and we shall jointly be consulting the local authority associations.

The report also makes various recommendations for the more efficient running of the commission and its secretariat. We have considered these and implemented them where appropriate.

The commission has a high rate of success in persuading developers to adopt suggested improvements, and it has over the years produced a series of influential seminars and publications. I am grateful for the large amount of time which the chairman and 17 commissioners give to this important work.

Broad-band Communications

Mr. Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement on the future use of broad-band communications networks by libraries, museums and galleries. [29162]

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Mr. Sproat: The Government are determined to ensure that the latest information technology will be available to public libraries, museums and galleries to give greater access, by the general public, to information and our cultural heritage. With this in mind I held a series of meetings earlier this year with representatives of the cable industry. I am glad therefore to be able to welcome the Cable Communications Association's decision to contribute £50,000 to fund a feasibility study into the use of broad-band networks to ensure that libraries, galleries and museums are used to their full potential. The study will be managed by the Library and Information Commission, and will draw on expertise from the libraries, museums and education sectors.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Electricity Supply

Mr. Stewart: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy on the supply of electricity from Scotland to customers in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. [27841]

Mr. Page: Subject to the conditions of their licences, this is a commercial matter for the parties involved.

Political Donations

Mr. Allen: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will prosecute under the Companies Acts the company whose name has been supplied to him for failure to declare political donations made by its subsidiary in the year ending April 1995. [28469]

Mr. Oppenheim: If allegations of non-compliance with statutory disclosure requirements are drawn to my Department's attention, my Department will look into them, and if there has been a failure to comply with those requirements, it will take appropriate action.

Mr. Allen: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will amend the Companies Act 1985 to require Companies House to maintain a register of companies making political donations together with the sum donated and the recipient; and if he will make that register open to public inspection. [28309]

Mr. Oppenheim: The Companies Act 1985 already requires companies to disclose, in their annual directors' reports, political donations exceeding £200.

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